Friday Morning Brief October 20, 2023

Oct 19

Written By Michael Avella

Member Highlight:

Senator James Skoufis

For today's Member Spotlight, Senator James Skoufis joins us to talk about his district, himself, and his experience in the Senate. He was first elected to the Assembly at the age of 24 in 2012, where he served for six years. In 2018, he was elected to the Senate, where he currently chairs the Senate's Committee on Investigations and Government Operations. He has long advocated for his district, better schools across the state and stronger infrastructure and is committed to fighting corruption. He is also a member of other committees, including Labor, Environmental Conservation, and Corporations, Authorities and Commissions.

What district do you represent? Can you describe it for those that have never been there? What do you like the most about your district?
I proudly represent the 42nd Senate District which encompasses almost all of Orange County. Prior to redistricting, I represented parts of Orange, Rockland, and Ulster counties. Orange County is at the edge of the often-disputed upstate/downstate boundary and includes exurban and more rural communities. West Point, Storm King Art Center, Woodbury Common, Legoland, Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks, Hudson River waterfront, and so much more is found in the Senate District. We get the best of both worlds here: a beautiful environment plus proximity to New York City and all of its offerings.

What did you do before becoming a legislator?
After completing college, I moved back to Woodbury where I grew up (yes, people live there, it's not just an outlet mall). I commuted daily into Manhattan for about four years working in project management while serving on my local town board.

Why did you get into politics? What made you want to be a legislator and what is your favorite part of being a legislator?
As a first generation Greek-American, I'm proud that democracy's lineage is traced to ancient Greece, a time when politics was viewed as a noble profession - individuals entered government to represent their neighbors, be their voice, and make a difference in society. While most average people today likely view politics as anything but noble, I became a legislator because in its truest, most basic form, politics is a vehicle by which one can have an enormously positive impact on lives and communities. I take that responsibility seriously and find the work incredibly rewarding.

What kind of music do you like - any favorite bands/artists?
Representing a district that requires a lot of driving, you'll either catch me on bluetooth making work calls or tuned into my favorite radio stations, all of which are either adult contemporary or classic rock. Taylor Swift is at or near the top of my favorite active artists and I'm not ashamed to say it.

How about sports - any favorite NY sports team and any favorite sports/activities to play?
I'm a big Mets fan - born in 1987 - and still waiting for my first championship, but I'm not bitter or anything.

Favorite foods? Any favorite places to eat in your district?
Put me on an island with steak and pasta and I'll be a-ok for a very long while.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy spending as much time as possible with my 2 1/2 year old daughter, Ava. When not working or with my family, I'm passionate about traveling and generally seeing the world and all it has to offer, seeking out thrills, including but not limited to roller coaster parks, and I am extremely competitive. Back in my heyday, I was pretty good at table tennis. In my current day, I'm pretty so-so at curling.

What are/is your greatest/proudest legislative achievement(s) this year?
The continued expansion of universal pre-k, enactment of a state-appointed monitor within the Orange County IDA, passing legislation to move town and county elections to even-numbered years.

Any favorite priority/issues throughout your legislative career?
Two issue areas I've focused on throughout my time in the State Legislature are early childhood education and being a watchdog for middle-class taxpayers.

What was the most challenging piece of legislation/policy that you worked on this year?
The budget provision to install a monitor within the Orange County IDA was extremely challenging because the local pushback from members of the "good ol' boys club" in Orange County was (albeit expected) fierce. Fortunately, taxpayers and I won the fight and, in short order, a monitor is going to be named and accountability will finally be coming to the Orange County IDA.

As Chair of the Investigations & Government Ops Committee, any particular priorities you foresee arising in the space next year?
Upon becoming chair of the committee, we made a point to resuscitate the long-dormant "investigations" component of the investigations and government operations committee. We typically turn out two to three months-long investigations each year that expose major challenges within issue areas and, importantly, develop a legislative response to each. Our next investigation focuses on a particular energy project and potential state corruption.

What is your office going to focus on for the fall and winter?
The fall is an opportune time for constituent outreach. I visit many of my senior clubs, attend the many annual street fairs and festivals throughout the district, and collaborate with local leaders on local problems. Preparing for the 2024 session will come into focus during the winter months later this year as we get our legislation ready for introduction or re-introduction as well as building coalitions for my priority bills.

What are your priorities/goals for next year?
By all accounts, we will be facing a substantial deficit heading into budget negotiations next year so my top priority will be to ensure we enact a balanced budget that, while trimming wasteful spending, protects those programs and projects that I feel are advantageous to the district I represent. In the 2022 budget, I successfully pushed for a provision to audit all of the state's major economic development programming. With the results of that audit coming at the end of this year, that's one space where we will likely be able to find savings in the 2024 negotiations.

What advice would you give to young folks getting into politics?
Start local, develop relationships, find mentors willing to take you under their wings and put in the work. Advancing in politics, with rare exception, requires a lot of determination, blood, sweat, and occasionally tears. It's not for the faint of heart but it's incredibly rewarding if you're in it for the right reasons.

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!

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

After Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, Governor Hochul reiterated her support and solidarity for the State of Israel and its citizens. “New York is proud to be home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, and as the community grieves today, we stand in solidarity with them,” Hochul said. In addition to directing state landmarks to be illuminated in blue and white, Hochul also led a bipartisan coalition of seventeen governors to issue a joint letter to congressional leaders expressing broad support for Israel and commitment to work with the Department of State for the safe return of Americans captured by Hamas.

Hochul visited Israel this week - embarking on Wednesday and set to return today - on a “solidarity mission” in an effort to symbolize the connection between the NYS and Israel. Hochul visited the Old City of Jerusalem and met with:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli President Isaac Herzog
Israel’s Ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog

Additionally, Hochul met with Israeli families impacted by the attacks on October 7th and with four families of American citizens whom Hamas had taken hostage. Although Hochul acknowledged that her visit would not have a geopolitical impact, she explained, “The community feels, in Israel and in New York, that my going during these times will be the most significant symbol of their importance to us than anything else we could do.”

Building upon the nation’s first-ever comprehensive statewide cybersecurity strategy that was announced in August, Hochul issued a proclamation designating October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month to highlight the importance of cybersecurity for businesses and individuals across the state. The proclamation and the statewide cybersecurity strategy builds upon Hochul’s 2023 State of the State proposal to invest in cybersecurity initiatives. “Through this designation, we are shining a bright light on the need for our citizens and businesses to be vigilant in the face of cyber threats that have become more numerous and more sophisticated,” explains Hochul. The proclamation focuses on:

Enabling multi-factor authentication
Using strong passphrases
Updating software
Combatting phishing

Last week, Hochul announced a ten-point outline of comprehensive state actions to expand the large-scale renewable energy industry to support the state’s CLCPA goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 and at least 85% from 1990 levels by 2050. The ten-point Action Plan will provide guidelines and benchmarks for combatting future economic challenges that have recently impacted the state’s renewable energy sector. These actions include further state investment in transmission infrastructure, renewable supply chain, and increasing industry stakeholders and public output. “This 10-point action plan underscores our commitment to addressing challenges that this sector is experiencing all across the country and hardens our resolve to ramp up our efforts in providing affordable and clean energy to all New Yorkers,” Hochul explained.

To further support the state’s CLCPA goals, Hochul announced the launch of a $10 million Empire Technology Prize. The competitive opportunity focuses on improving low-carbon heating system technologies in tall commercial and multifamily buildings. Industry experts will review proposals submitted by applicants who be eligible to receive up to $1 million per proposal. $250,000 will be given to the finalists, with up to $75,000 in milestone payments for progressing their solutions. A total of $2 million will also help finalists offset the costs of installing solutions. One proposal will be chosen as the winner at the end of the program in June 2025 and will be awarded an additional $1 million. Applications are currently open until March 22, 2024.

Following an update from the IRS that the federal IRS’ e-tooling will be integrated with the state’s e-filing tools as part of a limited pilot program in 2024, Hochul announced this week that the state will partner with Code for America to help eligible individuals and families electronically file their taxes for free. This announcement builds upon Hochul’s 2023 State of the State commitment to improving access to government benefits and services. “Thanks to this first-of-its-kind partnership, New York is taking a major step toward modernizing our tax system and making it even easier for New Yorkers to access their tax benefits,” explained Hochul.

Yesterday, Hochul announced that $236 million had been allocated through bonds and subsidies to establish 732 affordable and sustainable homes to expand the state's housing supply by supporting four developments in the Capital Region, Finger Lakes, and Hudson Valley. The new investment will modernize public housing with sustainable features and provide onsite services for unhoused individuals. This investment is part of Hochul’s $25 billion Housing Plan to establish 100,000 affordable homes and support the state CLCPA’s goals of establishing carbon-neutral homes. “This investment will support the creation and preservation of more than 700 affordable homes for seniors, veterans, and families and breathe new life into valuable public housing that is essential to making New York more affordable and livable for all,” said Hochul.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Bills to Protect Youth Mental Health and Privacy from Social Media Introduced

Last week, with support from Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, two bills were introduced in the Legislature to mitigate social media’s impacts on childrens' mental health and to prevent the collection of personal data from minors. The SAFE Act would require social media companies to restrict addictive features on their platforms, such as the use of algorithms, to protect youths' mental health. The state’s Child Data Protection Act would prohibit all websites from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data from minors unless given consent by their parents (or if it is strictly necessary for the website). Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic are sponsors of both bills. “The New York Child Data Protection Act will provide defenses in an era where digital platforms often overstep boundaries. In a world where our children live much of their lives online, it’s imperative that we establish clear boundaries to protect their privacy,” explained Rozic.

Alcohol Legislation Package Signed by Hochul

Last weekend, Hochul signed a legislative package designed to enhance the state’s alcoholic beverage laws for consumers and business owners. One notable bill signed by Hochul allows the retail sale of beer, mead, braggot and cider on Sundays, and another bill allows liquor and wine stores to expand their Sunday hours. The signing of the bills comes after the Legislature and Hochul were planning to overhaul the state’s alcohol laws during this year’s legislative session, including a proposal to allow supermarkets to sell wines that did not pass the Legislature. Other bills signed by Hochul include extend ing the length of validity of a brewer’s license from one year to three years, allowing retail stores to sell complementary alcoholic gifts, adding parcels of land to alcohol manufacturers and retailers, and allowing businesses to store alcoholic drinks in pressurized dispensing machines.

Assemblymember Al Stirpe Runs for Senate

On Tuesday, Assemblymember Al Stirpe officially announced his campaign for Senator John Mannion’s Upstate Senate seat. Mannion is vacating his seat after the 2024 election to run for Congress. Mannion endorsed Stirpe and joined his announcement on Tuesday alongside Senator Rachel May and Assemblymember Bill Magnarelli. “Central New York needs a pragmatic voice in the New York State Senate. As a member of the New York State Assembly, Al Stirpe has delivered that voice for years… I am proud to endorse him to serve our region as Senate District 50’s next Senator,” said Mannion. “This is one thing that I look at as a real challenge,” said Stirpe, acknowledging the challenges of the campaign. Last year, Mannion won reelection by just ten votes. Nevertheless, Stirpe explained, “I think what’s really most important is the Senate Majority Conference needs more moderate voices in the conference, more upstate moderate voices…”

Commuter Vans Exemption from Congestion Pricing Bill Introduced

With NYC to implement congestion pricing in Downtown Manhattan, Senator John Liu introduced a bill this week to exempt commuter vans from the congestion pricing surcharge to support commuter vans that provide language-accessible transportation for immigrant communities in the city. The MTA’s Traffic Mobility Board is still considering the final plan for implementing congestion pricing, including the surcharge, which could range from as low as $9 to as high as $23. This led many groups and lawmakers in the city to seek exemptions, with Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton introducing a bill earlier this summer to exempt residents from Staten Island. MTA hopes congestion pricing will generate at least $1 billion to help invest in buses and subways.

Assembly Holds Public Hearing on Impact of A.I. in the Workforce

Yesterday, the Assembly’s Committee on Labor and Committee on Science and Technology hosted a joint public hearing on the impact of AI on the state’s workforce. Many testified about the importance of implementing new regulations on AI to protect workers, data privacy, and in individuals going through the hiring process. Notably, various unions joined the hearing to testify, including SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters, and the Public Employees Federation. The hearing comes as AI has garnered interest from lawmakers this year on its benefits and impacts across various categories, including in media publications, criminal evidence gathering, the state’s workforce, and a broad AI bill of rights to provide individuals rights and protection from AI decision-making.

Senator Skoufis Launches Investigation into Orange County Power Plant

Earlier this month, Senator Skoufis, the Chair of the Senate Investigations Committee, launched an investigation into how Competitive Power Venture’s (CPV) Valley Energy Center in Orange County was approved to be built. The Valley Energy Center originally obtained a permit to operate in 2013 from the Department of Environmental Conservation. However, the renewal of the permit was declined in 2018 after allegations of corruption between a CPV senior executive and a former executive deputy secretary for Andrew Cuomo. The Valley Energy Center is currently operating under a pre-construction Air State Facility permit. “The focus of the investigation is focused on communications that took place, or potentially took place, [between] former Governor Cuomo’s administration, CPV and the DEC, and determining if there was undue influence, inappropriate communications, interference in the permitting process,” explained Skoufis. The investigation will likely take several months before a final report with findings and recommendations can be published.

OTHER UPDATES

State's Medicaid Spending Billions Over Budget

According to last month’s report on state funds from the Comptroller’s office, the state spent a total of $19.7 billion on Medicaid spending. That was $2.8 billion more than projected in the 2024 financial plan set by the Division of Budget. It was anticipated that the state would have originally spent 62% of its annual Medicaid budget during the year’s first half. However, the Comptroller’s report highlights that the state has already spent 72% of the budget. This is amidst a projected budget deficit totaling $36 billion over the next three years, with $9.1 billion next year, $13.9 billion for the following year, and $13.4 million for the year after.

New Leaders for the State's Working Families Party

Earlier this week, the state’s Working Families Party appointed Ana Marie Archila and Jasmine Gripper as co-directors. The small but influential progressive third party was seen as crucial in its support for Hochul’s gubernatorial election last year and is now strategizing to flip seats in the state to support the state's Democratic Party. Archila and Gripper also hope to increase its influence against moderate Democrats across the state. Archila explains, “Our goal is to get progressive leaders who truly identify as Working Family Party candidates and whose values are aligned in key places.” Archila and Gripper are well-known in the political organizing and non-profit world: Archila is the co-founder of Make the Road New York, and Gripper is the executive director of the Alliance of Quality Education.

Five New Charter Schools Approved for NYC

This week, SUNY Trustees approved the opening of five new charter schools in NYC. The five charter schools are:

Bed Stuy New Beginnings Charter School 2 (set to open in August 2024)
Central Queens Academy Charter School II (set to open in August 2024)
Haven Charter High School (set to open in August 2025)
Kwenda Collegiate Girls Charter School (set to open in August 2025)
MESA Charter High School 2 (set to open in August 2025)

These charter schools have been on hold since 2019 due to a state law limiting the number of charter schools in the city. However, the approval of these charter schools comes after Hochul and the Legislature agreed this year to revive 22 “zombie” charter schools across the state, with 14 new charter schools in the city and eight new charter schools outside the city.

Mayor Adams Limits Shelter Stays to 60 Days for Asylum-Seekers

In the ongoing asylum seeker crisis in NYC, Mayor Eric Adams announced this Monday his intent to limit shelter stays for asylum-seekers with children to 60 days in order to ease the burden on the city’s housing and shelter system. The city will provide additional support for asylum-seekers leaving the city’s care system to help secure housing. This comes as the city announced that 64,100 asylum-seekers are in the city’s shelters, with more than 600 asylum-seekers arriving daily. “With over 64,100 asylum seekers still in the city’s care and thousands more migrants arriving every week, expanding this policy to all asylum seekers in our care is the only way to help migrants take the next steps on their journeys,” explained Adams.

In Memoriam: Governor Hochul's father John "Jack" P. Courtney, 87, passed away on Wednesday in Florida. He died of a sudden brain hemorrhage. The governor learned of his death as she was visiting the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.

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