Kingstonian project is good for Kingston

Dear Editor,

I am writing in strong support of the Ulster County IDA approving the Kingstonian PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) and allowing this important project to move forward.

My wife and I moved to Kingston last year, and I moved Exago, an 80-person and rapidly growing software company, to Kingston several years ago. We did this because we saw a city that has a multitude of very desirable assets, which includes diversity, history, art, nature, and more recently, indications of positive economic growth and renewal.

I am not a proponent of uncontrolled building, nor building which appears to help a select few, but am a proponent of building when it will help the majority in the community as well as urban recovery. I believe strongly that this project will do just that.

As founder of Exago and early member of another startup that grew to over 300 people, I understand the importance of hiring within the existing community, as well as attracting new talent. Without both, you stop growing and start to wither away. This project will help with much needed housing, tax revenue, parking, and overall desirability of the community.

I understand that both the Common Council and Ulster County Legislature voted in favor (by 25-6 overall) of the project, which lost in the school board by a couple of votes. It certainly appears that the majority are in favor of this project moving forward.

To summarize, I am urging the Ulster County IDA to vote in favor of allowing this important project to move forward; for the sake of all Kingstonians.

Stew Meyers Kingston, N.Y. The writer is co-founder of Exago Inc. in Kingston.