Regular Session - March 2, 2011
939
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 March 2, 2011
11 3:15 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR JOSEPH A. GRIFFO, 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 GRIFFO: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask all present to please rise
5 and join with me as we recite the Pledge of
6 Allegiance to our Flag.
7 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
8 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Today's
10 invocation will be offered by the Reverend
11 Peter G. Young, of the Mother Teresa Community
12 here in Albany.
13 Father.
14 REVEREND YOUNG: Thank you,
15 Senator.
16 As we feel the winds of March, we
17 have a desire to make us therefore share in
18 God's love, to aid in gentle kindness to help
19 those that are weak, those that are sick or
20 unfortunate. In His love for us, God has
21 called us therefore to show them mercy.
22 Amen.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
24 you, Father.
25 Reading of the Journal.
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1 The Secretary will read.
2 THE SECRETARY: In Senate,
3 Tuesday, March 1, the Senate met pursuant to
4 adjournment. The Journal of Monday,
5 February 28, was read and approved. On
6 motion, Senate adjourned.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Without
8 objection, the Journal stands approved as
9 read.
10 Presentation of petitions.
11 Messages from the Assembly.
12 The Secretary will read a
13 substitution.
14 THE SECRETARY: On page 11,
15 Senator Maziarz moves to discharge, from the
16 Committee on Energy and Telecommunications,
17 Assembly Bill Number 3656A and substitute it
18 for the identical Senate Bill Number 607B,
19 Calendar Number 36.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
21 Substitution so ordered.
22 Messages from the Governor.
23 Reports of standing committees.
24 Reports of select committees.
25 Communications and reports from
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1 state officers.
2 Motions and resolutions.
3 Senator Libous.
4 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
5 would you call on Senator Klein, please.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
7 Klein.
8 SENATOR KLEIN: Thank you,
9 Senator Libous.
10 Mr. President, on page 14 I offer
11 the following amendments to Calendar Number
12 86, Senate Print Number 1031, and ask that
13 said bill retain its place on Third Reading
14 Calendar.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
16 amendments are received and adopted, and the
17 bill will retain its place on the Third
18 Reading Calendar.
19 Senator Klein.
20 SENATOR KLEIN: Also,
21 Mr. President, I move that the following bill
22 be discharged from its respective committee
23 and be recommitted with instructions to strike
24 the enacting clause: Senate Number 583.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: So
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1 ordered.
2 SENATOR KLEIN: Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
5 Libous.
6 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 On behalf of Senator Saland,
9 Mr. President, on page 13 I offer up the
10 following amendments to Calendar Number 71,
11 Senate Print 2192, and ask that said bill
12 retain its place on the Third Reading
13 Calendar.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
15 amendments are received and adopted, and the
16 bill will retain its place on the Third
17 Reading Calendar.
18 Senator Libous.
19 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
20 before we start today, if I could just make a
21 brief announcement.
22 Over the course of the last couple
23 of days, Senators have been answering phones
24 in the chamber. Cellphones are not permitted
25 in the chamber. Members should not be
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1 answering phones in the chamber. Staff should
2 not be answering phones in the chamber. If
3 you need to answer your cellphone, please
4 leave the chamber.
5 And I just want to make that
6 clarification because I have noticed that
7 there have been quite a few folks that have
8 been answering phones, and phones have been
9 ringing. When you walk into the chamber,
10 please put your phone on vibrate or turn it
11 off.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
13 you, Senator Libous.
14 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
15 Senator Marcellino would like to address the
16 chamber. I would ask for unanimous consent
17 for him to do so.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Without
19 objection, unanimous consent is granted to
20 Senator Marcellino.
21 SENATOR MARCELLINO: Thank you,
22 my colleagues. Thank you, Mr. President. I
23 do appreciate the unanimous consent.
24 As you all know, we have a
25 prohibition in this house from announcing
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1 guests in the balcony, because if we did so,
2 every other day someone would be announcing
3 that.
4 And you all know that I would never
5 break the rules of this august chamber by
6 announcing the fact that we are visited today
7 by the students of the Elwood School District,
8 which happens to be one of my school
9 districts. They've come all the way up from
10 Long Island to visit us and watch the Senate
11 in action.
12 And if I was inclined to break the
13 rules -- which I am not -- I would say
14 congratulations, safe home, and have a great
15 day.
16 Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: We want
18 to welcome the Elwood School group here today.
19 (Applause from the balcony.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
21 Libous.
22 SENATOR LIBOUS: Are we on
23 motions and resolutions, Mr. President?
24 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: We are
25 indeed.
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1 SENATOR LIBOUS: Okay, I believe
2 there's a privileged resolution at the desk by
3 Senator Robach. I ask that its title be read
4 and move for its immediate adoption, please.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
6 Secretary will read.
7 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
8 Robach, Legislative Resolution 718, honoring
9 Jack Balinsky upon the occasion of his
10 designation as recipient of the New York State
11 Catholic Conference J. Alan Davitt Award for
12 Exemplary --
13 SENATOR LIBOUS: Excuse me,
14 Mr. President, could we have -- I can't seem
15 to hear the Journal Clerk. There's a lot of
16 commotion in the chamber.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: I would
18 ask that we bring order to the chamber,
19 please, that members would take their seats
20 and take their conversations outside the
21 chamber.
22 Thank you, Senator Libous. The
23 Secretary will continue to read.
24 SENATOR LIBOUS: I want to listen
25 to this very important resolution.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
2 Secretary will read.
3 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
4 Robach, Legislative Resolution Number 718,
5 honoring Jack Balinsky upon the occasion of
6 his designation as recipient of the New York
7 State Catholic Conference J. Alan Davitt Award
8 for Exemplary Service by Archbishop Timothy
9 Dolan and the Bishops of New York State.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
11 question is on the resolution. All in favor
12 of the resolution signify by saying aye.
13 (Response of "Aye.")
14 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
15 Opposed?
16 (No response.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
18 resolution is adopted.
19 Senator Libous.
20 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
21 at this time could we take up the
22 noncontroversial calendar, please.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
24 Secretary will read.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
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1 55, by Senator Fuschillo, Senate Print 2580,
2 an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: There
4 is a home rule message at the desk.
5 The Secretary will read the last
6 section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
8 act shall take effect immediately.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Call
10 the roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 51. Nays,
13 2. Senators LaValle and Zeldin recorded in
14 the negative.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
16 bill is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 73, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 2628, an
19 act to amend the Education Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Read
21 the last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 7. This
23 act shall take effect on the 90th day.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Call
25 the roll.
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1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
4 bill is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 93, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 1940, an
7 act to amend the Education Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Read
9 the last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Call
13 the roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 54.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
17 bill is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 144, by Senator Grisanti --
20 SENATOR BRESLIN: Lay it aside.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
22 bill is laid aside.
23 Senator Libous, that completes the
24 noncontroversial reading of the calendar.
25 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
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1 Mr. President. Could we now take up the
2 controversial reading of the calendar.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
4 Secretary will ring the bell.
5 The Secretary will read.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 144, by Senator Grisanti, Senate Print 3143A,
8 an act to amend the Education Law, the Public
9 Authorities Law, and the General Municipal
10 Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
12 Grisanti on the bill.
13 SENATOR GRISANTI: Thank you.
14 My friends and colleagues, good
15 afternoon. First of all, this bill, I feel,
16 is a bipartisan bill that will not only
17 benefit Western New York but New York State as
18 a whole.
19 I want to thank members of the
20 Western New York delegation. I want to thank
21 Senator Maziarz, Senator Kennedy, Senators
22 Gallivan and Ranzenhofer for their effort on
23 this bill to move it forward.
24 I'm sure a lot of you in this room
25 recall this bill from years past, but this
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1 bill not just the University of Buffalo's
2 ideas; the components of this legislation were
3 initially proposed for the state's public
4 universities by the Commission on Higher
5 Education.
6 There has been in the past
7 bipartisan support on this bill from prior
8 governors, but as the economy declined so did
9 the plan to have New York's public
10 universities have the reform needed to be more
11 efficient and be effective to compete with
12 other institutions.
13 This bill continues on the path as
14 a program to put those recommended reforms now
15 in place. In particular, given the cuts to
16 University at Buffalo in the past few years,
17 at a total of $63 million, these reforms are
18 even now more critical for creating a
19 world-class public higher education in
20 New York State.
21 And as this moves forward, we as a
22 legislative body can readily analyze and
23 observe the merits of the various reforms.
24 And as we assess these reforms, we can then
25 decide on this pilot project for any
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1 systemwide reforms that need to be taking
2 place throughout the state.
3 At the same time, this legislation
4 will serve as a major economic development
5 initiative in Western New York. This will
6 address the chronic lack of economic growth in
7 the entire Western New York region.
8 This bill today will benefit not
9 only the economy, however, but students and
10 families will benefit because the tuition
11 policies laid out in this bill are fair,
12 responsible, and predictable. It will allow
13 UB to use tuition revenue to pursue the
14 University at Buffalo's plan for academic
15 excellence while protecting students' access
16 to high quality education especially for the
17 state's neediest students.
18 There were major amendments put in
19 this bill that affect specifically the tuition
20 policies that allow students whose families
21 make under $60,000 a year to be locked in to
22 the State University of New York's tuition for
23 this year, 2010-2011. That's what they will
24 pay if they go ahead and qualify for those
25 four years. It also sets money aside for an
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1 in-house scholarship program for those needy
2 students; 15 to 20 percent will be laid aside.
3 There are numerous aspects in this
4 bill that deal with minority- and women-based
5 organizations to make sure that they're hired.
6 There are detailed plans that must be in place
7 before any contracts are installed. There are
8 reviews. There's a SUNY Board of Trustees
9 that must oversee any tuition increases, which
10 are minimal.
11 They are still part of the SUNY
12 system, and they're still governed by the same
13 regulations. They just need a little bit of
14 help in order to move forward. And by moving
15 forward, they will take care of the economy in
16 the Western New York region that's been sorely
17 lacking over these past years.
18 And I ask for your support on this
19 bill. Thank you very much.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
21 you, Senator Grisanti.
22 Senator Kennedy on the bill.
23 SENATOR KENNEDY: Thank you very
24 much.
25 This is a historic day in these
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1 chambers, a historic day for Western New York,
2 the people of Western New York. This bill is
3 very unique. And this is something that many
4 of you have voted on in one form or another on
5 numerous occasions.
6 This bill has become symbolic of
7 many different things. It has become
8 symbolic, unfortunately, in many ways in the
9 past, of Albany dysfunction. It's become
10 synonymous, though, moving forward, for the
11 people of Western New York with hope.
12 And this is an amazing state that
13 we live in. And it's a very diverse state
14 that we live in. You know, in Western
15 New York we have unique problems when it comes
16 to job creation and economic development
17 compared to the rest of the state. In
18 New York City it's been told that although the
19 city represents 3 percent of the population of
20 the nation, last year alone it accounted for
21 10 percent of the nation's job growth.
22 Those are tremendous statistics.
23 The City of New York and those representatives
24 of the City of New York and downstate should
25 be extremely proud of those kind of
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1 statistics. Those are amazing.
2 Those are statistics that we in
3 Western New York and, quite frankly, across
4 upstate New York, we want to mirror. This
5 bill begins the process of hope, of job
6 creation, of economic development, of economic
7 viability for the people of Western New York.
8 And while the population has
9 shifted toward downstate, the population shift
10 in upstate hasn't gone downstate, it's gone
11 out of state. Western New York suffered. Our
12 economy has suffered, and with it the
13 population has suffered.
14 Individuals in Western New York
15 have left the region because of a lack of jobs
16 and opportunity afforded to them in Buffalo
17 and Western New York. Tens of thousands of
18 jobs have left Western New York in the last
19 decade. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have
20 left upstate New York in the last several
21 decades.
22 We need to reverse these trends.
23 We need to take unique steps, bold steps that
24 are unique to the various regions of this
25 state. This is a unique bill to the people of
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1 Buffalo. This is a unique bill to the people
2 of Western New York. UB 2020 represents hope.
3 It represents opportunity. It represents a
4 change to the status quo. And it represents
5 an opportunity for our region, Western
6 New York, to move forward, to take a step in
7 the reverse direction -- the right direction,
8 the forward direction, reversing the trends,
9 moving forward.
10 The statistics that are associated
11 with this bill are amazing. Hope comes
12 because of optimism. The optimism comes
13 because of this bill and the statistics
14 contained within this bill. Billions of
15 dollars of economic investment in Buffalo and
16 Western New York are going to come from this
17 bill, the passage of this bill not just in
18 this house but in the Assembly as well.
19 I have been working in a bipartisan
20 effort with my colleagues across the aisle in
21 this chamber, in a bipartisan effort with our
22 colleagues across the hall in the Assembly,
23 and with this Governor to put forward
24 legislation that works for the people of
25 Western New York. It works for the people of
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1 all of New York State, whether you're from
2 Western New York, whether you're from upstate,
3 or whether you're from downstate.
4 I've been working very closely with
5 the folks in the Democratic Conference over
6 the course of the last two months. I want to
7 recognize my colleagues in the Democratic
8 Conference who in 2009 spearheaded this bill,
9 putting it forward because of the needs of
10 western New York.
11 Today we're circulating a petition
12 within the Democratic Conference -- I ask my
13 colleagues across the aisle to do the same --
14 to petition all of our colleagues, Democrat
15 and Republican, in the New York State Assembly
16 to recognize the needs and the importance of
17 this bill to job creation, the needs and the
18 importance of this bill to the future of the
19 people in Western New York and all across
20 New York State, no matter what side of the
21 aisle you stand, no matter what side of the
22 Hudson you live on.
23 This isn't just about Western
24 New York, this isn't just about Buffalo, this
25 is about New York State, the Empire State.
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1 And we need to begin to make decisions in this
2 chamber that are going to make the difference
3 for future generations, both our kids, our
4 grandkids and future generations that we're
5 yet to meet.
6 I thank you for all the support
7 coming out of the Democratic Conference, the
8 Republican Conference, the recognition of the
9 importance of this bill to the people of
10 Western New York and of upstate New York and
11 of New York State. And I applaud the efforts
12 of the University at Buffalo system in working
13 with all houses in a bipartisan effort to get
14 this bill passed today.
15 Thank you very much.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
17 you, Senator Kennedy.
18 Senator Gallivan on the bill.
19 SENATOR GALLIVAN: Thank you,
20 Mr. President.
21 I would like to thank Senator
22 Grisanti and my colleagues for all their work
23 on this bill, for providing support to a bill
24 that will benefit students, families, and the
25 economy of Western New York, which of course
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1 contributes to the economy of New York State.
2 This bill will give the University
3 at Buffalo the opportunity to create a tuition
4 policy that is fair, responsible and
5 predictable. And many of us, if not all of
6 us, have heard our chancellor speak towards
7 that goal.
8 It will enable UB to use the funds
9 to pursue and enhance academic excellence and
10 at the same time protect students' access to
11 high-quality education, especially for our
12 state's neediest students.
13 This bill gives UB relief from
14 outdated state regulations. It gives them the
15 tools to move their strategic plan forward and
16 assist in reversing years of cuts.
17 This bill is in direct response to
18 why we are all here. We represent our
19 communities. This has been identified as the
20 number-one priority in Western New York, which
21 cuts across numerous Senate districts,
22 numerous Assembly districts. Support exists
23 from virtually every arena, from the business
24 community, from labor, from faith leaders,
25 civic organizations, grassroots organizations,
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1 management, administration and students.
2 This is a high-impact and, perhaps
3 more importantly in these times, a no-cost
4 proposal. It ends tuition roulette. It
5 protects access, it leverages private sector
6 revenue and eliminates outdated, duplicative
7 and burdensome regulations. When enacted,
8 this will provide UB the critical tools to
9 become a world-class public research
10 university, which will greatly increase its
11 economic impact throughout the region,
12 creating jobs and economic activity that many
13 parts of our state, including Western
14 New York, most and so desperately need.
15 UB is not merely an institution of
16 higher learning, it's part of Western
17 New York's cultural and economic foundation.
18 For years we've been sold silver-bullet
19 revitalization plans that have either failed
20 to meet expectations or been left on the
21 drawing board.
22 This is a realistic and attainable
23 economic development project. It has the
24 potential to create thousands of permanent
25 jobs, position our region to attract
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1 businesses and compete in the 21st century
2 economy. I think we all have the obligation
3 to support academic excellence, enhanced
4 access, job creation and the growth of our
5 economy.
6 Thank you.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
8 you, Senator Gallivan.
9 Senator Ranzenhofer on the bill.
10 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you,
11 Mr. President.
12 First I would like to thank my
13 colleague and neighbor Mr. Grisanti for being
14 the prime sponsor of this bill, and also the
15 other members of the Senate on both sides of
16 the aisle -- Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Gallivan,
17 Mr. Maziarz -- and also our colleagues in the
18 Assembly. This has been a unified effort from
19 Western New York -- both Democrat, Republican,
20 urban, suburban -- to push forth a program and
21 a project that is very important for our area.
22 I think a lot of credit also needs
23 to go to those at the University of Buffalo,
24 from President Simpson to Megan Toohey to Ryan
25 McPherson and the others who have so
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1 diligently pushed this project and kept it on
2 track, and for the members in this body who
3 have kept it on track as well.
4 This is a very personal project for
5 me because I'm a graduate of this university.
6 When I first came to the Buffalo area nearly
7 35 years ago, the university had three
8 buildings on its campus. It now has dozens of
9 buildings. It's fully developed now. But it
10 really needs to push forward to the next
11 generation, and that is the UB 2020 project.
12 I understand the positive impact
13 that UB has on our region, and it's critically
14 important that UB 2020 be passed, not only for
15 the university but for our community. UB 2020
16 will modernize and expand the University at
17 Buffalo, and at the same time create
18 opportunities and provide research and
19 technology for businesses and other
20 institutions in our community.
21 Just some points of information and
22 some facts, Mr. President. Enacting UB 2020
23 will add over 750 faculty. It will add 600
24 support staff and 10,000 new students. The
25 increase in 10,000 new students to a new
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1 downtown campus and to the campus which is in
2 my district would contribute an additional
3 $80 million to our local community and economy
4 in Western New York. Right now the University
5 at Buffalo is an economic engine, and the
6 UB 2020 plan would greatly boost that plan and
7 that economy.
8 Some other points of information,
9 Mr. President: 340 inventions, 102 patents,
10 201 licensing agreements have already been
11 produced at the school. The technology and
12 research at UB has directly resulted in over
13 60 companies, new startup companies in the
14 last four years. When fully enacted and built
15 out, UB 2020 would create up to 5,000 jobs.
16 These reforms will allow UB to
17 serve as a model for the next generation of
18 research universities in New York State. And
19 it will enable our children, our grandchildren
20 to compete in the 21st century global economy
21 in Western New York.
22 Members of our delegation from
23 Western New York have fought very hard over
24 the last two years to make this come to
25 fruition. I personally have been a believer
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1 and I know my colleagues have been believers
2 in the University at Buffalo for years. And I
3 believe that after passing this legislation
4 today the entire New York State Senate will be
5 a believer as well.
6 So, Mr. President, thank you for
7 allowing me to speak on this bill. I would
8 urge my colleagues to support it. Thank you.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
10 you, Senator Ranzenhofer.
11 Senator Rivera on the bill.
12 SENATOR RIVERA: Thank you,
13 Mr. President.
14 I sit on the Higher Education
15 Committee, and yesterday I voted aye without
16 rec on this bill. And when I spoke to my
17 staff about it and looked it over, I decided
18 that I was going to vote no on it.
19 As somebody who is a product of
20 public higher education back home in Puerto
21 Rico, somebody who came to the United States
22 originally to do my graduate work in a public
23 institution -- CUNY, the CUNY Graduate Center
24 in the city, in the State of New York -- as
25 somebody who started his teaching career at
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1 the CUNY system at Hunter College, I have
2 serious concerns about this bill in a couple
3 of different ways.
4 Certainly that I believe in a
5 public higher education system, and something
6 that starts to mix public with private I
7 believe could cause problems, and I certainly
8 do not want our public higher education system
9 to become a private one.
10 I also have concerns about what
11 this bill would do, if it could potentially
12 actually create the jobs or just economic
13 activity that it is supposed to create.
14 I have some concerns about the
15 quality of education that could result from
16 turning this into a research institution.
17 But I've never visited Buffalo,
18 I've never had the opportunity. And my friend
19 and colleague Tim Kennedy, born and raised
20 there, we've had various conversations about
21 that in particular. I hope that I can visit
22 Buffalo soon. And in that conversation, I
23 realized that I had to listen to Tim, as
24 somebody who very passionately expressed to me
25 and to the rest of the conference how he feels
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1 about the seriousness of the economic concerns
2 in his region and the impact that this could
3 potentially have in that region of the state.
4 There's a couple of words that he kept
5 mentioning, both "potential" and "hope."
6 I hope to visit Western New York
7 soon; I hope to visit Buffalo. And I'm going
8 to vote yes on this bill today. As I said, I
9 do have serious concerns about it, but I do
10 believe that to be able to give hope to this
11 region of the state, and particularly in the
12 way that Senator Kennedy has expressed how
13 important this is to him, to his constituents,
14 to the people that he represents, I will be
15 supportive of him and to the people of Buffalo
16 and Western New York today.
17 So I will be voting yes on this
18 bill. Thank you, Mr. President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
20 Diaz on the bill.
21 SENATOR DIAZ: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 You know, in 2009 Senator
24 Stachowski from Buffalo introduced this bill
25 to the Senate floor. Senator Stachowski is no
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1 longer with us. But he introduced this bill
2 in 2009, and every Democrat voted for it.
3 Seventeen members of the other party voted
4 against.
5 And in 2010 we were in the
6 majority, we had 32 votes. And Senator
7 Stachowski submitted another bill, similar --
8 some difference -- and that bill never came to
9 the floor, Mr. President, because I was the
10 only one that opposed that bill. And it
11 didn't come to the floor last year, last year.
12 So I believe in public education,
13 and I didn't want this to happen, thinking of
14 other issues and other communities that would
15 suffer.
16 But now Senator Kennedy, a
17 distinguished representative from Buffalo,
18 made a presentation that broke my heart. And
19 it designed to break my heart. It broke my
20 heart. He made me understand the situation in
21 Buffalo. I'm from the city, I'm from the
22 South Bronx, but he made me understand the
23 situation in Buffalo. And he described the
24 benefits that the residents of Buffalo that he
25 represents will obtain with this bill.
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1 And last year I stopped this bill
2 from coming to the floor. And in 2009, I'm
3 going to repeat again, 17 members of the other
4 side voted against.
5 So we are facing this bill again
6 today. And listening to the explanation that
7 Senator Kennedy gave us, I will support this
8 bill. I hope that Senator Stachowski is
9 listening. Praise be to him. He introduced
10 it and he'd been fighting for this and the
11 Democratic Conference have been fighting for
12 this.
13 And today I hope that the 17
14 members of the other side that voted against
15 in 2009 will join me today in changing their
16 mind. I'm changing my mind. Senator Kennedy
17 made me change my mind. I listened. So I am
18 asking the 17 members of the other side that
19 voted against this bill in 2009 to follow me,
20 to follow my example and change their mind too
21 and support this bill today. Unanimously,
22 everybody in the chamber, 60 votes, 62 votes
23 in the chamber, to send a message that we care
24 for Buffalo.
25 And to those people that told me
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1 last year and the year before that I didn't
2 care about Buffalo, and those 17 that voted
3 against in 2009 -- I'm sticking you, right?
4 I'm asking you again, please join me. Let's
5 vote for Buffalo. Amen. Let's do it for
6 Buffalo.
7 Grisanti, thank you -- I mean
8 Kennedy. And Grisanti -- and Grisanti, thank
9 you for submitting the bill today, because you
10 are now a member of that side and maybe now
11 you convince the other 17 to join us. So
12 Grisanti, thank you. And Kennedy, thank you.
13 What was that? Who? Oh, let me see if it's
14 in the list of the 17.
15 So I'm changing my mind. I'm
16 voting yes. And I hope every single member of
17 this body vote yes today.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
19 you, Senator Diaz. Maybe next we'll hear him
20 singing the Buffalo Bills fight song.
21 (Laughter.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
23 Adams on the bill.
24 SENATOR ADAMS: Thank you,
25 Mr. President. I just want to rise also and
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1 just voice that my colleague Senator Rivera
2 stated some of my concerns.
3 And I did travel to Buffalo and saw
4 what the school is doing. This is an amazing
5 development, an amazing opportunity. The land
6 that they're going to build over, I spent five
7 hours on the campus and walked through and saw
8 some of the investment that's going to be
9 attracted.
10 So one should not mix up what
11 Buffalo is attempting to do with our concerns
12 for making sure that education remains
13 affordable. SUNY and CUNY is important to
14 many of us throughout the entire state. I
15 commend all my colleagues in Buffalo for what
16 they are attempting to do.
17 Buffalo needs help, many of our
18 regions upstate need. And I really commend
19 Senator Kennedy for really taking the time and
20 speaking to each member on this side of the
21 aisle to explain how important this bill is
22 and what UB 2020 means for the region.
23 I think UB 2020 is going to start
24 the development in the upstate region. And
25 anyone who has spent time in Buffalo, I'm
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1 hoping everyone will take a trip up, that you
2 can sponsor those colleagues from that area to
3 show what's taking place on that Buffalo
4 campus. This is an amazing opportunity for
5 that region. This is an amazing opportunity
6 for the upstate area. And I'm hoping that
7 everyone will join the rest of us in
8 supporting UB 2020 and what it could bring.
9 I thank you, Senator Kennedy and
10 other colleagues from the Buffalo area --
11 Senator Maziarz, who's also a Dominican also,
12 right? I thank you for this opportunity to
13 support a bill of this importance.
14 Thank you.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
16 Breslin on the bill.
17 SENATOR BRESLIN: Thank you,
18 Mr. President. Very briefly.
19 I know some have shared their
20 concerns with this bill. I think people
21 across the state who represent areas with
22 other of the major universities, including
23 myself with Albany, obviously have some
24 concerns. People who have labor support have
25 some concerns.
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1 But I think, in the end analysis,
2 the words "prosperity" and "hope" really drive
3 the opinion. And I commend Senator Grisanti,
4 Senator Kennedy, the others from the Buffalo
5 area for this bill because that hope and
6 prosperity is so key to prove that this body
7 can come together and not talk about upstate
8 or downstate, and not talk about east or west
9 in New York, or Jamestown to the Island, but
10 talk about how we're one New York. And one
11 New York to help our brothers and sisters not
12 from a particular area around us, but who need
13 that help for economic development.
14 And I know that I'm parroting in
15 some respects to what Senator Kennedy did in
16 our conference, is to drive home that message
17 that this is critically important for the
18 future, for the prosperity, for not only the
19 University of Buffalo, not only Buffalo
20 itself, but the whole area of Western
21 New York.
22 And I am proud to say that I will
23 support this, as I'm sure that many others in
24 our conference and in both conferences will do
25 today.
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1 Thank you, Mr. President.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
3 you, Senator Breslin.
4 Senator Libous on the bill.
5 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
6 Mr. President.
7 Senator Diaz, you've convinced me.
8 (Laughter.)
9 SENATOR DIAZ: Praise be to God.
10 SENATOR LIBOUS: Senator Adams, I
11 have been to Buffalo to watch the Giants beat
12 the Bills.
13 I voted against this bill the last
14 time it was before this house, and I voted
15 against it for a couple of reasons. One
16 reason was that I was not included in any of
17 the discussions on the bill. When the bill
18 came to the floor, I had no clue what was in
19 it, no idea at all as to what effect it was
20 going to have on Western New York or anywhere,
21 for that matter.
22 I know UB is very important to my
23 colleagues in Western New York. BU,
24 Binghamton University, is very important to me
25 and in the Southern Tier region. And like UB,
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1 BU is the economic engine of the Southern
2 Tier. Without it, it would be a different
3 place. It would be a different place.
4 But I also understand, as I think
5 as Senator Rivera said, that every now and
6 then we have to step back. And in my 23rd
7 year now here, I've always tried to be helpful
8 to any of my colleagues on either side of the
9 aisle when it pertained to their home.
10 Because let's face it, we are elected by the
11 people in our region, in our districts, and at
12 least for two years we're elected because they
13 think that we will do what's best for that
14 area that we represent.
15 I believe that Senator Grisanti and
16 my other colleagues that are here -- Senator
17 Gallivan, certainly Senator Ranzenhofer, we'll
18 hear from Senator Maziarz, and certainly
19 Senator Kennedy, our new Senator from the
20 other side of the aisle -- come from a region
21 that needs help. They need help just like the
22 Binghamton area needs help and other upstate
23 communities need help.
24 Senator Diaz, I'm going to help
25 them today. I'm going to support this bill
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1 because it's important to their communities,
2 it's important to our colleagues.
3 And I hope that when we get to the
4 point where we can help other communities,
5 like the Southern Tier and certainly
6 Binghamton University, who is the tremendous
7 economic engine of our community -- and I know
8 that Senator LaValle as chairman of the Higher
9 Education Committee has been working
10 tirelessly to try to negotiate on behalf of
11 this house and members who have universities
12 and colleges for good things, hopefully, in
13 this budget so that we too can move forward
14 with our universities and our colleges to do
15 what's best for all the communities.
16 But today, I want to help Buffalo.
17 And I am going to give you a vote of
18 confidence to my colleagues because I really
19 believe that after spending the time that I
20 have with Senator Grisanti and my other
21 colleagues and listening to their plea, that
22 this means something to the region. This is
23 serious, not only for them but for the people
24 that elected them to come here and represent
25 them.
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1 For that reason, they have my
2 commitment this afternoon.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
4 Maziarz on the bill.
5 SENATOR MAZIARZ: Could I yield
6 to Senator LaValle, please.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: You may
8 indeed.
9 Senator LaValle on the bill.
10 SENATOR LaVALLE: Thank you very
11 much, Mr. President.
12 Senator Libous, thank you for your
13 kind words. And there will be a point in time
14 when I think the other university centers --
15 Albany, Binghamton, Stony Brook -- will also
16 be able to share.
17 But my remarks today, because I've
18 heard a lot of names mentioned -- the sponsor
19 of this bill is Senator Grisanti, along with
20 other members of Western New York. This bill
21 would not be on this floor today without his
22 doggedness, his persistence that this bill --
23 for his region, for his district, for Western
24 New York -- was critically important. Others
25 can take a bow, but the person who should be
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1 at the center of the stage is Senator
2 Grisanti, who is the sponsor of this bill and
3 has put it forward.
4 So, Senator Grisanti, I can now
5 probably go to the men's room without you
6 following me and lobbying that the bill should
7 be on the Higher Ed agenda.
8 And we have moved this bill early
9 in the session, and it's because of again Mark
10 Grisanti's persistence and his group of
11 Western New York support staff who have
12 obviously been a critical part of everything
13 that is happening today. So I just want to
14 congratulate you prematurely, Senator
15 Grisanti.
16 Thank you.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
18 Klein on the bill.
19 SENATOR KLEIN: Thank you,
20 Mr. President.
21 I too rise in support of this very
22 important piece of legislation, and I want to
23 particularly single out Senator Grisanti and
24 Senator Tim Kennedy and the rest of the
25 Western New York delegation for fighting hard
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1 to bring this bill to the floor today.
2 A previous version of this bill did
3 pass; a SUNY Empowerment bill which included
4 more schools unfortunately did not because of
5 misinformation and politics last session.
6 But I am glad today we stand here
7 and we send a clear message to the University
8 of Buffalo, one of the jewels of our SUNY
9 system, that we do care about their
10 institution, which is one of the best examples
11 of higher education that we have in the State
12 of New York, and that it will enhance their
13 ability to educate our young people.
14 And also we're letting Western
15 New York know, specifically Buffalo and the
16 surrounding areas, that we care about their
17 economy. This piece of legislation is going
18 to create thousands of jobs, bring
19 construction jobs to research jobs to
20 janitorial jobs in an area of our state that
21 certainly needs help. This is a comprehensive
22 approach, not only enhancing our education
23 system in the State of New York but also
24 stimulating the economy in Western New York.
25 I think one of the things we have
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1 to be mindful of, that we all sit in this
2 chamber, in the State Senate, and we all care
3 about our own individual districts, we all
4 care about our individual regions, but I think
5 there comes a time where you also have to be
6 mindful of the fact that we do serve in a
7 statewide legislative body. And when a member
8 of the Senate like Senator Kennedy and Senator
9 Grisanti talk about how important this is to
10 their region, how this could really be the
11 lifeblood and the future of their economy, I
12 think we have to listen and support them
13 overwhelmingly.
14 So, Mr. President, it's my
15 privilege to support my colleagues in Western
16 New York, enhance a great institution, create
17 jobs in Western New York. I vote yes.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
19 you, Senator Klein.
20 Senator Martins on the bill.
21 SENATOR MARTINS: I too rise in
22 support of this bill, and I want to
23 congratulate my colleague Senator Grisanti for
24 having presented this bill and having
25 persuaded so many of us as to the importance
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1 of this bill not only for Western New York but
2 for all of New York State.
3 And I must say I am extraordinarily
4 proud today at the tenor that we've taken with
5 respect to this bill and with respect to the
6 needs of Western New York.
7 Congratulations, Senator Kennedy,
8 Senator Gallivan, Senator Maziarz for bringing
9 this important issue to our attention but also
10 for stressing the need. We are one state.
11 What happens in Western New York affects us on
12 Long Island, and just as things on Long Island
13 also affect Western New York.
14 And so congratulations again.
15 Thank you for giving us this opportunity to
16 once again show that as a state we can
17 overcome, sometimes, some of those divides
18 that do crop up from time to time. And I'm
19 looking forward to voting yea on this bill,
20 but also supporting the jobs, the increased
21 economy and the improvement to the lives of
22 those residents in Western New York.
23 So to Senator Grisanti and to the
24 Senators of Western New York, congratulations.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
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1 you, Senator Martins.
2 Senator Savino on the bill.
3 SENATOR SAVINO: Thank you,
4 Mr. President.
5 This will be I think the third time
6 in as many years that I have voted in favor of
7 this bill in one way, shape or form. And I'm
8 very happy to congratulate both my new
9 colleagues Senator Kennedy and Senator
10 Grisanti for doing something that your two
11 predecessors were not able to do, and that was
12 to get the Senate to come together to do the
13 right thing for the people of Western
14 New York. So congratulations to both of you.
15 I actually joked with Senator
16 Kennedy that if we had been able to pass this
17 bill back I think it was late August, in our
18 final night of session, perhaps neither one of
19 them would be here with us today. It was that
20 important to Western New York.
21 But just to clarify for Senator
22 Diaz, we did bring this bill to the floor. It
23 was the final night that we were in session
24 last year. I was presiding. And three times
25 we attempted to get the votes necessary to
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1 pass this bill and were finally forced to take
2 it off the floor.
3 I see Senator Maziarz shaking his
4 head, because he was in charge of rounding up
5 votes in the Republican Conference. And
6 Senator Thompson, who is no longer with us,
7 and Senator Klein and Senator Adams, I
8 believe, were responsible for rounding up
9 votes in our conference.
10 And we couldn't do it. We just
11 didn't have it. It was too contentious.
12 There were those who felt that their issues
13 that weren't being resolved. There were some
14 who felt that the bill went too far, others
15 felt it didn't go far enough. And we weren't
16 able to do it. And as a result, we failed the
17 people of Western New York and Binghamton and
18 Stony Brook.
19 Well, we're not covering all of
20 those people today. We still have issues that
21 affect SUNY Binghamton; we still have issues
22 that affect Stony Brook. But we're able to do
23 something right for the people of Western
24 New York and Buffalo with the passage of
25 UB 2020.
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1 So I am very confident that when
2 Tommy Testo starts to take the vote this time,
3 we're not going to have to stop and run into
4 conference. I am very confident that we're
5 not going to have to take this vote more than
6 once today. I am almost confident that we're
7 going to be able to pass this vote close to
8 unanimously. And if we do, it will be a step
9 in the right direction for economic
10 development for the people of Buffalo. And it
11 will be the right thing to do by this body,
12 which will be the third time we've tried to.
13 So today, Senator Kennedy, I think
14 we're going to do the right thing.
15 Congratulations.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
17 Montgomery on the bill.
18 SENATOR MONTGOMERY: Thank you.
19 Thank you, Mr. President.
20 I must apologize to Senator
21 Grisanti; I haven't had an opportunity to meet
22 you and talk to you. But certainly Senator
23 Kennedy has been really, really very, very
24 actively pushing for the passage of this
25 legislation.
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1 So I want to thank you, Senator
2 Kennedy, because I know you've talked to the
3 conference, you've talked to us individually,
4 and you've made it very, very clear and
5 understandable what is the importance of this
6 legislation.
7 I must say that it really is a step
8 that we're taking. It's new. We're moving
9 into uncharted territory, I understand that.
10 I know that many of our citizens are not sure
11 about the ramifications, long term, and the
12 implications of what we're doing.
13 But since the building of this
14 magnificent system of higher education in our
15 state -- and I believe it was expanded by none
16 other than the Republican Governor Rockefeller
17 when he was governor way back when and
18 insisted on us having a premier higher
19 education system open and available and
20 accessible to all of our citizens.
21 So we have an extensive university
22 system that includes a strong community
23 college system as well as four major higher
24 institutions, higher ed centers, university
25 centers. And we also have several medical
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1 schools associated with and affiliated with
2 and that's part of the SUNY system.
3 So it's a magnificent system. We
4 now see that Buffalo is going to move to the
5 next level to become a real economic engine in
6 our state. That, I believe, was part of the
7 original mission anyway. And so this really
8 is -- we're taking this step hopefully to
9 fulfill that part of the mission in a very
10 different way. And SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo
11 is going to be the first one to move out into
12 that arena.
13 So I am looking forward to great
14 things happening. I know that this
15 legislation is not the final piece, but
16 certainly it's a good beginning. And it
17 forces all of us to look and rethink what our
18 university system is, should be doing, ought
19 to be doing, where it needs to be especially
20 as it relates to really fulfilling its mission
21 as the university systems have throughout our
22 country, and that is be the beacon of
23 progress, especially in the areas of economic
24 development and scientific research and
25 producing citizens who can compete in a world
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1 that we have never known.
2 So I'm very happy to support this
3 legislation. And as I say, for those who --
4 for those of us -- many of us have had
5 questions and still have questions and
6 concerns. But I do think this is the right
7 step to take. And I thank the new Senator the
8 newest Senator among us, Senator Kennedy, for
9 pushing us out to make this happen.
10 Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be
11 voting aye.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
13 Perkins.
14 SENATOR PERKINS: Thank you.
15 I just want to first express my
16 deep appreciation to my colleague Senator
17 Kennedy for his diligence and articulation
18 about the significance of this bill to his
19 community and to Western New York and how well
20 he has managed to help our conference
21 understand how important it was to him not
22 only personally but, more importantly, to his
23 community.
24 I'm not going to be able to vote
25 for this legislation. In the past, I've had
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1 that opportunity with the expectation that
2 some of my concerns that were in the prior
3 bills might be addressed in future bills. And
4 I don't see them addressed in this particular
5 bill either.
6 I'm very concerned about the
7 privatization of the public university system,
8 and I think that that type of privatization
9 which is reflected here diminishes
10 opportunity, as opposed to increasing
11 opportunity, because of those types of models
12 that I've seen in the past.
13 I also am concerned that this
14 particular piece of legislation does not
15 provide the kind of legislative oversight that
16 I would like to see in the final version of
17 the legislation.
18 I believe, in fact, that there will
19 be more opportunities to come. I don't think
20 this is the last time we're going see this
21 bill. I think we're going to see it again,
22 and I'm hoping that some of the concerns that
23 I've expressed in the past will be put into
24 the bill that we ultimately decide upon.
25 Thank you. I will not be voting
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1 for the bill.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Is
3 there any other Senator wishing to be heard?
4 Seeing none, I call upon Senator
5 Maziarz to close debate.
6 SENATOR MAZIARZ: Thank you very
7 much, Mr. President.
8 And thank you very much to all of
9 my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I
10 just particularly want to mention Dr. John
11 Simpson, former president of the University at
12 Buffalo, who had the vision to start this
13 process almost five years ago by building
14 consensus within the Western New York
15 community, something that's not very easy to
16 do.
17 As Senator Ranzenhofer mentioned,
18 just the staff at the University at Buffalo
19 has been great -- Megan Toohey, Ryan
20 McPherson, they've done an excellent, an
21 excellent job.
22 You have no idea, you have no idea
23 how much this particular piece of legislation
24 means to Western New York and to Buffalo. I
25 think it's ironic, as somebody who's been here
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1 a few years, the senior member of the Western
2 New York delegation now, that it took two
3 freshmen members, Senator Grisanti and Senator
4 Kennedy, to kind of work both of their
5 conferences into an area of agreement. I
6 suspect, just from hearing some of the
7 comments on the other side, that this
8 legislation is going to pass with overwhelming
9 support today.
10 I do want to again particularly
11 thank Senator Ken LaValle and the members of
12 the Higher Education Committee. Originally I
13 know the original print of this version that
14 Senator Grisanti was made better because of
15 some of the suggestions made by Senator
16 LaValle and other members of the Higher
17 Education Committee.
18 All of the things that were said
19 today on both sides of the aisle mean a great
20 deal. I can assure you, even those of you
21 with questions on this bill, that this is
22 going to make the University at Buffalo a
23 better public institution, an institution that
24 creates a lot of jobs, a lot of opportunities
25 for young people in Western New York and
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1 really across the State of New York, because
2 so many individuals, so many students from
3 outside of the area go to this great
4 university.
5 I want to point out that my former
6 colleagues, all our good friends, Senator
7 Stachowski, Senator Volker, would be very
8 proud of us today.
9 Senator Savino again pointed out
10 how it took these two freshmen members who
11 didn't know maybe some of the standard
12 procedures of operating around here, who
13 didn't maybe have some of the differences of
14 opinions with other members, that it took them
15 to sort of carry the load in both of these
16 conferences to get us to a point where we are
17 going to overwhelmingly support this
18 legislation.
19 What we're doing today is important
20 for Buffalo and for Western New York. And I
21 don't represent one inch of the City of
22 Buffalo, but this is important for Buffalo.
23 It's important for another former colleague of
24 ours, former Senator Byron Brown.
25 But what this is going to do,
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1 passing it this early in the session is going
2 give us the opportunity to work with our
3 colleagues in the other house and in the
4 Governor's office to come out with a UB 2020
5 that has acceptance and will pass in both
6 houses and be signed into law by the Governor.
7 And when the Governor does sign
8 that legislation in Buffalo, you're all
9 invited to be there. At Senator Kennedy and
10 Senator Grisanti's expense.
11 (Laughter.)
12 SENATOR MAZIARZ: There will be a
13 football game that day, right. It will be in
14 the fall of the year.
15 So anyway, again, I sincerely, from
16 the bottom of my heart, appreciate all of your
17 support for this legislation. I know many of
18 you have doubts. Many of you would probably
19 have suggestions to make this a better bill.
20 This means a lot. It means a lot to me
21 personally, it means a lot to my four
22 colleagues from Western New York. And I can
23 assure you, I can assure you that this will
24 make Buffalo, the University at Buffalo, and
25 Western New York a much better place to live
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1 for the young people that are there now and
2 those young people that are yet to come.
3 Thank you.
4 Thank you, Mr. President.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
6 you, Senator Maziarz.
7 Debate is closed. The Secretary
8 will ring the bell.
9 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
11 Libous.
12 SENATOR LIBOUS: As soon as the
13 members get to their seats -- I went over this
14 yesterday; unfortunately, the Senate rules say
15 you have to be in your seat so that we can
16 take a vote -- we can take the vote and move
17 on.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Please,
19 members, proceed to your seats.
20 The Secretary will read the last
21 section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
23 act shall take effect immediately.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Call
25 the roll.
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1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
3 Marcellino, to explain his vote.
4 SENATOR MARCELLINO: Thank you,
5 Mr. President. I appreciate the recognition.
6 When this bill was brought up the
7 first time last year, I voted against it. Not
8 because I was not in favor of economic
9 development in the Western New York region or
10 not to not support the people of Buffalo or
11 the University at Buffalo, but because I was
12 worried about the tuition increase position or
13 portion of the legislation.
14 I am still concerned about the
15 tuition increase idea. These universities,
16 the State Universities and the City
17 Universities, were put together to support
18 people, to allow people who could not afford
19 the higher-priced private colleges, the
20 high-priced tuitions of the private colleges,
21 this system was designed to give them a
22 high-quality education at an affordable price.
23 We cannot lose sight of that
24 purpose of SUNY. We must maintain that
25 purpose of SUNY. So I will vote for this
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1 legislation, I will be in support of it, but I
2 want to remind everybody -- and I will be
3 watching in all future permutations of this
4 legislation as they come out -- that the
5 tuition area and the ability of the middle
6 class to go to college and get a high-quality
7 higher education is paramount and must be
8 protected by this Legislature. I intend to
9 see that that is.
10 Thank you, Mr. President. I vote
11 aye.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
13 Marcellino to be recorded in the affirmative.
14 Senator Kennedy, to explain his
15 vote.
16 SENATOR KENNEDY: Thank you,
17 Mr. President.
18 I again wanted to thank both sides
19 of the aisle, Democrats and Republicans, for
20 their overwhelming support for UB 2020 today.
21 This is a sign of hope and opportunity for
22 Western New York and for all of New York
23 State, the billions of dollars of economic
24 investment that will result because of this
25 bill's passage today, followed by all of our
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1 collective lobbying to the Assembly, to the
2 Governor to move this bill forward for the
3 betterment of all of New York State,
4 particularly to the people of Western
5 New York, creating tens of thousands of jobs,
6 construction jobs in the immediacy, and tens
7 of thousands of jobs in the long term for the
8 people of Western New York.
9 Thank you again.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
11 Kennedy to be recorded in the affirmative.
12 Senator Grisanti, to explain his
13 vote.
14 SENATOR GRISANTI: Well, for my
15 first bill that's going to be passed in this
16 chamber, my heart is touched, the proudness
17 that I have inside with regards to what has
18 happened with colleagues on both sides of the
19 aisle that understand what Western New York is
20 going through.
21 I didn't want to get into it
22 before, but as my friend Senator Kennedy has
23 said, we have lost jobs. This area, with
24 UB 2020 in conjunction with the Buffalo
25 Niagara Medical Campus in that same area, is
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1 the new Bethlehem Steel of Buffalo. And for
2 those of you who remember that, Bethlehem
3 Steel had a huge manufacturing site in
4 Buffalo, New York.
5 Manufacturing is now gone. The
6 focus now is on research, development,
7 education, medical corridor. This campus is
8 going to fit in nicely inside that corridor.
9 And the jobs that are going to be created in
10 construction are real. The jobs that are
11 going to be permanent are real.
12 And my friend Senator Marcellino, I
13 too had problems in the beginning with regard
14 to the tuition aspect of it. Which is why
15 changes were made to protect the neediest of
16 students, not only with in-house scholarship
17 programs, but if you're making under $60,000
18 you're locked into the tuition rate from
19 2010-2011. You're locked in.
20 But it's a proud day not only for
21 myself and everybody here in this chamber
22 who's going to vote in the affirmative, but
23 it's a proud day for Western New York and the
24 Buffalo-Niagara region. I vote yes, and
25 again, my deepest and heartfelt thank you to
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1 everybody in this chamber that's voting on
2 this bill.
3 Thank you.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Senator
5 Grisanti to be recorded in the affirmative.
6 Announce the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
8 Calendar Number 144, recorded in the negative:
9 Senator Perkins.
10 Absent from voting: Senators
11 Espaillat and C. Kruger.
12 Absent from voting pursuant to
13 Rule 9, Senators DeFrancisco and McDonald.
14 Ayes, 53. Nays, 1.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
16 bill is passed.
17 (Applause.)
18 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President, I
19 believe we are congratulating Senator
20 Grisanti.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: May I
22 have order, please.
23 Senator Libous.
24 SENATOR LIBOUS: I believe the
25 applause is congratulating our colleague
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1 Senator Grisanti for passage of his first
2 bill.
3 Senator, from the entire house, our
4 congratulations.
5 (Applause.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
7 Congratulations, Senator Grisanti.
8 Senator Libous.
9 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
10 is there any further business at the desk?
11 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: There
12 is no further business before the desk.
13 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
14 Mr. President. There being no further
15 business, I move that the Senate adjourn until
16 Thursday, March 3rd, at 11:00 a.m.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: On
18 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
19 Thursday, March 3rd, at 11:00 a.m.
20 (Whereupon, at 4:24 p.m., the
21 Senate adjourned.)
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