Politics

For many New Yorkers, high student loan debt and the cost of living can make it difficult to achieve the dream of owning a home. As a result, fewer people may be able to invest in homes in our local communities. Legislation I sponsor known as the New York State Diplomas to Homeownership Program would incentivize graduates of New York state colleges to purchase homes rehabilitated by local land banks.

In his State of the State address given earlier this month, Governor Cuomo called the recently passed federal tax reform bill “economic civil war” that will raise New Yorker’s property taxes and income taxes. Unfortunately, no explanation for this statement was provided. As a result of this type of overheated rhetoric coming from the Governor and others, confusion continues to reign as to what effect the new tax law will have on New York state.

January is selected for two reasons. First, during January fewer people donate because of the cold and flu season and inclement weather. Second, given that many people make resolutions in January, the American Red Cross hopes people will consider making a New Year’s resolution to become regular blood donors.

There seems to be a substantial amount of confusion as to what effect the newly enacted Federal Tax bill will have on residents of New York state. The confusion stems from the fact that (i) taxes are complicated, (ii) what people pay in taxes depends on individual circumstances, and (iii) the political rhetoric about the tax bill and its effects has been misleading and in certain cases inaccurate. In order to understand the effects the federal tax legislation will have on New Yorkers, there needs to be a general understanding of how the federal income tax system works.

After a baby is born, hospitals perform a variety of screenings for the baby. Some tests are completed by a physical exam or through the use of a medical device at the hospital, but many genetic disorders can only be detected with a blood sample. In an attempt to help minimize the effects of some genetic disorders, in 1965 New York began the Newborn Screening Program. Since then, millions of babies have been tested and thousands have been identified and treated for their disease.