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In the past, property owners have signed petitions that were later voided as improperly drawn. This time, Landi said, he's got "legally pure" petitions and will hit the pavement to get them signed.
"I will be carrying the petitions and meet with people over the next couple of weeks," he said. "Hopefully, since they have signed petitions already, and now that we have legal petitions, we can get on with the process of annexation."
Town of Ulster officials are against annexation, but Landi said the process can be carried out legally with or without the support of local elected officials. Landi said if property owners want city sewer services and the town cannot supply them, those properties ought to be a part of the city.
Landi said successful annexations have been accomplished in the past, and town residents who became city property owners are happy with the change.
The alderman has objected to recent proposals for an arrangement that would allow city sewer services to be delivered to the town residents without annexation. Landi said anything less than annexation would be unfair to city residents who have paid for upgrades to the municipality's infrastructure over the years.
Kingston Mayor T.R. Gallo objects to Landi's petition drive. Gallo has tried to arrange talks between town and city officials in order to develop a more amicable plan that would lead to sewer service to the roundabout area. No specifics have been agreed to, nor has any plan been developed.
Gallo said Landi's petition drive is likely to aggravate Ulster officials and slow, or perhaps even prevent, sewer service to the town.
"It is like pointing a loaded gun at their heads before the process even starts," Gallo said. "I think that this would be terrible for our intergovernmental relationship."
Gallo said Landi should hold off on such a push until movement can be made on sewer service talks without annexation.
Ulster Councilwoman Barbara Wise, a Republican, said that although Landi has every right to seek signatures, she hopes the alderman will let property owners know that if annexation takes place, their taxes will dramatically rise.
Wise said the town of Ulster is among the lowest-taxed municipalities in Ulster County.
"It may be less expensive for the property owners to wait for (talks) and see what can be worked out," said Wise, who added it probably would "take years" for annexation to occur because town leaders are steadfastly against it.
Town Councilman Joel Brink, who is opposed to annexation, said the town should call a public meeting to provide property owners with information on what would happen if the city annexed their properties.
"I would hope that property owners would give the town of Ulster a shot at answering their concerns before they sign petitions," Brink said. "Just because he (Landi) is going around doesn't mean he has the answers."
Kingston Common Council President James Sottile, who provided Landi with the petitions after the alderman requested them, agreed taxes probably would go up for the affected property owners. But, the council leader said, there would be a huge benefit, too:
"The value of their property would go up in a much larger proportion, making the land worth more."
