Regular Session - February 11, 2014

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 1               NEW YORK STATE SENATE

 2                          

 3                          

 4              THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD

 5                          

 6                          

 7                          

 8                          

 9                  ALBANY, NEW YORK

10                 February 11, 2014

11                     11:07 a.m.

12                          

13                          

14                  REGULAR SESSION

15  

16  

17  

18  SENATOR JOSEPH 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 and 

 5   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   prayer will be offered by the Reverend Peter G. 

11   Young, of the Mother Teresa Community here in 

12   Albany.  

13                Father?  

14                REVEREND YOUNG:   Thank you, 

15   Senator.  

16                To our Senate members and to a 

17   Senator from the area of Rome, New York, 

18   New Yorkers saw the christening of the American 

19   flag when the Stars and Stripes were first flown 

20   in battle at the defense of Fort Stanwix in Rome, 

21   New York.  

22                It is with great pride that we are 

23   able to serve as Senators in this patriotic 

24   tradition as the elected leaders to fulfill Your 

25   call, O God, of leadership to all of our citizens 


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 1   of this great eternal state.  

 2                Now and forever, amen.

 3                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Thank 

 4   you, Father Young.  

 5                The reading of the Journal.

 6                THE SECRETARY:   In Senate, Monday, 

 7   February 10th, the Senate met pursuant to 

 8   adjournment.  The Journal of Friday, 

 9   February 7th, was read and approved.  On motion, 

10   Senate adjourned.

11                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Without 

12   objection, the Journal stands approved as read.

13                Presentation of petitions.

14                Messages from the Assembly.

15                Messages from the Governor.

16                Reports of standing committees.

17                Reports of select committees.

18                Communications and reports from 

19   state officers.

20                Motions and resolutions.

21                Senator Libous.

22                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Mr. President, on 

23   behalf of Senator Marchione, I move that the 

24   following bill be discharged from its respective 

25   committee and be recommitted with instructions to 


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 1   strike the enacting clause.  That would be Senate 

 2   5454B, and that's on behalf of Senator Marchione.

 3                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   It is so 

 4   ordered.

 5                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Okay.  

 6   Mr. President, at this time I'd like to adopt the 

 7   Resolution Calendar, with the exception of 

 8   Resolutions 3422, by Senator Hassell-Thompson, 

 9   3427, by Senator Ranzenhofer, 3496, by Senator 

10   Hannon, and 3505, by Senator Kennedy.

11                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   All in 

12   favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar, with 

13   the exception of Resolutions 3422, 3427, 3496, 

14   and 3505 signify by saying aye.

15                (Response of "Aye.")

16                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Opposed?  

17                (No response.)

18                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

19   Resolution Calendar is adopted.

20                Senator Libous.

21                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Thank you, 

22   Mr. President.  

23                At this time, Mr. President, we'd 

24   like to take up Resolution Number 3386, by 

25   Senator Gipson, have the title read, and I 


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 1   believe Senator Gipson would like to speak.

 2                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

 3   Secretary will read.

 4                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

 5   Resolution Number 3386, by Senator Gipson, 

 6   mourning the death of Pete Seeger, distinguished 

 7   citizen and devoted member of his community.

 8                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Senator 

 9   Gipson.

10                SENATOR GIPSON:   Thank you, 

11   Mr. President.  

12                I'd like to take this opportunity to 

13   memorialize and celebrate the life of Pete 

14   Seeger, a great American, a person who provided 

15   the soundtrack that we will remember for decades, 

16   the advocate for so many important causes.  

17                I think it's so important that we're 

18   doing this recognition of his life today because 

19   today happens to be the Lobby Day for Future 

20   Farmers of America.  And of all of the causes 

21   that Pete stood for, the one that I believe he 

22   will be most remembered for here in the region of 

23   the Hudson Valley, which I represent, and where 

24   he lived, was protecting our water supply.  

25                And as those who are watching from 


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 1   the gallery today from Future Farmers of America 

 2   understand, protecting our water supply is 

 3   critical to being able to provide the food that 

 4   we need to survive and the economic benefits that 

 5   we will all cherish as we move forward.

 6                Pete Seeger taught us over and over 

 7   again that protecting the water is critical to 

 8   our life, that polluting the water is something 

 9   that should just absolutely be unacceptable.  

10                When Pete first took up the cause of 

11   fighting for clean water, the Hudson River, which 

12   provides drinking water to so many people in the 

13   Hudson Valley, was essentially polluted beyond 

14   recognition.  You couldn't swim in it, you 

15   couldn't drink it, you couldn't fish in it, it 

16   was a wasteland.  

17                And through his advocacy and through 

18   so many people that joined him in that effort, 

19   over the years the Hudson River was cleaned up, 

20   and now, now that water is usable for so many 

21   things that it could not be used for in the past.

22                So on this day of all days, I hope 

23   that we will remember that as his memory lives 

24   on, I hope that we can remember to protect our 

25   water, to allow it not to be used for anything 


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 1   other than serving mankind in the most beneficial 

 2   ways possible.  

 3                The last time I saw Pete Seeger was 

 4   at a veterans event that I hosted in my district 

 5   a few months ago.  He was a World War II veteran.  

 6   A lot of people didn't know that, but he was a 

 7   World War II veteran that served his country.  

 8   And the last time I saw him, he told me that he 

 9   regretted that he did not bring his banjo to my 

10   event; he didn't realize that there were going to 

11   be so many World War II veterans there.  

12                His job during World War II was to 

13   take his banjo around to all the various troops 

14   and entertain them, entertain them while they 

15   were on the battlefield.  And he told me that if 

16   he'd have known there were going to be so many 

17   people there, he would have brought his banjo and 

18   he would have played tunes.  And he hoped so much 

19   that he could come against next year.  

20                He won't be able to come again next 

21   year, unfortunately, but his memory will live on.  

22                Thank you, Mr. President, for this 

23   opportunity to remember Pete Seeger.

24                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Thank 

25   you, Senator Gipson.  


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 1                The resolution was adopted on 

 2   February 4th of this year, 2014.

 3                Senator Hannon.

 4                SENATOR HANNON:   Mr. President, 

 5   could we take up Resolution 3427, by Senator 

 6   Ranzenhofer.  May we read that in its entirety, 

 7   and then the Senator would like to speak on it.

 8                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:  The 

 9   Secretary will read the resolution.

10                THE SECRETARY:  Legislative 

11   Resolution Number 3427, commemorating the fifth 

12   anniversary of the crash of Continental Airlines 

13   Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, New York, to be 

14   observed February 12, 2014.  

15                "WHEREAS, It is the custom of this 

16   Legislative Body to commemorate the fifth 

17   anniversary of the crash of Continental Airlines 

18   Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, New York, to be 

19   observed February 12, 2014; and 

20                "WHEREAS, On Thursday, February 12, 

21   2009, Continental Airlines Flight 3407 was 

22   en route from Newark, New Jersey, when it went 

23   down approximately seven miles from Buffalo 

24   Niagara International Airport at around 

25   10:20 p.m.; and 


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 1                "WHEREAS, A  74-seat  turboprop,  

 2   Continental Airlines Flight 3407 crashed into a 

 3   home in Clarence Center, New York, taking the 

 4   lives of all 44 passengers, as well as five crew 

 5   members and one person in the house; and 

 6                "WHEREAS, The passengers on board 

 7   Continental Airlines Flight 3407 from the Buffalo  

 8   region were:  David Borner, Linda Davidson, Ron 

 9   Davidson, Alison Des Forges, John Fiore, Brad 

10   Green, Zhaofang Guo, Steve Johnson, Kevin 

11   Johnston, Ellyce Kausner, Nicole Korczykowski, 

12   Jerome Krauski, Brian Kuklewicz, Bethany Kushner, 

13   Donald McDonald, Dawn Monachino, Jennifer Neill, 

14   Mary Pettys, Darren Tolsma, Susan Wehele and 

15   Ernest West; and 

16                "WHEREAS, The other passengers on 

17   board Continental Airlines Flight 3407 were:  

18   Mary Abraham, George Abu-Karem, Larry Beutel, 

19   Beverly Eckert, Ron Gonzalez, Ruth Harel-Katz, 

20   Georges Kann, Sean Lang, Madeline Loftus, Lorin  

21   Maurer, Coleman Mellet, Dawn Mossop, Donald 

22   Mossop, Shawn Mossop, Gerry Niewood, Jonathan 

23   Perry, Ferris Reid, Julie Ries, John Roberts, 

24   Kristen Safran, Jean Srnecz, Shibin Yao and 

25   Clay Yarbor; and 


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 1                "WHEREAS, The crew members of 

 2   Continental Airlines Flight 3407 were Flight 

 3   Attendants Donna Prisco and Matilda Quintero;  

 4   First Officer Rebecca Shaw; Captain Marvin 

 5   Renslow; and Captain (Off Duty) Joseph 

 6   Zuffoletto; and Douglas Wielinski was in his home 

 7   when the plane went down; and 

 8                "WHEREAS, In addition, four people 

 9   were injured at the crash site, including a 

10   mother and daughter inside the residence; two 

11   firefighters also received medical attention for 

12   smoke inhalation and minor injuries; and 

13                "WHEREAS, Upon the occasion of the 

14   fifth anniversary of the crash of Continental 

15   Airlines Flight 3407, it is the sense of this  

16   Legislative Body to join the Clarence Center 

17   community and the people of the State of New York 

18   in commemoration of this tragic event of such 

19   meaningful significance to the families of those 

20   who died on February 12, 2009; now, therefore, be 

21   it 

22                "RESOLVED, That this Legislative 

23   Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate 

24   the fifth anniversary of the crash of Continental 

25   Airlines Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, 


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 1   New York, to be observed February 12, 2014; and 

 2   be it further 

 3                "RESOLVED, That copies of this 

 4   resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to 

 5   the families of the victims of the Continental  

 6   Airlines Flight 3407 tragedy."

 7                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Senator 

 8   Ranzenhofer.

 9                SENATOR RANZENHOFER:   Thank you, 

10   Mr. President.  

11                I rise today with much sadness but 

12   also with much pride as we commemorate the fifth 

13   anniversary of the Flight 3407 crash in Clarence, 

14   New York.

15                You know, this was just shortly 

16   after I took office as a Senator, about five and 

17   a half weeks into my term, when we learned about 

18   the tragedy that visited Clarence, New York, on 

19   that fateful evening.  There was a passenger 

20   plane from Newark that was coming into Buffalo 

21   which unfortunately went down, and there were no 

22   survivors.  

23                And as we are here today 

24   commemorating that event, there's a lot of 

25   sadness that flows through my heart and my mind 


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 1   as I think back on those really awful days 

 2   following the crash.  And I was out there at the 

 3   scene really looking at the heroic efforts of the 

 4   firefighters, particularly the Clarence Center 

 5   Fire Company, the Buffalo Fire Company, who 

 6   really did a tremendous amount of work in a very, 

 7   very difficult and very tragic situation.

 8                As I reflect five years later, I 

 9   have a tremendous amount of pride for the 

10   victims' families.  And this was a very personal 

11   event for me.  We are a small community.  On that 

12   plane was a young lady who had interned in our 

13   office when I was with the county legislature, 

14   and was a student in law school.  There was a man 

15   who lived in my neighborhood who was my 

16   daughter's soccer coach.  So these were just not 

17   names on a flight itinerary, these were people 

18   that were the fabric of our community who we 

19   actually knew, who we actually interacted with.  

20                And the families of the victims are 

21   really to be commended for their advocacy.  There 

22   is a beautiful memorial at the site where the 

23   plane went down, where the tragedy occurred.  But 

24   more importantly, these families have fought on 

25   in the halls of Congress to really make a 


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 1   difference for flight safety, not only for 

 2   members of my community but for all of New York 

 3   and the United States.  

 4                The advocacy that they have been 

 5   able to push forward has changed the amount of 

 6   flight training that is now required for pilots.  

 7   One of the problems in this particular situation 

 8   was the lack of training and experience that 

 9   these pilots and copilots had.  And they've not 

10   just sat back and let this happen, they've made 

11   sure that these type of events, because of lack 

12   of training and because of lack of safety, will 

13   not happen again, and that other families will 

14   not have to be really devastated as these 

15   families were in Clarence, New York.

16                So as we sit here today, I know back 

17   home there is an event commemorating this event.  

18   My heart and my prayers go out to the families of 

19   the victims and to the entire Clarence Center, 

20   Clarence, and all the Western New York community.  

21                So thank you very much, 

22   Mr. President, for allowing me to comment on this 

23   today.  Thank you.

24                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Thank 

25   you, Senator Ranzenhofer.


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 1                The question is on the resolution. 

 2   All in favor signify by saying aye.

 3                (Response of "Aye.")

 4                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Opposed?  

 5                (No response.)

 6                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

 7   resolution is adopted.

 8                Senator Hannon.

 9                SENATOR HANNON:   Mr. President, 

10   we'd like to open the resolution up and put 

11   everybody on it unless -- and if they feel 

12   otherwise, please notify the desk.

13                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   So noted.  

14                The resolution is open for 

15   cosponsorship.  Should you choose not to be a 

16   cosponsor, please notify the desk.

17                Senator Hannon.

18                SENATOR HANNON:  Could we now take 

19   up Resolution 3496 and read the title, please.

20                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

21   Secretary will read.

22                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

23   Resolution Number 3496, by Senator Hannon, 

24   memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to 

25   proclaim February 2014 as Oral Health Awareness 


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 1   Month in the State of New York.

 2                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Senator 

 3   Hannon.

 4                SENATOR HANNON:  Could we open that 

 5   up for sponsorship and put everybody on it, the 

 6   worthy goal of oral health in New York State.

 7                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   We can.  

 8   First let me call the question on the resolution.

 9                SENATOR HANNON:   Thank you.

10                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   All in 

11   favor of the resolution signify by saying aye.

12                (Response of "Aye.")

13                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Opposed?  

14                (No response.)

15                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

16   resolution is adopted.

17                And the sponsor has opened it up for 

18   cosponsorship.  Should you choose not to be a 

19   cosponsor, please notify the desk.

20                Senator Hannon.

21                SENATOR HANNON:  Could we now take 

22   up Resolution 3422, by Senator Hassell-Thompson, 

23   and read the title, please.

24                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

25   Secretary will read.


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 1                SENATOR HANNON:  And Senator 

 2   Hassell-Thompson would like to speak on the 

 3   resolution.

 4                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   So noted.

 5                The Secretary will read.

 6                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

 7   Resolution Number 3422, by Senator 

 8   Hassell-Thompson, honoring Claude Long upon the 

 9   occasion of his designation as recipient of the 

10   Outstanding Bellman of the Year Award by the 

11   New York State Hospitality and Tourism 

12   Association.

13                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Senator 

14   Hassell-Thompson on the resolution.

15                SENATOR HASSELL-THOMPSON:   Thank 

16   you, Mr. President.

17                I rise to congratulate Claude Long 

18   of the Albany Hilton Hotel, who has been honored 

19   as the Outstanding Bellman of the Year.  

20                And you may say why in this chamber 

21   would I honor a bellman.  Well, his story could 

22   have been very different.  Long's honor is all 

23   the more noteworthy considering his past.  He 

24   grew up in Brooklyn, became addicted to crack 

25   cocaine, spent five years in state prison after 


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 1   being convicted of robbery to support his drug 

 2   habit.  He was paroled in 1997 to the Reverend 

 3   Peter Young's recovery program here in Albany, 

 4   where he trained in the hospitality industry.  

 5   And he has been clean and sober for 19 years.

 6                This could have been, as I said, a 

 7   very different story.  Claude was selected out of 

 8   bellmen from 1200 member hotels across the State 

 9   of New York.  And this was a highly competitive 

10   field that included some of the best bellmen from 

11   world-class hotels throughout the City.  And yet 

12   he distinguished himself here in Albany for his 

13   exuberance, his attention to detail, his kindness 

14   and his sincerity.

15                Claude is an example of what can 

16   happen when given a second chance, and he has 

17   demonstrated that he is worthy of having been 

18   given this second chance.  And as he pursues this 

19   career, he's so understated, but he brought to my 

20   attention how excited he was to be given a 

21   weekend at one of the hotels here in Albany.  And 

22   while that might not be a big thing to a lot of 

23   you, to him it's one of the greatest honors he's 

24   ever received in his life.  And he said:  "At 

25   least I don't have to carry my own luggage."


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 1                So I stand before you today to say 

 2   that he is a perfect example of the kinds of 

 3   things that I fight for, to give a second chance 

 4   to people who demonstrate that they are 

 5   deserving.  And so today I honor, along with the 

 6   hotel industry, Claude Long.  

 7                Thank you, Mr. President.

 8                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Thank 

 9   you, Senator Hassell-Thompson.  

10                The question is on the resolution.  

11   All in favor signify by saying aye.

12                (Response of "Aye.")

13                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Opposed?  

14                (No response.)

15                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

16   resolution is adopted.

17                Senator Hannon.

18                SENATOR HANNON:   Mr. President, I'd 

19   like to announce that there will be a meeting of 

20   the Higher Education Committee at 11:30 a.m. in 

21   Room 807 in the Legislative Office Building.

22                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   There 

23   will be a meeting of the Higher Ed Committee of 

24   the Senate in Room 807 in the Legislative Office 

25   Building at 11:30, or following session.


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 1                Senator Hannon.

 2                SENATOR HANNON:   Now may we take up 

 3   Resolution 3505, by Senator Kennedy, read the 

 4   title, and I ask that you would allow Senator 

 5   Kennedy to speak on the resolution.

 6                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

 7   Secretary will read.

 8                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

 9   Resolution Number 3505, mourning the death of 

10   Donald F. Kane, Sr., influential community leader 

11   and honorable United States Navy veteran.

12                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Senator 

13   Kennedy.

14                SENATOR KENNEDY:   Thank you, 

15   Mr. President.  

16                I rise today to honor a great 

17   Western New Yorker and a lifelong resident of 

18   South Buffalo who passed away on February 3, 

19   2014.  

20                Donald Kane, an honorable veteran 

21   and influential community leader, was born in 

22   Buffalo 87 years ago.  A member of the Greatest 

23   Generation, he proudly served our nation in the 

24   U.S. Navy during World War II.  He later attended 

25   Canisius College in Buffalo on the GI Bill.  


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 1                After college, Donald began working 

 2   as secretary to South District Council Member 

 3   Andrew Morrissey, his first foray into public 

 4   service but certainly not his last.  Donald then 

 5   served as director of recreation and then parks 

 6   commissioner under Buffalo Mayor Frank A. Sedita.  

 7                He later worked as executive 

 8   director of the Buffalo Municipal Housing 

 9   Authority and executive secretary of the Erie 

10   County Water Authority.  The Water Authority 

11   Testing Headquarters in Lackawanna is named for 

12   Donald Kane, to celebrate his commitment to 

13   public service and his commitment to our 

14   community.

15                Donald made it his life's work to 

16   bring the community together.  He organized 

17   social gatherings of political, governmental and 

18   community leaders in Western New York, fostering 

19   communication between all levels of government 

20   and their constituencies.  

21                Donald was married to his wife, 

22   Patricia, for 52 years before her passing.  His 

23   legacy is carried on by his daughter, former 

24   South District councilwoman and representative 

25   for U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins, Bonnie Kane 


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 1   Lockwood, and his four sons, John Kennedy, James 

 2   Michael, Patrick Timothy, and Donald Francis, 

 3   Jr., along with 14 grandchildren, including 

 4   Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks, who is 

 5   now representing the United States in Russia as 

 6   part of the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.  

 7                Today we remember Donald F. Kane, 

 8   Sr.  He left us in body, but his life of service 

 9   will always be remembered and will endure and 

10   will remain as a comforting memory to those who 

11   knew him.  We salute his service to our 

12   community, his dedication to our country, and we 

13   send our thoughts and prayers to his family.  May 

14   he rest in peace.  

15                Thank you, Mr. President.

16                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Thank 

17   you, Senator Kennedy.

18                The question is on the resolution. 

19   All in favor signify by saying aye.

20                (Response of "Aye.")

21                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Opposed?  

22                (No response.)

23                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

24   resolution is adopted.

25                Senator Hannon.


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 1                SENATOR HANNON:   Mr. President, I'd 

 2   like you to call on Senator Montgomery to speak 

 3   on Resolution 3367, which had been previously 

 4   adopted in this chamber on the 4th of February.

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

 6   Secretary will read the title.

 7                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

 8   Resolution Number 3367, by Senator Montgomery, 

 9   commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 

10   Brooklyn Queens Land Trust.

11                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Senator 

12   Montgomery on the resolution.

13                SENATOR MONTGOMERY:   Yes, thank 

14   you, Mr. President.  

15                I rise to really commemorate the 

16   National Land Trust Alliance, which in this 

17   country was founded 25 years ago to save the 

18   places in our nation that people love.  They have 

19   been saving them through a very, very active 

20   program of land conservation throughout the 

21   country.  

22                The national conservation community 

23   is now 1.5 million people strong who work to 

24   permanently save our most valued natural resource 

25   across America.  These are millions of acres of 


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 1   land saved, made up of farms, historic sites, 

 2   mountains, forests, rivers, wetlands and 

 3   certainly urban gardens, as in my own district.

 4                New York State has 97 land trusts 

 5   with 170,000 acres owned and more than 800,000 

 6   acres being conserved by other means, making up a 

 7   total of almost a million acres of land in our 

 8   state.  

 9                The support of the community gardens 

10   in Brooklyn and Queens is through the Brooklyn 

11   Queens Land Trust.  This is an urban 

12   community-based organization which stands out as 

13   the owner of 32 community gardens, many of them 

14   in my own Senate district.

15                Under the able direction of 

16   Demetrice Mills, who is the president of the 

17   Brooklyn Queens Land Trust, this organization 

18   encompasses 3.5 acres of open space.  The 

19   Brooklyn Queens Land Trust boasts 600 board 

20   members, gardeners and supporters like myself who 

21   value and enjoy the small sanctuaries that are 

22   our community gardens.  

23                Mr. President, I thank you for 

24   allowing me to take this moment in this chamber 

25   to honor this extremely important organization, 


                                                               361

 1   the Brooklyn Queens Land Trust, as well as the 

 2   National Land Trust Alliance of America.

 3                Thank you, Mr. President.

 4                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Thank 

 5   you, Senator Montgomery.

 6                As noted, the resolution was adopted 

 7   on February 4th of 2014.

 8                Senator Hannon.

 9                SENATOR HANNON:  Yes, Mr. President.  

10   If we could also take up another important 

11   resolution by Senator Montgomery and allow her to 

12   speak on that.  This would be Resolution 3415, 

13   which was previously adopted on February 4th of 

14   this year.

15                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 

16   Secretary will read the title.

17                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

18   Resolution Number 3415, by Senator Montgomery, 

19   commemorating the 100th anniversary of Public 

20   School No. 172 in Brooklyn, New York.

21                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Senator 

22   Montgomery on the resolution.

23                SENATOR MONTGOMERY:  Thank you, 

24   Mr. President.  

25                I rise again to honor and 


                                                               362

 1   commemorate the 100th anniversary of a very 

 2   special school in my district.  It's Public 

 3   School 172 in Brooklyn, in Sunset Park in 

 4   Brooklyn.  

 5                P.S. 172 opened on February 2, 1914, 

 6   before any of us in this room were born and 

 7   certainly anyone in that school was born.  The 

 8   purpose of this school was to educate children of 

 9   immigrant families at that time who had moved to 

10   South Brooklyn from places like Italy and Poland, 

11   Sweden and Ireland and Germany.  Today the school 

12   continues to educate the children of immigrants 

13   from Mexico, South America, the Middle East and 

14   the Caribbean.  

15                Over the past 100 years, P.S. 172 

16   has continued its dedication to education and 

17   achievement.  It has won citywide attention for 

18   the high test scores of its students, and 

19   recently P.S. 172 earned the National Blue Ribbon 

20   Award for academic excellence from the U.S. 

21   Department of Education.

22                This school, P.S. 172, has been run 

23   under the luminous direction of Mr. Jack Spatola, 

24   who emphasizes in his school professional 

25   development of teachers and very close support 


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 1   and monitoring of students to make sure that they 

 2   are successful in their educational growth and 

 3   establishing standards and building skills which 

 4   will carry students from P.S. 172 to a successful 

 5   future in their lives.

 6                P.S. 172 is very eager to fulfill 

 7   its commitment to parents, students, and 

 8   community.  This year, all year, they will be 

 9   commemorating this very remarkable history of 

10   100 years.  During this time, there will be many 

11   celebrations at P.S. 172.  And so ours today is 

12   our celebration of this wonderful school and its 

13   contributions to our community, to the children, 

14   and to the parents who have had their children in 

15   P.S. 172.  

16                We commemorate them on their 

17   history, we congratulate them, and we are 

18   thankful to educational leaders like Mr. Spatola, 

19   who has brought that school into the 21st century 

20   for a very, very successful educational 

21   institution.

22                Thank you, Mr. President, for 

23   allowing me to take a moment to commemorate the 

24   history and success of P.S. 172 in the Borough of 

25   Brooklyn.


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 1                Thank you.

 2                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   Thank 

 3   you, Senator Montgomery.

 4                As noted, the resolution has been 

 5   previously adopted on February 4th of 2014.

 6                Senator Hannon.

 7                SENATOR HANNON:  Mr. President, 

 8   before I ask if you there's any further business 

 9   at the desk, just to remind people who are on the 

10   Higher Education Committee that there's a meeting 

11   in Room 807 in the LOB, and second, to note for 

12   the desk that pursuant to the rules of the 

13   Senate, those members who are at the hearings 

14   over in the Legislative Office Building on the 

15   budget will be so noted in the record.

16                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   So noted.  

17                Senator Hannon.

18                SENATOR HANNON:   Is there any 

19   further business at the desk?  

20                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   There is 

21   no further business before the desk.

22                SENATOR HANNON:   I make a motion to 

23   adjourn until February 26th, at 3:00 p.m., with 

24   the intervening days being legislative days.

25                ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:   The 


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 1   Senate Higher Education Committee will be meeting 

 2   in Room 807 in the Legislative Office Building.  

 3                On motion, the Senate stands 

 4   adjourned until Wednesday, February 26th, at 

 5   3:00 p.m., intervening days being legislative 

 6   days.  Senate adjourned.

 7                (Whereupon, at 11:35 a.m., the 

 8   Senate adjourned.)

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