Senator Mattera Joins Senate Republican Conference Unveil 2024 Legislative Agenda
January 19, 2024
Senator Mario R. Mattera (2nd Senate District) joined Leader Robert Ortt (62nd Senate District) and the Senate Republican Conference recently unveiled “A New Hope For The Empire State,” their legislative agenda for 2024. The agenda prioritizes the issues that affect everyday New Yorkers, but have been neglected by the radical left politicians who control Albany.
Extreme policies pursued under one-party rule have directly caused a decline in New Yorkers’ quality of life. Over the course of the past several years, we’ve seen destructive policies passed by radical Democrats that have pushed New York to its brink.
Sanctuary state policies have only increased the inflow of migrants, impacting local government services at the detriment of residents who already live here. The recent rise in antisemitic rhetoric coming from DSA radicals at all levels of government has stoked divisions within our communities. Places of higher learning have become breeding grounds for the antisemitic bullying we see occurring on college campuses throughout the country. Throughout the holiday season, we witnessed protests disrupting the Thanksgiving Day parade, the New York City tree lighting, the New Years Eve ball drop, travel at airports and more.
Our law enforcement community has their hands tied because of policies that prioritize criminals. The complete disregard for society is flat out appalling. We need sound minded people and a sound minded plan to bring New York back to what it once was.
“From enacting a senseless gas ban to weakening public safety to allowing uncontrolled migration, one-party rule is clearly failing and forcing our residents to decide if they are able to raise their families here. Our plan will bring common sense back to our state and show all who live and work here that New York can and must do better. We owe it to those who elected us to do all we can to enhance their lives and to work together to accomplish that goal,” said Senator Mattera.
“New Yorkers are deeply dissatisfied with the direction of our state and our Conference is here to provide an alternative path forward. I have traveled throughout the state and people are tired, frustrated and angry. They feel forgotten. Over the course of the year we have seen crimes and costs rise. Antisemitism is infiltrating our schools and communities and has become the norm. The migrant crisis has only gotten worse because New York City politicians continue to push their feel good policies, but it is these radical policies that are driving New Yorkers out. As the Leader of this conference, I will not take a back seat to the progressive agenda destroying our state. Our Republican Conference will fight to give hope to those New Yorkers who feel they have no alternative but to leave our state. Our common sense agenda provides solutions to build a greater New York for future generations,” said Senate Republican Leader Ortt.
“New Yorkers are all longing for accountability from our state government and searching for signs of hope that things will get better. Antisemitism, in particular, is running rampant not only on our streets, but also on our college campuses. Now more than ever, we owe it to our Jewish communities to ensure their safety. The lack of affordability and public safety continue to be problems impacting taxpayers, and it is because of these significant quality-of-life issues that New Yorkers feel forced to flee to other states. Our conference stands ready to advance an agenda that will bring our state back from the disaster that extreme policymaking has wrought upon us,” said Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (9th Senate District).
“A New Hope For The Empire State” is a comprehensive legislative agenda for 2024 outlining a plan to fight for New Yorkers who are tired of the radical left legislature controlling Albany. This agenda prioritizes increasing affordability, improves public safety, and builds a greater New York:
Increasing Affordability
- Reigning in out of control spending: enact a spending cap, rejecting tax increases and unfunded mandates, and providing tax relief for all New Yorkers;
- Taking action to help all New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet by rejecting extreme climate proposals, incentivizing new housing construction to deal with the housing shortage, and making child care more accessible and affordable; and
- Improving the state’s business climate by protecting small businesses and farms by reducing regulations and unfair costs.
Improving Public Safety
- Protecting New Yorkers from antisemitism and other hateful violence by making any antisemitic behavior a hate crime, making all hate crimes bail eligible, protecting hate crime victims and houses of worship, and implementing financial penalties on both college universities and students who condone or engage in antisemitic behavior while receiving state aid;
- Rejecting efforts to continue New York a sanctuary state status;
- Reversing failed criminal justice policies that have made our communities less safe, including bail reform, discovery reform, and others;
- Rejecting policies that put criminals above victims and law-abiding New Yorkers; and
- Providing more services and funding to address mental health crisis and substance abuse disorders.
Building a Greater New York
- Closing the pandemic learning gap, expanding school choice, and further investing in vocational education and workforce development;
- Providing support to our veterans to reacclimate and find educational and career opportunities; and
- Investing in and strengthening our infrastructure to encourage growth.
More details of the New York State Senate Republicans’ “A New Hope for the Empire State” 2024 legislative agenda will be unveiled in the coming weeks. To read more, click here.
“Whether it’s punishing commuters with congestion pricing, a smash and grab shoplifting epidemic, thousands of illegal immigrants flooding our streets or out of control spend and tax policies, it’s clear one-party rule in Albany is devastating New York. Every special interest group seems to have more of a voice than the hard-working taxpayers of our great state. This plan is our pledge to restore our voices and bring common sense back to our state. Let’s get it done,” said Senator Jack Martins, Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference (7th Senate District).
“There’s no time to waste, we are losing family and friends on a daily basis as more and more New Yorker’s are fleeing this one-party rule and their radical policies. We must pass common sense legislation like “A New Hope for the Empire State” legislative agenda for 2024, to once again make New York affordable, safe, and a place where we can thrive,” said Senator Dean Murray (3rd Senate District).
“I am proud to stand with my New York State Senate Republicans colleagues to advance a robust agenda that will enhance public safety and address affordability issues impacting the state. The vast majority of New Yorkers want a return to common sense criminal justice policies that put the needs of law enforcement, crime victims and law-abiding citizens before criminals, and economic policies that provide relief, not additional burdens. 2024 is a new year, and an opportunity to deliver for the hardworking men and women who call the Empire State home,” said Senator Anthony Palumbo (1st Senate District).
“There's no greater evidence that New York State is headed in the wrong direction than the fact that more people moved out of New York than any other state in the country. This plan provides the roadmap to put New York State back on the right track; prioritizing public safety, making New York more affordable, and investing in the right priorities. Governor Hochul and the Democrat majorities in the state legislature need to adopt this legislative agenda, because doubling down on the same failed policies will only drive more people out of New York and further deteriorate the quality of life for those who remain,” said Senator Steven Rhoads (5th Senate District).
“More and more New Yorkers are fleeing our state to find a safer and more affordable life for their families. Democrats have doubled down on their failed policies of overspending, undermining public safety, and disregarding common sense. The Republican Conference is offering solutions such as making the Property Tax Rebate program permanent and protecting hate crime victims during the discovery process. It is time to hold Democrats accountable for their failure to reconsider ineffective policies,” said Senator Alexis Weik (8th Senate District).
