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RSS FeedMoney Pit: An ongoing drain on financial resources (tax dollars), such as a house (or a county Department) in frequent need of costly repairs or improvements. This money pit started in January of 2015 with the hiring of a replacement Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds at $82,000 plus benefits (higher pay than a 20-year employee being replaced).
Every year, more than 150,000 animals are brought to local shelters across New York State. While our shelters do an amazing job of spreading the word that these animals need a loving home, the unfortunate, heartbreaking, reality is that many of these animals do not end up finding their forever family.
In my mind, one of the most selfless things a person can do is to be a living organ donor. In order to give the gift of life to another, a living organ donor not only sacrifices a part of his or her body for another, but also endures the necessary medical procedure, the healing and other hardships. While many have undertaken this incredibly generous act, there is a huge gap between those awaiting an organ or tissue transplant and the organs and tissues available for transplant.
One of the treasures of the North Country is the Wellesley Island State Park. Its breathtaking views and unrivaled recreational opportunities draw more than 200,000 people each year. This year, just in time for the summer season, Wellesley Island State Park got even better.
Only in Oswego County will you see a department hire a person (director of Fleet Management) to replace someone (Highway Supervisor) four months before that person retires and then when that person isn’t going to retire still plan on hiring the other person.
Over the last week, my office has received several calls regarding Governor Cuomo’s recent “conditional” pardons of more than 24,000 convicted felons who are currently on parole. The calls were prompted because it became known that at least 77 sexual predators where among the 24,000 felons who received conditional pardons.
In 2005 Congress passed the REAL ID Act as part of the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.” The goal was to create minimum security standards for issuing a license that would protect sensitive facilities such as nuclear power plants, military bases, and federally regulated commercial airports.
New York State parks and historic sites offer a wealth of recreational activities for residents and tourists alike. This is especially true in the summer months, when nearly 70 million people visit state parks across New York State, including more than four million in Central and Northern New York, for everything from boating and camping to fishing and hiking.
People are concerned about the direction our state is headed. We have some of the highest property taxes in the U.S., a sluggish economy, and an onslaught of corruption cases and other scandals involving taxpayer dollars. The following are some questions I am frequently asked on these important issues and some ideas on how to change and improve state government.
In Oswego County, we have seen increased cases of Lyme disease in the past several years. As summer is here and schools are on vacation, people, especially children, will be involved in more outdoor activities. I would like to remind residents to diligently practice tick checks for preventing Lyme disease from ticks. Lyme disease is a bacterial disease transmitted through the saliva of an infected deer tick.
