Issues: Legislature

The Governor’s budget revealed both good news and bad news. The bad news is it will be another challenging fiscal year. The good news is the Governor’s budget holds the line on spending and does not raise taxes and fees.

Queens, NY – Continuing their efforts to protect energy ratepayers, Senator Michael Gianaris and Council Member Peter F. Vallone, Jr. are pushing a federal judge to reject the proposed settlement for an illegal price-fixing case involving Morgan Stanley and two western Queens power plants that caused ratepayers to lose nearly $300 million in two years.

State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer (D-Mamaroneck) announced today that she will not seek re-election this November.  The Senator made her decision upon recently learning that she will have to undergo major shoulder replacement surgery in 2012.

Said Oppenheimer:

“It had always been my plan to seek re-election in November and continue to serve the people of this district.  When considering my responsibilities as Senator, the extensive effort that will go into rehabilitation and physical therapy following my surgery, and the added work of the hard fought campaigns I always wage, it became clear to me that I could do only two of those three important tasks.

The New York State Senate unanimously passed a Legislative Resolution today mourning the death of the late Assemblyman Tom Kirwan from Newburgh. 

 "Newburgh and the entire Hudson Valley lost a true friend when we lost Tom Kirwan," said Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson).  "He was a tireless advocate for the region and enjoyed bringing old-fashioned common sense to the legislative process.  I will miss his sage advice and sense of humor but most of all I will miss his friendship and his belief in the values of good government," said Larkin. 

In his delivery of the State of the State Address, Governor Cuomo managed to strike a balance which was both optimistic and realistic. With a new spirit of cooperation in Albany, unlike the dysfunction we have been witnessing in Washington, we were able to make state government work for the people once again, and made 2011 the most productive year in modern state history.