With the New York Senate dead lock over it’s time to get back to doing the work of the people. No one was more frustrated by the stalemate than myself as important legislation that I had authored was halted just days before being passed in the Senate.
One of the important pieces of legislation I’m referring to is the creation of a committee to explore the possibility of abolishing the New York Thruway Authority. This committee could attempt to answer the question posed by so many New Yorkers and that is whether the Thruway Authority is a necessary entity. It would also begin the process of exploring the removal of other statewide authorities which have been created over the years and have now added layers of bureaucracy to state government.
Another Bill I had authored and am waiting for passage in the Senate calls for the New York Power Authority to have the proceeds from unused power that is sold to be kept in Western New York instead of being put in NYPA’s coffers. The funds would be allocated to the Western New York Economic Development Fund to help create jobs and create local development. This would amount to millions of dollars being kept in our region, created from a resource that sits right in our own back yard.
Another important Bill waiting for passage is called “Amanda’s Law”. "Amanda's Law addresses the need for carbon monoxide detectors in any home or dwelling that has an appliance that emits the deadly gas. Unfortunately, it was the tragic loss of 16 year old Amanda Hansen of West Seneca that brought this issue to the forefront and this legislation would help prevent another such tragedy in the future.
I'm proud to stand with Assemblyman Mark Schroeder who has passed a similar Bill in the Assembly in sponsoring this important legislation. Hopefully, "Amanda's Law" will soon be passed in the Senate and signed into law by the Governor.
On the day the stalemate was resolved the Senate passed the $136.5 million Power for Jobs program, ensuring that hundreds of businesses and non-profits across the state will continue to receive low-cost power and affordable energy. This is critical legislation because the Power for Jobs extender protects over 300,000 jobs across our state.
Thankfully the UB 2020 Bill was passed before the deadlock in the Senate was created and that legislation now awaits passage in the Assembly. Hopefully the Western New York Assembly delegation will be able to get the UB 2020 Bill through the Assembly in their next session so it can be put into law.
So for those who felt we were doing nothing in the Senate while the stalemate dragged on let me assure you that was not the case. I continued to meet with constituents, activist and citizen groups and other elected officials on a daily business, just as I would have normally done. I continued to work on and research future legislation, knowing the work of the Senate would soon continue. The position of a New York State Senator is a 24/7 job for me and has been so ever since I was elected into office.
To those self-proclaimed, public political activists who personally attacked me and called for flip-flopping and changing of affiliations, let me say NO! I was elected as a Democrat and I will remain a Democrat. At the end of the day I have to be able to look in the mirror and know I stayed true to my beliefs and convictions. No position or pay increase is worth selling my integrity and I’m proud to say I remained loyal to those who voted for me and are responsible for my being the New York State Senator of the 58th District. I will continue to work as hard as I can for my constituents and will continue to fight for the passage of important legislation for my District and our region.
