Session Completed & Water Music on Erie Canal
Friend –
At the close of regular session over a week ago, I expressed serious concerns about business left unfinished by the legislature and my anxiousness to return to finish our work on the extension of county sales tax, which are critical to the function of Upstate county governments and other education matters. Thankfully, we returned to session this past Wednesday to finish our work
TU Hearst Media Panel – What Just Happened in the Legislative Session. Earlier this week, I joined Senators Neil Breslin and Jim Tedisco, and Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin at the new TU Hearst Media Center to discuss this year’s session at Capitol Confidential’s recap event on Tuesday, and discussed outstanding bills for the extraordinary session of the legislature.
Extraordinary Session of the Legislature. I am pleased – and rather relieved – to report that on Wednesday afternoon, the Assembly has passed a compromise bill extending the sales tax provisions, as well as mayoral control for New York City schools, and on Thursday afternoon the Senate did the same.
The legislature also passed a bill which will enact a referendum in 2018 to amend the state constitution with language that would better enable local governments in the Catskills and Adirondacks to use state lands for municipal needs.
$50 million in relief aid was also approved for victims of flooding along the shore of Lake Ontario.
Another part of the multi-pronged compromise package adopted late Wednesday included a renaming of the Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge to the Mario Cuomo Bridge. While I fully supported the passage of the omnibus bill and agree with the desire to honor the work of former Governor Mario Cuomo, I raised reservations about the name change and will continue to advocate for a way to honor former Governor Wilson – particularly after hearing from his niece, former Albany School Board member, Barbara Gaffuri, about the family’s concerns.
Ride Hailing Arrives in the Capital Region! After three years of negotiations, ride hailing services such as Uber and Lyft have finally arrived in the Capital Region! I cosponsored legislation earlier in session to ensure that these services were available before the Fourth of July holiday, and that Upstate residents will have a full range of transportation options to return home safely this weekend. The NYS DMV has put together a helpful list of FAQs on ride-hailing.
Bill Supports Local Non-Profit Pharmacies. I’m proud to have cosponsored a bill by Assemblymember Phil Steck, which passed last week, to help increase access to prescription drugs at regional non-profit pharmacies. This legislation not only invests in Capital Region pharmacy students, it also helps provide access to healthcare for some of our region's most vulnerable.
Coast Guard Halts Hudson River Oil Barges. This week also saw some much-needed good news coming out of Washington, when the United States Coast Guard announced on Wednesday that they would not designate the installation of new anchorages for oil barges on the Hudson River. According to the Times Union, the announcement follows a public input period that the Coast Guard said resulted in more than 10,000 comments, and comes less than a week after the state Department of Environmental Conservation was granted its own assessment powers by state lawmakers. After a review of those comments, the statement said, the Coast Guard has "suspended future rulemaking decisions and directed a formal risk identification and evaluation of the Hudson River."
Community Updates.
Albany Symphony Orchestra Recognizes Bicentennial of Erie Canal with “Water Music”. This Sunday marks the kick off to Water Music NY, a seven-day event with the Albany Symphony spanning the length of the Erie Canal to celebrate the canal’s bicentennial. The Albany Symphony will perform seven world premieres from July 2 to July 8 in a unique cross-regional experience that will highlight vibrant communities, emerging artistic talent and the power of the arts. They will be playing at Jennings’ Landing in Albany at 6 PM.
Volleyball and Roller-skating Opportunities at Swinburne Park. Interested in playing volleyball or roller skating this summer, or know someone who might be? The City of Albany Department of Recreation will be holding opportunities for both! From July 10 through September 4, the Swinburne Park Volleyball League will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-7 PM.
Barbers’ Farm Stand Open for the Season. The Barber Family farm stand opened for the season earlier this week on McKown Road, behind Passonno Paints in Guilderland. The hours will be Monday through Friday, from noon to 5:30. This is a great locally owned resource for fresh foods grown right here in the Capital Region!
Independence Day Events. The upcoming holiday weekend marks opportunities for celebration all across the Capital Region. The huge annual celebration at the Empire State Plaza will kick off at 2:00 PM on the Fourth, and fireworks will begin at 9:15 PM. If you’ll be spending the holiday in another Capital region locale, there are ample opportunities for celebration across the region.
Summer Reading Program. Kids do better in school when they read over the summer — even if it’s for just 10 minutes a day! To combat the “summer slide,” there are library events throughout the Capital Region including the Albany Public Library, Altamont Free Library, Bethlehem Public Reading, (Guilderland Public Library), and Voorheesville Public Library.
As always, for the latest news or for upcoming events, please visit my office online, on Facebook, or my Times Union blog. If you would like to reach my office, please feel free to send us a note.