This past election, voters were asked to authorize that our State Constitution be amended to allow for the construction of up to seven casinos in New York State. Voters approved the measure by a 57% to 43% margin. It was one of the most controversial referendums in recent history. Not only was the measure itself controversial, but the language explaining the referendum was also controversial.
On any given week, tens of thousands of unsolicited checks end up in New York residents’ mailboxes, making these checks easy targets for criminals looking to capitalize on someone else’s line of credit. Last month, the Governor signed a bill into law that will put the onus on those issuing checks if they are lost or get into the wrong hands.
It is hardly surprising then that the Governor, being the politician that he is, has appointed not one, but two, commissions to examine how to reform New York’s tax system. The first commission he appointed, with the Orwellian name, “New York State Tax Reform and Fairness Commission” released its report last month. Notwithstanding its name, the report contains some good ideas on how New York should reform its tax structure.
It wasn’t too long ago that New York was ranked close to the bottom in terms of organ harvesting and donation rates. In 2010, a little over 2.7 million New Yorkers were registered organ donors. While that may sound like a high number, it was only about 18 percent of potential donors and is dramatically lower than the national average.
Common Core – the new academic standards adopted by 46 states intended to make students ready for college and careers – was put into motion for grades K-12 this school year. The State Board of Regents adopted Common Core in 2010 in part to secure more federal aid for education.Beginning in September, teachers in most public school districts across New York were required to teach this brand new curriculum.
This year, New York State enacted a law that requires birthing facilities across the state to test newborns for congenital heart defects through the use of pulse oximetry. Pulse oximetry is an inexpensive and non-invasive test that measures a baby’s blood oxygenation levels. This law will help ensure that infants are screened before they leave the hospital. I was pleased be a sponsor of this bill in the Assembly.
October was national Domestic Violence Awareness Month. While I realize we are now in November, because I missed writing about this topic last month and because I strongly believe we need to continue to raise awareness about domestic violence, I am writing about this issue this month.
Veterans’ Day is a time we honor our veterans and thank them for their service. We pause to reflect on their lives and appreciate how their sacrifices keep us safe and protect our country and our freedoms. I’ve always believed that New York State should do more for our veterans. We can’t rely solely on the federal government’s benefit structure to honor our state veterans’ service.
According to the State Health Department, breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in New York State. Each year in New York, more than 14,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and almost 2,700 women die from the disease. It is estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer during her life.
When voters go to the polls on Nov. 5, they will be asked whether to support a number of amendments to the State Constitution. Recently, I talked about the casino referendum and the implications its passage will have on New York. This week, I want to let readers know about five other referendums that will appear on the ballot.
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