Regular Session - January 9, 2001
54
THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
ALBANY, NEW YORK
January 9, 2001
11:07 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION
LT. GOVERNOR MARY O. DONOHUE, President
STEVEN M. BOGGESS, Secretary
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P R O C E E D I N G S
THE PRESIDENT: The Senate will
come to order.
I ask everyone present to please
rise and repeat with me the Pledge of
Allegiance.
(Whereupon, the assemblage recited
the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
THE PRESIDENT: With us this
morning to give the invocation is the Reverend
Peter G. Young, from Blessed Sacrament Church
in Bolton Landing.
REVEREND YOUNG: Let us pray.
Dear God, as we gather in this new
millennium, we are reminded by Your omnipotent
power as our Creator and our role as the
created. We humbly turn to You, O God, with
our blessing request for all of our Senators
in their efforts to serve the citizens of our
great Empire State. We ask You for guidance
and wisdom to assist them in their work.
Amen.
THE PRESIDENT: Reading of the
Journal.
THE SECRETARY: In Senate,
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Monday, January 8th, the Senate met pursuant
to adjournment. The Journal of Friday,
January 5th, was read and approved. On
motion, Senate adjourned.
THE PRESIDENT: Without
objection, the Journal stands approved as
read.
Presentation of petitions.
Messages from the Assembly.
Messages from the Governor.
Reports of standing committees.
Reports of select committees.
Communications and reports from
state officers.
Motions and resolutions.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President,
can we at this time adopt the Resolution
Calendar.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
question is on the adoption of the Resolution
Calendar. All in favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Opposed,
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nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Larkin.
SENATOR LARKIN: Mr. President,
on the Resolution Calendar.
On Calendar Number 11, we have a
resolution that we're asking our Congressional
delegation of the State of New York to
intercede with the U.S. Postal Service on
behalf of the men and women, now numbering
800,000, who have been wounded in combat in
the service of their country.
The U.S. Postal Service in May of
this year informed the Military Order of the
Purple Heart that they don't issue a stamp for
just any organization nor any individuals.
This is a number-one priority of
the Military Order of the Purple Heart, to
recognize those 800,000 who sacrificed on
behalf of our country.
The advisory council said, in their
letter, "Go out and get signatures from common
people and go get signatures from prominent
people, and start with General Colin Powell."
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General Colin Powell has two Purple
Hearts. And I wish to inform you that his
office has advised me that he has already
signed the letter at our request.
I don't think that we as Americans
can sit back and see a stamp for Donald Duck,
Daffy, Judy Garland, Jerry Garcia, just to
name a few, and we tread on the lives of those
who have made a sacrifice -- and many of them
made the supreme sacrifice.
We're not asking them to make a
stamp to honor those individuals. We are
asking them to issue a stamp honoring the
medal itself, the Purple Heart.
I think we have a moral and an
ethical obligation, and I wish to inform my
colleagues that we are having this done in
every legislative chamber throughout the state
on behalf of the Purple Heart.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno, shall we follow our usual custom?
SENATOR BRUNO: Can we, Mr.
President, open this resolution to the
membership of the Senate. And those that
would like not to be on it, please let the
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chair know.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Those
members wishing not to be on the resolution,
please inform the desk.
The question is on the adoption of
the Resolution Calendar. All in favor signify
by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Opposed,
nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Resolution Calendar is adopted.
Senator Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President, I
believe that there is a privileged resolution
by Senator Alesi. I would ask that it be read
in its entirety and move for its immediate
adoption.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY: By Senator Alesi,
Legislative Resolution Number 92, paying
tribute to the life and accomplishments of
Raymond T. Schuler, distinguished citizen and
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devoted member of his community.
"WHEREAS, It is the custom of this
Assembled Body to pay tribute to citizens of
the State of New York whose lifework and civic
endeavor serve to enhance the quality of life
in their communities and the great State of
New York; and
"WHEREAS, Raymond T. Schuler of
Boca Grande, Florida, died on November 24,
2000, at the age of 71; and
"WHEREAS, Raymond T. Schuler
distinguished himself in his profession and by
his sincere dedication and substantial
contribution to the welfare of his community.
"Raymond T. Schuler's commitment to
excellence and his spirit of humanity carried
over into all fields of enterprise, including
charitable and civic endeavors.
"His exceptional career in public
service was notable for the determination he
displayed in building new institutions with
missions focused on New York's most critical
problems; and
"WHEREAS, As a public servant he
created the New York State Department of
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Transportation and served as its Commissioner
under three Governors -- Nelson Rockefeller,
Malcolm Wilson, and Hugh Carey; and
"WHEREAS, Raymond T. Schuler
developed and implemented New York State's
first master plan for transportation. He led
the fight to save passenger rail service and
to strengthen freight service.
"In the private sector, he forged
the Business Council into what is often called
the nation's most influential state-level
business organization, creating a force strong
enough to help reverse New York's long
economic decline; and
"WHEREAS, Born in Kingston,
New York, on November 20, 1929, he was named
Commissioner of Transportation in 1972 at the
age of 42 -- the youngest member of Governor
Rockefeller's cabinet. He was named President
of Associated Industries of New York State,
Incorporated, in 1977, created the Business
Council in 1980, and served as its chief
executive officer for the next eight years;
and
"WHEREAS, Raymond T. Schuler
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graduated from Syracuse University in 1952
with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs and
Public Administration from the Maxwell School
of Public Administration.
"He volunteered for the U.S. Marine
Corps upon graduation, and served in the
Korean War as an officer, platoon leader, and
company commander in the First Marine
Division; and
"WHEREAS, He is survived by his
wife, the former Patricia Ann Martin of
Kingston, his daughters, Patricia (Mrs. Iver)
Anderson of East Greenbush, New York, and
Ellen Schuler of New Fairfield, Connecticut,
and five grandchildren; now, therefore, be it
"RESOLVED, that this Legislative
Body pause in its deliberations to pay tribute
to the life and accomplishments of Raymond T.
Schuler, distinguished citizen and devoted
member of his community; and be it further
"RESOLVED, That a copy of this
Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted
to the family of Raymond T. Schuler."
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
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SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President,
colleagues, we've just heard the resolution
that in just a few minutes talked about Ray
Schuler's life. And what you hear in a few
minutes are just the highlights of some of
what this very great person did for the people
of this state and of this country.
And I can't tell you whether Ray
was a Republican or Democrat, because party
lines didn't mean much to him. And I know
that he served with Democratic and Republican
governors.
All Ray cared about was people and
helping people here in this state improve the
quality of their lives. Many of us knew him
as the Commissioner of Transportation, where
he excelled doing a lot of the things that are
still helpful today -- to the railroads, to
the roads, to the bridges -- that contribute
to the prosperity here in this state.
He consolidated the Business
Council, as one of its presidents, and pulled
together the business community in this state
like they had never been pulled together. And
he did this with his leadership and because he
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cared.
I believe that he's credited with
creating the Public Policy Institute, which
makes such a contribution all the things that
we do.
And I can remember Ray, he loved to
be in Saratoga. He lived in Florida for the
last couple of years of his life.
But for those of you that didn't
know Ray, I've got to tell you, if you want to
talk about a person who led his life as a
public servant and a man who had courage all
over him -- because for the last eight or ten
years of Ray's life, he was very, very ill.
And you would never know, in talking to Ray,
that there was a thing going on in his life
that was affecting him in any adverse way.
And I think he died at the young age of 71 as
a result of the illness that just plagued him
for all of those years.
But you talk about a person who
just was an example of public service and how
to lead your life in relating to other people,
in caring about his wife, Pat, and their
family. And what a partnership they were.
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So I personally am going to miss
Ray. Ray was a mentor to me. I called Ray
more times than I can remember about any
problem having to do with business, with
transportation, with you name it, because he
was just so well-rounded in all of his
experiences and the knowledge that he had.
So, Mr. President and my
colleagues, we listen sometimes in this
chamber in a rather relaxed and cavalier way
as we read a resolution that describes a
person's life in just a few minutes. But what
we hear about a man like Ray, his work will go
on through our lifetime and the generations
that follow us, and that's what really life's
all about.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Marchi.
SENATOR MARCHI: I think Senator
Bruno's statement is so full and the
resolution that was offered so appropriate. I
always had him as a close and intimate friend,
but I just hadn't seen him in the last few
years. And I believe he died away from his
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native island as I knew him.
I was chairman of Finance at that
time, and I don't know how many -- the
interaction that went on and the legislation
that I sponsored at that time, he was a -- he
was a breath of fresh air and made an enormous
contribution to the workings of government in
this state and the public policy of this
state.
So this is a great individual, and
it came as a shock to me. I wasn't aware of
it. I believe they said November 24th that he
passed away. I was shocked to hear that,
because I -- either I was away, I just did not
know.
But this is a great loss. And it
is just as if a bunch of my years was strapped
away from me, because of the intimate and
working relationship that I had with him and
the great admiration that I had for him in
almost every aspect of public life -- and, as
we find out by the resolution that was
offered, on his patriotism and his membership
of the human family.
This is a great individual, and I
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join with sadness to express my admiration.
And I know that -- I believe he's looking down
on us and he knows and he hears this, and it
should bring him some measure of consolation.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Volker.
SENATOR VOLKER: Mr. President,
very quickly.
Senator Bruno, you said you weren't
sure if he was a Democrat or a Republican. If
I'm not mistaken, he was a Democrat. Because
if my recollection is correct, I believe that
one of the things that was said was that Ray
Schuler was one of the Democrats that was
appointed by Nelson Rockefeller initially.
Probably one of the finest
gentlemen, one of the most keen business
minds, as both Senator Bruno and Senator
Marchi said. He was a person that had an
enormous capacity to deal with the problems of
this state and nation.
He was revered not only here in
Albany, but also in Washington. And I believe
he was on some national committees and so
forth, appointed by presidents who could have
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been from either political party.
Obviously, he was a tower of
strength just for really creating the Business
Council, because it was really through him
that the Business Council was really created.
I knew that he was ill for an
extended period of time, and I had spoken to
him I think maybe a year or two ago when he
was up here in Albany on one of his trips.
But as Joe said, and as John said, you would
never know really, other than his appearance,
that he was ill, because he was still the same
Ray Schuler, a gentleman. He was always kind.
And he's the kind of person that
this state and this nation will certainly
miss.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
question is on the resolution. All those in
favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator
Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President,
can we open the resolution to membership of
the Senate. And again, anyone that would like
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not to be on that resolution, if you would let
the President know.
And I would move for its now
immediate adoption.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: All
right. Anyone not wishing to be on the
resolution, inform the desk. Otherwise, all
members will be listed as cosponsors.
All in favor of the resolution
signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Opposed,
nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
resolution is adopted.
Senator Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: And, Mr.
President, I believe there's a privileged
resolution at the desk by Senator Goodman. I
would ask that the title be read and move for
its immediate adoption.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
Secretary will read the title.
THE SECRETARY: By Senator
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Goodman, Legislative Resolution Number 98,
commending Barry Schneider upon the occasion
of his retirement as President of Community
Board 8.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
question is on the resolution. All those in
favor signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Opposed,
nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The
resolution is adopted.
Senator Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President, is
there anything else at the desk that we should
be taking up on the floor here today?
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Nothing
else at the desk, Senator.
SENATOR BRUNO: Thank you, Mr.
President.
Mr. President, at this time I would
like to hand up committee assignments on
behalf of the Majority and a temporary
assignment on behalf of the Minority Leader,
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Senator Connor, and I would ask that they be
filed in the Journal according to the rules of
the Senate.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Those
will be received and filed in the Journal of
the Senate.
Senator Bruno.
SENATOR BRUNO: Mr. President,
there being no further business to come before
the Senate, I would move that we stand
adjourned until Tuesday coming, January 16th,
at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days to be
legislative days.
ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: On
motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
Tuesday, January 16th, at 3:00 p.m.,
intervening days being legislative days.
(Whereupon, at 11:25 a.m., the
Senate adjourned.)