Since its creation in 1861, more than 3,400 Medals of Honor have been awarded to some of our nation’s bravest Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen. Next week, William Swenson, a former Army captain and Fort Drum soldier, will join the ranks of these brave men and women.
Often issues arise in the State legislature where there are meritorious arguments on either side of the legislation. This holds true for the state-wide referendum championed by Governor Cuomo that, if passed, would change our State Constitution to allow, among other things, the siting of four commercial casinos in Upstate New York.
To many people, fall is more than just a change in the weather. It’s everything from apple picking and fresh cider to homemade pumpkin pie and taking a drive to see the change in colors. Here in Upstate New York, we’re lucky to have an abundance of fall flavors and activities right in our backyard.
According to the most recent statistics reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, death by suicide surpassed death by motor vehicle crashes in 2010. Suicide rates for adults, ages 35-64, increased by 28% since 1999.
News of synthetic drugs is making headlines again. The Governor recently signed legislation which expands the chemical ban of 2012. This new ban targets drugs used to make bath salts and psychedelic drugs and adds them to the Schedule 1 controlled substance list.
“God said, ‘I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board.’ So God made a farmer.”
A discussion about tax reform has started in Albany which I am glad to see take shape. Members of the State Senate Finance Committee have been holding hearings and asking the question – how do we improve our state’s tax policy? They have begun to gather testimony from business groups and other experts in tax policy in reaction to rankings that consistently rank New York’s tax burden as one of the highest in the country. The fact that New York state has high taxes is hardly a surprise to anyone living in the state.
In 2012, New York’s first Youth Firearms Deer Hunt was held on Columbus Day weekend. This has since become an annual event, thanks in part to legislation that passed in 2008 to expand big game hunting for junior hunters, those who are 14-15 years old. The annual event is set to take place on Columbus Day weekend again this year, October 12-14, and is organized by the State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Invasive species have been around since people began to travel. Some species have been around for over a hundred years and we’ve largely learned to live with them. Others pose a more serious threat and have eradicated crops or species of domestic trees or pose health risks. In some cases, however, we’ve had success containing or eliminating them.
It’s hard to believe that students are gearing up for the start of another school year full of fun and new challenges. Just like students who will be studying hard, I’m working hard to ensure our children are getting the quality education they deserve and that parents and taxpayers receive the value they expect. A big part of working to improve educational opportunities is listening to your opinions and ideas when it comes to our schools.
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