High-speed rail could be a very mixed blessing for citizens of Upstate New York, which is already overburdened with property taxes. Although I welcome a high speed rail, if it is done all the way to New York City, the reality is that it will allow many wealthy people from New York City, the Hudson Valley and Albany to get to the Finger Lakes fast. They will discover the low prices for property here and this will drive up prices and tax assessments. I would hope that any environmental review will consider the regressive financial impacts of the high-speed rail and a need for remedial action. And that is why we need reform of property tax in New York State. Many have been working hard to bring forward the Omnibus Property Tax bill. This bill will go a long way to making New York State a place where our youth can remain, where business will want to settle, and where our middle class can once again feel wanted.
–Bill Hecht, Union Springs
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Every once in awhile something I interact with makes an impact in my life and makes me sit up and take notice. The question that you posed “What inspires you?” (Spring 2009) had that effect on me. It prompted an immediate inward reflection, inciting a dichotomous feeling – knowing that God is my true inspiration and struggling with the outward lack of expression of that inspiration. Often, I get so caught up in the ordinary, mundane repetition of this life that although I appreciate life, I often fail to appreciate the full measure of it. Your magazine does a good job for your readers of helping us to remember to enjoy our natural surroundings. We are blessed to live in an area with such a wealth of beauty and a variety of ways to enjoy it.
It says in Psalm 19 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hand. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he had pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavillion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other. Nothing is hidden from its heat.”
My opinion is this is God’s way of saying sit up and take notice of what I have given you. You gave me a great reminder. Thank you.
–Maryjo Jan
