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Editor, OBSERVER:
Assemblyman Andrew Molitor in his most recent bemoaning of state government, "New York Just Keeps Losing," uses Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's July report, "Taxpayer Migration Dashboard" to claim the wealthiest New Yorkers continue to move out of state. Additional analysis, by fiscalpolicy.org notes the counterevidence, the dashboard provides, of decreasing migration rates, across the board, since the pandemic.
Migration, because of increasing taxes does not undercut the revenue gains achieved from the increase in rates.
Molitor continues to cite past evidence from the pandemic-era, and before, while ignoring recent positive data for our state. The most recent data reveals New York state has regained more than a third of the population loss attributed to the pandemic. Molitor does not consider international migration in his claims. And most notably, data reveals that increasing taxes on those with the most, is not the reason for migration. It seems clear Republicans, generally, always look to the past and never forward; never toward working to improve the current, and the future.
Molitor goes on to protest the $9 billion increase in the state budget to ensure that New York continues to provide necessary health care. Of course, he fails to note the rising costs are because of the decline in federal support. The implication is clear. He's trying to put the blame on Albany Democrats when the people know the slashing of health insurance and health care have come directly from the federal government. Albany Democrats should be commended, not criticized, for working to provide health care for all New Yorkers.
One can only laugh at the ridiculous implication that Chautauqua County taxpayers subsidize Saturday Night Live or Broadway, or bailing out New York City. Molitor doesn't seem to understand who pays to maintain 18 school districts in this county. More likely he wants his voters to believe the lie that New York City takes rural tax dollars.
Assemblyman Molitor shows us exactly why he should be replaced with someone who will actually represent all of their constituents, and work with those in Albany to get things done. I do not believe I am alone in Assembly District 150, in tiring of listening to Andrew Monitor do nothing, but complain about Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats, for the last two years. It's time we elected a representative who will work for the people instead of blaming, complaining and dividing, as the reasoning for their inability to govern. Tom Carle will get things done, and represent all of us.
Stacy Curry,
Jamestown