Civil War veteran and Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes eloquently said of Memorial Day: “Every year in the full tide of spring, at the height of the symphony of flowers and love and life, there comes a pause and, through the silence, we hear the lonely pipe of death.” What a truth there is to that quote.
The Oswego County Tourism Department recently held a free luncheon seminar at the Tailwater Lodge in Altmar titled the Tourism Ambassador Program. The event highlighted some of the great assets that our area has to offer. At the end of the day, the 70 or so people who attended were considered Tourism Ambassadors.
The Oswego County Child Advocacy Center recently held its annual meeting. One of the best takeaways from the event was learning from the executive director Karrie Damm that the annual meeting has grown over the last three years from an intimate gathering to a packed dining hall. About 150 people from throughout the area attended the event appropriately titled “Be the End” on April 24. This was great news in it of itself that so many individuals, professionals, and organizations have committed to Be the End.
I am teaming up with the American Red Cross and the Rural Health Network of Oswego County to host a blood drive on May 1 in Oswego. The blood drive will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Oswego Elks Lodge, 132 W. Fifth St. If you are able to donate, please call my office at 315-598-5185 to make an appointment. We are encouraging everyone who is able to donate. You never know whose life you can help save. In anticipation of our upcoming blood drive, I want to share some facts about blood donation.
There are a lot of things to be positive about in Central New York. Unfortunately, the economy is not one of them. Over the last decade, job growth in the Syracuse area has been anemic. The lack of jobs, among other things, has caused an outward migration of population which, in turn, places additional stress on our economy. We are not alone.
Because I am not an expert on the ethics laws of other states and because neither the governor nor the legislature has held public hearings regarding what needs to be done to strengthen the state’s ethics laws, it is hard to opine as to the veracity of the Governor’s statement. I am skeptical of the claim however in light of the fact that we have passed “landmark” ethics reform in the recent past and yet ethical lapses by elected officials continue to occur.
At approximately 3 a.m. on April 1, the New York State Assembly passed the last of 12 bills that make up New York’s 2015-16 budget. The state Senate had passed the legislation about four hours earlier. While technically not on time (pursuant to our state constitution, the budget is required to be completed before April 1) for all practical purposes, New York has its fifth timely budget.
Domestic violence, harassment, and sexual assault continue to be issues I am concerned about. Studies reveal that this occurs more than many realize. A few new laws were recently chaptered and aim to improve victims’ rights and protections. I supported all of these in the Assembly and I am glad they have been signed into law.
National Ag week was celebrated last week. It’s a week in which we recognize the abundant crops harvested by farmers all over the nation and the contributions they make to the economy. In New York alone, the agriculture industry recorded $5.68 billion in cash receipts in 2013, up more than $1 billion from 2010.
Recent findings by the Tax Foundation, a Washington-based research organization, should serve as a reminder to the State Legislature and the Governor during this year’s budget negotiations that New York needs to decrease spending, reduce state mandates, and cut property and income taxes. According to the study, “Facts and Figures 2015: How Does Your State Compare,” New York ranked number one in state and local tax burdens, surpassing New Jersey and Connecticut.
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