I’d like to report that we had one of the most successful legislative sessions in decades, but, unfortunately, I can’t do that. Albany was rocked by scandals and arrests, and a lack of focus on what New Yorkers need most: tax relief and economic and job growth.
Let’s review a brief list of what downstate politicians, including our governor, thought were the most important items to work on this year. Here’s my top 10 countdown of the worst legislative actions taken by the New York City-led Assembly:
10) Illegal Aliens Over New York Citizens: The Assembly Majority once again put the interests of illegal aliens over those of citizens by passing the New York State Dream Act, a program that would give financial assistance and scholarships to illegal aliens when middle-class families can hardly support their own children’s higher education needs. Fortunately, the Senate did not take up this bill.
9) Expensive Early Voting Mandate: Again, the Assembly Majority push for an expensive progressive agenda by extending voting for 14 days prior to any election.
Such a program would cost our counties dearly and is duplicative, as there already is early voting through absentee ballots. Fortunately, this bill also did not pass the Senate.
8) Trying to Force Farmworkers to Unionize: When you have New York City politicians running the show, you get crazy bills like the bill that tried to force family farms into having unionized workers. Not only is this completely unnecessary, as New York has among the best working conditions and the highest farm laborer wages; but, if it is ever enacted, it could kill the upstate rural economy.
7) Taxes Galore: The legislature enacted nearly $661 million in increases to taxes, fines and fees. Over the next five years, this will increase to $11.3 billion. From assessments, taxes on energy and income, New York families and small businesses are going to take a hit. It seems like no matter how much you try, Albany’s leadership won’t listen. The budget, while on time, fell back on backroom, closed-door deals that ended up hurting our taxpayers.
6) Couldn’t Control Spending, Went After New York’s Most Vulnerable: Worse yet, in the budget mess earlier this year, the Majority opted to cut $90 million in programs and services to the developmentally disabled. We fought tooth and nail with our counterparts, and we never gave up on restoring this important funding for our most vulnerable New Yorkers. I am happy to report that we were able to restore that funding. I am proud of the leadership from the Assembly Minority on this matter.
5) Reinstated Government Pork Barrel Spending: Albany once again added discretionary money to the budget the New York taxpayers can’t afford. This money has a history of leading to abuse and corruption among politicians.
4) Returned to Secretive Albany: Whether it was the SAFE Act, the budget, plans for casinos or other matters, negotiations returned to three-men…ahem, excuse me…four-men-in-a-room. New Yorkers and their representatives weren’t privy to the discussions, and the deals were forged behind closed doors between the governor, Speaker Silver, and the two Senate majority leaders.
3) Failed New York’s Women on Delivering Equality: We had nine important policy matters that would have helped achieve equality and protection for women addressing workplace discrimination, domestic and sexual violence, and many other important matters. Most of the legislature, the Senate for sure, the governor and my Minority colleagues were eager to pass the nine points, but Speaker Silver refused to accept the nine points unless late-term abortion was radically expanded.
2) Politicians Arrested, Taxpayer Money Used for Hush Money: If you’ve been keeping up with Albany news, there were a significant number of politicians arrested this year for corruption. Making matters worse was the deplorable way Speaker Silver paid off the sexual harassment victims of former Assemblyman Vito Lopez, using taxpayer dollars.
1) Trampling on the Second Amendment: Under the cover of night, Gov. Cuomo introduced his gun control act, and in less than 24 hours the legislature rubberstamped one of the most shocking violations of your Second Amendment rights. His law, rife with mistakes, makes criminals out of law-abiding citizens while doing little to reduce real gun violence within urban cities.
There is much left to do. If the Assembly Majority thinks their work is done, they’re sadly mistaken. I will continue to push for the legislature to do the right thing. Go back for special session and address the many matters left undone, such as women’s equality, a real economic growth plan that helps improve the prosperity of all New Yorkers and the unfunded mandate, tax and regulation relief that we need for healthy communities and economies.