Stay up-to-date on the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
OPINION: It’s Time to Fix New York State’s Broken Budget Process
The recently passed 2025-2026 budget was the latest in 15 years. One would think the extra time would have yielded better results, but the final product is riddled with flaws as the $254 billion spending plan fails to meaningfully remedy the state’s high taxes and toxic regulatory environment and does little to address public safety […]
OPINION: Government is big and complex for a reason
America is a big, complicated country. It’s not surprising that we have a big, complicated system of government. But the combination of size and complexity can create challenges. It inevitably leads to conflict, as the branches of government compete for power. And it often leaves citizens feeling frustrated and distrustful. Government can seem distant and
OPINION: 2025-26 New York Budget: State Spending Continues to Soar
After 11 extenders and more than a month past its April 1 deadline, the 2025-2026 New York State budget is finally complete. The unprecedented $254 billion spending package again does little to truly move the needle to make life in New York more affordable. The lack of fiscal relief and restraint provided by this budget
OPINION: Abraham Lincoln’s speeches glimpsed the future
When Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office for his second term as president, the United States was divided as never before or since. The Civil War had killed more than 600,000 Americans, North and South. The end of the war was in sight, but bitterness remained. Lincoln could have celebrated the Union’s approaching victory
OPINION: Medical Aid in Dying Act: A Dangerous Step for New York
The New York State Assembly [on April 29] passed the Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.136/S.138) by a narrow 81-67 margin — one of the closest votes we’ve seen in years. During the four-hour debate, the maximum time allowed by Assembly rules, legislators from both sides of the aisle expressed serious moral, legal, and practical
OPINION: Where Congress Goes Next on the Budget Will Matter to You
Back at the beginning of April, the U.S. Senate and House each passed a “blueprint” laying out the broad strokes of what they’d like the federal government to look like. The votes were narrow — 51-48 in the Senate and 216-214 in the House — but the result is that both chambers now have to
OPINION: PSC Must Not Let RAPID Act Threaten Local Land Use
I [recently] wrote to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to express my concerns about yet another example of government overreach in New York state. Last year, the Renewable Action through Project Interconnection Deployment (RAPID) Act, which dictates how major energy and electric-transmission projects get approved, was passed in the state budget. As a number of my
OPINION: Back to Basics on the Federal Budget, and How It Affects You
At the beginning of April, scientists at the National Institutes of Health published a paper detailing a promising step in fighting gastrointestinal cancer — and pointing the way to treating other cancers. It came out the same day the Department of Health and Human Services announced massive layoffs that will not only delay that particular
OPINION: Poll: Americans Say China Has Been Taking Advantage of U.S. on Trade
Since President Donald J. Trump announced his bold tariff strategy — aimed at leveling the playing field by placing reciprocal tariffs on nations that tax American-made goods and bolstering U.S. manufacturing — media pundits and so-called experts have been tripping over themselves to predict economic doom. But once again, the political class is out of
OPINION: Why Citizen Involvement Matters More Than Ever
There was a time early in my career when I believed that the single most important thing an American citizen could do was vote. But if a career engaging in politics and watching politicians at work has taught me anything, it’s how much our country depends on people rolling up their sleeves and getting involved.
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