Assembly Will Barclay

At first glance, “free” college sounds very attractive. Why not? The cost of higher education continues to increase at a rate far outpacing inflation and many graduates end up being saddled with huge student loan debt.

About 2 million people hunt, fish and trap in the state, ranking New York third in the nation in the number of sportsmen and women obtaining licenses and permits. Local communities and the state benefit economically from the license sales and associated activity.

Last week, in lieu of a traditional State of the State address to the legislature, the Governor made six speeches throughout the state that outlined his policy priorities for 2017. Some of the major policies that he said he would be advocating for are (i) free college tuition, (ii) expanding the child care tax credit, and (iii) making various “social justice” reforms.

The 2017 legislative session is under way in Albany. Pursuant to the state constitution, the Governor is required during every session to communicate to the legislature the condition of the state. This, in the modern era, has been known as the Governor’s State of the State address. Traditionally, it has been given in early January by means of a speech in the Assembly chamber.

Looking back at 2016, there are many accomplishments worth noting and other items that remain on the to-do list. After a tumultuous year, the community finally received good news August 9 that FitzPatrick would remain operational and that Exelon had reached an agreement to purchase FitzPatrick from Entergy. This announcement came after the new Clean Energy Standard was adopted by the Public Service Commission.

First Day Hikes are designed to encourage people to begin the New Year by reconnecting with the outdoors and to help people keep the common New Year’s resolution to be healthier. More than 50 First Day Hikes are being held in New York State. Fort Ontario will host its third annual First Day Hike and guided tour on New Year’s Day.

Uber and other ridesharing services are unavailable not only in Buffalo but in all of Upstate New York because state government has been unable to agree on a regulatory scheme to govern ridesharing companies and their services. Ridesharing companies, or as perhaps more appropriately named ride-sourcing companies, match people who need transportation with drivers by means of an app on a smartphone.

The Governor recently signed a bill that will reform the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) to potentially expedite the process of obtaining public records. The measure passed with unanimous support in both the Senate and the Assembly in June and will become effective in the spring of 2017. Our Freedom of Information Law is a tool that anyone can use. The legislation establishing the FOIL process was passed in 1978.

A recent report published by the New York State Department of Labor indicates that employers are facing labor shortages as they seek workers to fill skilled trade jobs. The report states that these shortages are mainly due to baby boomers retiring. The demand for skilled labor represents a good opportunity for high school graduates and individuals seeking a career change to enter these fields and train for what are often high-paying jobs