Opinion

Here’s a question society is facing today: What will we do with our old malls? Heck, we are still trying to figure out what to do with our old Main Streets. And our old downtowns. Now, the malls that killed downtowns are themselves being killed. Some of the outlet centers are feeling the pressure, too. […]

Recent surveys say 75 percent of television viewers don’t like the snide remarks. They don’t like celebs and sports stars lecturing them — about political and social issues. That probably won’t surprise you. Because there is a 75 percent chance you are one of the 75 percent.  As you know, the stars assault us with

For the most part, we Americans value expertise. We want our physicians to possess knowledge and experience. We want our lawyers to know the law inside out. We want our clergymen, our engineers, our farmers to bring the kind of proficiency and skill to their work that comes only with familiarity and practice. So, here’s

New York is facing some harsh realities — out-of-control spending, fleeing tax base, and a toxic business climate. The only way to fix it is to pass a budget that reflects the needs of the woefully-neglected taxpayers. There is no silver bullet. This isn’t an issue created in Washington D.C. Simply stated, our constituents expect

Our property taxes are among the highest in the nation. New York state government needs to make structural changes if there is any hope for reducing tax bills for property owners. Legislation has been introduced that would help alleviate some of this burden for upstate New York residents and stimulate economic growth. For starters, the

Imagine a college-basketball team, named the Eagles. It has lost to the Vultures 80 times over the last 40 years. Can you imagine? The teams meet twice a year, and every year and every game, the Eagles lost. For four decades. The Eagles changed coaches several times. They changed the roster of assistant coaches multiple

We’re at a watershed moment in American political history. Our Congress — I’m talking about the people’s body, the institution created by our founders, and not just the men and women who currently inhabit it — is in deep trouble. And no one seems to be offering hope. Its public standing is abysmal, occasionally dropping

Improving and maintaining local roads and bridges is one investment the State can make that positively affects our Upstate communities, economies, and motorists. Yet during budget season it’s always a challenge to ensure enough state dollars are invested in this type of infrastructure for Upstate.  There are a few key programs in the budget which provide

Federal regulation and federal agency enforcement actions impact small businesses around the country. To help bridge the gap between federal regulators and the full spectrum of the small-business community, Congress created the Office of the National Ombudsman, by passing the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement and Fairness Act in 1996 (also known as the SBREFA Act).

The United States is poking a thumb in OPEC’s eye. It feels good. The oil producing countries of OPEC humiliated this country in 1973-74. They stopped selling oil to us. They did so because we sold weapons to Israel — for its war against Syria and Egypt. Led by the Saudis, the cartel quadrupled the