Press-Republican
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CHEERS to Unshackle Upstate, a bi-partisan organization that tries to look after the interests of 70,000 constituent employers of 1.5 million workers by following the goings-on in Albany. Recently, the group sent out an e-mail to members decrying a familiar tactic in state government: the old misdirection play. This is what Unshackle Upstate had to say about the last-minute move to keep the state's parks open while attaching new, unrelated fees to it: "Unshackle Upstate recognizes the value of New York's parks. They are treasures that make our state unique, and they must be supported. However, (the) action by the Senate and Assembly majorities to support a bill that includes new fees to New York's businesses is more proof of their disregard for the taxpayers and employers of this state. Instead of focusing on cutting spending and reducing taxes, fees and assessment, they used the parks bill as another opportunity to raise fees. ... (W)hen push came to shove in the budget deliberations, the legislative majorities reverted to taxing private industry to make up for their fiscal and managerial ineptitude." We, too, are glad the parks are open. Tying new fees to a bill to do it, however, is evidence of why groups such as Unshackle Upstate are providing such an important service.
JEERS to thoughtless hikers, boaters or just plain passers-by who have littered the banks of the Saranac River. We received an e-mail recently from retired surgeon Dr. Jerome Davis, who sent along some photos with it to illustrate his point, that debris has collected to the extreme detriment of the river where he'd been canoeing between Saranac Lake and just west of Franklyn Falls. Among the junk, astonishingly, is a discarded television. We realize people who throw wrappers and containers — and TVs — out on the shores of a beautiful river aren't likely to be moved to reform by a Jeer, but knowing such people share the Earth with us inspires such frustration we have to mention it. It's not only the river that's at stake, but some of this garbage will eventually make its way into Lake Champlain. We trust the lake is safe from damage from the television.
CHEERS to Plattsburgh State for outstanding foresight and insight in moving its annual showcase alumni event to this past weekend. It typically was during the non-summer months, meaning alums would have to travel in sometimes less-than-ideal weather and miss out on the spectacular assets of the North Country summer-like days and nights. The Alumni Weekend is terrific for the grads, of course. It's also terrific for business around town and beyond, especially this year, when the weather would provide an inducement to get out and see what the community has to offer.
