Assembly Resolution No. 952
BY: M. of A. Cahill
HONORING Dr. Gerald Benjamin upon the occasion of
his retirement after more than 50 years of
distinguished service as a professor, researcher and
dedicated public servant
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize the
lasting achievements and legacies of those individuals who substantially
contribute to the education, welfare and quality of life of our
communities, its citizenry and the entire State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Dr. Gerald Benjamin upon the occasion of his retirement after more than
50 years of distinguished service as a professor, researcher and
dedicated public servant; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Benjamin began his illustrious career at SUNY
New Paltz in 1968 as an Assistant Professor of Political Science; he
eventually rose to Chairman of the Department of Political Science,
Presiding Officer of the Faculty and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts
and Science, reimagining and implementing new programs of study,
expanding the existing faculty, diversifying the campus, as well as
providing oversight to the work of both the Institute for Disaster
Mental Health and The Legislative Gazette; and
WHEREAS, His vision and dedication to the University were
memorialized in 2002 when Dr. Gerald Benjamin was designated a
Distinguished Professor by the SUNY Board of Trustees, and chosen in
2008 to be Associate Vice President for Regional Engagement and Director
of the Center for Research, Regional Engagement and Outreach at SUNY New
Paltz - fittingly renamed The Benjamin Center for Public Policy
Initiatives at SUNY New Paltz in 2015 for its founder - the powerhouse
research institution that provides immense assistance for important
civic matters and approaches to local government and regional solutions
in the Hudson Valley and beyond; and
WHEREAS, In demonstrating his tremendous altruism, Dr. Gerald
Benjamin honorably enlisted to defend our nation, serving in the United
States Army from 1970-1972, and ascending to the senior rank of Captain
in the Medical Service Corps; and
WHEREAS, After being elected to the Ulster County Legislature in
1981, Dr. Gerald Benjamin rose to lead his colleagues as Majority Leader
from 1985-1991, and eventually the entire Legislative Body, serving as
Chairman from 1991-1993, which was the Chief Executive of the County,
the highest elected position at the time; and
WHEREAS, Recognized early as the preeminent scholar and expert on
New York State and local governments, Dr. Gerald Benjamin has acted in
critical positions such as Principal Research Advisor to a New York City
Charter Commission, Director of the Center for the New York State and
Local Government Studies at SUNY's Rockefeller Institute of Government,
and Research Director of the Temporary State Commission on
Constitutional Revision - an appointment by Governor Mario Cuomo; and
WHEREAS, His contributions to the region and the state were further
acknowledged by a unanimous appointment by the Ulster County Legislature
in 2004 to Chair the Ulster County Charter Commission - ultimately
creating the form of government now in effect - and when he was
appointed by Governor Eliot Spitzer in 2007 to the New York State
Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness; and
WHEREAS, With acclaim and success following him internationally, Dr.
Gerald Benjamin was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Tokyo and
the Japanese Foreign Ministry School, a Serbelloni Fellow in Residence
at the Rockefeller Foundation Study Center in Bellagio, Italy, and a
Visiting Professor at Meiji University in Tokyo, Japan; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Gerald Benjamin has been a fount of knowledge and a
primary resource to policymakers and students alike, having authored or
edited at least 15 books and countless more reports, essays and articles
on public policies, institutions and operations, garnering widespread
respect, accolades and notoriety; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; and; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Dr. Gerald Benjamin upon the occasion of his retirement after more
than 50 years of distinguished service as a professor, researcher and
dedicated public servant, and to celebrate his lasting influence in
reforming state and local governments across New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Dr. Gerald Benjamin.