New York To Boomer Business Owners: Get Lost

December 8, 2011

The Empire State takes a big chunk of its entrepreneurs’ lifetime earnings. Tax-conscious business owners will get out while they can.

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A Not-That-Special Election

September 15, 2011

Despite much hoopla, a Republican upset in New York neither changed the balance of power nor told us anything we did not already know.

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Unstoppable Disasters

August 29, 2011

What do you do when you can see disaster coming, but you can’t do anything to stop it?

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The Politics Of Courage

June 27, 2011

New Yorkers do not often have a chance to be proud of their politicians, but Friday’s vote to permit same-sex marriage provides a good reason for pride, gay or otherwise. Combined with yet another disappointing, me-first performance on the issue by President Obama, Friday’s vote also offers an object lesson in the politics of courage. New York’s rookie Gov. Andrew Cuomo deserves a lot of the credit for making his …

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New Ethics Rules, Same Old Albany

June 24, 2011

The new ethics law passed by the New York State Legislature last week promises to clean up Albany once and for all. Then again, so did the ethics reform laws of 2010, 2007, 2005 and 1987. Despite all those reforms, Albany remains about as well “cleaned up” as the typical 12-year-old’s bedroom. A study by Citizens Union found that as Albany produced its series of ethics reforms, it was also …

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Big Boys, Big Toys

February 14, 2011

President Obama and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood may have been disappointed by Santa Claus one long-ago Christmas. I’m guessing they each hoped for an electric train set and got something else, like the Kenner Easy-Bake Oven. Not that there’s anything wrong with toy kitchen equipment, especially when it makes real miniature cakes. Maybe Obama’s and LaHood’s presents got mixed up with mine. I wanted the oven but ended up with …

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New York’s Not-So-Indispensable Man

November 29, 2010

The late French Gen. Charles de Gaulle is credited with one of my favorite sayings: “The graveyards are full of indispensable men.” New York City has functioned, sometimes better and sometimes worse, for around 400 years. In addition to a handful of Dutch directors, the city has had 108 mayors, many of whom are now in the ground. Yet the current mayor has become convinced that he is indispensable. Indispensable …

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Read All About It: Newspaper War In New York

May 7, 2010

Where do New Yorkers turn when they need to know if the Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to cut subway service again, or if that new exhibit at the Guggenheim is worth seeing? Rupert Murdoch wants the answer to be The Wall Street Journal. The Journal, acquired by Murdoch’s News Corp. in 2007, recently launched its new Greater New York section, with which it hopes to lure New York residents and …

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New York Hocks Its Future

March 19, 2010

While the federal government is putting money into stimulating the economy, the state of New York is taking money out. Strapped for cash, the state is sucking money out of its own industrial development agencies (IDAs). Industrial development agencies are local government-sponsored entities that work to promote commerce by providing assistance to businesses in their region. IDAs are tax-exempt, but that didn’t stop the New York Legislature from making a …

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Good Intentions, Unintended Consequences

February 25, 2010

When it comes to making good health care policy, good intentions are not enough. That is something President Obama and lawmakers should remember as they meet today to discuss health care reform. And, if they find that maxim slipping their minds, they need only look to New York for a reminder. In 1992 then-Gov. Mario Cuomo signed a state law regulating the health insurance industry which he predicted would be …

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