Regular Session - March 23, 2011
1582
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 March 23, 2011
11 3:14 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR THOMAS F. O'MARA, Acting President
19 FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
20
21
22
23
24
25
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask everyone to join me in the
5 Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Please
9 remain standing.
10 And we have the Reverend Peter G.
11 Young, from the Mother Teresa Community Church
12 here in Albany, to lead us in a prayer.
13 REVEREND YOUNG: Thank you,
14 Senator. Let us pray.
15 As we prepare for, today, 5 inches
16 of snow, we ask You, O God, to brighten our
17 days with sunshine and those relaxing days of
18 enjoying our great resources of New York
19 State.
20 God, by Your love, You've made a
21 world where we have become neighbors to each
22 other and we are enabled to love one another.
23 Grant that we too may live and use this Senate
24 to strive toward a way of life in keeping with
25 Your plan. We ask You this now and forever.
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1 Amen.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
3 reading of the Journal.
4 THE SECRETARY: In Senate,
5 Tuesday, March 22, 2011, the Senate met
6 pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of
7 Monday, March 21, 2011, was read and approved.
8 On motion, Senate adjourned.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Without
10 objection, the Journal stands approved as
11 read.
12 Presentation of petitions.
13 Messages from the Assembly.
14 Messages from the Governor.
15 Reports of standing committees.
16 Reports of select committees.
17 Communication and communications
18 and reports from state officers.
19 Motions and resolutions.
20 Senator Breslin.
21 SENATOR BRESLIN: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 On behalf of Senator
24 Hassell-Thompson, I move that the following
25 bill be discharged from its respective
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1 committee and be recommitted with instructions
2 to strike the enacting clause: Bill 3277.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: So
4 ordered.
5 SENATOR BRESLIN: Thank you,
6 Mr. President.
7 On behalf of Senator Parker, I move
8 that the following bill be discharged from its
9 respective committee and be recommitted with
10 instructions to strike the enacting clause:
11 Bill 3617.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: So
13 ordered.
14 SENATOR BRESLIN: Thank you,
15 Mr. President.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
17 Klein.
18 SENATOR KLEIN: Mr. President, on
19 behalf of myself, on my legislation, on page
20 number 8 I offer the following amendments to
21 Calendar Number 57, Senate Print Number 990,
22 and ask that said bill retain its place on
23 Third Reading Calendar.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
25 amendments are received and adopted, and the
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1 bill will maintain its place on Third Reading
2 Calendar.
3 Senator Libous.
4 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
5 Mr. President.
6 Mr. President, on behalf of Senator
7 Maziarz, on page 12 I offer the following
8 amendments to Calendar Number 128, Senate
9 Print 164B, and ask that the bill retain its
10 place on the Third Reading Calendar.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
12 amendments are received and adopted, and the
13 bill will maintain its place on the Third
14 Reading Calendar.
15 SENATOR LIBOUS: And,
16 Mr. President, on behalf of Senator Grisanti,
17 on page 17 I offer the following amendments to
18 Calendar Number 196, Senate Print 3133, and
19 ask that the bill retain its place on the
20 Third Reading Calendar.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
22 amendments are received and adopted, and the
23 bill will retain its place on the Third
24 Reading Calendar.
25 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President, I
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1 believe that at the desk is a resolution,
2 Number 999, by Senator Ritchie. I ask that we
3 read its title and move for its immediate
4 adoption.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
6 Secretary will read.
7 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
8 Ritchie, Legislative Resolution 999, honoring
9 the New York State Maple Producers for their
10 success in making New York the second-largest
11 maple-producing state in the nation.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: On the
13 resolution, all in favor signify by saying
14 aye.
15 (Response of "Aye.")
16 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA:
17 Opposed, nay.
18 (No response.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
20 resolution is adopted.
21 Senator Libous.
22 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
23 there's a privileged resolution at the desk by
24 Senator Klein. May we please have the title
25 read and move for its immediate adoption.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
2 Secretary will read.
3 THE SECRETARY: By Senator Klein,
4 legislative resolution commemorating the 125th
5 Anniversary of the Villa Maria Academy of the
6 Bronx, New York, March 26, 2011.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
8 question is on the resolution. All in favor
9 signify by saying aye.
10 (Response of "Aye.")
11 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA:
12 Opposed, nay.
13 (No response.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
15 resolution is adopted.
16 Senator Libous.
17 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
18 Mr. President.
19 Senator Serrano has a privileged
20 resolution at the desk. He would like to have
21 the title read, and I believe he would like to
22 speak on it.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
24 Secretary will read.
25 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
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1 Serrano, legislative resolution memorializing
2 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to declare 8:30 p.m.
3 on Saturday, March 26, 2011, as Earth Hour in
4 the State of New York.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
6 Serrano.
7 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you,
8 Mr. President.
9 Today I'm introducing a very
10 important resolution for the third year in a
11 row. This resolution declares this Saturday,
12 March 26th, at 83:00 p.m. as Earth Hour.
13 Earth hour is a globally observed
14 hour conceived in a statement of action
15 against global climate change. It calls upon
16 people from all over the world to turn off
17 their nonessential lights for one hour.
18 Last year nearly 2,400 cities,
19 towns and municipalities in over 83 countries
20 observed Earth Hour. This year cities ranging
21 from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Copenhagen, Denmark,
22 have already pledged to observe Earth Hour.
23 By flipping the switch for one hour
24 and turning off their nonessential lights,
25 citizens around the world signify that they
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1 understand the urgency of climate change and
2 are prepared to tackle the challenges head on.
3 New York State is a global icon and
4 home to some of the most beloved landmarks in
5 the world, from Niagara Falls in Buffalo to
6 Yankee Stadium in my own district. Actions
7 taken by the Empire State have both a symbolic
8 effect and a very tangible effect on the rest
9 of the world.
10 For the last several years, at my
11 request, the Empire State Building and a
12 number of other sites went dark for one hour.
13 It is my hope that participation will be even
14 greater this year and that all of my
15 colleagues here today will join me in helping
16 to increase participation within their own
17 districts and surrounding neighborhoods.
18 I hope all of you will join me in
19 support as we designate 8:30 p.m. on March 26,
20 2011, as Earth Hour throughout the great State
21 of New York. Thank you.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Thank
23 you, Senator Serrano.
24 The question is on the resolution.
25 All in favor signify by saying aye.
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1 (Response of "Aye.")
2 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Those
3 opposed, nay.
4 (No response.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
6 resolution is adopted.
7 Senator Libous.
8 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
9 Mr. President.
10 Mr. President, there is a
11 privileged resolution at the desk by Senator
12 Stewart-Cousins. May we please have it read
13 in its entirety and call on Senator
14 Stewart-Cousins before its adoption, please.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
16 Secretary will read.
17 THE SECRETARY: By Senators
18 Stewart-Cousins, McDonald and Johnson,
19 legislative resolution commending Firefighter
20 Michael Giroux in recognition of his heroic
21 action on March 4, 2011, in saving the lives
22 of two citizens.
23 "WHEREAS, It is the sense of this
24 Legislative Body to recognize and commend the
25 caring concern and heroic acts of individuals
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1 in public service who take prompt and
2 appropriate action in emergency situations,
3 nobly risking their own lives in an effort to
4 preserve the life of another; and
5 "WHEREAS, Attendant to such
6 concerns, and in full accord with its
7 long-standing traditions, this Legislative
8 Body is justly proud to commend Firefighter
9 Michael Giroux in recognition of his heroic
10 action on March 4, 2011, in saving the lives
11 of two citizens; and
12 "WHEREAS, The son of Richard and
13 Ann Giroux, Michael Giroux is a native of
14 Albany, New York. He attended Shenendehowa
15 schools in Clifton Park before earning his
16 Bachelor of Science degree from the State
17 University of New York at Cortland and later a
18 master's degree in Ex-Physiology from Adelphi
19 University; and
20 "WHEREAS, Michael Giroux worked at
21 Cornell Medical Center and for several private
22 doctors before accepting a position with the
23 City of Yonkers Fire Department in 2000, where
24 he was assigned to serve Ladder 71, Rescue
25 One. In this capacity, he serves as a
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1 specialist in technical rescue who trains
2 emergency personnel in saving lives from
3 confined spaces, collapsed trenches and rope
4 rescues from buildings and escarpments; and
5 "WHEREAS, On the afternoon of
6 Friday, March 4, 2011, two workers were
7 painting the facade of a high-rise building on
8 Nepperhan Avenue in the City of Yonkers,
9 New York, when their platform malfunctioned,
10 causing them to dangle perilously 13 stories
11 above the ground; and
12 "WHEREAS, Despite high winds,
13 Firefighter Michael Giroux and his dedicated
14 colleagues set a plan in action to safely
15 remove the painters. He was chosen for his
16 expertise to rappel down the 27-story
17 apartment building from the building's roof to
18 rescue the two men who were trapped; and
19 "WHEREAS, Using the skills and
20 techniques he has taught others, Michael
21 Giroux went to work rescuing the first worker,
22 who he deemed to be in the most immediate
23 danger. After successfully harnessing and
24 lowering the first man to the ground, he
25 immediately repeated the heroic actions,
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1 rescuing the second worker; and
2 "WHEREAS, Michael Giroux's quick
3 command and the heroic efforts of both he and
4 his entire team resulted in the inspiring
5 rescue that saved the lives of these two men;
6 and
7 "WHEREAS, Firefighter Michael
8 Giroux's heroic actions were not possible
9 without the help of Assistant Chief Roger
10 Vitola and Firefighter Jose Caraballo of
11 Battalion 1, Lieutenant Nicholas Sarro,
12 Firefighter Brendan Healy, Firefighter Joseph
13 Golusinski and Firefighter Douglas Higgins of
14 Rescue 1; Captain Rudolph Sarro, Firefighter
15 Timothy Sullivan, Firefighter John Rodriguez
16 and Firefighter Kendrick Geiger of Ladder 71;
17 Lieutenant Brian McCaffrey, Firefighter Brian
18 Curran, Firefighter Kevin Mozdziak and
19 Firefighter William Castillo of Engine 303;
20 Lieutenant Christopher Williams, Firefighter
21 Neill Tyndal, Jr., Firefighter Hugh McGahran,
22 Firefighter Antonio C. Rodriques of Engine
23 304; Captain Joseph Darcy, Firefighter Hung
24 Chun, Firefighter John Spano and Firefighter
25 Christopher Leal of Engine 306; Lieutenant
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1 Daniel Flynn, Firefighter Christopher
2 Mitchell, Firefighter Sean Flanagan and
3 Firefighter Brian Pugsley of Engine 309;
4 Captain John Aitcheson, Firefighter Michael
5 Bernardi, Firefighter Peter Coogan and
6 Firefighter Rocco DeVito of Ladder 72;
7 Assistant Chief Brian Travers and Firefighter
8 Dan Kime of Battalion 2; Captain Thomas
9 Travers, Firefighter Sean Faughnan,
10 Firefighter Sean Connolly and Firefighter
11 James Duff of Squad 11; Lieutenant Kevin Cox,
12 Firefighter Joseph Yedowitz, Firefighter
13 Lawrence Valentino and Firefighter William
14 Nowak of Engine 312; Lieutenant Michael
15 Hanney, Firefighter Joseph Pinto, Firefighter
16 Charles Maron and Firefighter Daniel
17 Stangarone of Ladder 75; and Assistant Chief
18 William Fitzpatrick, Lieutenant Allen Felman,
19 Lieutenant Ronald DeMarco, Firefighter Eugene
20 Kelly and Assistant Chief John Flynn of
21 Special Operations; and
22 "WHEREAS, Also assisting in the
23 rescue efforts were members of the Yonkers
24 Police Department's Emergency Services Unit,
25 including Captain Thomas Barnett, Sergeant
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1 Robert Akey, Police Officer Dennis Borelli,
2 Police Officer Jorge Cordero, Police Officer
3 Jamie Molino, and Police Officer Anthony
4 Alaimo; and
5 "WHEREAS, Upon getting to the
6 scene, the Yonkers Police Department's
7 Emergency Services Unit was able to gain
8 access to the victims through an apartment
9 window on the 14th floor, enabling them to
10 pass the initial safety line to the men taking
11 them out of imminent danger; and
12 "WHEREAS, The members of the
13 Yonkers Police Department's Emergency Services
14 Unit were able to speak and translate to the
15 painters, who spoke only Spanish, while also
16 conducting a medical assessment, keeping the
17 situation under control; and
18 "WHEREAS, Due to the help from all
19 of these emergency response crews, who were
20 instrumental with the rescue of the two
21 workers after their scaffold collapsed,
22 Firefighter Michael Giroux's efforts were
23 triumphant; and
24 "WHEREAS, With him throughout have
25 been his wife, Deana Giroux, and their two
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1 daughters, all of whom feel privileged to be a
2 part of his life and rejoice in his
3 achievements; and
4 "WHEREAS, Michael Giroux has truly
5 distinguished himself as one of New York's
6 finest. When an act of such magnanimous
7 heroism is brought to our official attention,
8 the same should be memorialized for the
9 edification and emulation of all; now,
10 therefore, be it
11 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
12 Body pause in its deliberations to commend
13 Firefighter Michael Giroux in recognition of
14 his heroic action on March 4, 2011, in saving
15 the life of two citizens; and be it further
16 "RESOLVED, That a copy of this
17 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted
18 to Michael Giroux."
19 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
20 Stewart-Cousins on the resolution.
21 SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS: Thank
22 you, Mr. President.
23 And I do want to commend the
24 Secretary, because I know this was the very
25 first time that we've had an opportunity for
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1 you to read.
2 And I think it's an auspicious time
3 for this to have happened, because there are
4 many days that we stand in this chamber and we
5 talk about heroic acts and we thank people who
6 have done extraordinary things. Many times,
7 however, we do it posthumously. I know the
8 last time I commended a Yonkers firefighter,
9 it was Firefighter Patrick Joyce, whose
10 heroism was just unimaginable, but only his
11 family and his colleagues and friends were
12 here; he was not.
13 So today is a day, I think, which
14 is exceptional because not only are we
15 celebrating heroism, but we have the heroes
16 here to celebrate collectively.
17 So you've heard the story of
18 Firefighter Michael Giroux, and you know that
19 he did things that no one of us would have
20 thought possible. Although we know actions
21 like this happen, but very few of us ever have
22 a bird's-eye view as you see a rescue such as
23 the one that Firefighter Giroux was able to
24 accomplish.
25 He went up one of the tallest
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1 buildings in Yonkers. When we talked about
2 it, it was actually 27 stories, but he had to
3 go up even another story in order to position
4 the ropes properly and come down to rescue two
5 workers who were hanging by their harnesses
6 after their scaffold had broken. We watched
7 breathlessly, wondering how this was going to
8 happen, who was he going to rescue, was it
9 going to be successful, was he going to get
10 out all right?
11 And after about an hour and a half
12 of this partnership that happened between the
13 police and the emergency services, the
14 firefighters, Empress EMS, everybody -- with
15 all of us looking at this wonderful rescue
16 with a magnificent outcome, we were all not
17 only proud of the City of Yonkers but
18 indebted, as always, to the heroism of
19 Firefighter Giroux.
20 So I thought it was important to
21 bring these heroes here -- you've heard their
22 names and their ranks -- and thank them
23 collectively.
24 This happened in my district in
25 Yonkers, but I know that Firefighter Giroux
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1 actually lives in Senator Johnson's district
2 and that his parents live in Senator
3 McDonald's district. So not only is it a
4 great event, but it's a celebration that we
5 can all enjoy across the state, remembering
6 how you risk your lives every day to protect
7 all of us, how important it is that we allow
8 you to smell your flowers and get your
9 accolades while you are here to enjoy it, how
10 grateful we are to your family for enduring
11 and supporting you as you make these
12 sacrifices, and how important it is that you
13 continue your work knowing that you have the
14 full community support. And as you've read in
15 this resolution, you certainly have.
16 So I wanted to thank you and
17 recognize that, again, Firefighter Giroux is
18 here with his loving parents, Richard and Ann;
19 his grandmother, Theresa Brassard, who's
20 accompanied by Jim Kelly; uncle Tim Walsh and
21 aunt Jeanie; and you also heard read in the
22 resolution his daughters Gianna and Samantha.
23 There are four generations here to come to
24 celebrate Firefighter Giroux.
25 Congratulations, Firefighter.
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1 (Standing ovation).
2 SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS: And
3 just because all of the EMS people were not in
4 the resolution -- and they will be because all
5 of the names are there -- the Empress EMS
6 professionals who were key in the success of
7 the rescue: Chris Pinnock, Michelle
8 Marsalisi, Rich Rivera, Karen Novelli, Thomas
9 Daliy, Brian Hickey, and Marcel Cekuta.
10 And also here, and I think they
11 just went quickly out, was Barry McGoey, who's
12 the president of Yonkers Firefighters Local
13 Number 628, as well as Greg DeSousa, trustee,
14 Yonkers Firefighters Local 628, Captain Kevin
15 Ford, Augie Nigro, the assistant chief,
16 Michael McManus, president of the Professional
17 Firefighters Association of New York State, as
18 well as Sam Fresina, who is
19 secretary/treasurer of the New York State
20 Professional Firefighters Association.
21 We are all very, very proud of you.
22 And again, thank you so much for being heroic
23 and who you are. Congratulations.
24 (Applause.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Thank
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1 you, Senator Stewart-Cousins.
2 Senator Owen Johnson on the
3 resolution.
4 SENATOR JOHNSON: I would like to
5 add my congratulations, my pride in the
6 accomplishments of Michael Giroux and his team
7 of firemen.
8 The training he took and the
9 initiative he took showed not only
10 intelligence but bravery and courage. And I
11 wouldn't want to get on a 27-story building
12 and come down on a rope and try to save
13 somebody, but he did it, and he brought his
14 firemen with him. And it's a wonderful
15 inspiring story of heroism and rescue.
16 So thank you very much.
17 (Applause.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
19 McDonald on the resolution.
20 SENATOR McDONALD: Thank you,
21 Mr. President. Thank you, Senator
22 Stewart-Cousins.
23 And a special gratitude to a
24 home-grown hero and what you've done and all
25 your family. What an inspiration. It
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1 certainly shows you that this state is a lot
2 smaller than people think it is.
3 Whether it's a New York State
4 trooper who's from the metropolitan area or
5 New York City or Long Island doing something
6 courageous in upstate New York, or somebody
7 originally from Saratoga County and the Albany
8 area going down and doing the same thing, it
9 makes you feel part of a family. An
10 inspiration to us all that we should never
11 forget that we're all here and we're all here
12 to help each other. And if there's somebody
13 in need, it doesn't matter who you are or
14 where you are, we've got people like
15 Firefighter Giroux and his colleagues in the
16 emergency services to be there for us.
17 So this is a double inspiration for
18 me. Thank you.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
20 Klein on the resolution.
21 SENATOR KLEIN: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 I want to thank Senator
24 Stewart-Cousins for bringing this resolution
25 before us today.
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1 I have the privilege of
2 representing a small portion of the City of
3 Yonkers. But I do want to really congratulate
4 Michael on his heroic acts. You know,
5 unfortunately in many cases when we honor
6 police officers or firefighters they're not
7 here to accept our congratulations. Thank God
8 Michael's heroic acts, you know, left him
9 still with us.
10 You know, again, unfortunately when
11 we read our newspapers or watch our TVs
12 lately, our public sector-workers aren't
13 always getting the best rap. But I think it's
14 not only today but every day we have to say a
15 special thank you to our Yonkers bravest. And
16 I think Michael represents them best.
17 He risked his life. Many
18 New Yorkers were glued to their TV sets
19 watching what Michael was able to accomplish.
20 And I think we owe him a debt of gratitude.
21 And sometimes things -- there's a
22 lot of fate in life, people there at the right
23 time. And I think Michael's training,
24 Michael's heroic acts, Michael was the perfect
25 person to be there on that very day to save
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1 those two workers.
2 So I thank you, Michael, and I know
3 you'll continue to protect us each and every
4 day in the great City of Yonkers. Thank you,
5 and thank you to your family.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
7 Savino on the resolution.
8 SENATOR SAVINO: Thank you,
9 Mr. President. I also want to thank Senator
10 Stewart-Cousins for bringing this resolution.
11 And, you know, one of the most
12 riveting things I've seen on television in the
13 last month or so was not a movie, was not a
14 television show, certainly wasn't a reality
15 show -- it was the opportunity to watch
16 Michael Giroux and his colleagues, the
17 emergency service workers, rescue those two
18 workers who were hanging off the side of the
19 building.
20 For about an hour, Channel 7
21 Eyewitness News covered the entire event. And
22 I would like to tell you I was doing something
23 important, but I was actually at the nail
24 salon getting my nails done. And all the
25 women in the nail salon were transfixed by
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1 this image on television of this situation
2 that was unfolding where these two workers
3 were hanging down the side of a building, and
4 they had emergency service cops trying to
5 figure out could they get them in through the
6 window.
7 And it was absolutely amazing to
8 see the level of professionalism that was
9 displayed by the Yonkers Police Department and
10 the Yonkers Fire Department. But the most
11 thrilling thing was to see, suddenly, from the
12 roof down, a firefighter rappel down the side
13 of the building and then stop and try to
14 figure out which one of those hanging workers
15 he was going to rescue first.
16 It was absolutely amazing. And it
17 just serves to remind us just how difficult
18 the job is that our first responders do every
19 day.
20 And as Senator Klein said, it's
21 very easy to forget because we open the
22 newspaper every day and we hear from county
23 executives and town supervisors and governors
24 and mayors about how we can't afford these
25 guys anymore, they cost us too much money,
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1 their benefits are too high, their disability
2 risks are too high. It's very easy to think
3 that we can, you know, just value them in
4 terms of dollars and cents.
5 What we saw on March 4th on the
6 news, what we saw these guys do is priceless.
7 So whatever it is we're paying them, it's not
8 enough money.
9 Congratulations to Michael, to all
10 of his colleagues and the emergency service
11 workers. Thank God we're here today to say
12 thank you to you. And for those two workers
13 that you saved, thank God you were there for
14 them that day.
15 Thank you, Senator Stewart-Cousins
16 for bringing this.
17 And congratulations again.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
19 Hassell-Thompson on the resolution.
20 SENATOR HASSELL-THOMPSON: Thank
21 you, Mr. President. Just very quickly before
22 they have to leave the chambers.
23 The City of Mount Vernon abuts
24 Yonkers. And one of the things, when I was on
25 the city council, that made me very
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1 appreciative of having Yonkers as a neighbor
2 was the fact that whenever we had serious
3 emergencies and we could not handle them,
4 Yonkers was always there for us. And Yonkers
5 continues to be there for us.
6 And so I want to add my
7 congratulations and thanks to you, Michael,
8 and to your entire brigade for the work that
9 you continue to do and the support that you
10 continue to give to my city, the City of
11 Mount Vernon. And thank you.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Anyone
13 further wish to be heard on the resolution?
14 The question is on the resolution.
15 All those in favor signify by saying aye.
16 (Response of "Aye.")
17 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA:
18 Opposed, nay.
19 (No response.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
21 resolution is adopted.
22 Senator Libous.
23 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
24 Mr. President.
25 Mr. President, can we now go to the
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1 reading of the noncontroversial calendar.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Yes,
3 Senator Libous. The Secretary will read.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 103, by Senator Little, Senate Print 2912, an
6 act to authorize the Village of Saranac Lake.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: A
8 home-rule message is at the desk.
9 Read the last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 9. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Call
13 the roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
17 bill is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 151, by Senator Gallivan, Senate Print 3037,
20 an act in relation to the dissolution of the
21 Wadsworth Library.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Read
23 the last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Call
2 the roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
6 bill is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 197, by Senator Young, Senate Print 793, an
9 act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Read
11 the last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Call
15 the roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57. Nays,
18 2. Senator Hassell-Thompson and Senator
19 Espaillat in the negative.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
21 bill is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 200, by Senator Ritchie, Senate Print 3542, an
24 act requiring the State Fire Prevention and
25 Building Code.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Read
2 the last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Call
6 the roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
9 Ritchie to explain her vote.
10 SENATOR RITCHIE: In 2010 the
11 New York maple producers produced
12 312,000 gallons of syrup, which ranked
13 New York State second in the nation, following
14 only after Vermont.
15 Essentially this bill will enable
16 maple producers to avoid unnecessary and
17 costly upgrades to seasonal structures by
18 deeming them agricultural buildings. In
19 addition, this bill codifies the long-standing
20 relationship where producers welcome tourists
21 to promote their businesses.
22 I will be voting yes on this bill.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
24 Ritchie will be recorded in the affirmative.
25 Senator Little, to explain her
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1 vote.
2 SENATOR LITTLE: Thank you,
3 Mr. President. And thank you, Senator
4 Ritchie, for this bill.
5 Last Friday I had the pleasure of
6 tapping a maple tree at the opening of the
7 Maple Syrup Weekend. And I would just like to
8 recommend to anyone and everyone here, this
9 weekend is also a Maple Syrup Weekend. If you
10 have a place where they are doing the maple
11 syrup, it's a wonderful family event to go for
12 the pancake breakfast and really support our
13 maple producers.
14 We're number two in the country and
15 growing, and these are hardworking people.
16 But this bill will help them because their
17 sugar shack is actually only used a few weeks
18 a year.
19 So thank you for the bill, and I
20 will be voting in the affirmative.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Senator
22 Little to be recorded in the affirmative.
23 Announce the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
25 (Applause.)
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
2 bill is passed.
3 This is Senator Ritchie's first
4 bill? No, second. Senator Ritchie's second
5 bill.
6 (Laughter.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
8 Secretary will read.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 236, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 2778, an
11 act in relation to making certain findings.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: A
13 home-rule message is at the desk.
14 Read the last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: Call
18 the roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: The
22 bill is passed.
23 Senator Libous, that completes the
24 noncontroversial reading of the calendar for
25 today.
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1 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
2 thank you.
3 Senator Sampson, in consultation
4 with Senator Skelos, would like to hand up the
5 following committee assignments. I ask that
6 they be filed.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: They
8 will be filed in the Journal, Senator.
9 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
10 is there any further business at the desk?
11 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: There
12 is none.
13 SENATOR LIBOUS: There being no
14 further business, Mr. President, the Senate
15 will adjourn until Thursday, March 24th, at
16 11:00 a.m.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT O'MARA: On
18 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
19 Thursday, March 24th, at 11:00 a.m.
20 (Whereupon, at 3:41 p.m., the
21 Senate adjourned.)
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