Michael Gianaris's posts related to General

Newly elected Sens. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, and Michael Gianaris, D-Astoria, hope to mix things up in Albany

By Paul Leonard

It's been an active three months for two newly elected Queens state senators.

Whether it was term limits, ethics reform or the push for non-partisan legislative redistricting, every week seemed to bring another bill introduced by Sens. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, and Michael Gianaris, D-Astoria — both elected last November as part of an injection of new blood into a chamber known as being resistant to change....

...Both Avella and Gianaris agreed that it was the Republican majority in the state Senate that was responsible for a lack of results on the reformist agenda that helped propel both of them into office.

The Utica Observer-Dispatch editorialized on redistricting reform and the importance of passing Governor Cuomo's redistricting reform bill  as opposed to introducing the issue as a constitutional amendment, which requires a much lengthier process and would not get the much-needed reform done now.

A plan by state Senate Republicans to create an independent commission to redraw district lines through a constitutional amendment is little more than an attempt to derail real reform.

Contact state legislators and tell them to reject it.