While walking down the street one day a female head of state is tragically hit by a truck and dies. Her soul arrives in Heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. “Welcome to Heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.”

“No problem, just let me in,” says the lady.

“Well, I’d like to but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven,” says the head of state.

“I’m sorry but we have our rules.”

And with that, St. Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down, down, down to Hell.? The doors open and she finds herself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club and standing in front of it are all her friends and other politicians who had worked with her, everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet her, hug her, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that, before she realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives her a big hug and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for her. “Now it’s time to visit Heaven.” So 24 hours pass with the head of state joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before she realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. “Well then, you’ve spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity.”

She reflects for a minute, then the head of state answers: “Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell.” So Saint Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down, down, down to Hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and she is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. She sees all her friends dressed in rags, picking up trash and putting it in black bags.

The Devil comes over to her and lays his arm on her neck. “I don’t understand”, stammers the head of state. Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate lobster and caviar and I danced and had a great time. Now all there is is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.”

The Devil looks at her, smiles and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us!”

How ironic…

Bob was recently dragged into a New Jersey police station, apparently, as this ABC news article notes for being “Mistaken as a Homeless Man”.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=8331830&page=1

How hypocritical of government to regard homelessness as undesirable, all while they drive people from their homes.

Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who
That it’s namin’.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There’s a battle outside
And it is ragin’.
It’ll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin’.
Please get out of the new one
If you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin’.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’.

Seriously( and I was being serious) the Omnibus Bill has a wide range of support from a very diverse group of people. While we may all have varying points of views on aspects of property tax reform, we are all solidly behind the Omnibus Bill.

This bill gives immediate help to those that need it most with long term reform that takes school property taxes off of the home and onto the State, where it belongs, per the New York State Constitution.

Gioia is right. Our Albany elected officials will flash there reform credential, talk about their bills they have there names on , but where is the follow through? What good is a one house bill. You know the bill our elected officials put in right before the end of the session, when there is no chance of passing in the other house because of time. And than to add insult to injury, they use our tax money to send out a mailer saying ” See what I did, it is the other guys fault!”

We can no longer afford inaction on tax reform.
We will keep up the pressure. We will keep plowing forward. We have a solution and that solutionis the Omnibus Property Tax Reform and Releif Bill.
I am proud to be a sponsor of this bill .

Susan Zimet, Ulster County Legislator, Chair of Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding and Property Tax Reform , Director of Tax Reform Agenda.

I’m not sure when he is up for re-election, but by today’s ratings, he would not be elected as dog catcher. The most UNpopular governor on record.