Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown) was recently appointed by Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua) to serve as the Ranking Minority Member on the Assembly Housing Committee. Assemblyman Fitzpatrick also will serve on the Assembly Higher Education, Local Government, Small Business and Ways and Means committees.

“I am very pleased to be appointed as Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Housing Committee. Affordable housing is an extremely important issue in my district and across New York. As a state we are consistently ranked among the highest in the nation for property taxes and that is hurting Long Islanders. Many middle-class families are struggling with two incomes, seniors on fixed incomes are faced with increasing expenses but have no extra income to compensate for the increase. I will work to ensure that individuals in need will have an affordable place to live on Long Island,” said Assemblyman Fitzpatrick.

In addition to the Assembly Housing Committee, Assemblyman Fitzpatrick is one of the few members to garner a place on the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. As a member of the committee, Assemblyman Fitzpatrick will be seeing all of the appropriations bills that will comprise the 2011-12 State Budget. Fitzpatrick noted that because of New York’s dire fiscal situation all bills going through the Ways and Means Committee will be highly scrutinized.

Also serving on the Assembly Higher Education Committee, Fitzpatrick stated, “Although New York is facing financially uncertain times and the budget will include many cuts, higher education will remain a priority of mine. The SUNY system is crucial to New York and in committee I will support initiatives that will help SUNY sustain itself and make sure that it remains an affordable option for New Yorkers who want to pursue higher education.”