Promises Made But Not Kept By Environmental Activist Groups
(first published August 2020)
In the middle of a depression, it is sad to see some folks still all too eager to deny others getting decent jobs. Anti jobs, anti local community, anti essential services (whose jobs are significantly paid with tax revenue from local businesses). And should the coalition of Catskill Mountainkeeper, Woodstock Land Conservancy, and Open Space Institute prevail in stopping the planned 850 Route 28 project, they will 'gleefully' 'own' their reputation as job-and-revenue killers, and be even more emboldened to continue their business-hostile campaign unabated.
These groups have promised that 'only-a-green-passive-recreation' approach to business in the 4 county Catskill region is 'permissible' in their view. But they haven't produced nearly the jobs promised over the last 10 years - a meager 2,000 PART TIME/SEASONAL, and some full time, jobs in the Catskills exist that are remotely related to recreation/hospitality, as per Catskill Mountain Keepers own studies. (e.g. jobs at a sandwich bar, Hunter Mountain, fish tackle/bait shops, TinkerTown Tubing, etc.). The Catskills is an area the size of Rhode Island - 2,000 mostly part time jobs - thats it - and over a 10 year period, the net gain was 200 (mostly part time) JOBS! Don't believe us, read it for yourself in their own reports (see below).Its TRAGIC and CYNICAL how they have sold this hard-core ideology to locals as the cure for economic development - isn't it time for a dialog of BALANCE? Can there be no mutually beneficial relation?
Read the CMK report - take close look at the numbers of jobs, and keep in mind, all these jobs created where during the robust job growth era from 2010 to 2019 - they (CMK's 'promise' of jobs) barely made a dent in actual growth (less than 10% growth, again, mostly seasonal jobs). AND THIS IS WHAT THEY OFFER the Town of Kingston and Ulster now. REALLY?
TAKE ACTION - let your local representatives know you support the 850 Route 28 Project moving forward. Don't let a small number of loud voices determine your community's future.
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