Martucci Bill To Save Over 100 Goshen Jobs Passes Committee

 Albany, NY (February 1, 2021) — Bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Senator Mike Martucci that would require legislative approval to close state facilities run by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), or the Office of Mental Health (OMH) cleared the Senate Committee on Disabilities this morning. Senate Bill 1765 would require one-year notice from either state agency if a closure is proposed along with a report to the Legislature. After review, any closure could be halted by a majority vote of both houses. This is significant because the Executive Budget has proposed the closure of Goshen Secure Center, an OCFS juvenile detention center located in the 42^nd Senate District.

“In the midst of a global pandemic, and with all the economic challenges we are facing, the last thing we should be doing is cutting over 100 good-paying union jobs in the Hudson Valley,” said Senator Mike Martucci (R, C, I – New Hampton).

“We received no notice of the proposed closure of Goshen Secure and no evidence, statistics or supporting data that would justify it. This legislation will require the administration to provide that information and it will ensure that the legislature will have the final say on the fate of the facility.”

Senator Martucci serves as the Ranking Republican Member of the Committee on Disabilities and he sponsored this legislation with Senator John Mannion, the Democrat Chair of the Committee. The passage of this bill at the very first meeting of the committee this legislative session sends a strong bipartisan message to OCFS and the administration that the Senate firmly opposes this closure. It also signals that the two first-term Senators plan to work together to solve important problems, regardless of party affiliation.

“I ran for the Senate to change Albany, not to let Albany change me,” said Senator Martucci. “We need to save Goshen Secure and the 100 jobs there and I am committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make that happen. Senator Mannion will be a strong ally in this cause, and I thank him for his efforts.” 

Goshen Secure Facility houses 30 male residents who committed violent offenses as juveniles. It is the closest OCFS facility to New York City, and it therefore provides opportunities to the families of those inmates to visit them more easily. Closing Goshen Secure Center will move these youths a further two hours from family, causing greater isolation and a higher probability for them to reoffend. 

“Closing Goshen Secure Center is bad for our economy, bad for our workers, bad for the families of inmates, and bad for public safety. For those reasons, I am fighting hard to save it,” concluded Martucci.

Mike Martucci is serving his first term as the Senator for the 42nd NYS Senate District which comprises all of Sullivan County and parts of Orange, Ulster, and Delaware counties. He is the ranking member of the Senate Committees on Disabilities and Small Business, Commerce and Economic Development. Mike is a small businessman who employed hundreds of people locally at his former company, Quality Bus Service, which was responsible for safely transporting thousands of school children each day in and near the 42nd senate district. Mike and his wife Erin own a family-farm in the Town of Westtown and established a family foundation to support local women and children in need, educational opportunities, job creation, and agriculture initiatives. Mike and Erin have three children and live in the Town of Wawayanda.

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