Monday Briefing: Taxing Times

by Contributor | June 2, 2008 10:19 am

The sun shines down upon us all on this glorious Monday, even upon the elected officials whose job it is to fill this column with the kinds of items that make you forget what a glorious Monday it is. To wit (or wit not):

Gay Marriage, the Never-Ending Sequel:

• A conservative group plans to sic its lawyers on the state[1];
• From the beginning of time, no matter what the change is, there’s always someone who says the change is coming too fast. This time, it’s the New York Daily News[2].

We’re unlikely to see the end of this tale anytime soon.

Meantime, the cost of living continues to go up:

• The stuff you buy on the internet now comes with New York State sales tax added (or, at least, it’s supposed to). Amazon.com’s first to comply[3].
• And tomorrow, the cost of buying smokes goes up. Nice to know that New York’s #1 for something — taxes on cigarettes[4].
• Smokers should expect to be reminded[5] about how much they’re paying.

Other health notes, while we’re on the subject:

The good news: Science helps Down Syndrome patients live long lives. The bad news: Many of them wind up with Alzheimer’s Disease[6].

Schools in the state will soon make you prove your kid’s been to the dentist[7].

These guys won’t have trouble affording a dentist. Or anything else[8]. You can see the whole list here[9], as a spreadsheet. We’ll save you the trouble: Of more than 600 retired school officials on the list, only two come from Oswego County: Former Superintendent of Schools Mike Egan and former longtime Junior High principal Mark Slosek. And guess who makes more?

Odds and ends:

• Why a lawyer/author/football star/play-by-play announcer’s decision not to add a fifth title[10] to his resume makes it harder for Democrats to take over the State Senate.
• The Catholic Episcopal Diocese of Rochester installs a new Bishop. Somebody alert Lou Dobbs[11]!
• There ain’t nobody here but us (fightin’) chickens[12]…
• Don’t give up your day jobs[13], Albany press corpse…er, corps.
• And finally — a price hike that affects almost no one[14].

What did we miss? Drop a note or a random thought in the comments.

[Note:  This story changed from its original version after reader Michael Watts pointed out, gently and with humor, that I’d gotten my Catholics mixed up with my Episcopalians.  I hate when that happens.  Thanks to Michael for showing me the error of my ways.] 

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Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/editors-desk/monday-briefing-taxing-times/

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