Friday Morning Brief Feb. 23, 2024

Feb 22

Written By Michael Avella

Member Spotlight

Senator Bill Weber

Senator Bill Weber joined us to discuss his Rockland County district and his experience during his first year in the Legislature. Prior to being a Senator, he worked as a Chief Financial Officer for a local business in his district and as an affordability advocate for his local community. Currently, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Budget and Revenue and a member of various committees, including Consumer Protection, Disabilities, Education, and Elections.

What district do you represent?
I represent District 38, covering all of Rockland County except Stony Point. District 38 was Senator David Carlucci’s seat, partially in Rockland and Westchester. During redistricting last year, the district was smartly compacted into one county on the western side of the Hudson River. It’s a great district.

My district office is in Nanuet, which is in the middle of the county. I can be just about anywhere in my district within about 20 minutes from the district office. I think that makes for good governance. We can be responsive to any constituent in any village or to any localized need within 20 minutes.

Can you describe it for those who have never been there or highlight anything about your district?
One obvious landmark in my district is the Palisades Mall – a major attraction. Aside from that, we have great parks for recreation and various golf courses. Besides all the attractions, it’s a great place to raise a family. I was born and raised in Pearl River and live in Montebello with my wife and four kids. Schools are great in the district as well. We are also close to New York City, so we can enjoy all the city’s benefits while living in the suburbs.

What was your profession before becoming a legislator?
I have been a certified public accountant (CPA) in the state of New York since 1994. I was also a CFO for a golf course and real estate development company. I’m proud of the work I have done over the years, and taking my financial experiences to Albany was something that I felt was very important and useful in the Legislature.

What inspired you to run for office?
I got involved in politics at the local level because I was frustrated with what my local government was spending money on and what the state was doing. It’s very expensive to live in Rockland. I believe Rockland County is the second most expensive property tax county in the U.S., just behind Westchester County. It’s squeezing a lot of young folks out of the area and restricting a lot of the residents, especially the elderly and families living on fixed incomes, from being able to stay in the county. So I ran for office. I lost the Senate race in 2020 but returned in 2022 and beat the incumbent. With New York State going through very dire fiscal times in the coming years, I want to utilize the experience I’ve built up over 30 years in the private sector to get some common sense, fiscal responsibility, and fiscal restraints in the state.

What kind of music do you like? Do you have any favorite bands/artists?
I like a lot of music. I listen to anything from heavy metal, rock and roll, and stuff I grew up with, like Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. When driving, I always leave the SiriusXM on 80/90s pop – the music I grew up on. But, having a 13-year-old daughter, I admit I am also a Swifty. It brings my daughter and me closer, and it’s funny – suddenly, my 13-year-old daughter is interested in watching football on Sunday because Taylor Swift is dating a particular football star.

How about sports? Do you have any favorite N.Y. sports team or play any sports?
I am a Yankees fan. I also love college football, and I play golf. I am an avid golfer, and I especially love competitive golf. I’m involved in a men’s golf club and play at Spook Rock Golf Course in Suffern. Even though I grew up playing baseball, golf is the sport that resonated with me.

What do you like to do in your free time? Any favorite activities?
I love to spend time with my family and my four kids. One of my daughters goes to RPI, which is near Albany. So when I have time during session, I always visit her. One of my younger children is an avid runner and soccer player, so I love attending his games. I always like to participate in any school activities that my kids are part of to spend time with them.

What are/is your greatest/proudest legislative achievement(s)?
Last year was my first year in session, and I’m proud of the work that my team and I have done. We had a few localized bills passed that I’m very proud of. One was renaming a section of a highway near Saint Thomas Aquinas College, the Doc Schelin Memorial Highway. Dr. Schelin had a very big presence in the college and the community as a whole. Coming out of the private sector, I’ve seen states like New York have too many regulations and red tape. There are a lot of outstanding bills that were passed this year and signed into law the previous year. But my philosophy is that sometimes state governments overkill and overregulate. So, I like to help many of these localized bills get through in Albany. These local bills are very important to me and are extremely important to local residents.

Are there any members in particular that you like to work with or find yourself hanging out with a lot?
Being new to the Republican Conference, members like Patricia Canzoneri Fitzpatrick – she’s also a CPA and an attorney- and Jack Martins from Nassau County. I also have conversations and coordination with Democrats on the other side of the aisle. Rockland has four Assembly districts, two Republicans and two Democrats: Assemblymen McGowan and Brabenec, who are Republican, and Assemblymen Ken Zebrowski and Chris Eachus on the Democrat side. We worked great collaboratively. Whether it’s Democrat or Republican, I think we all love working together. We have constant meetings and updates with the county. We pride ourselves on really being hands-on and accessible to our local residents and our local government officials. It’s one of those middle-of-the-road counties where Democrats and Republicans get elected. So, we pride ourselves on being bipartisan.

As a ranking member of Budget and Revenue, are there any issues you see arising in 2024
The budget will be a challenging issue. In a conference I attended with local superintendents and education advocates, they were concerned about continuing all the progress and money that has been made available, like Foundation Aid, which should continue to be funded.

With the budget shortfall we’re going to see this year and the following years, we need to ensure we are vigilant in making sure the great programs put into place aren’t impacted by bad financial decisions. I would like to say there are wants and needs, but when you have a limited amount of money, you must take care of your family first. That’s your mortgage, your bills, your food bills. So, I utilize that same philosophy when it comes to government. The government should be taking care of our students in school, public and private, taking care of our roads and our bridges, and doing many of these infrastructure projects. Other pet projects the government might have can be funded when the government does not have a budget deficit. So, we should be taking care of the basics first, and I’ve outlined what those basics are. I hope we will focus on the basics first.

I’m also proud to be on a lot of other committees – to name a few: Education, Consumer Protection, and Disabilities. I’m very thankful to be appointed to these, and I’ll continue to advocate for those issues daily.

What advice would you give to young folks getting into politics?
I would say: get involved in politics. That would be the first thing. I’ve seen the younger generation - my daughter and her generation - being turned off by politics. That might be because both sides talk at each other, but they don’t talk to each other. You can still stand your ground on issues, but in the end, good governance is done when there’s compromise involved - not compromising your principles - but knowing there’s a certain give and take required to get things done. But first and foremost, don’t get turned off by politics. Don’t think every politician is a bad person. Focus on the good things about governance, try to make a difference, and change the things you don’t like about what’s happening in politics right now.

Any last comments you want to mention?
I’m proud to represent the residents of District 38, Rockland County, where I’ve lived my entire life. It’s a county where I want to see my kids return and raise a family like I have had the luxury of doing. I want to be able to make a positive impact on people’s daily lives. And I will continue to do so as long as I can.

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!

Uncertainty Over New Congressional Map

After the Independent Redistricting Commission released their new congressional map to the Legislature, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the new map, potentially jeopardizing the new map’s approval by the Legislature. “Instead of remedying several of the substantive issues raised by good government groups related to communities of interest, the IRC map ignores or exacerbates them in parts of New York State, including the upper Hudson Valley,” Jeffries said in a statement.

Several other Democratic lawmakers also criticized the map, with Senators James Skoufis and Sean Ryan already saying they would not vote for the map. Senator Liz Krueger explained that the new map “looks like they’re pretty much the maps that same one Republican judge from upstate New York with a temporary assignment and a few thousand people in his district decided to draw for us” and that it’s an “argument for the Legislature” to reject the map. Senator Kevin Thomas, who is running for Congress, also explained that he “has concerns about the proposed map.”

While Democrat State Party Chair Jay Jacobs said the Legislature should “carefully review” the new map, the state Democratic Rural Conference urged the Legislature to reject it. “These proposed lines will result once again in huge, uncompetitive congressional districts across much of upstate that promote extremism and leave members of the smaller party with representatives completely unsympathetic to their concerns,” the DRC said.

Several GOP lawmakers advocate for the Legislature to adopt the new map, with state GOP Chair Ed Cox explaining that the “voting public deserves to have continuity in district boundaries and to avoid chaos.” Governor Hochul explained that she would not get involved in whether the Legislature should approve or reject the new lines, “I will not be putting my finger on the scale. It’s not appropriate for me to do so.”

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

On Monday, Hochul announced a commitment by GlobalFoundaries to invest more than $11.6 billion over a decade to expand its semiconductor manufacturing site in the Capital Region. The investment will also build a new semiconductor manufacturing facility site in Malta and is expected to create more than 1,500 direct and thousands of indirect jobs. The investment will build upon a $10 billion publicly owned High NA EUV Lithography Center at NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex and reiterates Hochul’s commitment to expanding the semiconductor industry in the state. “New York State is becoming the best place on earth to build a business. Thanks to our pro-business policies, commitment to innovation, and best-in-the-nation workforce, green jobs and high-tech manufacturers are flocking to the Empire State,” Hochul explained.

On Tuesday, Hochul announced that more than $1.8 million was awarded for 26 projects along the Hudson River Estuary. The 26 projects were awarded due to their work in improving water quality, enhancing environmental education, and improving the preservation of resources for communities along the Hudson River. The awards build upon Hochul’s 2024 State of the State commitment to a climate change resiliency plan for communities prone to flooding and further support the state’s commitment to improve water infrastructure.

To address the affordable housing crisis and help unhoused individuals secure housing, Hochul expanded the Safe Options Support program to Long Island, Westchester, and Upstate. The Safe Options Support program was established in 2022 and has successfully helped 330 long-term unhoused individuals secure stable housing in NYC. The Safe Options Support uses critical time intervention, outreach, and referral-based teams to connect long-term unhoused individuals with a support network that can provide stable housing. The $34 million funding for the Safe Options Support program comes from the $1 billion Mental Health Plan in the 2024 Enacted Budget. “By establishing Safe Options Supports teams throughout the state and more widely recognizing the link between homelessness and behavioral health challenges, we can help more individuals living with unmet mental health needs find stability,” Hochul said.

Yesterday, Hochul announced a new card lock feature for EBT cards to protect against scam-related theft. The new feature will be available through the ConnectEBT app. This comes as cases of scammers using a “skimming device” to steal EBT benefits and personal information has become more prominent and builds upon a bill signed by Hochul in December, which requires stores that accept electronic benefit transfer cards to warn customers about skimming. “We will continue to take action to protect New Yorkers from scam-related theft and ensure that EBT cardholders have effective tools to protect their benefits,” Hochul explained.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

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

Republican Lawmakers Rally Against Proposed Cuts to CHIPS

Late last week, Senator Tom O’Mara, Assemblymember Phil Palmesano, and Assemblymember Chris Friend rallied to call on Hochul and Democratic lawmakers to restore a proposed $60 million cut to Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), the state’s primary source for local roads, bridges, and culverts. They also urged the Legislature to increase the CHIPS base funding by $200 million to a total of $789.1 million. The rally comes as a number of lawmakers and advocates criticized Hochul’s proposed Executive Budget for failing to recognize the impact of inflation on local municipalities and construction costs. “Governor Hochul is attempting to balance her budget by cutting fundamental responsibilities in education, transportation, and other key areas. It’s wrong, and it can’t stand,” O’Mara, Palmesano, and Friend said in a joint statement.

Hudson Valley Lawmakers Urge for More Infrastructure Funding

At a bi-partisan rally with the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Teamsters Local 456, lawmakers joined advocates to urge Hochul to increase DOT funding by $650 million in the 2025 budget. With state-owned roads in the Hudson Valley composing more lanes than any other region in the state and only receiving the third highest amount of state funding, advocates said increased funding from the state is necessary to repair the roads without utilizing local taxpayers’ money. “Consider what it would mean to the individual motorists who end up paying an average of $700, plus a year in extra road and tire repairs because of the poor conditions of our road,” Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky explained. “Reps, Dems, labor leaders, and construction advocates know the Hudson Valley’s road infrastructure has been underfunded for too long,” Assemblymember Matt Slater added.

Assemblymember Aileen Gunther Announces Retirement

Late last week Assemblymember Aileen Gunther, Chair of the Assembly Mental Health Committee, announced her retirement at the end of her term. She has served in the Assembly for over 20 years, first elected in 2003 in a special election, succeeding her late husband, Jacob Gunther. Before her election to the Assembly, she was a nurse and an HIV counselor in the Hudson Valley. She explained that even though she is stepping down from the Assembly at the end of her term, she is committed to continuing her work "securing funding for essential projects, providing resources and meaningful policy for our most vulnerable, our families, and our businesses, here and across the state.” Winning her last reelection bid by 56.6% of all total votes, some observers note that the race to succeed her might become one of the more competitive races this year.

Assemblymember Andy Goodell to Retire in November

Yesterday, Assemblymember Andy Goodell announced that he will retire at the end of his term. First elected in 2011, Goodell has served as minority floor leader since 2018. After retiring, Goodell said he plans to work as an attorney in the private sector. Before becoming an Assemblymember, Goodell served as Chautauqua County Attorney and as Chautauqua County Executive for eight years. “I am forever indebted to those who helped me along the way, gave me great advice and counsel, and shared their invaluable time and insights, both at home and in Albany,” Goodell said in a statement.

PRIMARY & ELECTION UPDATES

Democratic and Republican Candidates Line Up to Succeed Senator John Mannion

To succeed John Mannion’s Central New York Senate seat, the Oswego County Democratic Committee formally endorsed former Oswego County Legislator Tom Drumm. The Oswego County Democrat’s endorsement comes a week after the Onondaga County Democratic Committee officially endorsed Onondaga County Legislator Chris Ryan. With the Democrats choosing two different candidates, both Drumm and Ryan said they will compete to make it onto the June 25th primary election ballot. On the Republican side, both Oswego and Onondaga Republican committees endorsed Salina Town Supervisor Nick Paro. Mannion is currently running for the 22nd Congressional District seat.

Joe Sempolinski Announces Campaign for Joe Giglio's Assembly Seat

After Assemblymember Joe Giglio announced that he will not run for reelection, former Representative Joe Sempolinski announced that he is running for Giglio’s seat. Semplinski briefly served in Congress in 2022 after a special election to fill the remainder of former Rep. Tom Reed’s term and is currently Giglio’s Chief of Staff. For his reasoning to run, Sempolinski said, “This district is my home. I have spent years working with people throughout this district on both the state and federal issues that impact their lives and livelihoods, as a congressman, staff member and as a private citizen.” Sempolinski has already been endorsed by Senators Tom O’Mara and George Borrello.

Democratic and Republican Candidates for Fred Thiele's Assembly Seat

A week after Assemblymember Fred Thiele announced his retirement, Southampton Town Councilmember Tommy Schiavoni announced his intent to seek the Democratic nomination to succeed Thiele. Schiavoni, a social studies, history, and government teacher for Center Moriches School District, said that he’s running to succeed Thiele because he “understands how people can benefit from good government, and I will use my education and experience in Albany to improve the day to day lives of all East Enders.” On the Republican side, Shelter Island Town Attorney Stephen Kiely announced that the Suffolk Republican Party selected him. Kiely previously ran for Southold Town Board last year under the platform of “Keep It Rural,” and pledged to support the local agriculture industry and opposed Hochul’s housing mandate. Kiely is a former Senior Deputy County Clerk and Brookhaven Assistant Town Attorney.

Two Democrats Announce Their Candidacy for Pat Fahy's Assembly Seat

On Wednesday, Albany County Legislator Dustin Reidy announced his candidacy to succeed Assemblymember Pat Fahy, who is running for Neil Breslin’s Senate seat. Before becoming an Albany County Legislator, Reidy started the Albany for Obama campaign in 2007 and worked as a campaign manager for Representative Paul Tonko. “I’m a Paul Tonko Democrat,” explained Reidy. He said he would run “with a progressive policy vision and an energetic approach to bring every voice to the table.” Other than Reidy, Albany Common Councilor Owusu Anane has also announced his candidacy to succeed Fahy. Anane, who is also a public school teacher and a small business owner, explains that his “blend of experience uniquely equips [him] to understand the complexity of our district and the impact state policy has on everyday lives.”

OTHER UPDATES

Basil Seggos to Step Down as NYS DEC Commissioner

Earlier this week, Basil Seggos announced that he would step down as DEC commish after budget negotiations conclude this year. Seggos has led the DEC as commissioner since October 2015 under then-Governor Cuomo and previously served as the Deputy Secretary for the Environment in the Executive Chamber. In a letter sent to DEC staff, Seggos explained, “After more than eight years in this role, this is the right decision for me and my family. It’s time for a new chapter.” After Seggos leaves the DEC, Hochul must appoint a successor, whom the Senate must then confirm. Currently, the DEC, alongside NYSERDA, is working on implementing the state Cap-and-Invest program to support the state transition to a clean, renewable energy economy.

Eric Adams Cancels Another Round of PEG Budget Cuts

On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams announced another round of cancellations for the agency-wide PEG budget cuts. Adams explained that he canceled another round of PEG budget cuts due to “strong fiscal management, additional cuts to asylum-seekers spending, and better-than-expected economic performance.” The current round of PEG budget cuts was expected to occur in April. Adams explained that the city will also stop its hiring freeze, stating “The administration is moving from a near full hiring freeze to a 2-for-1 model and easing other than personal spending freeze restrictions.” City Council Speaker Adrienne Harris and Finance Chair Justin Brannan said they are “relieved” by the cancellation but are “looking forward” to analyzing the city’s preliminary budget and economic forecast.

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