To the Editor:

It is not that often the average citizen has the chance to hear directly from top policy experts in the state and from elected officials commenting on those policies and interacting with the public. That kind of opportunity is available, for free, at a policy academy in Albany on Aug. 23.

The Empire Center for Public Policy, an independent think tank based in Albany, is hosting the symposium. The headliner is the center’s founding fellow, E.J. McMahon, one of the state’s top government fiscal experts, speaking on the state’s economy and finances. There will also be a strong emphasis on local governments with a panel of local elected officials (I will be one of them) presenting candid views on the challenges and successes of local governments.

There will be time for questions and answers with the experts and for networking with everyone attending the event. In an era of an unchecked internet with many unsubstantiated claims, the seminar offers an in-depth look at some of the critical issues affecting your lives and the latest trends that surround them.

To find more details on the event and have the chance to register, visit empirecenter.org/publications/policy-academy. Information is power and it affords you a greater opportunity to make a difference.

Mark Grimm

Guilderland

Editor’s note: Mark Grimm is an Albany County legislator representing part of Guilderland.