In effort to provide the Governor and Legislative leaders the political victory of claiming the budget was passed on time, both the State Senate and Assembly worked all night on Thursday in effort to get it passed. However, due to the sheer size of the budget, its complexity and the complete lack of transparency during budget negotiations, it took the Assembly until 8 p.m. April 2 to pass the final budget bill.
March is Women’s History Month and many of the early crusaders who fought for the right to vote lived in Upstate New York. Men and women helped this cause but three Upstate women in particular, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Matilda Josyln Gage, are credited with shaping the national conversation in the mid and late 1800s, which led to Women’s Suffrage in 1920.
With less than two weeks to go before the state budget is due, one of the most contentious issues remaining is whether the state’s minimum wage should be increased to $15 an hour. This issue does not have to be included in this year’s budget, but rather could be accomplished in a standalone bill.
With less than a month to go before the April 1 state budget deadline, state legislators, party conferences, interest groups and other constituencies are making a final push to influence what is included in this year’s state budget. Topics like a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave and so-called ethics reform have dominated state news.
There are programs locally that help adults prepare to enter or re-enter the workforce. WEP is one such program that assists people who are on public assistance gain further employment and job skills. It’s one of the many programs managed by the local department of social services offices in conjunction with employment and training offices that assists people in gaining valuable job skills, help with job readiness training, placement services, and job searches.
New York State is home to nearly 900,000 veterans. They are our neighbors, our family, and our friends. There are many organizations that proudly assist our veterans as a way to thank them for their service and show gratitude for their many sacrifices. One such agency is the Disabled American Veterans Transportation Network.
Providing our youth with the opportunity for a strong education is one of the most important jobs of our government. Unfortunately, the education system has had its fair share of challenges recently both in terms of funding and from policies stemming from federal and state laws. First among the challenges was the implementation of the Common Core. Common Core is a set of academic standards mandated on school districts by the State Board of Regents.
February is American Heart Month. To help recognize the importance of heart health, the Assembly passed two resolutions this month, one for those who are born with heart defects and one for those who later develop heart disease.
Nuclear generation is a big part of who we are in Oswego County – so much so it is on our county seal. Ever since Entergy announced in November that it will not refuel the FitzPatrick Nuclear power plant in 2016 and will decommission the unit, our community has been devastated. If the plant closes, we will lose a major employer and economic engine for our region.
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin deaths have quadrupled between 2002 and 2013, surpassing traffic accidents as the leading cause of accidental deaths. The increase in drug use and addiction has affected every demographic, race and age group in the nation. My colleagues and I recently held a series of hearings across the state to gather input from local officials, health care providers, parents of addicted children, and individuals addicted to heroin.
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