A Day Late, Millions Of Dollars Short
Start writing a post
Politics

A Day Late, Millions Of Dollars Short

New York's budget woes are only part of a larger problem

12
A Day Late, Millions Of Dollars Short
Matt H. Wade/Wikipedia

In recent years, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has gotten praise for just about everything, from a (somewhat) on-time opening of the Second Avenue Subway, to putting a hold on the state's notoriously high taxes (the rate of increases have gone down in recent years, and for the first time, subway fares did not increase by much, and the recent fare increase applied to passes and not pay-per-rides). Part of the reason the budget is late is because of an initiative to raise the age where a youth can be tried as an adult. The impression I have received is that New York has a stricter law than the national average. (It also doesn't help that Cuomo wants to be President. After Trump, I hope the world ends before we have another New Yorker as President. I could write for hours about how New Yorkers, because of our temperaments, are ill-suited for the nation's highest office.)

However, the mood in New York is still poisonous. While other states have healthy population increases, New York's demographics are if anything absolutely depressing. While New York ranks high on quality of life issues (three upstate cities were ranked in 2016 as being great places to live), it's by no means a level playing field. Jefferson County (home of Fort Drum) had one of the worst population drops of any county in the nation in 2016. In fact, New York's population is still dwindling, unlike Florida and California, which see influxes of new housing and new jobs. The Census Bureau's stats are simply frightening for New York and the Rust Belt as a whole.

This doesn't have to be the case. If New York simply stops operating like New York, the benefits residents enjoy would become more attractive to businesses and residents who reside in other states. New York's economic policies are a complete fiasco and are if anything obsolete. Most of Upstate New York's major metropolitan areas are suffering from poor growth and I blame poor policy. No, I am NOT saying that New York should throw away its environmental and labor policies, but figure out where New York is the exception to the rule and change the laws to reflect what other states have on their books.

On the state's website, there is a quiz on property taxes and I practically flunked it. But the answers bring up some disturbing facts: the state has (in some cases) duplicate governments and some ones that are utterly obsolete. While the tide is slowly starting to turn (the superintendent of the school district where I graduated high school from does double duty as the "shared superintendent" of another district), the system still has its limitations. The saddest and most frustrating fact of all is that New York's flaws also make the state beautiful: it's school districts have a flair that is uniquely New York, with a local control that is not seen in other states. I read somewhere a few years ago that New Yorkers have more local control over their school districts than in any other state in the nation.

I hope that in the coming years that the state legislature takes up the initiative of getting the state's regulatory and local governments in order. New York State needs to stop the bleeding to Sun Belt states.

*To add to the irony of the budget, I was supposed to have this due yesterday! I'll make up for it, however.



Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

76946
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

47637
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

977954
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments