Enrollment for Affordable Care Act in New York State Started October 1

As you know, a key component of President Obama's top legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act of 2010, went into effect yesterday with the roll-out of health exchanges nationwide. Major components of the President's health care reforms were already in place: young people can remain on their parents' health care plan until the age of 26, and insurers are no longer allowed to deny coverage to an applicant who has had pre-existing conditions. With these important reforms already in place, we now move forward toward the next phase of the President's health care plan. The open enrollment period for "Obamacare" began on October 1, 2013 for coverage beginning on January 1, 2014.

Washington Gridlock Seeks to Block Reform

However, the President's political opponents, who have staked their careers on stopping him and whose efforts to stop health reform have been unsuccessful for more than four years, are now desperate. Because of the actions of a few members of the majority party in the House of Representatives, earlier this week we saw the first shutdown of the Federal government in 17 years in an effort to block implementation of the Affordable Care Act. It may be too soon to feel the effects of this action, but lost confidence in Congress and lost wages could negatively affect our fragile economy.

Thousands of Federal Workers Sent Home Without Pay

Locally, more than 150,000 Federal employees in New York City and New Jersey have been furloughed. In the near term, people receiving Medicaid, Medicare, unemployment and food stamp (SNAP) benefits can expect them to continue uninterrupted. Federal landmarks including Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty will be closed until this impasse ends but passports will be available. While the shutdown of the Federal government is ongoing, please call my staff in Manhattan, (212) 234-1430, or Albany, (518) 455-5491, with any questions you may have or problems you need assistance with.

Learn More about the ACA On-Line or by Toll-Free Telephone Call

When the current shutdown comes to an end, valuable information about the Affordable Care Act should again be available. This data includes the average number of plans available to New Yorkers, plan premium costs for your family, the lowest-cost plans available to healthy 27-year-olds (who are ineligible to be covered by their parents' plans) and overall plan costs after tax credits. This wealth of information will be available to help you decide what is best for you.

Assemblyman Farrell was appointed this week to Governor Cuomo's Financial Restructuring Board for Local Governments, which was created in June 2013 to help resolve municipalities' financial structural problems, resolve labor disputes and consider establishing shared services.

His appointment took place on the recommendation of Speaker Silver.

Other members of the Board include Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Robert Megna, Director of the Governor's Division of Budget and Secretary of State Cesar Perales. Also sitting on the Board are Senator Jack Martins and former Assembly Member Roann Destito, who is now Commissioner of the Office of General Services.

Help for Struggling Localities

As you may know, local governments across the State have long struggled with their finances, especially after the financial crash of 2008, and many have called out to the State for assistance.

Governor Cuomo has said that cash bailouts will not be possible, but promised help will be made available to local governments to correct structural imbalances in their finances.

Panel to Offer Solutions, Aiding Local Government

In the near future, the Board will discuss and agree upon a set of recommendations that will be offered to fiscally eligible local governments who are seeking a way out of their problems. In some cases, grants or other incentives may be offered to local governments who accept and act upon these long-term recommendations.

Resolving Disputes in Labor Contracts

The board will also be empowered to sit at the negotiating table with local government leaders and leaders of municipal labor unions who are attempting to resolve disputes. The Board would serve as a binding arbitration panel, handing down just and reasonable resolutions.

A writer for a transportation advocacy Web site, streetsblog.org, recently published an article about a transit meeting on the intersection of 155th Street, Edgecombe Avenue and Harlem River Drive, which as many of you know can be difficult for pedestrians and motorists to navigate. I attended this meeting, which was held in August, and spoke in response to questions I was asked.

The author of the article reported my remarks in a negative, critical fashion, particularly my "windshield perspective." I wrote a Letter to the Editor in response, which the editor did not choose to publish. I thought you might be interested to read my reply, which appears below.

To the Editor:

I am writing to respond to an article published on your Web site on Tuesday, August 27, "Denny Farrell at Uptown Ped Safety Meeting: 'I Drive Everywhere'" which dealt with a meeting I attended on Tuesday, August 13 regarding pedestrian safety in the area of 155th Street.

There are several points I would like to address, first among them Mr. Miller's criticism of my "windshield perspective" and his belief that this caused me to vote against Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal. This is inaccurate, and I wish he had asked me to explain before publishing misleading information.

"Congestion pricing failed to deal with Uptown traffic issues"

My opposition to congestion pricing was based on many factors but two important ones; first, the Mayor's proposal failed to deal with traffic coming in downtown via the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels, and second, the proposal also failed to account for the traffic problems caused by vehicles leaving Uptown Manhattan via the Fort Washington Avenue entrance to the George Washington Bridge at 178th Street, a City street, requiring a left turn where there is no left turn signal. I wrote many letters to the City explaining these problems, which were ignored.

I would like to invite you, or Mr. Miller, or both, to join me on a Friday night and watch this traffic back up as vehicles attempt to make a left turn onto the bridge at Fort Washington Avenue and 178th Street, threatening pedestrians and blocking movement of southbound traffic on Fort Washington Avenue as well as traffic on 178th Street heading to the bridge from Broadway.

"I am not a newcomer to pedestrian problems."

I am not a newcomer to pedestrian problems, having dealt with transit issues for more than 50 years, and my view through my windshield is more strength than weakness in my opinion. As you might guess, I spend a lot of time in traffic driving to the State Capitol in Albany and to meetings throughout New York State.

Through my windshield, from the perspective of a motorist, I often watch pedestrians scramble to avoid being hit by other cars as they must do while crossing the problem intersection at 157th Street and Edward Morgan Place. For some time I have been meeting with the City to deal with the problems that are caused when people turn left off of Broadway and then right onto Edward Morgan Place going to 158th Street and the West Side Highway entrance to the Henry Hudson Parkway. When traffic has the green light, allowing a right turn, pedestrians also have the light, meaning pedestrians have no choice but to cross at a run. The City has not yet agreed to correct the problems with signals and lanes that would allow pedestrians to cross safety.

"I have amassed a substantial positive record on public transportation issues."

Over the years, I have amassed a substantial positive record on public transportation issues, some of which is laid out in detail on my Assembly Web site. Unfortunately, this site only details my record since the Assembly site was overhauled in January 2012, but even so there is a substantial amount of information posted regarding my efforts to improve transit and safety in my District.

There are also a proposal I am concerned with at 155th Street on the northwest corner between St. Nicholas Place and Amsterdam Avenue that may cause a problem. The City has proposed blocking the left turn at 155th Street and St. Nicholas Place, which may push traffic up toward the elementary school, increasing the number of automobiles near the school. Traffic is extremely heavy in this area, particularly during Yankee games, which may sometimes affect children on their way to or from school.

"In the future, please call so I can explain my positions."

While some of these efforts have been successful, and have provably made these areas safer and easier to navigate, in other instances the City has yet to respond despite years of ongoing effort.

In the future, it would be nice if your writers would give me a call before they describe my positions. I would be happy to meet with you at my District Office to clarify any transit issues. Please feel free to call me at (518) 455-5491. While you accurately described many of my positions, I have not yet taken a final position on the issue of the left turn lane at St. Nicholas Place. As Mr. Miller noted, I am quite concerned about the timing of the traffic lights because the length of the light creates problems for drivers and pedestrians alike.

Yours truly,

Herman D. Farrell, Jr.