Tolls, Stamps and a Big Piece of Pork

As most of you know, for the last 14 years I have been working for a New York State Authority that most people think shouldn't exist. When I first started blogging I swore to myself I would never write as to why I believe in this Authority and I plan on continuing that promise. I do need to point out, in the last 3 years we have had 2 toll increases, and lets just say...people around here are pissed. The press (both print and TV) have covered these increases extensively and I must say, they have asked hard questions.

But now I'm confused...On Monday a 1st class stamp increased a penny yet again and it was also announced that Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno and Assemblyman Robert Reilly gave a combined total of $80,000 in tax payer dollars to one of the wealthiest suburbs so they can build a $120,000 "striking new 30-foot carillon and clock tower on Shen's sprawling main campus".

So tell me...Why is the press not consistent with these stories? I never heard the press ask the USPS why stamps go up every year. If I want to send a letter to Buffalo, the only way I can do it is either USPS or spend $10 via Fed-Ex or other parcel services. If I want to drive to Buffalo, I can pay a toll and drive a toll road or I can save my money and take Route 5. In other words, the USPS has more of a Monopoly on getting a letter to Buffalo then then the TWY has driving to buffalo. Yet the press fails to ask them the hard questions on the yearly increase. Why?

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As for the striking new 30-foot carillon and clock tower, the TU treated this as a feel good story and again didn't ask the hard questions. They actually had other articles in the same paper about pork spending and then they write this story without mentioning that it is funded by pork. My first question to Mr. Bruno and Mr. Reilly would be: There are schools in this state that don't have enough money for text books and computers, so why do you feel it's appropriate to give tax payers dollars to one of the wealthiest suburbs so they can build a useless clock tower? This tower will not improve education in Clifton Park. Why not give that money to districts who really need it, or maybe reduce the pork spending burden on the tax payer?

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I just don't get why the press asks the tough questions regarding toll increases but fail to ask tough questions about stamp increases or useless clock towers funded by state tax dollars.