Assembly Majority misses opportunity by electing new speaker without

enacting necessary reforms to change how Albany works  

Statement from Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville)

“This is a day that will go down in history, unfortunately for all the wrong reasons. It’s the day that hope for reform died in the New York State Assembly as the Assembly Majority turned its back on the taxpayers of New York State by rushing to elect a new Speaker without advancing necessary reforms to change the way Albany operates.  On this day, they turned reform into political expediency.”

“This isn’t about any one individual as a leader, but about the missed opportunity to change for the better, the way this Chamber serves its constituents by creating greater transparency to empower rank and file lawmakers to be a part of the process to attack government corruption through reform.”

“Last week, the Assembly Majority created a so-called ‘Reform Caucus’ to change the way this legislative body operates.  This turned out to be the shortest-lived legislative caucus I’ve ever seen.  May it not rest in peace.”

“Perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to truly let sunlight shine in the Assembly Chamber has been squandered.  The Majority’s actions today will not be remembered for what they did but for what they didn’t do.  Sadly, I fear if you want a crystal ball prediction of what’s to come moving forward, look to the past.”

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Statement from Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville)

“I’ve said for many years that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver should resign based on his lack of leadership in his support of policies that have been tantamount to political malpractice and have devastated the Upstate economy.”

“And now, further, the news about the five-count federal indictment on federal corruption charges against Silver will be an enormous distraction and prevent him from credibly leading the Assembly, especially as the budget process kicks into overdrive in this high stakes year for New York’s economy and our citizens.”

“Silver should resign as Speaker immediately for the good of our state.”

Statement from Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) on Governor’s

Proposed 2015-16 State Budget

“I’m heartened that the Governor has embraced my proposal in the state budget to better protect the men and women who keep New Yorkers safe, our police officers, by equipping their vehicles with bullet proof glass as I first called for on December 21, 2014.”

“If it is good enough for high-ranking government officials and dignitaries to ride around in cars with bullet-proof glass, then it should be for our cops who put their lives on the line and are being tracked down and murdered like prey With this move, New York is sending the message that all lives matter including the lives of those who wear the blue uniform and who day-in, day-out put their lives on the live to protect ours.”

“A bi-partisan group of my colleagues including Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), Senator Phil Boyle (R,C,I-Suffolk County), Senator Marty Golden (R,C,I-Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R,C,I-Brooklyn-Staten Island) have introduced legislation (S.1710) to begin to establish an income tax check-off to make permanent this public safety initiative and expand funding to retrofit more law enforcement vehicles in New York State with the best protective bullet proof glass for all windows.”

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State Legislators to Introduce New Legislation to Retrofit All Police Vehicles in NYS with the Best Protective Bullet-Proof Glass to Help Save Lives

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville), Senator Phil Boyle (R,C,I-Suffolk County), Senator Marty Golden (R,C,I-Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R,C,I-Brooklyn-Staten Island) today said they will introduce new legislation when the legislature returns to require all police vehicles in New York State to have bullet proof glass on the windows to better protect the men and women who keep New Yorkers safe – our police officers.

Tedisco, Boyle, Golden and Malliotakis’s legislation, which is being drafted, would have the bullet proof glass installed in police cars over a phased-in period starting with the NYPD.  The lawmakers are calling for part of the $5.1 billion state surplus to be used to pay for the statewide retrofit.

Yesterday, a gunman mercilessly assassinated NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu through the front passenger window of their patrol car as the police officers sat keeping watch over a neighborhood in Brooklyn. 

Assemblyman who led fight to stop 45% truck toll hike in 2012, warns Thruway Authority quietly eyeing 49% toll hike on motorists – just in time for the holidays

Here we go again! Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) today is sounding the taxpayer transparency alert on the New York State Thruway Authority which reportedly is secretly planning a whopping 49 percent toll hike on motorists who drive on the Thruway.

 The Thruway Authority Board is planning on meeting on December 15^th in Albany and up for consideration is the Authority’s budget which suggests a 5 percent toll hike in 2015 and another 44 percent toll increase by 2018.

State Assembly implementing Tedisco’s initiative to enable veterans to

participate in annual legislative internship program

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) today announced that the New York State Assembly is implementing his initiative to recruit veterans and members of the military who are enrolled in college to serve in the 2015 legislative internship program.

On February 4, 2014, Tedisco held a press conference with his colleagues and several veterans calling on the Assembly to set aside a minimum of 10 percent of the current Internship program positions for veterans, specifically service-disabled veterans, to apply to be part of this first-in-the-nation pilot initiative (G.I.V.E. Back NY—Giving Internships to Veterans not fully Employed).  Every member of the Assembly Republican Conference signed a letter to Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assembly Intern Chair Deborah Glick calling for implementation of G.I.V.E. Back NY (See attached).

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

veterans to participate in annual state legislative internship program

On Veterans Day, Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) and New York State Senator Bill Larkin (R,C-Cornwall-on-Hudson), a World War II and Korean War combat veteran, today called on the state Legislature 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. 

The G.I.V.E. Back NY program can also be implemented administratively by the Assembly and Senate leadership.

 “On Veterans Day and every day, we are thankful for everything our veterans have given us so that we are safe and free as Americans. Who better than our wounded warriors to see the inner workings of the republic and representative democracy they put their lives on the line for to the extent they now have to deal with a life-long disability,” said Tedisco.

Statement from Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) on New Case of Animal Hoarding at Schaghticoke Home that has Over 100 Cats

“Today’s news of the New York State Police finding over 100 cats at a home in decrepit conditions in Schaghticoke is why New York needs to stop the insanity of animal hoarding and pass a statewide registry of convicted animal abusers as I have sponsored (A.8443).”

“A statewide registry of convicted animal abusers will protect our animals and people from harm by ensuring abusers never own an animal again and require them to undergo psychiatric evaluation and treatment. If we don't have this three-step approach in place (registry, psychiatric evaluation and banning them from ever owning an animal) then these individuals will just keep on hoarding, creating dangerous health conditions in these neighborhoods and leading to animal cruelty, abuse and neglect.”

“Never forget, animal cruelty is a bridge crime and on the FBI profile as those who are so dastardly as to harm animals can, and do go on to harm people,” said Tedisco the driving force behind passage of the landmark Buster’s animal cruelty felony law, and Chair of the annual New York State Animal Advocacy Day.

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By Assemblyman Jim Tedisco

New York’s Founding Fathers were wise in creating a state constitution that made sure lawmakers, the public and media could review legislation on their desks for at least three days before it is debated and voted on.

But they never envisioned the new digital technology of social media with iPads, laptops and smart phones as a means of delivering information. 

On Election Day, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment, Proposition 2, that will help save tax dollars and the environment by enabling the state legislature to go digital with its communications.

Proposition 2, which I sponsored, debated and promoted, would allow digital copies of legislation to suffice on a state legislator’s desk, thereby cutting down on the hundreds of thousands of pieces of paper at the state Capitol.

Proposition 2 will be found on the back side of the ballot on Election Day.

On average, there are 17,000 to 18,000 bills introduced during each two-year legislative term.  Every bill that’s introduced is printed a minimum of 213 times to “age’ on 213 legislative desks for at least three days.

During budget time, the Assembly, Senate and Governor each have their own version of the state budget document that often goes through multiple amendments. One budget bill could contain hundreds of pages of content and there’s typically 10 budget bills each year.

It’s enough to make your head spin. Clearly, the Capitol is drowning in paper.

Two dangerous dogs who fatally mauled Templeton, a 24-pound terrier on June 30^th, have been furloughed by the City and now have gone missing with the owner refusing to talk

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Glenville) today blasted the ineptitude and utter disregard for public safety displayed by the City of Schenectady for releasing two dangerous dogs that have a long rap sheet for mauling and killing, and then losing track of the dogs.

On June 30^th, the two dogs owned by Sean McKearn of 1269 Dean Street in Schenectady, leapt out a window and savagely mauled a dog named Templeton that was out for a walk on a leash with his owner Rebecca Cigal of Niskayuna. Templeton, a 24-pound terrier mix, ultimately died from the injuries.   

McKearn’s dangerous dogs were involved in two previous attacks on people and pets.  The City just released the dogs to McKearn with the promise that they would be kept at a veterinary clinic.  However, the whereabouts of the vicious animals are currently unknown.