The big-city bill collectors are knocking at the statehouse door

Kathy Hochul (D) last week won another term as New York governor by roughly 20 points. Democrats also flipped governors’ offices in Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, and Nevada. If you live in a small town or suburb in any of those states, here’s a question worth asking: Who will be paying for what comes next?

Most of the postelection attention has focused on Congress. I would keep an eye on the governors’ offices and legislatures, because that is where a great deal of your money gets allocated.

The serious question is whether state spending is justified, how long it lasts, and which communities bear the cost. A governor should be able to answer without hiding behind the word ‘free.’

I live in upstate New York, not far from