Working and Paying Taxes

Today is my 24th 'work anniversary'. It was way back on March 12, 1990 that I stopped being a temporary worker at, and became a full time employee of, what eventually became upstate NY's largest regional health insurance carrier.

Over the years, I've been a claims processor, an analyst, a trainer, an analyst, a process improvement analyst, a manager, a business integration expert, a director, an analyst, a process expert, an analyst, a process manager, a requirements analyst, and a compliance program administrator.

I've been trained on lots of practical things (specifically related to our business, products, and the like) as well as how to run effective meetings, how to communicate effectively, how to lead effectively, how to use software effectively to me look smarter.

I've had Lean/Six Sigma training, and learned about the Six Thinking Hats, and Maslow's Paradigm, and where to find my cheese now that it's been moved, and how to find my strengths. I know how to lead from where I am, and how to row in the same direction as everyone else.

I'm a Change Agent. I'm a Communicator. I'm a Participant.

I'm the kind of person you might want working for you, if you were coming in with one of those new tax-free businesses where the employees don't have to pay income taxes for 10 years.

Yesterday, the Onondaga County Republicans entertained and were entertained by The Donald, His Hairness, Mr. Trump himself.  He chatted up the crowd for just over half an hour, but did not announce his intentions to run for Governor, although he did say on a radio show that he would announce by the end of the week. (We'll see whether that happens).

I'm not a fan of Trump. I think he's an obnoxious blowhard, and a master self-promoter, which in some respects makes him sort of like a politician but a little more like the Duck Dynasty Dudes.  But even Trump realizes the craziness of  the Tax-Free NY program, which makes a separate class out of those of us who work for employers like mine and folks who come in to new companies that, because of a crazy idea cooked up by our Sonofa Governor Andrew Cuomo and business lobbyists, don't have to pay income taxes.  Trump calls publicity for the program, which he says he saw running during his golf tournament, political ads that should have been paid for by the Cuomo campaign.

Even State Senator John DeFrancisco realizes that this is a bad idea, and that it's unfair competition for existing businesses.

One guy who doesn't get it is my guy, Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, who thinks the plan is fantastic because the new businesses will not be in direct competition with existing businesses, they'll be focusing on new technology and leveraging our educational system, blah blah blah.  We get that part, Bill.

However, these new businesses will need people who have skills in some traditional areas that businesses need to focus on, like finance, and human resources, and compliance, and so on.  They'll have to come from somewhere, either with the business that moves here, or from the existing workforce, or be outsourced to some other company.  And if they come with the employer, or leave a local company to work for the new kid on the block, those people will be here, using state services, for free.

And me, with 24 years and counting at my now 78-year-old company, well, I'll be helping pay their way. Happy Anniversary to me.