Politics

With the holidays approaching, many organizations will prepare food baskets. Food pantries across the state have begun to reach out to the community in hopes to have enough to stock the shelves for all in need. In Oswego County, there are 25 sites which distribute food listed on the State Department of Health’s website.

In the last legislative session, we passed a property tax cap. Largely, municipalities and school districts have stuck to the tax cap. According to a report from the Governor’s office that was issued in September, 81% of local governments that reported a proposed levy stayed within the cap and 92% of schools kept at or below the cap.

A new map and a new district number has been assigned to the area I represent in the State Assembly. These changes will take effect in January but some of you may notice a difference at the voting booth next month. Last year, new legislative lines were drawn after the 2010 Census. Every 10 years, by law, the state must readjust its district lines after the Census is completed.

The next general election will be held on Nov. 6.  Many changes have taken place in recent years when it comes to casting your vote, all in an effort to improve the process, make it more accurate and allow a voter with disabilities to privately and independently vote on a paper ballot.

There has been a lot of talk in recent years about how our region can retain our talent. One way vested community members and employers can assist is through working directly with colleges. One venue that provides a virtual terminal is a program called Project-ION.

There is a bill which passed both the Senate and the Assembly this year that would, if enacted, better protect drivers who are involved in an accident with uninsured motorists.

New laws recently signed by the Governor will eliminate 120 inactive local authorities and agencies. I was pleased to support these bills in the Assembly. The laws repealed the “statutory authorization” for authorities or agencies that were already defunct or never established by local municipalities in the first place.

This law will create a real-time registry so that any controlled substances prescribed to a patient would be logged; before doctors prescribe any controlled substances, they would need to consult the registry.  Pharmacies would also need to consult the registry before dispensing any controlled substances.

At the age of 24, Dakota Meyer became the first living Marine in 38 years to receive the nation’s highest award for combat valor, the Medal of Honor.