In 1969, Nancy and I moved to Keuka Park with our young family so I could accept a position at Keuka College. Doug, Steve, and Tammy grew up boating, swimming, fishing, water skiing, sailing, and ice skating on Keuka Lake. All three agree that they were exceptionally fortunate to have these experiences.
Budget adoption season is underway at the State Capitol, which means, first, that joint Senate-Assembly public hearings on Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2023-2024 Executive Budget proposal have started and will remain underway until March 1.
It seems like every other commercial these days is an invitation to visit Florida. Why not? It’s got lots of sunshine, beaches, and attractions.
“Billions” remains the defining word of the New York State budget, the nation’s second-largest spending plan, behind only California. Keep in mind that Governor Kathy Hochul and the Legislature’s all-Democrat majorities rang up last year’s state budget to a record $220 billion, an $8-billion increase over the year before and the largest-ever New York State budget.
We have recently moved to Yates County. I was glad to receive your letter in regard to fundraising for the Yates Community Center.
I read, with interest, the guest essay in your Feb. 1 Opinions section, titled “NY’s Climate Plan Presents Big Opportunities for Our Region.” One often-repeated argument in favor of the Climate Act needs more clarification. This argument appears in the sentences “This will include everything from smart thermostats to electric vehicles (EVs) capable of providing backup power for our homes, schools, and businesses.”
Have you been reading all the stuff recently coming out about gas stoves? Frankly, it is a bit confusing. I consider myself a reasonably energy-curious and informed person and I do not want to irresponsibly consume non-renewable energy.
My first column of 2023, focused on the Scoping Plan for Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), sparked feedback, including Suzanne Hunt’s thoughtful response published Feb. 1. Suzanne is right to be optimistic about the future, and I’m glad she participated in the planning process. We are lucky to have her as a local source of information.
A recent joint Senate-Assembly public hearing helped make it clear where New York State is headed on a radical remaking of our energy landscape: nobody truly knows. Remember that last December, the state’s Climate Action Council released final recommendations to implement far-reaching renewable energy mandates for all New Yorkers. These mandates were set in motion four years ago by the “Climate Leadership and Climate Protection Act” (CLCPA) signed into law by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature’s Democrat majorities. Since Governor Hochul took over after Cuomo resigned in August 2021, she has pushed the pedal to the floor on these extreme energy orders.
Here is a brief description of what happened with our own Chronicle-Express newspaper. In 2019, Gannett purchased our Chronicle-Express newspaper. The first thing Gannett did was to eliminate the Editor, Gwen Chamberlain. In 2020, Gannett made the decision to eliminate all the remaining staff except for John Christensen, the sole remaining employee and reporter. This was the death knell for our Chronicle-Express as with no sales staff, advertising drained away from the paper. Fortunately, John Christensen remained at his post, saying he would not leave as he did not want to feel responsible for the final closing of the paper.