Following savage dog attack, Assemblyman and Schenectady City Councilman call for new alert system to inform residents, dog walkers of those convicted of having a violation and dangerous dog in their neighborhood

Templeton before he was killed by two dangerous dogs

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) and Schenectady City Councilman Vince Riggi today announced they are pursuing new statewide and local legislation to create a new Dangerous Dog Alert to protect people and pets from irresponsible dog owners.

The legislation, which is being drafted, would instruct municipalities to alert constituents via the web, email or social media when an owner of a dangerous dog has been convicted.  The legislation would protect individual privacy by noting the block in which the violator lives in and not any identifying details such as names, addresses or phone numbers. 

Since the Dangerous Dog Alerts would piggyback on existing technology such as a town or city website, email, facebook page or twitter, there should not be any additional cost to local governments to inform the public of a dangerous dog on a block through this list of violations.

Tedisco recently met with Rebecca Cigal of Niskayuna, who on June 30^th took her dog Templeton for a walk on Dean Street in Schenectady, when two dogs that had two previous charges of attacking others, savagely mauled Templeton, ultimately killing the dog.  

Assemblyman partners with Saratoga County Sheriff Zurlo, Clifton Park Supervisor Barrett, local police, Martin, Harding & Mazzotti, Stewart’s Shops, Friendly’s, Hayner’s Ice Cream Hall of Fame, Ben & Jerry’s to encourage kids to wear bike helmets for safety

Exercise safely this summer and get free ice cream to beat the heat. That’s the goal of the innovative Safe Summer Bike Helmet program founded by Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville). Tedisco is again partnering with 12 police departments in Saratoga, Schenectady and Albany Counties to distribute thousands of “good tickets” for free ice cream to reward children who wear their helmets while bicycling, skateboarding, and rollerblading.

It’s the law in New York State that children up to age 14 must wear a bicycle helmet.

According to the New York State Department of Health, about 54 New Yorkers are killed each year in bicycle crashes and 2,000 residents are hospitalized due to bike-related injuries, 38 percent of which involve a brain injury.  Head injuries are the leading cause of death and permanent disability in bicycle crashes, accounting for more than 60 percent of bike-related deaths. Head injuries account for more than two-thirds of bicycle-related hospitalizations and one-third of emergency room visits for bike accidents.

The Safe Summer Program aims to address these alarming statistics by using positive reinforcement to get all neighborhood kids into the habit of wearing their helmets for safe biking, in-line skating, or riding a skateboard or scooter. 

Assemblyman also driving force behind passage of constitutional amendment on November ballot to save taxpayers $53 million by going digital at State Capitol and stop wasting paper; notes passage of bill he co-sponsored to extend state pension benefits to veterans

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) today announced that the New York State Legislature has passed three of his bills to help taxpayers in the towns of Clifton Park and Ballston in the 112^th Assembly District.

One Tedisco bill (A.9608/S.7279), is an amendment to enable the Town of Clifton Park to lease a cell phone tower on a light pole at the Clifton Common town park. Revenues received from the lease will be dedicated toward capital improvements to existing park and recreation facilities to benefit residents in Clifton Park.

Another Tedisco bill that passed today (A.9603A/S.7238A), authorizes the Town of Clifton Park to convey an easement for the placement of underground facilities and fiber optics at Veterans Memorial Park at Elks Trail on MacElroy Road, and allows access to adjacent private lands at the Clifton Park Elks Lodge. This legislation will improve cellular service in the area. In addition, revenues received from the lease of the easement will go to capital improvements to existing park and recreation facilities within Clifton Park.

Assemblyman calls on Governor, Legislature to wait three days to enable lawmakers, public and media to read and comment on major legislation

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) tonight sounded the government transparency alarm bells as the Governor and legislative leaders are reportedly preparing messages of necessity to push through several high profile bills that will affect the lives of millions of New Yorkers.

Today is the last day of the scheduled 2014 New York State Legislative session and instead of delaying its summer break by a few days to adhere to the constitutionally mandated three-day waiting period to give time to review legislation on medical marijuana, teacher evaluations and, perhaps, other issues, they likely will ramrod measures through in the dead of night.

Tedisco & Ball Join John Hargrove, Former SeaWorld Killer Whale Trainer Featured in “Blackfish”, Yakkul a Dog Rescued by U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan, and Nimee, a Disabled Pooch that uses a Wheelchair, for 4^th Annual NYS Animal Advocacy Day

Special event in Albany brings together lawmakers, law enforcement and hundreds of pet owners and animal advocates to raise awareness of need to protect pets and people

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) and Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I-Patterson) today held the 4^th  Annual NYS Animal Advocacy Day in Albany to bring together lawmakers, law enforcement and hundreds of pet owners and advocates to raise awareness of the need to protect pets and people from violence.

The special event was emceed by Steve Caporizzo from Pet Connection and featured John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld Killer Whale trainer featured in the acclaimed documentary “Blackfish,” Yakkul, a dog from Afghanistan, that was adopted by a U.S. Special Forces officer from Valatie, and Nimee, a disabled dog that uses a wheelchair to get around. 

Other guests included Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney, who prosecuted the original case that inspired the passage of Buster’s animal cruelty felony law, Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo and two K-9 units, and Richard and Rosemarie Nash who adopted Hudson, one of the Railroad Puppies that was nailed to railroad tracks in Albany.  Tedisco and Ball also were joined by Saratoga Springs philanthropist and animal advocate, Michele Riggi and her dog, Queenie, a rescue dog that was devocalized prior to its adoption and rescued by Riggi, and acting dog Bocker the Labradoodle who has had numerous film and television appearances.

This bipartisan event enabled animal supporters to network, share information and lobby their legislators to raise awareness of the need to protect pets and people from abuse. Over 30 exhibitors including rescues, shelters, and animal advocacy groups took part.

“It’s hard to read a newspaper or watch the news and not learn of yet another disturbing case of animal cruelty and neglect.  While we’ve made great strides in protecting our four-legged friends since the passage of the landmark Buster’s Law in 1999, there are still many miles to go in New York State to protect our pets. I’m pleased to join with Senator Ball and our colleagues, members of law enforcement and hundreds of animal advocates to call for the toughest laws in the nation to keep our pets and fellow humans safe,” said Tedisco.

Lawmakers seek first-in-the-nation set-aside program to enable service-disabled

veterans to participate in annual state legislative internship program

In advance of Memorial Day, New York State Senator Bill Larkin (R,C-Cornwall-on-Hudson), a World War II and Korean War combat veteran, and Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) today introduced new legislation to create the G.I.V.E. Back NY program (Giving Internships for disabled Veterans not fully Employed) to enable disabled veterans to participate in the Assembly and Senate’s annual legislative internship program.

Tedisco and Larkin’s legislation (A.9774/S.7626) sets aside 10 percent of the current Assembly Session Internship and Senate Student program positions for service-disabled veterans to apply to be part of this first-in-the-nation pilot initiative.  

Belle, a former thoroughbred, was shot in the lung with an arrow; Assemblyman says animal cruelty case highlights need for stronger laws to protect pets, horses and why he’s holding NYS Animal Advocacy Day on May 28th

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville), the driving force behind passage of the landmark Buster’s Law animal felony cruelty law, today called for the killer of an Albany County horse to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Yesterday morning, a rescued former thoroughbred horse named Belle was found dead after being killed by an arrow from a crossbow.  Law enforcement believe Belle’s death was intentional and not accidental. 

The punishment under Buster’s Law is two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.  A suspect in Belle’s death has not yet been arrested or charged.

Tedisco is sponsoring legislation, (A.4515) known as “Sky’s Law”, named after a horse in Hoosick that was stabbed to death, that would clear up any confusion in the law and add horses that are treated as pets to Buster’s Law and provide them with companion animal protections.

State Senator and Assemblyman receive key endorsement

The Saratoga County Independence Party has unanimously endorsed Senator Hugh T. Farley (R,C,I-Niskayuna) for re-election to represent the 49^th Senate District and Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) for the reelection to the 112^th Assembly District seat. 

The 49^th Senate District covers all or part of five counties.  In Saratoga County, the 49^th Senate District includes the Towns of Ballston, Charlton, Clifton Park, Corinth, Day, Edinburg, Galway, Hadley, Malta, Milton and Providence, and part of the City of Saratoga Springs.

The 112^th Assembly District includes the towns of Ballston, Charlton, Clifton Park, Galway, Glenville, Greenfield, Halfmoon, Milton and Providence.

New Yorkers finally can keep a buck for themselves as state observes nation’s 3^rd latest Tax Freedom Day, worst business climate, highest tax burden & 2^nd highest income taxes

Time to celebrate, New York. Today is our Tax Freedom Day -- the day when taxpayers have symbolically worked long enough to pay off all of their tax bills at the federal, state and local levels and take a buck home.

Unfortunately, the Empire State has the third latest date in the nation for when taxpayers pay off all their tax obligations and start pocketing their hard-earned money to pay for things like mortgage, groceries, car payments, electric bills and college tuition.

“New Yorkers have been working their tails off for over four months to fill the government’s coffers. Taxpayers can start keeping those dollars for themselves and their families now that Tax Freedom Day has at long last arrived.  Unfortunately, despite what some television commercials suggest, New York is anything but tax free.  While the Empire State has made some modest progress in getting New York working again, there’s still much to do to free taxpayers from the Tax Hell of being stuck at the bottom of the nation’s barrel for economic competitiveness and tax freedom,” said Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville).  

New Yorkers finally can keep a buck for themselves as state observes nation’s 3^rd latest Tax Freedom Day, worst business climate, highest tax burden & 2^nd highest income taxes

In New York, “everybody’s working for the weekend” is more than a song, it’s reality as this weekend is literally what everybody in the state’s been working for since January 1^st.

This Sunday, May 4^th, is Tax Freedom Day -- the day when taxpayers have symbolically worked long enough to pay off all of their tax bills at the federal, state and local levels and take a buck home.

Unfortunately, the Empire State has the third latest date in the nation for when taxpayers pay off all their tax obligations and start pocketing their hard-earned money to pay for things like mortgage, groceries, car payments, electric bills and college tuition.

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) today joined with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB NY), Unshackle Upstate, the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce to call attention to this ignominious distinction and note that while progress has been made, there’s a lot more work to be accomplished to help taxpayers escape from New York’s Tax Hell.