Most voters heading to the polls Tuesday for school district elections and budget votes won’t be voting on large tax increases. Spending increases are relatively small. Total proposed spending for the county’s 18 school districts increases only $19 to a total of $447,675,882 in 2019-20 ...
There are actually two county airports, but I am writing about the one I know best, the Jamestown airport known as JHW. There has been some discussion recently that spending more money on it, is a waste of money. My point is that JHW is essential infrastructure for central and southern ...
According to a September 19 study by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, one in five American households goes without food or medicine at least once a year to stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer. Seven million households face this decision nearly every month. The ...
Much is made of Upstate New York’s population decline. There’s countless theories on the cause of the gradual outmigration for the last many years. Everyone seems to have their own simple explanation from taxes to weather to the Governor’s Queens accent. Most explanations are too ...
It is widely reported, and believed, that Amazon paid no taxes last year. Though incorrect, how this story gained traction shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise. Bernie Sanders got in front of a microphone, and the rest was a foregone conclusion. First he claimed it was ...
Thumbs up to Mitchell Anderson, a Jamestown native whose Netflix show, “After Forever,” recently took home five Daytime Emmy Awards. Anderson himself was nominated for his performance as well, though he didn’t win a solo award. Anderson, 57, is best known for his TV roles in “Doogie ...
New York state has occasionally kicked in additional money to localities for road work in extraordinary circumstances in recent years. That isn’t enough. It’s been 32 years since the state increased its reimbursement rate for maintenance on state highways. Jamestown has 239,440 square ...
To The Reader’s Forum: When a state elected official talks of “tax relief,” I think we should all chuckle at such words. For we know what they really mean. “Tax relief” is not about taking a burden away from the population of the state, but it is to take away things we do ...
MaryJo Bauer made the right decision last week. The former mayor of Cassadaga tendered her resignation due to the fact she does not live in the village. If she had not left the position, she would have been breaking a state law that has a residency requirement for public officials. But her ...
To The Reader’s Forum: In a recent article in The Post-Journal, it states that the predicted dates for Medicare (2026) and Social Security (2037) are to become insolvent. Obviously, this is very disturbing but it brings me to one very important question. Can any elected official ...
Perhaps New York state should re-think its stance that motorized bicycles are not allowed on public highways or sidewalks. We don’t necessarily want them on Jamestown roads, though they can be no worse than motorized wheelchairs being ridden in the street. One has to think that motorized ...
To The Reader’s Forum: When the pope comes to the United States I have no objections about his visit, per se. I realize that it is very meaningful and inspiring to Catholics. However, I firmly believe that the Vatican should provide protection for him, but it does not. Instead, our ...
Once again we have been reminded of the commonplace heroism that so many people hold quietly at the ready out of their compassion for others. Two armed teenagers bent on carrying out a massacre invaded STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado last Tuesday. Life-saving courage enough was ...
To The Reader’s Forum: This is in response to an op-ed that appeared in The Post-Journal on April 28, 2019. The editorial was written by a property-owning, taxpaying resident of the city of Jamestown. The article consisted of raises for the mayor and City Council members. The article ...
It is inevitable that some of the 8 million or so species of plant and animals on our Earth will go extinct within the next few decades. Some will die out this year. In many ways, nature is no guardian of biodiversity. Human activity is accelerating the rate of die-offs, scientists warn. They ...
To The Reader’s Forum: The recent letter to the Readers’ Forum by Tom Erlandson and Jim Wehrfritz of the Chautauqua Lake Partnership confused me. The authors began by asking that we honor Earth Day every day, but then they criticized the Chautauqua Lake Alliance, Chautauqua County ...
Who would have thought that the greener pastures many Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany county residents seek is a stone’s throw away in Pennsylvania? According to federal Internal Revenue Service tax filer migration data, the top destination for those who left Chautauqua County from ...
It is not usually newsworthy when a state legislator switches political parties, but, recently, a news article caught my eye when the longest serving Republican legislator in the Iowa General Assembly announced that he was switching political affiliation to the Democrats. How could that ...
To mothers: There is only one day on the calendar each year reserved specifically to recognize your tireless, selfless, heroic work. Surely it is not enough. For moms work 24 hours a day, 365 days per year without breaks, without pay, and too often…without appreciation. That work ...
Senator Bernie Sanders ignited a national discussion recently when he endorsed the right of individuals in prison to be able to vote, as is the case in his home state of Vermont. In doing so, Sanders raised fundamental questions of democracy and citizenship that are long overdue. Allowing ...