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Opinion

Changing minimum wage freeze doesn’t fix New York’s high cost of living

In Our Opinion

There was a reason that the wise old state legislators who drafted New York’s minimum wage law back in the good old days of 2023 included conditions that would freeze otherwise automatic minimum wage increases. The conditions - tied to situations in which the consumer price index actually went down, increases in unemployment or decreases in employment - were meant to protect the state’s business community when traditional economic measures showed too many of them couldn’t handle an automatic increase in the state’s minimum wage. Of course, Hochul was in the room at the time ...

District Heat should serve as a lesson for BPU

In Our Opinion

There has been a lot of promise with the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities’ broadband internet project so far. A $25 million Broadband for All grant means the broadband network is being built with little local cost. BPU customers who opt in look to save as much as 50% to 60% compared to similar internet speeds available right now. Kris Sellstrom, BPU general manager, said the fiber project has 4,000 service drops installed already, with many more to go before the end of the year. More than 700 customers are online now. We think the rubber is about to meet the road. The BPU, ...

Dissenting legislators have opportunity to keep tax foreclosures fair

In Our Opinion

Chautauqua County has approved the tax auction sales of 130 properties throughout the county - but the decision wasn’t unanimous. Nor, in our opinion, should it have been. There were enough complaints from property owners of properties ending up at the tax auction with a lack of notice or other issues that property owners say they weren’t aware of to raise questions. The property sale the legislature didn’t approve last week involved a property in which one of the bidders alleged the original property owner, who shouldn’t have been allowed to bid on the property, drove the ...

Another Great Summer In Bemus Point

Letters To The Editor

To The Reader’s Forum: As a life-long resident of Bemus Point, I can look back on many summers – some better than others. What made the favorable years? Was it the weather, the economy, the activities on and around the lake, or those in the village? More than likely it was some combination of all three. We can do little to affect the economy and certainly nothing about the weather. What we can do is present the village, the town and our individual properties in their best possible light. I would like to thank the Town of Ellery the Village of Bemus Point, the Bemus Point Business ...

The continuing importance of public education

Local Commentaries

Recently, a friend gave me a book, “Sketches of the History of Chautauque County” written by Emory F. Warren and published in 1846. It traces the earliest history of our county including the establishment of school districts. Each school constituted a district. In 1835 the New York state Legislature passed a law to provide funding for books in school libraries around the state. “School District Libraries have thus become objects of profit and a just pride to all,” wrote Mr. Warren. “The choicest productions in literature and science are placed in the hands of every person who ...

It’s up to local school officials to keep graduation standards high

In Our Opinion

We understand why there was barely a yawn from the public a few weeks ago when the state Board of Regents officially decoupled the Regents exams from the state’s graduation requirements. It was really a pro forma step that everyone knew the state was going to take as part of its effort to create new pathways to a high school diploma. So, while it is a noteworthy change for the seniors in the Class of 2028 who won’t be required to pass four Regents exams in math, English, science and global studies to graduate, it also would have been news if the Board of Regents hadn’t changed ...