Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
First-quarter U.S. GDP growth revised up to 0.8 percent
ROMBEL ON BUSINESS U.S. economic growth slowed in the first three months of the year, but not quite as much as first reported a month
A solution stares us in the face. It’s no secret that corruption in politics is on the minds of millions. This state is rife with it, and many others are as well. Big cities ooze corruption. Washington is the Vatican of pay-for-play. Ah, but what to do about it? A lot of people offer answers
Those Who Know Congress Best Are Shaking Their Heads
I had the good fortune [recently] to spend some time in Washington, D.C. with about a dozen former members of Congress. As you’d expect, we got to talking about the current Congress. Very quickly it turned out that the same question was troubling all of us: Why is it held in such low public esteem?
Dear Governor Cuomo: As you know, we seem to have a little corruption among the politicians of our wonderful state. In the interests of New York, may I humbly offer a few suggestions? They are on the same theme of making lemonade out of lemons. Or cat food from stinking fish. Or soil enrichment out
Cut Corruption Off at its Roots
Scandal after scandal, Albany has been unwilling and unable to police itself on matters of public corruption. It is so bad that shocking headlines involving corrupt public officials have now become commonplace. Those in power are so accustomed to wallowing in the muck and mire of political corruption that it’s as if they prefer it
START-UP NY program stalls on reporting results
On April 1, the state faced a deadline to release a report enumerating the results of the START-UP NY program, [which sets up tax-free areas for businesses associated with colleges and universities]. But no such report has been released, which is not surprising considering the abysmal track record this governor has demonstrated with transparency and
It’s Getting Harder to Govern, And It’s Not Just Politicians’ Fault
We may not know who our next President of the United States is going to be, but here’s one thing that’s almost certain: he or she will take office with roughly half of the electorate unhappy and mistrustful. What happened to the notion that the U.S. President speaks for a broad coalition of Americans who
It’s time to get rid of the IRS
Tax deadline day has passed. Whew! To honor that glorious day, here is a request: All in favor of destroying the IRS, please raise your hand. Wow, look at that sea of hands. Some of you have raised both hands. I don’t blame you. Especially those who are surrendering. Getting rid of the IRS is
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: State’s minimum-wage increase, family-leave legislation will cost jobs
Dear Editor: Studies demonstrate that legislative-imposed minimum-wage programs like the one recently included in Albany’s 2016-17 budget agreement increase unemployment, drive business relocations, and undermine manufacturers’ ability to retain employees. A 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics study found that a $1 minimum wage increase translates to a 1.48 percent unemployment increase, a 0.18 percent decrease
U.S. economic growth slows to 0.5 percent in first quarter
U.S. economic growth slowed in the first three months of the year, with the nation’s real gross domestic product (GDP) increasing by just 0.5 percent,
Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.