New York state is a difficult state to govern in light of the upstate-down state divide. This divide generally, but not always, translates into differing policy priorities between the more populated areas of the state versus the less populated regions. The suburbs often represent the swing vote swaying between a more conservative or a more liberal ideology on various issues. 

On top of that challenge, there is the increasing struggle between the legislative and executive branch of state government. As Gov. Cuomo becomes more focused on the national scene, his focus has changed from governing the state as a whole to instead looking to strengthen his credentials with various constituencies. This has resulted in friction with the state legislature because politics, rather than policy, has become more of the focus. The necessary trust between the branches of state government has handicapped the ability of Albany to achieve major policy achievements.

As a result, we see a mishmash of policy that was adopted or rejected in the 2017 legislative session. In the rejected category, very little was done to improve the upstate New York economy. Most economists point to New York’s high cost of doing business as a reason why upstate’s economy continues to struggle. Business growth and resulting employment growth has been buffeted over the years because state government continues to place additional burdens on employers such as wage mandates and excessive regulatory burdens. These policies differentiated New York from high-growth states like Florida and Texas. Tragically, we continue to see our population decline Upstate, which simply exacerbates the problem.

Also in the rejected category is any mandate relief for our local governments and school districts. These mandates have resulted in New York state being the property tax capital of the country. State government continues to be very willing to demand that our localities and schools institute expensive policies while at the same time refusing to pay the cost of these policies. Indeed, this has gotten so absurd that when a proposal was made in Congress recently to relieve New York state counties of their mandated Medicaid costs, the governor, in response, threatened to implement a new tax on the counties and name the tax after the very same Congressmen who proposed the tax relief in the first place.

Lastly, also rejected was broad-based ethics and rules reform. Over the years the New York Legislature has implemented various reforms that affect its members such as requiring greater public disclosure of legislators outside income or instituting the Joint Committee on Public Ethics (JCOPE). But, there have been few substantive rules reform such as term-limits for leaders that probably would do more for ethics in Albany than any of the multitude of so-called ethics bills passed over the last decade.

On the plus side, with Gov. Cuomo’s leadership, the state Public Service Commission adopted the Clean Energy Standard, which recognizes New York’s Upstate nuclear plants for their zero-emission generation of electricity. These plants are now able to receive zero-emission credits which provide them with economic stability, thereby averting the certain closure of the plants. Keeping the plants open saved thousands of jobs, ensures diversity of our electrical generators in New York (keeping electricity prices lower) and limits CO2 emissions in New York. That’s important for our environment.

Another positive was the passage of flood-assistance legislation for property owners, small businesses, and municipalities along Lake Ontario and connected waterways that are dealing with record-high water levels. Both the Senate and the Assembly unanimously passed a bill to provide financial assistance to property owners. Also included in the bill is a property-tax relief measure for those who have experienced major damage or erosion to their property. As of this writing, the governor has indicated that he will not sign the bill due to “technical” problems with the legislation. I urge everyone affected by the high lake levels to please contact the governor’s office and request that he sign the bill. Those suffering from high lake levels need relief and this bill is a good start in providing that relief.

William (Will) A. Barclay is the Republican representative of the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County. Contact him at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us, or (315) 598-5185.

Are Americans exceptional — compared with people of other countries? We often see or hear this question around this time of year.

I usually change the subject. To the question of whether our country is exceptional. It is, I think. Exceptional in how it was created. Exceptional in who created it.

The Founding Fathers were exceptional. For their times and for all times. Exceptional in that they discussed at length whether to revolt. So many revolutions were simply eruptions. The thinking came later. With our founding, the thinking came first.

The founders endlessly debated what type of government to create. And how to bestow various powers. They debated how to keep a president from becoming a king. How to give power to courts, but how to restrain what courts could do. The founders also deliberated carefully over how to give a Congress power. But again, how to restrain that power and the powers of the other branches with checks and balances. It’s an exceptional concept that functions to this day.

To be inspired by this, the Founding Fathers had to be exceptional. To create and sign the Declaration of Independence, they had to be extraordinary. For they declared that power came from God to the people. Not to the king or ruler. It came to the people. They then bestowed the power upon their ruler — whom they could remove.

That was an exceptional concept in their era. Or in any era. Many people in many countries have not embraced it to this day. Many millions believe the Divine grants power to their rulers. The rulers then choose what power and freedom to grant to the people.

The founders knew history — ancient and recent. They knew the thoughts of many philosophers. They studied what had worked for people in governments of old. And what had failed.

They were exceptional in having this knowledge. Exceptional in using it, and in weaving that knowledge into the documents that created this country.

They were exceptional to think of enumerating our inalienable rights and of spelling them out in documents.

Many of the founders were exceptional in their achievements, and in the power of their thinking. Madison, Adams, Jefferson, and Washington were no ordinary men.

My favorite is Benjamin Franklin. To me he is the consummate American. He honored education, but was self-taught. He was inventive, innovative, and entrepreneurial. Franklin was a home-spun philosopher, humorist, scientist., an exceptional diplomat, and an accomplished lover. He was pragmatic and extremely practical. Franklin refused to be chained by custom and tradition. He was ever an optimist.

Had he lived in Britain, he would never have thrived as he did on American soil.

The founders created an exceptional foundation for a country. That foundation allowed and encouraged the structure we have built since the founding. They created an exceptional atmosphere or environment. One in which people were free to think, free to speak, and free to own and buy and sell under protection of law.

The founders were not perfect. They were not so exceptional as to grant women and blacks freedoms they have today. That would have been too revolutionary to have been comprehended by people of their era. But at least they created a structure in which those freedoms could be won, over time.

Are Americans exceptional? The better question for me is whether the structure in which Americans live is exceptional. To me, it is. It was created by exceptional men of exceptional thought and courage.

Here’s to our founders.           

Tom Morgan writes about political, financial and other subjects from his home near Oneonta. Several upstate radio stations carry his daily commentary, Tom Morgan’s Money Talk. Contact him at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com