Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes supported the push for increased state support for community colleges in the State Budget. With the region’s economy still mired in slow growth, the need to increase funding and support of our community colleges is more vital than ever. Many underemployed and unemployed individuals are desperate to improve themselves and gain marketable skills. Creating opportunities for people to attend many of our area’s quality community colleges is one of the best ways to set them on the pathway to success.

Assemblywoman Peoples-Stokes supported Speaker Silver’s call to increase community college funding and offer more support for their operational budgets. By law, New York is obligated to fund up to 40% of the operational budgets of our community colleges, but only once in four decades has the state fully met that obligation. To keep the funding levels “flat,” (as proposed in the Executive Budget) is unacceptable at this time, especially since community colleges are seeing an ever greater demand for their services as a result of the sluggish economy.

Erie Community College and Niagara Community College and our other regional community colleges need the state to step up and fulfill its obligation to them and their students. Community colleges are integral learning incubators and job training centers. Now more than ever we must support them by investing in education and training opportunities that we know can help lift Western New York out of a stagnant economy.

Supporting Careful Expansion of Crime DNA Databank

Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes hopes that the expansion of the DNA databank, which recently became law, is done carefully. “While the goals of the supporters of this initiative are quite noble, we must endeavor to be cautious in our approach to this expansion. It is vital to protect the civil rights and privacy of citizens and to ensure fair access, use and most of all security of information contained within the database,” stated Assemblywoman Peoples-Stokes.

Here in New York we have seen the rate of homicides drop to record low levels. Violent homicides are down more than 10% since 2010. Many attribute this drop to the expansion and use of the databank of offender DNA, however it can also be attributed to better law enforcement techniques, crime analysis and follow up. We must closely examine the types of crimes and misdemeanors that should be included that would mandate giving up a compulsory sample of DNA. In addition, we have to consider an expansion and the use of DNA evidence when there is a question as to the exoneration of those falsely accused and convicted of crimes.

She urged her colleague to amend several provisions in the legislation that are intended to prevent wrongful convictions. Giving defense lawyers more access to DNA information, requiring videotaped recordings of police interrogations, strengthening prosecutors’ obligations to turn over exculpatory evidence to the defense and allowing a defendant who has pleaded guilty to a crime to petition a judge to get a DNA test are all good suggestions. These important provisions are ways that the public can be certain that the use of this powerful tool will be evenhanded and fair in its application.

Assemblywoman Peoples-Stokes will be looking for feedback from the community regarding this issue through an online poll on her Assembly website. It is important for the public to weigh in on this important issue. The expansion of the DNA database could save lives, incriminate the guilty, exculpate the innocent, exonerate the wrongfully accused and quite possibly deter someone from committing a crime. The database can and should be expanded but only with the proper protections in place to prevent abuse and to protect the public.

Raise the Minimum Wage to Lift Working Families

Assemblywoman Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes is fully supportive of bill A.9148 which increases the minimum wage in New York State from $7.25 to $8.50, with an annual increase to account for inflation. This legislation will also establish wages for food service workers who receive tips to be set at $5.86, with an annual adjustment for inflation as well. Other states in the Northeast such as Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts already have higher minimum wages than New York.

The minimum wage in New York has only increased ten cents in the last six years. In 2009, it was raised from $7.15 to $7.25 with the federal minimum wage increase. Prior to that, the minimum wage, which was set in 2007, was only $7.15. This legislation would call for the minimum wage to increase as of January 2013. Minimum wage would then be indexed, requiring an annual increase for inflation according to the Consumer Price Index, beginning January 2014.

According to the U.S. Census the poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1% — up from 14.3% in 2009. This was the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate. Since 2007, the poverty rate has increased by 2.6 percentage points, from 12.5% to 15.1%. Between 2009 and 2010, the poverty rate increased for non-Hispanic Whites (from 9.4% to 9.9%), for Blacks (from 25.8% to 27.4%), and for Hispanics (from 25.3% to 26.6%).

Faltering wages, persistent unemployment, and rising poverty indicate the economic distress New Yorkers have been experiencing. The State’s unemployment and underemployment rates have not come down very much despite two years of “recovery” since the recession began. Moreover, underemployment is hitting the Black and Latino communities particularly hard. Black people are underemployed at 21.6%, almost two times the amount when compared with the overall population of New York. The Latino community is not far behind at 15.7% unemployed.

The number of people in poverty and in “near-poor” households, whose income is just above the federal poverty threshold, rose within the State from 2008 to 2010. In Buffalo alone, when compared with the U.S. national average, poverty levels are roughly twice the national average. That is why Assemblywoman Peoples-Stokes is a proud sponsor of this legislation. With the cost of living in New York skyrocketing, legislators are aware of the significance in raising the state’s minimum wage. Increasing the minimum wage can help to close the gap between the poor and middle class and give people the opportunity to work for a living wage. An enhanced minimum wage would benefit more than a million New Yorkers, put much-needed cash into their pockets and provide direct relief to working families who need it most right now.

The Misinformation about Tier VI

With several constituent calls received by her office regarding Tier VI’s effect on current retirees, Assemblywoman Peoples-Stokes would like to inform the public that Tier VI does not affect any current members of the retirement system, and would only affect new employees that are hired after April 1, 2012; existing employees and retirees retain all benefits. The state's rapidly growing pension costs are one of the most expensive mandates for local governments. The pension reform plan passed by the Senate and Assembly recognizes how the current system would struggle to sustain itself. The plan will ultimately save local governments and New York City more than $80 billion over the next 30 years.

The legislation puts in place a new Tier VI pension plan that includes, but is not limited to:

New Employee Contribution Rates: The new tier increases employee contribution rates in a progressive fashion to ensure lower paid state and local workers are not seriously affected. Employee contribution rates vary depending on salary:

• $0 - $45,000: 3%
• $45,000 - $55,000: 3.5%
• $55,000 - $75,000: 4.5%
• $75,000 - $100,000: 5.75%
• $100,000+: 6%

These rates remain substantially lower than the large majority of similar state systems around the country. The new tier impacts only newly hired employees.

• Increase in the Retirement Age: The pension reform includes an increase in the retirement age from 62 to 63 and includes provisions allowing early retirement with penalties. For each year of retirement prior to 63, employee pension allowances will be permanently reduced by 6.5%.

• Readjustment of Pension Multiplier: Under Tier VI, the new pension multiplier will be 1.75% for the first 20 years of service, and 2% starting in the 21st year. For an employee who works 30 years, their pension will be 55% of final average salary under Tier VI, instead of 60% under Tier V. This readjustment brings New York more in line with most other states and will save billions of dollars for taxpayers and local governments.

• Vesting: Under Tier VI, employees will vest after 10 years of service.

• Protect Local Governments From State Pension Sweeteners: The agreement requires the state to pre-fund any pension enhancers, ensuring that these costs are no longer passed to local governments.