Strategic Taxpayer Relief through Innovative Visions in Education

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

In 2012, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein proposed and developed the Strategic Taxpayer Relief through Innovative Visions in Education (STRIVE) initiative, which established a strategic working partnership between Ulster County, SUNY Ulster, and the Kingston City School District. The purpose of this collaborative effort was to break down traditional institutional barriers at the three disparate entities and develop creative solutions to overlapping concerns and issues. The STRIVE project was designed to address a number of challenges facing the respective entities. The program goals include: revitalization and adaptive re-use of an urban elementary school building as a satellite community college campus; consolidation of County government offices and improvement of service delivery to the public; expansion of educational, internship and job training opportunities for urban students; and generation of long-term financial savings to County, City and School District taxpayers.