I recently saw a car with a bumper sticker: “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” I completely agreed with that sentiment. Here in 2022 we have a governor and a legislature that needs to be ousted for many reasons. A WalletHub study from March 2022 identified New York State with the “highest tax burden” based on an examination of property taxes, individual income taxes, and sales and excise taxes – as a share of total personal income.
This reality should not be celebrated by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature and should move readers to vote accordingly in November. Gov. Hochul promised over eight months ago to release a promised probe of the Covid-19 nursing home scandal to no avail. Why is she slow-walking her own “independent” probe of New York’s early response to the deadly COVID-19 outbreak ?
In May 2022 prior to the Buffalo Tops Supermarket mass killing of 10, New York State had only one analyst monitoring toxic social media posts, according to the Albany Times-Union paper. The state’s Domestic Terrorism Task Force created in 2020 only began to have its first scheduled meeting after the Buffalo killings.
The Democrat-controlled state Legislature in 2021 made sure the Independent Redistricting Commission, which was evenly split between Democrat and Republican commissioners, deadlocked. Due to this impasse, the Democrat-controlled state Legislature began to redraw congressional lines, which were anything but fair or neutral, and failed to reflect “communities of interest.” Remarkably, four of the eight Republican seats were essentially eliminated. Not surprisingly, the New York State Court of Appeals threw out Democrat-drawn maps saying they violated the state Constitution. This debacle resulted in the taxpayers being on the hook for the establishment of a “special master” costing more than $147,000 delegated to redraw legislative districts.
Blank Slate Media Publishing has done a superb job over the summer highlighting in the Port Washington/Manhasset Times that major crime has surged 75% in Nassau County with a 93% increase in the 3rd and 6th Precincts from Jan. 1 through March 31. It is an understatement to claim that New Yorkers are troubled by the rising crime. The Albany Times Union paper reported last year that the governor enjoys a State Police detail of about 65 officers while local communities need more police officers and targeted security cameras to reduce crime.
On the North Shore of Nassau County over the last three months we have heard of the gunpoint robbery of the gas station on Plandome Road in Manhasset, the sledge hammered robbery of the Wheatley Plaza jewelry store in Greenvale and the daring robbery of the Fendi Store on Northern Boulevard in Manhasset. This year has also seen an explosive rise in the number of car thefts across Nassau and Suffolk.
Crime in New York City and the surrounding suburbs is an issue falling on deaf ears in Albany. Police officers and law-abiding citizens must be supported and protected. If you’re outraged and paying attention, make sure to vote in November. Your life depends on it.
Joe Campbell
Port Washington