A blog about politics, business, faith and life in and around Greater Binghamton, NY
By Jim Willis on Dec 31, 2007 in Exec Barbara Fiala, Government & Politics | 0 Comments
Broome County Executive Barbara Fiala muses in today’s Press & Sun-Bulletin that her greatest accomplishment and frustration for 2007 was the George R. Harvey Justice Building. She fought to use Broome County’s slice of tobacco settlement money (money the states stole from legitimate businesses in a massive shakedown and later split amongst their counties) to [...]
By Jim Willis on Dec 30, 2007 in Government & Politics | 1 Comment
This choice bit of news from Saturday’s Press & Sun-Bulletin:
ALBANY– After a recent trip to the movies, a state legislator from Westchester County set her sights on reducing the volume of theaters’ commercials and previews because she believes they are too loud and could harm patrons’ hearing.
Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, D-Ossining, has introduced a bill “trying [...]
By Jim Willis on Dec 28, 2007 in Government & Politics, Taxes & Spending | 1 Comment
It really gripes my soul to see senior citizens reduced to, as my friend Roger Thornhill says, “tax slavery,” in order to hold on to their homes. From an AP story in a recent edition of the Press & Sun-Bulletin we get this story:
Audrey Davison lives alone, gets a $620 Social Security check each month [...]
By Jim Willis on Dec 27, 2007 in Government & Politics | 2 Comments
More talk of dissolution from our local government leaders. The drumbeat gets louder. I’ve written on this topic before (Efforts to Consolidate Local Government a Dead Issue). The latest leader talking about it is John Bertoni (D), Mayor-Elect of Endicott. Mr. Bertoni has asked two Endicott trustees to attend the Johnson City meetings on dissolving [...]
By Jim Willis on Dec 26, 2007 in Government & Politics, Mayor Matt Ryan | 0 Comments
The City of Binghamton is launching a program to reduce “blight” throughout the city. That is, they want to reduce the number of run-down and abandoned properties that tend to drag down neighborhoods and lower property values for homeowners situated near those run-down properties. On the whole, I would say it is a noble goal.
There [...]