LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of former New York State
Senator Thomas W. Libous, dedicated political leader and strong advocate
for the people of this great Empire State

WHEREAS, It is with profound sorrow that this Legislative Body, repres-
enting the people of the State of New York, is moved this day to pay
tribute to an eminent gentleman of indomitable faith and dedication
whose public service and countless accomplishments will forever stand as
a paradigm and inspiration for others; and
WHEREAS, Thomas W. Libous, a native of Johnson City, New York, died on
Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at the age of 63; and
WHEREAS, Born on April 16, 1953, in Binghamton, New York, Thomas W.
Libous grew up in Johnson City, and graduated from Johnson City High
School, where he was President of his Senior Class; and
WHEREAS, Furthering his education, Thomas W. Libous attended Broome
Community College before earning his Bachelor's degree in both Marketing
and Finance with honors from SUNY Utica; and
WHEREAS, Thomas W. Libous' interest in politics led him to work on
campaigns for his Uncle Alfred, who was serving as the Mayor of Bingham-
ton; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, Thomas W. Libous began his political career after
being elected to the City Council in a South Side district in Bingham-
ton; he was re-elected for another term, however events in Albany would
soon change the course of his career; and
WHEREAS, After New York State Senate Majority Leader Warren M. Ander-
son announced that he would not seek re-election, he publicly endorsed
Thomas W. Libous, who immediately filed his intention to run for
Anderson's Senate seat; his career decision was proven to be the right
one when, within a very few years, he was selected to serve as Deputy
Majority Leader, and in 2010, he was named Chairman of the Senate Repub-
lican Campaign Committee; and
WHEREAS, In terms of policy, Senator Thomas W. Libous built a reputa-
tion as an advocate for disabled people and childhood literacy; and
WHEREAS, Helping kids was always an important priority to Senator
Thomas W. Libous; he proudly founded two local programs specifically for
families: YES! Safe Choices for Kids, which taught kids about the
dangers of drugs and alcohol, and BOOKS, which encouraged kids to become
better readers; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, Senator Thomas W. Libous founded the Student Commu-
nity Service Awards through a partnership with WBNG-TV and Broome-Tioga
BOCES to award scholarships to high school seniors based on community
volunteer work rather than grades; this vital program awarded scholar-
ships to over 400 local students to attend college in New York State;
and
WHEREAS, In 2006, Senator Thomas W. Libous established Buy From the
Backyard to encourage buying locally grown produce, and six years later,
he partnered with UHS and Lourdes to create I Turned Pro to increase
prostate cancer awareness; and
WHEREAS, Senator Thomas W. Libous was a strong supporter of Special
Olympics in Binghamton; he spent quality time with the athletes, ran
alongside of them during their events, and handed ribbons out at the end
of the day; and
WHEREAS, During his career, he chaired numerous committees, including
Transportation, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and Mental Health and Devel-
opmental Disabilities; throughout his illustrious tenure, he worked
tirelessly as an advocate for individuals with Mental Health and Devel-
opmental Disabilities; and

WHEREAS, As chair of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
Committee and the Select Committee on the Disabled, Senator Thomas W.
Libous championed initiatives to protect and improve services for the
most vulnerable New Yorkers by authoring legislation to provide tax
credits to employers who hire individuals with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Senator Thomas W. Libous fought for community Workforce Rein-
vestment to ensure state dollars followed patients moving from insti-
tutions into the community; he also wrote legislation to adopt Reason-
able Accommodations for those with disabilities into state law, and
created the Traumatic Brain Injury Program (TBI) to offer those who have
a TBI a chance to live a more normal life in their community; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Senator Thomas W. Libous introduced Kendra's
Law, which provides assisted outpatient treatment for individuals
unlikely to survive in the community without supervision; the law was
named after Kendra Webdale, a young woman who died in 1999, after being
pushed in front of a New York City subway train by an individual in the
community who was not receiving treatment for his mental illness; and
WHEREAS, Senator Thomas W. Libous, affectionately known as "The Boss"
by his staff, was a resolute and great voice for the Southern Tier; his
zeal and dedication to his constituents, his ability to put together
deals, and his vision for the future helped his community persevere
during times of economic change while continuing to enhance the quality
of life of all citizens, ensuring a positive business, institutional and
educational climate, and providing all essential services; and
WHEREAS, During the aftermath of the devastating floods of 2006 and
2011, Senator Thomas W. Libous went above and beyond to do everything he
could to help those in need; he procured local grants for volunteer fire
departments, secured buyout grants, and diligently sought aid from
neighboring states, as well as rode along with a Red Cross truck through
the towns of Conklin, Kirkwood, Owego and Bainbridge handing out food,
water and cleaning supplies; and
WHEREAS, His 14 terms of office benefitted the Southern Tier communi-
ty, which was evident in sports venues such as NYSEG Stadium, the ice
rink at the Broome Community College, bringing the PGA Champions Tour's
Dick's Sporting Goods Open to Endicott, transforming the B.C. Open from
a small regional tournament to a nationally recognized event drawing
more than 80,000 fans each year, and his unremitting commitment to keep-
ing the Binghamton Mets Baseball Team in the city, the farm team of his
beloved New York Mets, as well as bringing the Ottawa Senators Hockey
League affiliate to Binghamton, to infrastructure improvements, to capi-
.SO DOC S R5721 RESO TEXT 2015
tal development at Broome's institutions of higher learning including
the Binghamton University Event Center, and Binghamton University's
School of Pharmacy; and
WHEREAS, Senator Thomas W. Libous worked tirelessly to grow the South-
ern Tier's economy and improve the quality of life of all its residents;
he was instrumental in the purchase of the IBM-Endicott campus and its
microelectronics operation by a consortium of investors, from which
Endicott Interconnect Technologies was formed in 2002 and employed more
than 2,000 workers at its peak; and
WHEREAS, In 1995, Senator Thomas W. Libous negotiated the development
aid package for Maines Paper which led to 800 jobs and a boost in annual
economic activity for Broome County; and
WHEREAS, Thomas W. Libous was a gentle man, beyond the ordinary, and
an unforgettable person of generosity and good will; he was truly a man
of values and commitment, with a warm smile he generously gave for the
benefit of his community; and

WHEREAS, Loyal friend, trusted advisor, ardent fighter for the causes
in which he so strongly believed, the accomplishments of Senator Thomas
W. Libous are legend; and
WHEREAS, Survived by his wife, Frances, their two sons, Nicholas and
Matthew (Katie), and a grandson, Campbell Jude, Thomas W. Libous will be
deeply missed and truly merits the grateful tribute of this Legislative
Body; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of former New York State Senator Thomas W. Libous, and
to offer its sincerest condolences to his family; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Thomas W. Libous.