Biography

Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak represents the 143rd Assembly District, which includes the town of Cheektowaga, the town of Lancaster and the villages of Depew, Lancaster and Sloan. He was elected to the Assembly in November 2006. He won the seat previously held by Majority Leader Paul D. Tokasz, who retired.

As Cheektowaga Town Supervisor, Assemblyman Gabryszak fought to keep taxes stable, streamlined the permit process and devise a five-year financial plan, He received the 1995 AM-Pol Eagles Citizen of the Year award in the field of government. Assemblyman Gabryszak prided himself on running an open and responsive local government, and he’s taken that attitude with him to Albany.

When the Berger Commission threatened closure of Cheektowaga’s St. Joseph Hospital in 2008, Dennis hand-delivered over 3,000 community signatures to the governor’s deputy secretary for health care. By preventing the hospital’s closure, Assemblyman Gabryszak helped save hundreds of jobs, and helped ensure that thousands of Western New York families can continue to depend on the quality health care St. Joe’s provides so close to home.

In 2009, Assemblyman Gabryszak was able to secure nearly $180,000 in funding for infrastructure improvements to the Anna M. Reinstein Cheektowaga Public Library. In addition, Dennis delivered $3,500 to the South Line Fire Company for new training equipment and $2,500 for the Doyle Fire Company to support volunteer firefighters.

Assemblyman Gabryszak was honored with the New York Farm Bureau’s Circle of Friends Award in 2009, 2010, and 2011 for his dedication to Western New York’s farming community. The Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm advocacy organization, and its award is based on the lawmaker’s voting record on issues of importance to New York agriculture.

In June of 2009, Assemblyman Gabryszak was named Chair of the Legislative Task Force on University-Industry Cooperation. The task force directs significant investments of state funds in research and development at universities, facilitating better cooperation between industry and institutions of higher learning.

In 2010, Assemblyman Gabryszak sponsored legislation with Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn) that made the act of strangulation a felony, which was signed into law. Also in 2010, The Assemblyman authored and passed the Power Proceeds legislation (A.8712A) authorizing the use of unallocated power for the benefit of Western New York economic development. In 2012, this legislation was included in budget, as a priority initiative. Power Proceeds allows the Western New York Economic Development Benefits Fund to improve infrastructure and revitalize Western New York and allows businesses located within 30 miles of the Niagara Project to take advantage of power that is currently being unused.

In the 2011 legislative session, Assemblyman Gabryszak successfully passed six pieces of legislation. Receiving worldwide notoriety was A.8206A, which directs the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation to allow Nik Wallenda to traverse the Niagara River Gorge on a high wire.

Assemblyman Gabryszak studied business management at the University at Buffalo, business administration at Erie Community College and attended Bishop Ryan High School in Buffalo. He has been married for 37 years to his wife Louise and has two children, Brian and Jennifer.

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