January 2021
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he Talon Gripping News Volume III Issue II Onteora High School Boiceville, NY 12412 January 2021 Ulster transportation assistance to he Kingston Common Coun‐ those under treatment. he Risk cil and Ulster County Legisla‐ County News Mitigation Team will receive ture approved the agreement, funding to expand and reach but the Kingston School Board other parts of Ulster County. did not due to concerns about By Sophia Roberts the length of time the commu‐ Lastly, the budget emphasises nity "would be shouldering the 2021 Budget Outline: creating workforce housing and burden of taxes not paid on the investing in new infrastructure, full value of the Kingstonian," In early December, Ulster including a nearly $3 million according to board member County Executive Pat Ryan and upgrade to the Maltby Hollow Robin Jacbowitz. Many feel as Ulster legislators prepared for Bridge in Olive. though it would be too great a 2021 by creating and adopting disadvantage to the Kingston the 2021 budget. he main fo‐ Essential services such as the school district if those living in cuses of the budget are mental ones above will be expanded luxury housing do not have to health, public health, education, without raising property taxes pay their full share of school infrastructure, economic devel‐ (for the ninth consecutive year) taxes. opment, social services, and a or proposing layoffs, and the Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Green New Deal for Ulster overall budget is a 2.6% de‐ he developers of the Kingston‐ County. he new initiatives pro‐ crease in spending from the ian responded to the Board vote Following negotiation of the tax one of the project's largest sup‐ posed in the 2021 budget can be 2020 budget. Ryan signed the stating that they were "disap‐ breaks, the next step for the porters, believing that the broken down into "Building a budget on December 15th fol‐ pointed in the outcome and Kingstonian will be site-plan project "will have no negative People-Centered Economy" and lowing unanimous approval by frustrated with the process." approval and securing of i‐ tax implications, only positive!" "Investments in Community the Ulster County legislature, he developers stated that "in nances. It also faces a lawsuit Six of the nine Kingston Board Care." ater some amendments to the end, the School Board just iled by a real-estate investor of Education members oppose Ryan's original budget were could not understand they were with extensive holdings in Up‐ the project. Residents seem To build a people-centered made. turning down additional rev‐ town, Neil Bender, who is seek‐ split, with some critiquing the economy, Ryan has proposed enue, not adding a burden." he ing to overturn a planning project's design and tax breaks reimagining the Hudson Valley he Kingstonian: project can move forward with‐ board ruling that the project and others praising the addi‐ Mall; diversifying and expand‐ out the Board of Education's would not pose a signiicant en‐ tional public parking, new jobs, ing the economy by spending A $60 million, 143-unit housing approval, but it is unclear vironmental impact on the area. and new development. $5.3 million to support eco‐ development has been pro‐ whether that will happen at this nomic development; revitaliz‐ posed for the municipal park‐ time. Kingston Mayor Steve Noble is ing Tech City by creating studio ing lot between Schwenk Drive spaces for artists, designers, and North Front Street and will manufacturers, and others; ex‐ span Fair Street Extension and panding green career training an empty parcel occupied by and opportunities; and using Herzog's warehouse. his 100% green energy by 2030. project, the Kingstonian, is hoped to help revitalize Down‐ A top priority for "Investments town Kingston but has faced in Community Care" is Mobile much criticism since its propos‐ Mental Health expansion. his al in 2017. includes the placement of a full- time social worker in the Emer‐ Controversy over the project gency Management Depart‐ has arisen for a number of rea‐ ment and allocation of $871,664 sons. Fourteen out of the 143 to Mobile Mental Health, which housing developments are to be provides free assistance to Ul‐ affordable, which angered those ster County residents in crisis. who believe that that number should be larger given the af‐ he budget also includes a focus fordable housing crisis in Ulster on breaking the cycle of inter‐ County. generational poverty by person‐ alizing support for adolescents Additionally, there is concern and investing in education. over whether the project should receive the requested payment- To tackle the opioid epidemic, in-lieu-of-taxes agreement that the county will provide housing would save the project $30 mil‐ and childcare vouchers and lion in taxes over 25 years. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan, Courtesy of @ulstercountyexecutive on Instagram 2 January 2021 change itself" rather than adopt ship for immigrants. have a varied and diverse out‐ Onteora's Hopes for the one of the more "'moderate look on the future. While most plans to combat the crisis." An‐ Biden supports ending the re‐ young people are interested in Biden Administration other senior, Emily Peck, told strictive asylum policies which seeing progress made on cli‐ me that she "would like to see a Sophia lamented, and, in addi‐ mate change, immigration, and serious climate policy that in‐ tion, he supports temporarily the ongoing COVID-19 pan‐ By Nelson Del Tufo elected president are not con‐ vests heavily in renewable re‐ halting deportations, increasing demic, students also mentioned ined to people of voting age. sources." the annual number of refugees a great deal of topics that don't he years of the Trump admin‐ Over the course of the last four accepted into the country, and dominate the headlines. For ex‐ istration have been nothing if years, it has been common to Biden has publicly stated that maintaining the popular DACA ample, several students ex‐ not controversial. From cam‐ hear frustration about the di‐ he supports drastic measures to program. pressed support for the legaliza‐ paign promises about border rection of American policy vo‐ ight climate change and wants tion of marijuana, a topic on militarization to the violent calized throughout the halls of to use the Green New Deal -- a Beyond this, however, the Biden which Joe Biden has dragged clearing of protestors from Onteora High School. sweeping proposal to ight cli‐ Pennsylvania Avenue, President mate change and overhaul the Trump embraced his culture- Ever since Biden's election in country's energy infrastructure warrior persona and, in so do‐ November, however, the tone of -- as a "crucial framework" for ing, inspired an intense dislike these discussions has shited his climate policy. his, from many Americans. from outraged to pragmatic. however, notably implies that he general consensus seems to Biden does not plan on sup‐ his backlash to the president be that change is in the air, so I porting the actual Green New manifested itself in President asked a few of my more politi‐ Deal legislation. Joe Biden who, over the course cally inclined classmates what of his campaign, was perceived they would like to see from the Immigration is another subject as something different to every‐ Biden administration. which Onteora students express one but Trump-like to no one. a great deal of passion about. As the book closes on these Onteora students are undeni‐ hroughout the Trump admin‐ four divisive years, the hopes ably most passionate about cli‐ istration, stories about ICE and convictions of disgruntled mate and environmental policy. raids, detention camps, and -- Americans everywhere are di‐ Early on in his administration, infamously -- child separation Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons rected at President Biden and President Trump made a great at the border, regularly shocked his administration as they begin show of rolling back environ‐ the public. hese dramatic administration has kept mum. his feet, even as the proposal to translate hopes and convic‐ mental regulations and exiting headlines struck a chord with According to NPR, Biden has has become more popular than tions into a concrete agenda. the non-binding Paris Climate many, and over the course of intentionally avoided calling ever. Accord. Many of the students the last four years, the chorus immigration a top priority, as Expectations for the newly who gave statements about calling for immigration reform he and his team believe the is‐ Liam Bertheaud, a sophomore, what they wanted to see from has grown. sue to be too divisive. It seems told me that some of his top h the Biden administration saw likely that the Biden adminis‐ priorities were electoral reforms " e general these actions as utterly wrong‐ Sophia Roberts, another senior, tration will focus on reversing -- such as the abolition of the headed, but they wanted some‐ was especially passionate about Trump administration border electoral college -- and a focus consensus thing more than simply a return the topic. In addition to her policy rather than overhauling on education. Max Mielcarek, a to Obama-era posturing. support for climate policy, she the system. senior, got really into the weeds: seems to be told me that she hoped to see an He told me that he would like to Natalie Horberg, an Onteora se‐ end to ive Trump administra‐ Something less tangible that see "a defense budget cut that that change is nior, hopes to see the Biden ad‐ tion immigration policies that students want to see from Biden would go towards funding ministration "implement cli‐ make the asylum process more is a different style of leadership. housing and urban develop‐ in the air" mate change policy that actually difficult. She also stressed the Donald Trump's presidency was ment to bolster the rental as‐ relects the scope of climate need for a faster path to citizen‐ deined by breaks from the ex‐ sistance program." isting norms in the realms of both foreign and domestic poli‐ If the years of the Biden Ad‐ cy.