With the 2011-12 State Budget completed, I believe the state Legislature needs to shift into overdrive so we can achieve real progress on a whole host of important unfinished business. Topping Albany's to-do list are the following priorities: delivering a property tax cap for homeowners, providing unfunded mandate relief for local governments and school districts, strengthening ethics for state officials, and enacting comprehensive pension reform to reduce costs for taxpayers and localities.
In order to translate these priorities into substantive policies that become law, it is vitally important that I continue to hear from, and communicate with, constituents all across our 129th Assembly District. Your views and opinions will directly shape my legislative agenda for the remainder of the 2011 session. Simply put, I want to hear from you!
LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING: PARTICIPATE IN MY UPCOMING TELE-TOWN HALL!
You are invited to be my guest and take part in a "Tele-Town Hall" that I will be conducting on Wednesday, May 18, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This free event I am proudly sponsoring is open to all residents of the 129th Assembly District. In case you are unfamiliar, a Tele-Town Hall is essentially an interactive telephone conference call that allows me to have a live discussion with thousands of constituents that I have the privilege of representing in the State Assembly.
TAKING PART IN MY TELE-TOWN HALL IS EASY AND CONVENIENT
Between work, school, soccer practice, piano lessons, recitals, and birthday parties, mom, dad and the kids are constantly on the go - and family schedules are busier than ever. This sort of hectic pace can make it very difficult for individuals to find time to attend one of my traditional Town Halls in person. That is why Tele-Town Halls are such a helpful resource. Now, thanks to the latest in communication technology, you can use the phone to take part in a Town Hall without ever leaving the comfort and convenience of your own home!
You do not need any special equipment or some fancy phone to take part in my upcoming Tele-Town Hall. All you need is a regular telephone and an interest in joining a thoughtful conversation about our state government and the issues that matter to you and your family.
Just follow these easy instructions to take part in my upcoming Tele-Town Hall:
Starting at 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, May 18, you can connect to my Tele-Town Hall by calling 1-877-229-8493 and entering the PIN number 17906 when prompted;
Your phone will be muted, but you can still listen in;
During the question and answer period, you can press "zero" on your telephone if you would like to ask a question;
You will then enter a line-up and be informed when it is time to pose your question; and
When our Tele-Town Hall meeting is over, all you need to do is hang up - it's that easy!
During the Tele-Town Hall, you can ask questions related to state government and public policy. Some of the many topics that we may touch on during our conversation include the unfinished business I mentioned earlier (passing the property tax cap, delivering unfunded mandate relief, strengthening ethics laws and enacting pension reform), along with other priorities such as creating more private sector jobs, and cutting bureaucratic red tape and job-destroying government regulations. However, I also will make sure there is plenty of time for you to ask questions during our Tele-Town Hall.
STAYING IN TOUCH WITH YOU IS MY TOP PRIORITY
Tele-Town Halls are part of my continued efforts to use the latest information and communication technologies to stay in constant contact with constituents. In addition to Tele-Town Halls, I also make frequent use of e-mail and Social Media resources such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and websites to share the latest news you can use.
My Tele-Town Hall is a terrific opportunity for you to join your friends, neighbors, and me for an important discussion about the future of New York State. So be sure to save the date and time - Wednesday, May 18, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. - and get ready to join in the conversation!
As always, constituents wishing to discuss this topic, or any other state-related matter should contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, or e-mail me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us.
You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and informational updates regarding state government and our Assembly Minority Conference.