Friday Morning Brief Jan 26, 2024

Jan 25

Written By Michael Avella

Member Spotlight:

Senator Daniel Stec

Senator Daniel Stec joined us to discuss his North Country district and experiences in the Legislature! Prior to being a Senator, Stec was an Assemblymember from 2013 to 2020. He has long been in public service, having served as Queensbury Town Supervisor for nine years and in the Navy for eight years. He is the current ranking member of the Senate Committees on Environmental Conservation & Internet and Technology.

What district do you represent? Is there anything about your district that you would like to highlight?

I represent the 45th Senate District, which is the Northeasternmost district. It’s one of the largest districts in the state, encompassing Glens Falls and northern Washington County to Lake George, Schroon Lake, Plattsburgh, and the Canadian border. It also encompasses Massena, Canton, and Potsdam in the west. So, my district covers four whole counties and two partial counties, totaling 84 towns, 20 villages, and two cities. One village I represent is Lake Placid, which was the host city of the 1980 Winter Olympics. It’s a beautiful town in a beautiful part of the eastern half of the Adirondack Park.

What did you do before becoming a Senator?
I served in the Navy for eight years. I served on a cruiser based in Bremerton, WA, west of Seattle. We went through the Panama Canal, and I even visited Australia and the Persian Gulf. So I’ve been all over the world.

I was also in the Assembly for eight years before the Senate. Prior to that, I was the Queensbury Town Supervisor for nine years. Briefly, between my time in the Navy and government, I worked in engineering and manufacturing in Glens Falls and Watervliet.

What music do you like to listen to? Any favorite bands or artists?
I listen to many classic 80s rock, like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, the Eagles, and Def Leppard – the typical 80s bands. But I listen to everything. My favorite song is Kashmir by Led Zeppelin.

What about sports? Any favorite NY sports team?
I like to watch the Yankees. I went to Clarkson University, a big hockey school, so I fell in love with hockey and continue to watch hockey to this day. The New York Rangers are my favorite NHL team. I also watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I also played football in high school, and my favorite football team is the Los Angeles Rams because I grew up watching the Rams since second grade.

What’s your favorite food?
I like a good steak – filet mignon is the best. For day-to-day food, I like pizza. I can eat pizza a couple of times a week.

Do you have any favorite restaurants to eat at in your district?
There are a lot of great spots to go to in my district. In the town of North Hudson in Essex County, there is this place called Paradox Brewery – many people might recognize their beer; it’s a well-known brand in our part of the state. They make some of the best pizza I’ve had. They also got a new state-of-the-art brewery from Exit 29 on the Northway.

What is your proudest legislative achievement this year or throughout your career?
In my time in the Legislature, I've worked on many issues centered around the Adirondacks and that’s because the Adirondacks are comprised of a lot of state-owned land. Those issues always involve many moving parts - with engaged and passionate advocates on both sides - and constitutional concerns. So, over my career in the Legislature, there have been a few constitutional amendments that I’ve been involved in regarding the Adirondacks – it’s a unique, complicated process and takes a lot of time. If there is a single achievement I am very proud of, it was when I was the Queensbury Town Supervisor. At the time, a major employer was relocating away from the town, and many feared losing their jobs, or having to move away. But I was able to work with the company, along with many other folks, to convince them to stay in the town. I was very relieved, and seeing people’s joy and positive reaction when they made that announcement felt good. Even though I played a minimal role in that process, it felt great to be involved and to help secure an outcome that meant a lot to the people. We made many people happy, which I will never forget.

As the ranking member of the Committee on Environmental Conservation, what issues do you see arising next year?
Environmental Conservation is very interesting because there’s always a push to do more. In January, the Governor will unveil her Budget, and I will get a chance to see her proposals (interview conducted prior to release of the executive budget proposal). There’s always pressure to give the DEC more responsibilities, but their budget isn’t growing fast enough – we are overtaxing them with more duties. Also, everyone wants a healthy environment, but you also have to be grounded in some financial reality. Analyzing and asking if the gain is worth all the added effort and negatives is crucial. Is it worth the cost? Is it worth the price? Is it worth the lost jobs? Can the state afford it?

Was it difficult for you to transition into the Senate from the Assembly? Or was it easy because of your past experiences in local government?
It was easy to go from the Assembly into the Senate because so much is the same – the bills and the process are the same. The difference is the districts. The learning curve for me was learning the new towns, cities, people I represent, the new faces in the Senate, and the different issues various communities face. I represent 84 towns, 20 villages, and two cities, so understanding the local issues is essential. They deal with similar problems and pressures, but every town and village is different. Transitioning from local to state government was more difficult.

Are there any other members you find yourself working with or enjoy hanging out with in particular?
You typically tend to hang out with your conference. So, there are 21 Republican Senators, and it’s easy to get to know and spend time with each other. Regarding getting things done or working on legislation together, that’s when you start looking more at your geographic or regional issues. I work with Assemblymembers in my Senate district, like Matt Simpson, Billy Jones, Carrie Woerner, Ken Blankenbush, and Scott Gray. I also work with Senators representing neighboring districts, like Mark Walcyzk and Jake Ashby.

What are your priorities for 2024?
Since a lot of my district represents a lot of state-owned lands and agricultural areas, and as ranking member of Environmental Conservation, many efforts will be focused on DEC issues. I’m also a member of the Veterans Committee, and as a veteran, issues affecting all veterans in NYS are near and dear to my heart. So, I’m always looking for ways to help our veterans. Also, I will focus on increasing cellular and broadband access to rural areas – it’s one of the biggest issues in my district. We made progress, but it’s not where it needs to be. Also, the Budget will be a big priority, as always. The state Budget is always huge, and I think it’s one of the reasons why many people are leaving the state due to high taxes. So, I will push back and ensure that the state Budget is as responsible as possible.

What advice would you give young folks wanting to get into politics?
If you want to get into politics, you should want to help out people in your community, especially those who heavily rely on government assistance, such as children, the disabled population, or older adults. If you desire to help people, you should pursue a career as a lawmaker. You also have to be collaborative. You should use your passion and perspective to work with others. Working for something as complicated as the state government can be very rewarding if you successfully fix a problem.

Are there any last comments you want to mention?
Being a senator for my district is very rewarding. You can’t always make everybody happy, but it’s important to do the best that I can. So, I’m very proud to represent my district. It means the world to me to have the trust of my constituents to be able to represent them.

Are you a public official or staffer that would like to be featured in our spotlight? If so, reach out to your favorite D&A team member or contact us at team@dickinsonavella.com to set up an interview!

2024 Budget Hearings Commence

On Tuesday, the annual series of Joint Legislative Budget Hearings commenced, with the first hearing focused on health. These hearings, which aim to focus on budgetary related issues (or those that will would be included in the budget), will run through February 14.

The health hearing began with testimony from DOH and DFS regarding various issues the state’s healthcare industry, including health insurance, Medicaid, distressed hospitals, maternal healthcare and healthcare workforce shortages. One of the concerns brought out in the hearing was Hochul’s proposal to cut $1 billion from the Medicaid budget; DOH Health Commissioner James McDonald insisted that other healthcare investments would counteract the potential impacts of the cuts. McDonald also emphasized that the now-approved 1115 waiver and the advancement of 1132 waivers would increase the accessibility and affordability of health insurance.

During the transportation hearing on Wednesday, lawmakers widely questioned the issue of congestion pricing. MTA CEO Janno Lieber explained that congestion pricing is a tool for the MTA to secure more revenue for additional investment, reduce traffic congestion in Manhattan, and achieve the state’s environmental goals. Lieber also criticized New Jersey’s lawsuit and explained that it would have ramifications on the implementation of congestion pricing, “The issue is we have legal uncertainty, we can’t award our contracts.”

Yesterday’s public protection hearing covered various issues ranging from bail reform, the state’s judicial system, the asylum-seekers crisis, and the state’s implementation of the legal cannabis industry. The rise in hate crimes was also discussed during the hearing, as the aftermath of the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel has resulted in the rise of Antisemitism and Islamophobic rhetoric. Panelists urged lawmakers to increase funding for Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes from $35 million to $100 million, which would help locations vulnerable to hate crime secure necessary security upgrades.

Alongside Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Hochul announced the federal investment of $282.2 million in the state’s ConnectALL Municipal Infrastructure Program, connecting tens of thousands of homes to high-speed broadband internet. The federal funding was granted under the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund, enabling the state’s ConnectALL program to award grants to private and local governments to construct new broadband fiber. The awards build upon Hochul’s $1 billion commitment to closing the state’s digital divide and expanding high-speed broadband service through the ConnectALL Initiative. “Access to affordable, reliable broadband keeps New Yorkers working, empowers our students, and connects families to critical benefits and services,” explained Hochul.

On Monday, together with eight other governors, Hochul sent a letter to urge Congress and the White House to agree to $1.4 billion in aid to states and a border security legislative package to help state governments address the asylum-seekers crisis. The letter urges Congress to negotiate with the White House’s $106 billion supplemental funding request to address the asylum-seekers crisis, including $1.4 billion in aid to states. “While political motivations continue to delay the negotiations, our economy, states, and localities are bearing the brunt of the shortcomings of the existing immigration system…We believe the President’s supplemental request provides a minimum level of funding,” the letter states. The letter comes as Hochul included more than $1 billion in aid in her Executive Budget to support NYC’s spending on sheltering and providing services for asylum-seekers.

On Tuesday, Hochul announced the availability of $100 million for public schools through the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act. The funding will help support construction projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental sustainability and decarbonization in public schools. The funding builds upon the CLCPA requirement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050 and the $14 million Clean Green Schools Initiative for 11 under-resourced public school districts to modernize and decarbonize their buildings. “These investments will make our school facilities cleaner and more sustainable – and will have a tremendous positive effect on future generations of students,” Hochul explained.

This week, Hochul attended the Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts’ 2024 Day of Action, where she reiterated her commitment to reproductive and maternal rights. She also highlighted the state’s actions in support of reproductive rights, such as investing $35 million for abortion providers and ensuring insurance companies cover abortions. Hochul then urged other states to continue supporting reproductive rights, “I have called on the Governors of other States to do the same. Because if they have the courage, individually, 50 States to enshrine these rights, we can thwart what the Supreme Court is trying to do to our nation. We can set them backward by showing that the power rests with the people and the power occurs at the ballot box.” This comes as the Equal Rights Protection Amendment is on the ballot this year, which would establish a constitutional right to reproductive healthcare and prohibit discrimination based on sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Next week, the Legislature is scheduled to be in session Monday to Wednesday

Joint Legislative Budget Hearings next week:

Tuesday - Economic Development/Arts
Tuesday - Workforce Development/Labor
Wednesday - Human Services
Thursday - Elementary & Secondary Education

Legislature Passes Reproductive and

Maternal Healthcare Legislative Package

On Monday, the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Senate and Assembly passed their respective reproductive and maternal healthcare legislative packages. “As the country reels from the Dobbs decision on what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are making it clear that we will continue to champion policies that safeguard a person’s right to choose and expand access to reproductive health care,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins explained. Some of the bills that were passed in both chambers are:

Requires Maternal Depression Screenings for New Moms: would direct the DOH and OMH to develop guidelines for including maternal depressing screenings into routine prenatal and postpartum care.
Permits Doulas in the Operating Room of Maternal Care Facilities: would guarantee doulas access in operating rooms after a C-section delivery when no other support person is available.
Guarantees Access to a Designated Doula: would guarantee expecting and new mothers access to their designated doula.

Lawmakers Rally for NY HEAT Act

Earlier this week, lawmakers joined a rally to urge the passage of the NY HEAT Act. The bill would limit the expansion of the state’s gas system, including gas hookups, and enabling neighborhood-wide transitions off of natural gas. However, the bill is opposed by unions representing workers who maintain gas infrastructure over concerns of job displacement and a lack of worker transition. Some provisions of the bill were endorsed by Hochul in her Executive Budget, including ending the “100-foot rule” that subsidizes new gas hookups and eliminating the “obligation to serve” that requires utilities to hook up new customers on request. However, the Executive Budget did not include the provision to cap utility bills for moderate and low-income residents. “It’s time to stop subsidizing new gas hookups and make our transition to clean energy affordable for New Yorkers,” Assembly’s sponsor Pat Fahy explained.

Inez Dickens to Retire from Assembly

On Monday, Assemblymember Inez Dickens announced that she intends to not run for reelection. Dickens has been an Assemblymember since 2017 and has long been a prominent public official in her Harlem-based district. “The job of fighting for the under-privileged, under-resourced, and under-represented does not end with my retirement. As I close this chapter of my life, the story is not over,” Dickens said in a statement. Currently, there are already four candidates running for Dickens’ seat:

Shana Harmongoff, a former Senate staffer and senior citizen advocate
Maria Ordoñez, a local activist
Joshua Clennon, affordable housing activist and treasurer for Community Board 10
Jordan Wright, former Yusef Salaam’s campaign manager and son of Manhattan Democratic Party Chair Keith Wright

Assemblymember Kenneth Zebrowski Not Seeking Reelection

Yesterday, Assemblymember Kenneth Zebrowski announced that he is not seeking reelection for his Rockland Assembly seat. Zebrowksi was first elected into the Assembly in 2007, succeeding his father (also Kenneth Zebrowski). Zebrowski explained that he’s not seeking reelection because “it’s time to move on to other things. This is an all-encompassing job, government and politics.” Although unsure of his immediate plans after retirement, Zebrowski said, “I think I’m likely to stay in the public policy ecosystem.” With Zebrowski’s district considered a “purple” district, many observers note the possibility of a competitive race to succeed him in November.

Rap Legend and Baseball Star Visit the Capital

Tuesday was a day of celebrities in the Capitol. The Assembly and Senate honored rap legend Slick Rick and legendary pitcher Bartolo Colon. Slick Rick was in the Capitol to seek support for his Victory Patch Foundation, which uplifts underserved and overlooked communities. He was honored by the Legislature for his forty years of community service. Bartolo Colon, who played for both the Yankees and Mets (LGM & Go Yanks, from the conflicted D&A team), was invited to the Capitol by Senator Luis Sepúlveda to be honored for his twenty-one years in the MLB. On his first visit to the Capitol, he said, “It looks like there is a lot of history here.” Colon is probably best known for hitting the greatest home run in MLB history.

PRIMARY UPDATES

Both Parties Nominate Candidates for Assemblymember Latoya Joyner's Seat

Late last week, the Bronx Democratic Party officially nominated Landon Dais as their candidate to replace former Assemblymember Latoya Joyner. Dais is an attorney and consultant for cannabis law. He also previously ran for a City Council seat in Harlem and for District Leader for Assembly District 70. The Bronx GOP nominated Norman McGill, a local activist. The nominations came after Latoya Joyner announced her retirement on January 8th and Hochul issued a proclamation to set the special election date for Joyner’s former seat on February 13th.

Tompkins County Legislator to Challenge Lea Webb

Earlier this week, Tompkins County Legislator Mike Sigler officially announced his bid for Lea Webb’s Senate seat. Sigler has served as a Tompkins County Legislator for nearly 15 years. Sigler explained his reasoning for running, “Despite it being clear that things are headed in the wrong direction, politicians in Albany like Lea Webb aren’t doing enough to fix it. In fact, they keep pushing extreme policies like bail reform, sanctuary cities, and defunding the police.” Sigler said his campaign would address inflation, public safety, education, and the asylum-seekers crisis. During the 2022 election, Webb won with a 51-49 margin, making it one of the closest Senate races in the state and a possible competitive race in November.

Trump Wins New Hampshire GOP Primary

On Tuesday, Donald Trump won the New Hampshire GOP primary with 54% of the total vote. His win came after Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race just before the primary, with Nikki Haley the only remaining challenger to Trump. Nikki Haley won about 43% of the total vote in the primary, winning nine delegates, while Trump won twelve. However, Haley vowed to continue her run for the GOP presidential nominee position, saying “This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go. And the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina.” South Carolina, where Haley was Governor from 2011 to 2017, will hold its primary on February 24th. On the Democratic side, President Biden won the New Hampshire Democratic primary with his write-in campaign, as he did not appear on the ballot due to the DNC reshuffling its presidential nominating calendar to elevate South Carolina as the first state to hold the Democratic primary. New York’s presidential primary is scheduled for April 2, with state primaries on June 25th.

OTHER UPDATES

Mayor Adams' State of the City

On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams delivered his State of the City address at Hostos Community College, explaining that he will build upon his job creation and public safety successes. “Our strategy is working,” Adams said. On job creation, he made a commitment to create a total of 5 million jobs in 2025, which the city was previously projected to reach in 2026. “I know we can defy expectations, so I’m charging us with getting there a year ahead of schedule,” Adams explained. He also proposed a new Department of Sustainable Delivery regulating trucks, electric bicycles, scooters, and mopeds. On various other proposals, such as housing, Adams explained, “We need Albany’s help. Give us the proper authority, and we will get the job done.” This includes renewing a version of 421-a tax incentives for developers and extending mayoral control of the city’s public school system (Hochul’s Executive Budget proposed a four year extension of mayoral control). The State of the City came after he released his Executive Budget last week.

Lower East Side Residents Filed Lawsuit Against Congestion Pricing

Late last week, a coalition of Lower East Side residents, along with Assemblymember David Weprin and Councilmembers Joanna Ariola, Bob Holden and Vickie Paladino, filed a federal lawsuit against the implementation of congestion pricing in Manhattan. The suit alleges that the environmental assessment conducted by the MTA and approved by the federal government did not adequately address the potential impact of increased traffic and pollution along FDR Drive and did not consider the impact on businesses and Lower East Side residents. In a rally to support the lawsuit, Weprin explained, “The financial burdens associated with Congestion Pricing will shut down businesses across NYC or force them to pass on the added costs to consumers.” In total, congestion pricing faces separate lawsuits from UFT, the Mayor of Fort Lee, NJ, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.