Arguments filled with smoke
Stephen Kershnar
New York recently increased taxes on smokers. This is yet another attempt to harass and punish smokers. This is a part of a broader trend to use the taxes, coerced settlements, and unconstitutional restrictions on free speech to bash unpopular groups. This trend is far more disgusting than is smoking. New York raised the cigarette excise tax to $2.75, making it the highest tobacco tax in the country. The federal government taxes cigarettes at 39 cents per pack, thus making every pack cost more than $3 per pack in taxes alone. The government makes more profit per pack than do the tobacco companies. The high state tax explains why the same carton of cigarettes might cost around $33 on the reservations and around $60 elsewhere. This is somehow fitting coming from the state that has the highest tax burden and that is represented by taxpayer-haters like Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) For the last term, The National Taxpayers Union gave them grades of 6 an
» Full StoryWeekend full of milestones
This upcoming weekend marks a few milestones in my life that I will be celebrating.
Friday will mark the second anniversary of my first appearance in this space in the newspaper. It has been an enjoyable experience writing these articles
City’s future looks bright
By ROGER ORCUTT, Ph.D.
To the leaders of the State of New York, the city of Dunkirk and the editor of the OBSERVER:
On Page A5 of today’s OBSERVER there is an advertisement for the City of Dunkirk that I would like city offici
Cornell’s motivation is service-oriented
By MICHAEL C. BARRIS, Ph.D.
Your editorial, “Politics can hurt regional efforts” (June 8), asserts that the least likely person “to appoint as interim director of SUNY Fredonia's Center for Regional Development and Governance” is Chuck Co
Prevention before ‘everything changes’
My mother waited until 30 to become pregnant with me. “I wanted to enjoy my time with your father,” she said. “Once a baby comes, everything changes.”
This may have been my first “talk” with my parents about love, pregnancy and everythin
Two patriotic songs
I believe it's still true that, if you were to trap a bunch of bright high-school seniors, turn off their computers and cell phones, and ask them what patriotic songs of early America they could sing, you'd quickly hear "The Star Spangled Banner" and
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