I applaud much of the work you do pursuing city hall characters, but the Wilmers story (“The Emperor Has New Clothes,” Artvoice v7n24) and previous articles on the local economy is where my friends on the left always cease to amaze me.

Blue staters, observing the coinciding New York tax burden, and the disastrous fact that the public sector is the major employer here, refuse to add two and two to the best of their ability.

I have no strong feelings regarding Wilmers particularly. My skepticism goes in the direction opposite yours. Why even have an economic czar?

Remember the left’s bumper stickers about loving the country but fearing the government? Well, why always push to increase government’s reach and role in society? The direct implication is distrust of the citizen. Even “big business” can’t coerce you as government can. Think about government’s own judgment and financial responsibility the way we “anti-government ideologues” do. What public funds back, public officials will have more to say about, added to the already incredible layers of restrictions and regulations new yorkers live under.

Here’s another coincidence for you. The parts of this country which have no property taxes, and the states that have no state income taxes, are much better off than we are. These facts aren’t as fascinating as whiz-bang, egghead “solutions,” but look where ignoring them has us.

Dan Hoffman
Buffalo

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