Next Steps Show
A show built to empower and ignite action—where Faith, Politics, and Entrepreneurship collide to shape the future for We the People. We do not just talk; we educate, challenge, and equip individuals to take control of their lives and communities. Through bold discourse, unapologetic truth, and real solutions, we cut through the noise to find balance in these three pillars of life.
This is more than a conversation—it is a call to action. With our seasoned guidance, we help navigate the complex battles of belief, governance, and enterprise, ensuring you are informed, prepared, and unshaken in your pursuit of success.
Juntos, podemos lograr el equilibrio y marcar el rumbo hacia un futuro próspero.
Episodes

Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Next Steps Show April 24, 2025
Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Sunday Jun 22, 2025
They call it momentum. We call it Van-bōōl-zal-ness—the crisis of deception dressed as progress. While Malik Evans touts’ feel-good slogans, the reality on Rochester’s streets tells a different story.
From race-baiting speeches to equity theater, this isn’t leadership—it’s gaslighting at a government scale. We’re not here to clap—we’re here to call it out.
Peter takes the gloves off and exposes the hollow hope and orchestrated crisis plaguing our cities. Featuring Malcolm X truth bombs, real talk on volunteerism, and a takedown of the myth of momentum. If you’re tired of the lies, the labels, andthe legacy of liberal failure—tune in. This is where we fight back with faith, facts, and fire.
The Next Steps Show—where we don’t whisper truth… we broadcast it.
Take a listen. Then take a step.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.comGrab some merch: NextStepsROC.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Next Steps Show April 23, 2025
Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Sunday Jun 22, 2025
They said the people’s house was too dangerous. That innocence was outdated. That tradition had to give way to “progress.” But we strip away the noise and expose what’s really going on, a quiet unraveling of everything that once held us together.
From the White House lawn to the classroom desk, the message is clear: what used to be sacred is now mocked, and what once required moral courage is now labeled as hate.
But not on our watch. With voices from the ground, parents, patriots, and educators, we confront the crisis not just of policy, but of purpose. It’s not just confusion in our classrooms or fences around our symbols, it’s the systematic flipping of right and wrong, good and evil, order and chaos.
If you’ve felt like the world’s upside-down, you’re not alone. But you are needed. Tune in and take the next step - toward truth, tradition, and turning things right-side up.
Take a listen. Then take a step.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.comGrab some merch: NextStepsROC.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
#PuttingPeopleFirst
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-p60o4BnNfg?si=XS9oHiC6nYmWWIVe
#TheNextStepsShow #VanboolzalnessCrisis #PeterVazquez #FaithAndFamily #TruthMatters #VoiceOfLiberty #WYSL

Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Next Steps Show April 21 2025
Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Sunday Jun 22, 2025
Became a grandpa again this weekend—number six. Little Alazae. Funny how moments like that remind you what actually matters. Family. Faith. The stuff we’re supposed to build society on.
But then Monday comes around—and reality hits.
I started the show talking about Puerto Rico. A place rich in culture, faith, and family roots… now buried under corruption, blackouts, and rising crime. Resorts are walled off. Guests told not to leave at night. That’s not just tragic—it’s telling.
Because what’s happening there is starting to feel a lot like what’s happening here.
We’ve got politicians in New York proudly partnering with dysfunction. We’ve got a mayor in California—yes, a Republican—so fed up he jokes about handing out fentanyl just to be done with it. And then there’s the Pope, drifting further left, blurring the line between spiritual leadership and political activism.
It all starts to feel... upside down. That’s what I’ve been calling the Van-bōōl-zal-ness Crisis—when moral clarity disappears, and chaos starts to sound like a plan.
But here’s the thing: it’s not just about “those people.” It’s about us. About what we tolerate, what we ignore, what we accept because we’re tired or afraid to speak.
This show wasn’t just about problems—it was about patterns. The kind we need to recognize if we want to protect what’s still good and fix what’s broken.
Take a listen. Then take a step. Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com. Grab some merch: NextStepsROC.com.
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
#PuttingPeopleFirst
Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/live/szVdltUowbs?si=-DKU4mXrh1Iu-fKB
#TheNextStepsShow #VanboolzalnessCrisis #PeterVazquez #FaithAndFamily #TruthMatters #VoiceOfLiberty #WYSL

Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
Next Steps Show April 18, 2025
Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
Wednesday Jun 04, 2025
Easter isn’t just about an empty tomb—it’s about full lives.
On this explosive episode of The Next Steps Show, we confront what it really means to live like the resurrection is real.
Pastor Mike Hennessy joins Peter Vazquez to throw down truth in the public square—faith in the marketplace, fatherhood under fire, biblical manhood under siege, and the resurrection as a cultural reckoning, not just a Sunday morning slogan.
If Christ rose, then everything changes—government doesn’t get the last word, culture doesn’t define truth, and weak leadership has no place at the table.
From the battlefield to the boardroom, and from personal loss to public witness, this show is about standing firm. No fear. No compromise. No apologies. He is risen. Let’s live like it.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Friday May 30, 2025
Next Steps Show April 17, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
Biology is not bigotry. Truth is not hate. And silence? That’s surrender.
Host Peter Vazquez welcomes Dawn Damon as they torch the lies of woke insanity—from Irondequoit corruption to the transgender assault on women.
This is a war for our future. #VoiceOfLiberty
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst
Watch Here: https://youtube.com/live/DcD9p7sXBps

Sunday May 11, 2025
Next Steps Show April 16, 2025
Sunday May 11, 2025
Sunday May 11, 2025
The Next Steps Show: Voice of Liberty in a Time of Chaos
This isn’t your average midday talk. It’s raw, it’s real and it’s unapologetically driven by truth. Peter Vazquez steps up to the mic with a message that cuts through the noise: we are being lied to, taxed into submission, and told that our values are outdated.
From the founding of federal income tax to the gutting of Title IX, Peter connects the dots past to present to show how today’s policies are shredding the Constitution and betraying the American people.
He calls out Gavin “Newsom Gruesome,” drags New York’s "Hocus Pocus" leadership, and tears the mask off the victimhood narrative being force-fed to minorities and working families. Peter doesn’t hide behind party lines he challenges everyone, Democrat or Republican, to defend what they believe or get out of the way.
It’s about civic literacy, not political theater. It’s about real Americans losing real freedoms while D.C. and statehouses run cover for confusion and cowardice. You’ll hear stories that matter, like the makeshift homeless "living rooms" under California overpasses, and why Title IX isn't about “inclusion” it’s about integrity.
Peter shares biblical truth that lifts up, even as he exposes darkness. “Have nothing to do with fruitless deeds but rather expose them.” That’s Ephesians 5:11—and that’s the mission of this show.
The Next Steps Show is not just conversation it’s confrontation with conviction. If you’re tired of dancing around the truth, tune in and meet up.
Call in. Speak up. Be heard.585-346-3000 or 866-552-1009Hashtag: Voice of Liberty
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Sunday May 11, 2025
Next Steps Show April 15, 2025
Sunday May 11, 2025
Sunday May 11, 2025
Dreams Without Reason – Delusion, Dependency, and the Death of Values
No guest. No filter. Just Peter Vazquez at the mic - taking the gloves off.
Peter confronts a culture losing its grip on truth. From Harvard’s double standard academic freedom to New York City’s delusional billion-dollar bathroom plan, Peter exposes what happens when dreams are no longer anchored in reason and when reason is stripped of moral clarity.
He challenges the modern mindset that trades hard-earned wisdom for victimhood, questions the abuse of SNAP benefits, and calls out the quiet tyranny of policies built on emotion, not Constitution. This isn’t about left or right, it’s about right and wrong.
It’s raw. It’s bold. And it’s 100% Peter—calling America back to faith, reason, and responsibility.
Stream the latest episode now. The mic is hot, and the truth doesn’t bend.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Next Steps Show April 11, 2025
Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Saturday Apr 12, 2025
A Republic in Crisis — or Just in Denial?
This episode dives deep into the unraveling of American institutions—from media manipulation to political cowardice to a culture that’s forgotten how to think critically, let alone civically.
With raw honesty and a faith-based lens, Peter reflects on legacy, leadership, and loss—starting with his own growing family and a heartfelt nod to Parkinson’s Awareness. But it doesn’t stop at the personal. The conversation drills into the national crisis.
From race-baiting politics to media lies, from the misuse of asylum claims to a mayor more interested in blocking reporters than blocking crime—this episode pulls no punches. It challenges false narratives about democracy, immigration, and justice, while exposing the cultural rot trickling down from activist judges and bureaucrats to broken communities.
This isn't just talk radio. This is civic revival, truth-telling, and a call to spiritual and political clarity in the heart of America’s Van-bōōl-zal-ness Crisis.
Listen now. And remember—be a leader, be a leader, be a leader.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Next Steps Show April 10, 2025
Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Where do we draw the line between being a welcoming nation and a nation being walked over?
In this hard-hitting episode of The Next Steps Show, guest host Luis Martinez doesn’t hold back. With firsthand experience as a former green card holder turned proud U.S. citizen, he unpacks the real meaning of legal immigration, assimilation, and American values.
He exposes how media spin, activist judges, and political cowardice are eroding our sovereignty — replacing law and order with toxic empathy and willful ignorance. Why are sanctuary cities allowed to defy federal law?
Why are victims of illegal alien crime ignored while violators are coddled? Why do legal immigrants face endless red tape while illegals are fast-tracked to benefits and voting access? These are the uncomfortable questions this show confronts head-on.
Luis also challenges the double standard in our justice system, spotlighting federal judges like James Boasberg whose personal conflicts of interest muddy the rule of law — reaching beyond their jurisdictions to block the will of the American people while conveniently ignoring blatant violations happening in their own backyards.
And finally, a powerful reminder: this nation has a culture worth protecting. Assimilation is not oppression. It’s the foundation of unity. Without it, multiculturalism becomes division masked as inclusion.
This is more than commentary — it’s a call to vigilance. A defense of the rule of law. A reminder that the American Dream is a privilege, not a free-for-all.
Listen to this episode and ask yourself: Are we preserving America, or passively surrendering it?
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Friday Apr 11, 2025
Next Steps Show April 8, 2025
Friday Apr 11, 2025
Friday Apr 11, 2025
Be a leader. Be a leader. Be a leader.
That’s how this episode of The Next Steps Show wraps up—and you’ll understand why once you listen.
In a world soaked in excuses, finger-pointing, and government overreach, Peter Vazquez brings a no-nonsense, unapologetically honest conversation to the table. From being a grandfather and the power of legacy, to the crisis of homelessness, to the empty promises of social reform, Peter lays it all out with clarity, conviction, and a firm foundation in faith.
What happens when leadership is traded for dependency? When victimhood becomes a virtue, and facts are drowned out by feelings? What happens when kids are told their future is predetermined by race, and adults are expected to surrender more freedom in the name of "safety"? We get what Peter calls the Van-bōōl-zal-ness Crisis of Modern Times—a culture duped by emotion, led by slogans, and robbed of common sense.
But this show isn’t just about diagnosing the problem, it’s about calling us back to truth. To rebuilding communities through real connection, not bloated bureaucracy. It’s about raising kids with values, not ideology. About replacing the tribalism of identity politics with solutions rooted in responsibility, faith, and discernment.
Peter also highlights a faith-fueled approach to tackling homelessness—servant leadership in action—and reminds us that impact doesn’t come from more government programs. It comes from people. From us. From you.
If you’re tired of being told what to think, if you’re hungry for a voice that cuts through the noise and calls things what they are—this episode is for you.
Listen now. Share it. And take the next step toward restoring the values that built this nation.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Monday Apr 07, 2025
Next Steps Show April 7, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
We Asked the Question No One Dares Answer — and the Silence Was Deafening
On this episode of The Next Steps Show, we dared to ask what the progressive left and their media machine hope you'll never ask: What can a white person do in America that a black person can’t?
Spoiler alert: No one could give a straight answer — just ideological dodgeballs and talking points recycled from the echo chamber of racial division.
From radical feminism hijacked by trans activism to politicians exploiting DEI like it’s a gold mine while our communities rot — we break it down. We expose how the Me Too movement morphed into a power grab, how the “believe all women” mantra became a silencing tool, and how “equity” became the new segregation.
This episode doesn’t pander, it provokes. We take a flamethrower to the narrative that says broken windows don’t matter, minor crimes are "inconvenient," and that police shouldn’t enforce the law unless it’s trendy.
We expose the charade of racial guilt, the twisted belief that law enforcement is the problem — not the solution — and we call out the reality behind leftist legislation that shields criminals while vilifying cops.
We also confront the lie that minorities need government crutches to succeed. Because the truth is, the system isn’t broken — the ideology poisoning it is.
This isn’t just commentary — this is a call to action. It’s time to push back on division disguised as progress. It’s time to restore law, order, and self-respect.
Tune in now. Speak up. Get loud. And never apologize for speaking truth.
God bless America.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:
WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,
WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,
WCKR 92.1 FM,
Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com #PuttingPeopleFirst

Monday Apr 07, 2025
Next Steps Show April 4, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
No fluff. No filters. Just truth — bold, unshaken, and long overdue. If you’re tired of political theater and ready to confront the real-world consequences of corrupted leadership, crumbling values, and weaponized narratives, this is your wake-up call.
The enemy is clear: the Van-bōōl-zal-ness Crisis of Modern Times — a calculated deception designed to confuse, divide, and conquer. It’s not incompetence; it’s intentional. A system built on lies, funded by your tax dollars, and protected by both leftist idealogues and weak-kneed conservatives alike.
From billions lost to fraud in healthcare to skyrocketing abortion rates in New York — from bullied correctional officers to silenced voices across the country — what’s happening isn’t accidental. It’s orchestrated. It’s deadly. And it’s robbing communities of truth, purpose, and future.
This is a call to clarity. A call to courage. Empty political platforms and buzzword policies won’t fix what’s been broken. Real change starts by confronting the rot, calling out the hypocrisy, and refusing to trade freedom for comfort.
This broadcast isn’t for the timid or the trendy. It’s for the backbone of America — those who see through the charade, who won’t be shamed into silence, and who still believe in truth over tyranny.
The Van-bōōl-zal-ness Crisis is real. It's here. And it's killing this country from the core out.
So ask yourself: What will you do next?
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Monday Apr 07, 2025
Next Steps Show April 3, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
The air hums with tension, as a voice slices through the static of the Next Steps Show on WYSL. "Mira la izquierda, mira la derecha," it demands. "Look left, look right. What do you see? Where are you?" This isn’t a soft nudge—it’s a story of a nation unraveling, caught in what I have dubbed the "Vamboozleness Crisis of Modern Times," a dark weave of corruption, shattered trust, and betrayal gnawing at America’s bones.
In this tale, trust is a rare coin—only 22% of folks still believe the government cares about them. The reason burns clear: leaders, from New York State to the capital, trade the Constitution for their own profit. Billions vanish—$455 billion a year from global healthcare, snatched by fraud, leaving the vulnerable empty-handed. Locally, communities wither as services fade, devoured by the same deceit. It’s not just one side; the progressive left spins its yarns, but some on the right weave their own, widening the chasm between those who have and those who don’t.
The story turns darker, rooted in a past that echoes still. New York’s abortion rate stands at 32.5 per thousand women aged 15 to 44, fueled by a governor nicknamed Hocus Pocus who pours $35 million into making the state a sanctuary for it. In Black and Brown neighborhoods, the lie festers: your life, your kids, mean nothing. It’s a whisper from Rochester’s roughest corners, a shadow that lingers, breaking spirits under its weight.
Chaos seeps into schools, where innocence frays. Rural kids face bomb threats, 54% of their schools now armed with threat assessment teams—less than the 71% in city cores, but a stark sign of rot spreading. The thread pulls back to 1980, to Reagan’s unheeded call to return welfare and education to the states, a lost chance to hold the line against this drift.
A voice named Keith cracks through, weary and real. He paints a nation split to its marrow, teetering like it’s the night before Civil War. People like his friend Tony hunker down, silenced by years of being told to hush. The absence of giants like Jim Quinn haunts the airwaves, their truth a fading echo. Yet glimmers pierce the gloom—Hispanic voters lean right, Asian Americans shift slightly too. The vamboozleness stirs something, a quiet reckoning brewing.
This story doesn’t end—it demands. Elected officials, from Albany’s halls to small-town councils, stand accused: those who feed on fraud, cheapen life, choke voices. The call rings out: name it, fight it. "Be a voice for liberty," the words linger, a challenge to turn the tide. The vamboozleness carves its mark, but the chance to rewrite this tale hangs in the balance, raw and urgent.
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:
WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,
WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,
WCKR 92.1 FM,
Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Next Steps Show April 1, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sanctuary cities: compassion or chaos? Peter Vazquez joins forces with legal immigrant Luis Martinez for a fearless takedown of broken laws, taxpayer exploitation, and the stunning truth about anchor babies and toxic empathy.
This is not just a discussion — it is a powerful American wake-up call that will captivate you, challenge your views, and compel you to tune in!
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:
WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,
WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,
WCKR 92.1 FM,
Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Next Steps Show March 31, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
I’m gutted—Jim Quinn, the roaring lion of liberty, is gone, and it tears my heart apart.
On Next Steps Show, I join Bob to pour out my grief for a legend who owned the airwaves with fearless truth. But I’m not just mourning—I’m raging.
I shred the spineless sanctuary city insanity strangling Rochester, calling out the gutless cowards in charge who’d rather shield criminals than save us. And the GOP? I’m screaming at them to wake up while New York chokes on chaos!
This is my battle cry for Quinn’s legacy—a raw, unfiltered, soul-shaking call to fight back.
#NextStepsShow #JimQuinn #RiseUp
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Next Steps Show April 2, 2025
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
A nation doesn't fall from foreign invasion—it crumbles when its people forget what made it strong.
We’re living through what can only be called the Van-bōōl-zal-ness Crisis—a time when truth is twisted, leadership caves to personal gain, and the American people are sold a steady diet of polished lies dressed up as progress.
New York is releasing inmates early while prisons fall apart. Students are making terroristic threats that shut down entire school districts. Our healthcare system is in chaos, and government “efficiency” looks more like erosion of accountability. Meanwhile, citizens across the nation are rising up to protest the continued use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortion.
This isn’t just bad policy—it’s a betrayal of the very principles that once made this country the envy of the world.
As Isaiah 5:20 warns: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil…” That’s exactly where we are. But the tide can turn—if we stop being silent.
Listen, share, and take the Next Step—before it’s taken for you.

Friday Mar 28, 2025
Next Steps Show Mar 28, 2025
Friday Mar 28, 2025
Friday Mar 28, 2025
From the vibrant streets of Patna, India, to the historic neighborhoods of Rochester, Shashi Sinha's journey embodies the quintessential American dream.
An IT executive, entrepreneur, and community advocate, Shashi Sinha steps into the political arena with a vision he believes will make Rochester "the best mid-size city in the country."
Shashi's ambitious proposals include constructing 4,000 affordable housing units, ending tax foreclosure auctions, and implementing a 40% reduction in property taxes.
These bold initiatives aim to address Rochester's pressing challenges, but they also raise critical questions: How will these projects be financed? Can government-led efforts effectively tackle issues like housing and homelessness, or does the private sector hold the key?
With Rochester's homelessness rate significantly higher than states like Florida or Texas, it's imperative to scrutinize the efficacy of public housing versus market-driven solutions.
In the realm of public safety, Shashi advocates for reallocating police resources from traffic enforcement to focus on violent crime. Yet, traffic stops often uncover serious offenses. With Rochester's murder rate among the highest nationally, can we afford to shift policing priorities without compromising safety?
Education remains a pressing concern. Despite substantial per-student spending, Rochester lags in state rankings. In contrast, states like Utah and Arizona achieve better outcomes with significantly less funding. Is it time to explore structural reforms, performance-based pay, and school choice to revitalize our education system?
Economically, the proposal to simultaneously cut taxes and increase city spending raises questions about fiscal responsibility. States like Florida and Texas have demonstrated that lean government and private sector freedom can drive growth, adding over 500,000 jobs last year. Can Rochester emulate this success without jeopardizing its financial stability?
Catch the podcast: NextStepsShow.com or wysl1040.com
Listen live, daily at noon:WYSL 92.1 FM | 95.5 FM | 1040 AM,WLEA 1480 AM | 106.9 FM,WCKR 92.1 FM,Or stream at wysl1040.com.
Grab some Next Steps Show merchandise @ NextStepsROC.com
#PuttingPeopleFirst

Thursday Mar 27, 2025
Next Steps Show Mar 26, 2025
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
New York: Where Taxpayers Pay the Price, and Bureaucrats Pass the Buck
There’s a storm brewing beneath the polished press conferences and empty political soundbites. New York ranks 44th in taxpayer return on investment, and that’s not just a bad report card—it’s a gut punch to every working-class family footing the bill for a government that has long since lost the plot.
At nearly $11,000 per capita in state and local taxes, New Yorkers are paying top dollar and getting bargain-bin services. Roads crumble, public health outcomes fall behind, and half the kids in public schools can’t meet basic proficiency in reading or math. The state spends more on education per child than any other in the country—almost $30,000 annually—and still, the results are shameful. This isn’t a funding problem. It’s a failure of stewardship.
The state that once stood as a beacon of opportunity now stands at the bottom of the pile in freedom. Ranked dead last—50th—in overall freedom by the Cato Institute, New York has become a cautionary tale. Overregulation, high taxes, crushing debt, and a bureaucracy more committed to control than competence have turned the Empire State into an empire of excess and inefficiency.
The rule of law, once a bedrock of American stability, now shows cracks. Civil justice access is ranked 107th in the world. Confidence in elections and government accountability continues to erode. And still, officials in Albany posture as if they’re managing a model republic.
Meanwhile, cultural decay spreads. We’re witnessing an anti-parent movement where children are handed over to the state and to ideology before they can form complete sentences. Drugs at the pharmacy are easier to get than answers from the school board.
And conversations about family and responsibility are replaced by euphemisms and indoctrination. When fictional characters like Archie Bunker start sounding more sane than today’s policymakers, it says something about just how far things have gone off the rails.
But while chaos and dysfunction reign at the top, the quiet heroes still show up. Legal assistants—recognized nationally on March 26—stand as a testament to discipline, order, and due process. In places like Rochester, they keep the wheels of justice turning, even as the system buckles under its own weight. They don’t get the headlines, but they do the hard work.
And in the spirit of National Make Up Your Own Holiday Day, maybe it’s time to declare a Return to Sanity Day. Or better yet—Stop Taxing Us Into Oblivion Day. The country doesn’t need another quirky celebration. It needs accountability. It needs leadership. It needs citizens who will no longer stay silent while their state is hollowed out.
This is about more than bad rankings. It’s about a government that has forgotten its role, a system that punishes productivity, and a culture that mocks tradition. But tradition is exactly what’s needed—a return to common sense, constitutional order, and a government that serves the people, not itself.
New York can be saved. But not by those who created the mess. It’ll take citizens who are fed up and fearless, who remember what this state once stood for, and who refuse to let it slip any further.It’s not about left or right anymore. It’s about right and wrong. And right now, the people of New York are being wronged—plain and simple.
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