Opinion

I’m excited to share that CenterState CEO’s Work Train initiative has been awarded $600,000 from the National Fund for Workforce Solutions to address economic mobility for low-wage workers. Work Train is one of four initiatives nationally to receive this award, made possible by the Ballmer Group. This three-year investment enables Work Train to help build […]

In an attempt to get ahead of the New York Legislature, on Jan. 15, Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave his annual budget address. He laid out what most would consider a very liberal agenda. Sadly, there was nothing in his address that offers relief to the overtaxed citizens of upstate New York or to stem the

All the great politicians and legislators I’ve known over the course of my career in Congress were different. They were masters of the rules, or unassailably knowledgeable about a given issue, or supremely watchable orators. But they also shared key traits that I wish more elected officials possessed.  For starters, the great politicians I’ve met

It didn’t take long for the assault on local governments to start in Albany this year — not that it has ever truly ended. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s out-of-touch executive-budget proposal eliminates crucial state funding that will hurt towns and villages. State money that localities have relied upon for years — called Aid to Municipalities (AIM)

Over a lifetime in politics, I have met a lot of interesting, impressive politicians. But those I truly admired were men and women who were adept at the arts both of politics and legislating — a rarer combination of talents than you’d hope for in our representative democracy. They’re a reminder these days of what

Vigilance needed for continued progress The annual Economic Forecast Breakfast event [held on Jan. 9] was an opportunity to take a closer look at how a robust year of growth and investments in 2018 has set the stage for a strong 2019.  Our regional GDP growth accelerated more than threefold in 2018, our best performance

On Jan. 9, the New York State Legislature gaveled in for the first time this year marking the start to the 2019 legislative session. I always look forward to this day. It brings a renewed sense of hope and change for the upcoming year and allows for the opportunity to set priorities for this session

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D–MA) has joined the ranks of us deplorables now. After announcing for president, she did a livestream broadcast from her kitchen. In it, she grabs a beer from the fridge and takes a slug straight from the bottle. Well, we have to expect this. Because it comes straight from the “How To Run

Looking back at 2018’s weather-related news, it seems clear that this was the year climate change became unavoidable. I don’t mean that the fires in California, coastal flooding in the Carolinas, and drought throughout the West were new evidence of climate change. Rather, they shifted the national mindset. They made climate change a political issue

Before the latest holiday shopping season, many voices encouraged the public to shop locally during Small Business Saturday and the rest of the holiday season, reminding consumers that gifts and services purchased locally support businesses and jobs in our backyards.  Supporting local businesses beyond the holiday shopping season and into the New Year has long-term