Message from Liz...
I attended Governor Cuomo's State of the State on January 4th and was excited about a number of his priorities. In his speech, the Governor outlined an ambitious and thoughtful agenda that could equal or even surpass the successes of his first year in office. While we don't always agree, there is no question that the Governor has shown a remarkable ability to move his agenda, and I look forward to working with him to achieve our mutual goals on many of the issues he discussed. I am concerned about some of his economic development proposals that rely heavily on the expansion of casinos and convention centers, neither of which have proved to be successful job creators in other states.
I want to highlight some of the issues the Governor raised that I am particularly excited about and discuss how to maximize these proposals' impact to improve the lives of New Yorkers.
Housing: I was particularly pleased to see that the Governor recognizes the need to address the different facets of the State's housing crisis. His proposed Foreclosure Prevention Unit could be an important tool in finding ways to help New Yorkers stay in their homes. His budget will need to invest in continuing the model community and legal service programs that were started in earlier years to help people fight wrongful evictions in both single and multi-family housing.
The Governor also clearly got the message that we need to do more to ensure renters are treated fairly. He proposed a new Tenant Protection Unit to defend tenants' rights and investigate and prosecute landlords who use illegal tactics in an attempt to deregulate apartments. When we passed rent regulation renewal last year, I said it had to be a down payment on further efforts to protect tenants, and this proposal from the Governor would be a major step forward. Particularly given the likelihood that the Senate's Republican majority is likely to resist further rent law reform and may even try to roll back existing protections, having an executive who understands the importance of tenant protections is critical.
Reproductive Rights: The Governor also committed to passage of the Reproductive Health Act in his written statement accompanying the address. This commonsense legislation would guarantee access to reproductive health services, and move the rules governing abortion from criminal to public health law. I will be working with the Bipartisan Pro-Choice Legislative Caucus to support the Governor's effort to move this long-delayed bill through the Senate.
New York State was the first of 50 states - even before Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court - to pass a law protecting our reproductive rights. But we have failed to update our law, leaving it grossly antiquated now. With threats coming from both Washington and a more emboldened anti-choice minority, New York State must move our statutes into the 21st century.
Energy Policy: I was pleased with the Governor's commitment to modernizing our energy infrastructure and encouraging the development of solar and other alternative energy sources. This is what the State should be focusing on in its energy policy, rather than pursing the risky strategy of allowing hydrofracking for natural gas. The science and facts show there is no safe way to move forward with hydrofracking, and I hope that the Governor will focus on the proposals he discussed in his speech and recognize that hydrofracking is simply too dangerous to allow in our state.
Tax Reform: The Governor and I do not always agree on tax policy -- we have a long way to go in creating a more progressive state tax code -- but we do agree that there is a need for fundamental reform and modernization of our tax structure. The Governor announced the creation of a Tax Reform and Fairness Commission. As the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, I look forward to working with the Commission to make sure that our tax policy is equitable, encourages smart economic decisions by individuals, businesses and local governments, and eliminates decades-old tax breaks that drain our coffers without serving the public interest.
Campaign Finance Reform: The Governor also called for reforming our campaign finance system to reduce the influence of money and lobbyists on the process. Can I say Amen! Unprecedented, unaccountable money in elections is the greatest threat to our democracy. I continue to support public financing as the most effective way to achieve these goals. I look forward to working with the Governor on this and other important electoral reform issues, particularly independent redistricting and increased voter participation. New York State now ranks 48th in voter participation - SHOCKING!
Food Stamp Access: Particularly in times of economic hardship, it is critical to ensure that our social safety net is as robust as possible. Food stamps are a critical piece of that support structure, and I was pleased to hear the Governor speak about the importance of increasing enrollment in the food stamp program. Even better, he has focused on the concrete step of eliminating the requirement that recipients be fingerprinted, which only stigmatizes participation in the program and discourages many from enrolling who are in desperate need. New York City is the only major city in the country that engages in this cruel and unnecessary practice.
While I appreciate the Governor's commitment to food stamps, there is also no question that recent budget cuts have severely damaged social safety net programs. As we develop the upcoming budget, I will be fighting to ensure that we recognize the fundamental responsibility of the state to provide for and protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers.
Services for People with Disabilities: I was also gratified to hear the Governor commit to improving the treatment of people with disabilities. Governor Cuomo plans to implement an Olmstead Implementation Plan in response to the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. (1999), affirming the right of people with disabilities to receive care in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. Equally important, he has committed to addressing the unacceptable conditions that many individuals with disabilities experience in state and privately run residential facilities. It is critical that all people with disabilities have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and be treated with dignity and respect, and I am encouraged that the Governor has recognized that New York State has a long way to go to meet this standard.
Transportation Infrastructure: The Governor made important commitments to infrastructure repair and modernization, both as a way of creating jobs and of addressing the obvious need to restore our roads, bridges and public transportation. This is one area where the devil will be in the details - Governor Cuomo offered a lot more details about his efforts to address roads and bridges, and less detail on ensuring adequate capital funding for the MTA. Particularly with the reduction of dedicated revenue from the MTA payroll tax, the Governor must commit to both replacing that funding and to developing a Capital Plan that addresses the infrastructure needs of the 12 county MTA region. Assuring the timely completion the Second Avenue Subway is a critical issue for my district!
While there were many more issues on Governor Cuomo's ambitious agenda, these were the ones that most excited me. Based on his speech I am convinced that the Governor wants to build on his record of accomplishment last year, rather than rest on his laurels. Given that this is an election year for the legislature, he will face a new set of political challenges in accomplishing his goals, but he certainly has demonstrated his effectiveness in overcoming the traditional Albany obstacles up to this point.
We still need to see a lot more details from the Governor about each of the items on his agenda, and but I am optimistic that this could be another year of significant accomplishments in Albany.
Liz