The tentative 2026 County Budget recently unveiled by the County Executive appears to be largely a status quo budget. The Tentative Budget continues the routine of raising County Real Property Taxes every year by $1,700,000 or so, it keeps County government employment at about 1,200 ...

For decades, illegal drugs from all over the world — and particularly from Central and South America — have come into the United States. As decades have passed, illegal drugs have become more and more lethal. The drug trade is no mere set of commercial transactions. It is no mere set ...

The many years ago that I lived in New York City, I never made it to Brooklyn. I didn’t ever have a compelling reason to go there until last weekend, and I wished that I didn’t have to attend the gathering. It was different than any funeral I’ve ever been to. Last month, my nephew, ...

Well, it’s shutdown time in Washington. Despite U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s remarks based on tired Democratic talking points this one can be blamed on Senate Democrats who claim they are seeking to protect “pandemic era” Obama Care tax credits when in fact they are lining up behind ...

During a recent Cabinet meeting, our president suggested rebranding his 900-page One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). A familiar movie from the 1960s, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” might be a suitable title: good for some, bad for others. For example, the bill makes permanent a provision ...

When you get to be my age, if you haven’t already, you start to think about downsizing the footprint of your life. It makes common sense to do so—the kids are grown and on their own, you are tired of mowing the grass and maintaining the house, and you just don’t need as much room ...