I wish I had something clever and pithy to say in response to this column about perception vs. reality, but I don't...because the reality is so stark.I feel sure tens of millions of Americans will agree with me that for the past 2 years we've been experiencing 20% to 30% increases in the grocery store, as well as for other necessities like clothing, health insurance, medications, and anything to do with home improvement or maintenance. Not to mention rent. I paid $900 a month in rent in 2021,up to $1,200 in 2022 and now topping $1400 a month for 2023. Moreover, this reality is occurring in my upstate New York community - never fully recovered from the Great Recession and likely of the verge of default if it were not for stimulus funds - which has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation and lagged behind NYS and the country in median household income by upwards of 6% in 2019.I think "economic experts" should be required to visit half a dozen brick and mortar stores each week before they file their stories, reports and columns......then they would see the stark difference between the perception and the reality of our economy.

I wish I had something clever and pithy to say in response to this column about perception vs. reality, but I don't...because the reality is so stark.I feel sure tens of millions of Americans will agree with me that for the past 2 years we've been experiencing 20% to 30% increases in the grocery store, as well as for other necessities like clothing, health insurance, medications, and anything to do with home improvement or maintenance. Not to mention rent. I paid $900 a month in rent in 2021,up to $1,200 in 2022 and now topping $1400 a month for 2023. Moreover, this reality is occurring in my upstate New York community - never fully recovered from the Great Recession and likely of the verge of default if it were not for stimulus funds - which has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation and lagged behind NYS and the country in median household income by upwards of 6% in 2019.I think "economic experts" should be required to visit half a dozen brick and mortar stores each week before they file their stories, reports and columns......then they would see the stark difference between the perception and the reality of our economy.

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