Taxes are not good things, but if you want services, somebody's got to pay for them so they're a necessary evil. - Michael Bloomberg

I was elected to be independent. I was elected because I owed no political debts. I was elected to do the job, and not to spend my first four years in office campaigning. I've kept that promise -- and that's why we face the future with renewed optimism.

Most people won't have opportunity to do full-time service, but those lucky enough to have monetary wealth or some spare time really can make an enormous difference. As someone who's now in the public sector, and is seeing up-close-and-personal the real impact of what we do and what we give, I can tell you: every dollar and every volunteer help, in more ways than you can count.

Neither party has God on its side, a monopoly on good ideas, or a lock on any single fiscal, social, or moral philosophy.