Opinion

One of the quirks of life in Washington, D.C., is that pretty much the only people who don’t refer to lobbyists by that name are, well, lobbyists. They’re “policy advisors,” “strategic counsel,” or “public relations advisors,” or lawyers, or even just “consultants.” Whatever they’re called, though, they play a huge role in making policy. For […]

A number of roads in rural areas in our state do not see much traffic. Despite the low volume of use, towns are required to maintain roads to state specifications even if the road does not lead to a house, camp, or business. This translates into large and often unnecessary expenses for taxpayers. In an effort

And cut spending to stop the $20 trillion debt The U.S. is coming off the worst decade for economic growth since the GDP was invented as a measure, even worse than the Great Depression. To get out of this funk, one of the things Congress must be focused on is cutting taxes across the board,

Our U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 3 percent or more in each of the last two quarters. “So, what, who cares?” — some will say. Many people react this way when they see GDP figures. They scorn the attention people give to them. “Who cares? Doesn’t affect me. 2 percent GDP or 3 percent

As Republicans in Congress move forward on their tax plan, it’s worth remembering one thing: whatever the legislative particulars, keep your eye on the plan’s impact on the federal debt. Our debt load is already worrisome (the U.S. national debt is now about $20.5 trillion). It’s almost certainly going to get worse. At some point,

Here is an example showing why we should cut our tax rates. Imagine an island. It has one source of income: guests at its big hotel. They bring in all the money that circulates in the island economy. They rent rooms, eat at restaurants, rent cars, drink, and buy souvenirs. The money they spend at

State government has a responsibility to foster job creation and spur economic prosperity. Efforts must be made to enable businesses to put people in jobs, allowing families to put food on tables. But government also has a responsibility to be honest about its performance in that critical role.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s narrative about New York’s

New York has a habit of enacting policies that, rather than finding a balance, create burdensome regulations that are costly, overreaching, and often untested. Nowhere is this more evident than with the paid family leave program due to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. The concept of paid family leave is something most New

“We should address climate change but in a way that’s not economically harmful and doesn’t involve more government regulation.” How many of us have expressed or heard sentiments similar to these when it comes to addressing human-caused climate change? And from those of us in the business community, particularly those who are responsible for keeping

For years, state lawmakers convicted of abusing power related to their public duties have been able to collect a state pension and sometimes even behind bars. Thankfully, this could change for future criminals if voters approve an amendment to the state constitution in November. This election year, New York state voters will have the opportunity