Mayor hopeful envisions more jobs, lower taxes
Vince Rua, who’s running for mayor on the independent SAM line, says his priority issues include attracting business, creating jobs, beautifying the city and lowering taxes.
Rua turned down the city Republican nomination for mayor in February but announced in June that he’ll run on the SAM (formerly Serve America Movement) ballot line in the Nov. 5 election.
Rua is one of four candidates for mayor, along with first-term incumbent Democrat Steve No
ble, who’s running on the Democratic and Working Families lines; Ellen DiFalco, a registered Democrat who’s running on the Republican and Independence lines; and Ethan Scott Barnett, a member of the Working Families Party who’s running on the newly created Kingston People’s Party line.
Rua, 65, the founder of Christopher’s Custom Clothing, says on his campaign website that he has “the vision, experience and network to bring high tech, clean, cutting-edge manufacturing
and entrepreneurial enterprises back to Kingston.”
Among other things, the West Chestnut Street resident says the city must do more to market the Kingston Business Park off Delaware Avenue, which has never had more than one tenant in its nearly 20 years of existence.
Rua, in a platform posted on his website wants to lower property taxes and “keep Kingston affordable”. And to beautify the city, he says, he will “fix potholes, maintain sidewalks, clean streets, plant trees and develop a façade restoration program.”
He also says he
would develop balanced budgets “with a refocus on the needs of our residents”
In the “Vince’s Vision of Kingston” section of his website, Rua deals with Kingston’s three distinctive sections — Uptown, Midtown and Downtown.
“Uptown is poised to take off as a tourist destination,” he says. “The new boutique hotels, The Kingstonian, and plans for 4[and] 5-star restaurants make Uptown Kingston our city’s tourism launching point ... but this requires marketing and focus.”
To that end, Rua proposes redirecting funds spent on communications to marketing efforts.
The candidate notes various successes in Midtown, saying the area is “poised to be Kingston’s center for arts and culture,” but he also point to what he sees as problems with train traffic in the center of the city.
“I will advocate for ‘quiet crossings,’ which will slow down these potential bomb trains,” Rua says, referring to trains that carry volatile substances in tanker cars.
Previous attempts by city leaders to slow CSX freight trains in Midtown Kingston, where there are six street-level crossings, have been unsuccessful.
For the Downtown area, where the city has frontage on both the Rondout Creek and Hudson River, Rua says he would work with Scenic Hudson as the environmental group works toward acquiring 500 acres along the river.
“I am proposing new housing initiative: ‘AFFORDABLE +.’” Rua says. “I would work with Scenic Hudson and perhaps a new land co-op to carve out 50 to 100 acres to be used for micro-homes for our vets and those with below-median income levels to begin some wealth-sharing for many otherwise locked out ....
“But combined with other demographic groups, including those with physical disabilities, as well as market-rate housing and possibly a water-side luxury spa connected to the [Kingston] Point, [‘AFFORDABLE +’ would] enable scores of people to enjoy this new parkland, create new jobs and attack Kingston’s affordable housing challenges.”
Previous plans for housing along the city Hudson River shore — notably the large-scale Hudson Landing project and the more modestly sized Sailor’s Cove — never came to fruition.
Rua’s campaign still needs to file as certificate of nomination with the Ulster County Board of Elections for him to appear on the ballot. SAM spokesman Owen stone said the party has until Sept. 1 to do so.