Sunday opinion
It’s commencement day for graduates of St. Lawrence Universityand SUNY Potsdam. universities. They’re getting advice, respectively, from NBC newsman Tom Brokaw, and Art Schoer, a Potsdam alum who’s a founder of the Actor’s Institute.
The Plattsburgh Press Republican has advice for the Akwesasne Mohawks: diversify the reservation economy:
We aren’t judging the morality issues involved in the heavy dependence on gaming and cigarette revenue. This is a business issue, and the economy would be stronger if the tribe had more major income producers to provide income and jobs.
The Glens Falls Post Star is continuing an exit poll taken as people emerged from voting on school budgets Tuesday. The picture won’t be much better, if any, for schools next year, the paper says, “Next year could be even worse.”
It urges people to start setting longterm priorities for their schools now, and asked voters which three (of12) NON-mandated offerings they’d save:
Remember, you only get three: Enrichment programs (K-8); variety of elective course offerings (grades 9-12); art programs (beyond mandates); music programs (beyond mandates); foreign languages (beyond mandates); class sizes; interscholastic athletics; extracurricular clubs and activities; classroom technology upgrades; field trips; staff development to improve teaching and learning; and advanced academic programming (AP courses, etc.).
Tough one, isn’t it?
What are you telling YOUR school board?
Tags: opinion
Considering the government makes a ton of money off gaming and cigarettes, I don’t think the morality of the Mohawks should be questioned by anyone.
As to mandates, let’s first git rid of the unfunded mandates rather than being asked which items that aren’t mandated we should get rid of. Do we really need a any of our elected officials down in Albany? Maybe start by getting rid of all of their benefits: retirement, health care, and all the perks of being big shots.
Compared to other Indian nations around the country the Mohawks have done a good job of diversification between Gaming, ciggs and other retail. I guess you could also throw in the underground economy.
It’s funny after all of these centuries when we first fought them for their land, and then stuck them away or tried to assimilate them, now just now when they actually have some things going on, some real economic assets; the US government is suddenly interested in them and of course wants a cut of the profits.
If I were them I would try to make a case that given they are a sovereign people they be allowed to can, market and sell marijuana.
It’s such a fallacy that we don’t have money to pay for these programs and more. Tax the rich into the ground.
Basically, don’t accept the Post Star’s premise. They’re a bunch of bourgeois reactionaries who can barely contain their own glee over the defunding of education for working people.
Person,
How about not accepting your fallacy that we should spend more on education than any other state?
Person says:
May 22, 2011 at 8:16 pm
“It’s such a fallacy that we don’t have money to pay for these programs and more. Tax the rich into the ground.”
RIght, tax then till they’re broke, then tax the upper middle class till they’re broke then keep going down the line till we’re all broke but we’ve got every program and entitlement anyone ever dreamed of.
Yup, good plan.
NYS sends tax dollars to out of state corp.
The NYS Department of Health (DOH) is asking county legislators to take a ten minute survey by phone, conducted by RTI International, asking them and the director of health in each county to determine their views on regulating tobacco product advertising in the retail environment.
The letter was sent to “New York Community leaders” on May 9 by Harlan Juster, Director of Tobacco Surveillance, Evaluation and Research at the DOH.
Our community leaders are promised their responses will be kept “completely confidential” and as an added bonus and in an effort to get them to take the survey, “RTI will make a $25 donation to the charity of your choice.”
RTI maintains headquarters in North Carolina and seven regional offices in the United States, non of which are located in NYS.
This survey might be interesting if it were more inclusive and asked the leaders of our communities how they feel about the advertising and display of gambling, beer and condoms in the retail environment but that is not the case.
In a Sunday, May 22, editorial by the Plattsburgh Press Republican has some advice for the Akwesasne Mohawks: diversify the reservation economy.
The editorial says: “We aren’t judging the morality issues involved in the heavy dependence on gaming and cigarette revenue. This is a business issue, and the economy would be stronger if the tribe had more major income producers to provide income and jobs.”
If the PPR is not judging morality issues, then why even bring it up?
Major income producers?
Maybe because when it comes to morality issues, truth be told, NYS gains the most in profit from tobacco products and gambling? NYS is the biggest of Big Tobacco and the number one advertiser of gambling.
Think about it. Your tax dollars are going out of state to help the state regulate you.