OPINION: Back-to-School Shopping is a Big Challenge Amid High Inflation

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Even under the best economic conditions, back-to-school shopping can be financially challenging. In today’s times of historic inflation and economic uncertainty, it’s an even bigger hill to climb. Unfortunately, this is the reality facing many New York families as September rapidly approaches. And for this reason, the Assembly Minority Conference has offered proposals to help ease the […]

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“The cost of living in New York has been too high for too long and something needs to be done about it.”

To put the issue in context, the U.S. Department of Labor recently released new consumer price figures showing inflation continues to linger at a near-four-decade high. Inflation rose 8.5 percent in July [on a year-over-year basis], indicating we are still far off from any sort of normalcy.

To that end, the Assembly Minority Conference is advocating, as we have broadly for months, for consumer relief measures as the new school year approaches. Specifically, Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) and I are calling on legislative leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul to consider two important pieces of legislation to help both families and teachers in the coming weeks. Those bills are the:

• Teacher Tax Credit: Provides a $500 tax credit to teachers who contribute and/or purchase supplies, pay for field-trip costs, and help with student expenses (A.4977, Palmesano); and the

• College Supplies Tax Deduction: Establishes college supplies as a tax-deductible expense (A.5301, Barclay).

We have also introduced legislation and called upon our Democratic colleagues to reduce the cost of everyday items like household items, food purchases and gasoline. We’ve also supported across-the-board tax and spending cuts. The cost of living in New York has been too high for too long and something needs to be done about it. Now, as many in the state prepare to take on the added financial strain of a new school year, is a particularly opportune time to mitigate as much of these costs as we can.

Whether it is educators, college students, families, or individuals simply trying to get by, we must provide relief from the harsh, overwhelming economic conditions suppressing our state. Right now, that is simply not happening, and I am calling on all of my colleagues across the state to take the steps needed to address these concerns as students, teachers, and parents get ready to head back to school.

William (Will) A. Barclay, 53, Republican, is the New York Assembly minority leader and represents 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.

OPINION: New U.S. Inflation Law is Misguided and Disastrous

Opinion, Subscriber Only

The worst impulse of career politicians in Washington, D.C. is to throw money at a problem without having any idea of how to fix it. Last year, the Democrats rushed through a $1.9 trillion boondoggle spending bill, one of the largest in U.S. history, without any Republican support or input. Earlier this year, the nonpartisan

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The worst impulse of career politicians in Washington, D.C. is to throw money at a problem without having any idea of how to fix it.

Last year, the Democrats rushed through a $1.9 trillion boondoggle spending bill, one of the largest in U.S. history, without any Republican support or input. Earlier this year, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determined that the bill contributed to the record-high inflation Americans are experiencing now. Unfortunately, the Democrats, driven by far-left socialist authoritarians, have not learned their lesson.

The Democrats’ solution to the nightmare we are suffering under today, which was caused by out-of-control government spending and a war on reliable energy production, is even more inflationary spending and increased barriers to affordable American energy. With energy prices already at record highs, the [legislation, which Democrats are calling the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022] will raise taxes on American energy production by $12 billion and will harm access to reliable energy — a necessity for growth, prosperity, and to emerge from today’s stagflation.

As Americans are already struggling to make ends meet, this misguided [new law that passed on Aug. 12] will raise taxes on earners making less than $400,000 by $16 billion, breaking yet another one of Biden’s promises. With small businesses pinching every penny just to keep their doors open, this [legislation] will raise taxes by billions of dollars on nearly 5 million of America’s small businesses, harming job creation and productivity. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities across America, especially in upstate New York, where entrepreneurs, sole proprietors, and family farms dominate the landscape.

At a time when Americans are rightly worried about the weaponization of the federal government against a former president, this [new law] will hire 87,000 new IRS agents to target 710,000 Americans making less than $75,000 per year. This is not “progress.” This new politically charged Democrat “militia,” which will make the IRS roughly the size of the U.S. Marine Corps, will not only be armed to intimidate and undermine the rights of already beleaguered taxpayers, but it will also exacerbate the economic disaster that Biden and the Democrats have thrust upon American citizens with their extreme tax and spend policies.

Some of the other worst provisions in the Democrats’ law [which I am calling the Inflation and Recession Act] include the following:

• Reduces Medicare spending by more than $200 billion to pay for [green policies];

• Gives $80 billion to the IRS, allowing the agency to hire 87,000 new agents;

• Destroys retirement security by instituting a stock-buybacks tax that will harm seniors and other savers who invest in a 401(k) the most;

• Institutes a drug-pricing scheme that will crush American innovation, leading to the development of as many as 342 fewer new drugs….; and

• Budgetary gimmicks to hide the true $248 billion cost of permanently extending Obamacare subsidies.

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R–New Hartford), 61, currently represents the 22nd Congressional District of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district encompasses all of Oneida, Madison, Chenango, and Cortland counties, most of Broome County, and portions of Herkimer, Oswego, and Tioga counties. This article is drawn and edited from a statement that Tenney issued on Aug. 12.

Dannible & McKee, LLP

People on the Move, Subscriber Only

Dannible & McKee, LLP recently announced the promotion of the following professional staff members. ABBY K. SWEERS has been promoted to tax manager. She joined the firm in 2019 after interning in 2017 and 2018. Sweers graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Le Moyne College in 2018. She is responsible

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Dannible & McKee, LLP recently announced the promotion of the following professional staff members.

ABBY K. SWEERS has been promoted to tax manager. She joined the firm in 2019 after interning in 2017 and 2018. Sweers graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA from Le Moyne College in 2018. She is responsible for the preparation and review of various individual and corporate tax engagements, including tax planning and compliance. Sweers, a CPA, specializes in the construction and manufacturing industries, along with multi-state entities and high-net-worth individuals.

ALEXIS M. LAYO has been promoted to tax supervisor. She joined the firm in 2013. Layo graduated from Niagara University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2011 and from Le Moyne College with an MBA in 2012. She is responsible for overseeing various individual and corporate-tax engagements, including tax closings, tax planning, and compliance. Layo specializes in the architectural/engineering and health care industries, along with high-net-worth individuals. She is also a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

CHRISTINE N. PETRONE has been promoted to accounting services supervisor. She joined the firm in 2016 and is responsible for managing multiple client accounts. Her services include accounts receivable, accounts payable, bank and investment account reconciliations, tracking assets and recording accumulated depreciation, preparing budgets and accrual-basis financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and maintaining accounting controls by preparing and recommending policies and procedures. Petrone is also a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She graduated from Cazenovia College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in professional studies in business management and holds a certificate in management and supervision.

NATHAN T. MERULLA has been promoted to audit senior. He joined the firm in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year prior. Merulla, a CPA, is responsible for performing audits, reviews, compilations, and employee-benefit plan audits. He graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2019 and a master’s degree in accounting in 2020.

JAKE N. PIEKLIK has been promoted to audit senior. He joined the firm in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year prior. Pieklik, a CPA, is responsible for performing audits, reviews, compilations, examinations and employee-benefit plan audits. He graduated from Onondaga Community College with an associate degree in 2017 and from SUNY Oswego with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2019 and MBA in 2020.

JOSHUA POSNICK

People on the Move, Subscriber Only

Fust Charles Chambers LLP, a certified public accounting firm in Syracuse, has hired JOSHUA POSNICK as an audit associate to help service the firm’s manufacturing, health care, not-for-profit, and other professional service and family-owned businesses. He received his bachelor’s degree in public accountancy and finance from SUNY Fredonia. He is currently working to complete the

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ATO ARKHURST

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ABC Creative recently hired ATO ARKHURST as a web developer. He brings a strong background in coding to ABC Creative’s Web Department. Prior to joining ABC, Arkhurst grew his experience in web development with a mix of retail and app projects. The collaborative environment drew him to ABC, where he looks forward to growing his

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GEOFFREY RISPOLI

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GEOFFREY RISPOLI, based in upstate New York, has recently joined City National Bank as senior VP of commercial banking in the upstate region. Rispoli brings a wealth of experience with more than 18 years of international commercial-banking experience, including serving in leadership positions at HSBC, KeyBank, and Citigroup.

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SANDRA AHNER

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Generations Bank, a bank based in Seneca Falls that has branches across the Finger Lakes region, has promoted SANDRA AHNER to assistant VP – market manager. In her position, Ahner manages three Generations Bank offices located in Ontario County: Geneva, Farmington, and Phelps. Ahner joined the bank in 2018 as a universal banker in Generations

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LAUREN KAHL

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LAUREN KAHL has joined Salina–based CPS Recruitment as an account executive. In this role, she is responsible for business growth for the organization in the Buffalo region by developing strong customer relationships to assist clients with their talent needs. Kahl will also be actively engaged in the Buffalo region’s business trade associations, particularly in economic

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ETHAN DOLCE

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Financial Quest, a financial investment and advisory firm, has added new LPL financial advisor, ETHAN DOLCE. His credentials include FINRA Series 7 and FINRA Series 66 licenses through LPL Financial. Dolce earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SUNY Oswego. Before starting with Financial Quest, he worked at C&A Accounting in Cicero. Financial Quest,

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MICHAEL CONLEY

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Microscope, a health-care consultancy with headquarters in Syracuse, has hired MICHAEL CONLEY as a health-care consultant within its reimbursement and financial and operational performance service lines. He has experience as an advanced EMT/field training officer and manager. In addition Conley has several years of experience as a firefighter/AEMT. He attended the University of Maryland, majoring

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