“The emergency powers provided to the governor were always intended to be temporary. As we see the COVID-19 threat begin to subside and we move in the direction of reopening New York, the time has come for state government to return to its basic principle of representative democracy,” Leader Barclay said. “The decisions we face in the coming weeks will impact New Yorkers for years to come. When are regions opening up? How do we fix a $13 billion budget hole? What are we doing to help people and businesses fully recover? Answers to these questions need to be developed through a legislative process and in a manner that gives a voice to every New Yorker. One-party rule is rife with issues. But one-person rule is not how our system of government was ever designed to run.”
Gov. Cuomo assumed widespread authority when he declared a state of emergency on March 7 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has issued 29 Executive Orders and changed more than 250 laws. New York state has experienced more than 330,000 cases of and 21,000 deaths from COVID-19. The state faces a $13.3 billion budget deficit for fiscal year 2020-21, and $69 billion over the next four years. Under his expanded authorities, the governor has:
- required all “non-essential” businesses to close and workers to stay home;
- spent nearly $3 billion in response to the pandemic;
- extended until June 6 statewide stay-at-home orders and social distancing requirements;
- closed schools for the remainder of the academic year; and
- announced a “reimagine” partnership with Bill Gates to establish greater uses of technology in the state education system.
“Fortunately, we have seen improvements in COVID-19 numbers and I hope that trend continues. With critical decisions and budget activity directly in front of us, it is essential that our branches of government function as co-equal partners and in a manner where 19.5 million New Yorkers are properly represented,” Leader Barclay added.
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Senator Richie is jumping on Barclays band wagon. She’s a do nothing senator. I’ve contacted her office four years ago on an issue that concerned me. All I got was one of her lackeys to talk on the phone with. I contacted her on the same problem that she never addressed four years ago. Again I got another lackey the just continued to send me in circles until I stopped calling. This problem could be solved by talking to the Governor and having him reverse an executive order that was put in place by Governor Patterson. In the four years I saw her picture in the paper next to the Governor at least a dozen times You think she could have ask to speak to him about my suggestion but nope. A she cares about is getting her picture in the paper and doing nothing for her constituents as she claims this time of opportunity. I’m not in favor of term limits but in this case because no one wants to run against her I would be very much in favor of it. So she’s concerned about her constituents but you can never talk directly to her. Would someone please run against her if even in a primary…