The January 6th Edition of City & State Magazine

Meet the New State Legislators

Exclusive Q&A with Dean Skelos

2015

January 6, 2015

Legislative Launch SPECIAL ISSUE

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January 6, 2015

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TAKING THE LEAD

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A Q&A with Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos

MEET THE NEW STATE SENATORS

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George Amedore, Leroy Comrie, Tom Croci, Rich Funke, Jesse Hamilton, Terrence Murphy, Robert Ortt, Marc Panepinto, Sue Serino, Michael Venditto

MEET THE NEW ASSEMBLYMEMBERS:

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Charles Barron, Rodneyse Bichotte, Michael Blake, Erik Dilan, Kimberly Jean-Pierre, Latoya Joyner, Todd Kaminsky, Peter Lawrence, Guillermo Linares, Dean Murray, Roxanne Persaud, Rebecca Seawright, Jo Anne Simon, Latrice Walker, Carrie Woerner, Angela Wozniak, Karl Brabenec

PERSPECTIVES

34......

Bruce Gyory on the potential pitfalls of second terms

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Office Administrator Jeff Stein jstein@cityandstateny.com Distribution Czar Dylan Forsberg

EDITORIAL Executive Editor Michael Johnson mjohnson@cityandstateny.com Albany Bureau Chief Jon Lentz jlentz@cityandstateny.com Albany Reporter Ashley Hupfl ahupfl@cityandstateny.com Buffalo Reporter Chris Thompson cthompson@cityandstateny.com Policy Reporter Wilder Fleming wfleming@cityandstateny.com Columnists Alexis Grenell, Nicole Gelinas, Michael Benjamin, Seth Barron, Jim Heaney, Gerson Borrero, Susan Arbetter

PRODUCTION

Exclusive Q&A with Dean Skelos

Art Director Guillaume Federighi gfederighi@cityandstateny.com

2015

January 6, 2015

Graphic Designer Michelle Yang myang@cityandstateny.com

Legislative Launch SPECIAL ISSUE

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Marketing Graphic Designer Charles Flores, cflores@cityandstateny.com Cover: Photo by Mark Lennihan-Pool/ Getty Images

Web Manager Lydia Eck, leck@cityandstateny.com Illustrator Danilo Agutoli

city & state — January 6, 2015

Meet the New State Legislators

EXIT STAGE LEFT Gov. Andrew Cuomo heads into his second term with a lot of new faces in his inner circle. Many top officials who served closely with Cuomo in the first few years of his administration departed in 2014 or are reportedly leaving in early 2015. Here is a quick list of the prominent departures.

LEFT IN 2014

REPORTEDLY LEAVING IN 2015

Howard Glaser

Dr. Nirav Shah

Larry Schwartz

Benjamin Lawsky

DIRECTOR OF STATE OPERATIONS Replaced by: Jim Malatras

HEALTH COMMISSIONER Replaced by: Dr. Howard Zucker (acting)

SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES SUPERINTENDENT

Mylan Denerstein

Josh Vlasto

Robert Megna

Kristin Proud

COUNSEL TO THE GOVERNOR Replaced by: Seth Agata (acting), who is reportedly leaving in 2015

CHIEF OF STAFF No replacement

BUDGET DIRECTOR

COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE

city & state — January 6, 2015

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OTHER DEPARTURES: DMV Commissioner Barbara Fiala left the administration in January 2015; Press Secretary Matt Wing departed in late 2014 cit yandstateny.com

SAVING LIVES ON NEW YORK’S STREETS. An Open Letter from Families for Safe Streets and Transportation Alternatives on Year Two of Vision Zero New York City has arrived at a pivotal moment on traffic safety. There is now unprecedented consensus that we can prevent crashes like the ones that killed threeyear-old Allison Liao and nine-year-old Cooper Stock, leaving countless families devastated. Mayor Bill de Blasio has declared a policy of Vision Zero, an initiative to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries over the next decade.

Traffic deaths were down considerably this year, but we still have a long way to go. The City ended 2014 with more than 260 traffic fatalities, and each year 70,000 people are injured on our streets. Now the mayor, governor and other city and state officials must prove that they can be lifesavers by establishing clear goals, timetables and benchmarks for Vision Zero in 2015.

The Road to Vision Zero After several children were struck and killed by drivers in late 2013, their parents came together with other survivors to form Families for Safe Streets. The group compelled Mayor de Blasio to take immediate action on one of his campaign pledges: to adopt a policy of Vision Zero.

The mayor moved more quickly than anyone expected, forming an interagency task force after only weeks in office. The City Council rose to the challenge, approving a slate of implementation bills. At the urging of Families for Safe Streets, Mayor de Blasio, Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and key Council members partnered with Albany lawmakers to win a safer 25 mph speed limit for New York City, with Governor Andrew Cuomo signing the legislation in August.

2014 was about commitment to Vision Zero. 2015 must be about accountability, as the de Blasio administration works to rebuild the city’s most dangerous streets and improve traffic enforcement.

Mayor de Blasio, the DOT and the City Council “Arterial” streets like Atlantic Avenue, the Grand Concourse and Queens Boulevard are the site of 60 percent of fatal crashes in New York City, even though they make up only 15 percent of our road network. Mayor de Blasio and Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg must move to rebuild these hazardous multi-lane speedways with wider sidewalks, pedestrian refuge islands and more split-phase signals to give pedestrians dedicated time to cross. “Complete Street” redesigns must also include protected bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes.

The mayor and the City Council under Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Transportation Committee Chairman Ydanis Rodriguez must secure the funding necessary to begin work on a citywide arterial transformation plan no later than 2017.

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District Attorneys, DMV and the NYPD Transportation Alternatives, Families for Safe Streets and our allies will work to ensure that NYPD traffic enforcement is consistent across the precincts and is focused on the most deadly violations – speeding and failure to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. We call on Police Commissioner William Bratton to build Vision Zero education into the Police Academy, and to bring the high standards of the NYPD Collision Investigation Squad to the precinct level.

The city’s five district attorneys, Richard Brown, Daniel Donovan, Robert Johnson, Ken Thompson and Cyrus Vance, must begin prosecuting drivers whose reckless behavior causes death or serious injury. They have a new tool to do this: section 19-190 of the city’s administrative code empowers the NYPD and district attorneys to apply criminal charges when a driver hits a person who has the right of way. Unfortunately, the city only has a 2 percent prosecution rate in crashes that do not involve DWI. At a City Hall Rally for Traffic Justice on January 11th. we will be calling for Council oversight hearings on the role of D.A.s in the Vision Zero effort We need legislation similar to the NYPD TrafficStat law, which requires regular public reporting from district attorneys about their cases. The D.A.s in the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island are seeking re-election next year, and we will press the issue of driver accountability with all the candidates.

Along with the DMV and the D.A.s, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Thomas Prendergast must make the agency part of the Vision Zero Task Force, given the number of fatal crashes involving MTA buses. And the city’s Department of Education must also become a full partner and bring its resources to bear on the effort to raise awareness about street safety.

Safer Streets in 2015 2014 brought inspiring progress toward ending the silent epidemic of traffic violence on New York City streets. In 2015, we must harness the momentum we’ve built up at the grassroots and in the corridors of power, and apply that energy to projects that will make our city a safer and better place for every resident, commuter and visitor.

To join the Coalition to Fast-Track Vision Zero, go to http://transalt.org/visionzeronow cit yandstateny.com

city & state — November 04, 2014

We also demand prompt and meaningful action from the successor to DMV Commissioner Barbara Fiala and the agency’s courts. That means a mandatory three-month license suspension for serious offenses like hit-and-run, aggravated unlicensed operation and failure to use due care. We also want to see a reform of the DMV’s point system, so higher point values apply to violations that cause death or serious injury.

TAKING THE LEAD

A Q&A WITH SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER DEAN SKELOS

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

city & state — January 6, 2015

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Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos discussed his party’s success in the 2014 elections and his top priorities for 2015 in an interview on Dec. 31. cit yandstateny.com

Skelos’ conference lost only one Senate seat in 2014 on the way to winning an outright majority.

The following is an edited transcript.

City & State: How did you win an outright majority in the state Senate?

Dean Skelos: Well, the first thing was good Senate candidate selection. We had probably one of the best groups of candidates running that I’ve seen in a long time. And some of them were just not your normal pick coming out of the organization or something— cit yandstateny.com

Rich Funke up in Rochester, former news anchor, sports editor, sports commentator—a different type of profile. Sue Serino, a county legislator, not in office a long time but a small business person. Terrence Murphy, same thing, a town councilman in Yorktown, a chiropractor, a small business owner. So it was just different types of people that the communities could relate to. Plus they stayed very focused on message. We stayed focused on job creation and what middle income families are thinking about.

The Democrats went a little too far on issues such as taxpayer financing of elections and illegals getting college tuition, things that people either didn’t relate to or just totally disagreed with as being important or right.

in their life. And that’s where the Democrats made their mistake. You know, plus Bill de Blasio and some of the other New York City unions coming after us certainly that did not help in districts out on the island, for example, or in the mid-Hudson and other parts of the state. They did not want to see a New York City takeover of the state government.

C&S: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo and various unions came together to push for a Democratic Senate, while Republicans George Maziarz and Greg Ball declined to run for re-election. Did that worry you?

DS: You’re always concerned when there are elections. I’m concerned about my own elections when I’m running. But I did feel that we were right on the issues, we had great candidates, and we were staying focused on what was important and not getting sidetracked by issues that people didn’t think were priorities

C&S: Should there be an independent body that determines pay for lawmakers?

DS: Yeah, and I think that’s something

C&S: Why didn’t pay raises for lawmakers get done?

DS: I think the reason, very simply, is that the governor didn’t want to do it.

That’s about as direct as I can be. We were willing to do a lot of reform, and the governor basically said, that’s not enough. And I think just deep down he just did not want to do it.

that we should discuss in the upcoming session, because there cannot be a pay raise now for two years—setting up an independent commission to make recommendations as to not just legislators’ salaries, but certainly commissioners and others within the executive branch who are locked in at those numbers. A couple years ago we separated out the judiciary.

The judiciary didn’t get an increase if the Senate didn’t get an increase, or the Assembly didn’t—that was just wrong. So now there’s a judicial pay commission that meets every two or four years and makes recommendations, and it takes it somewhat out of the political process.

So I think that’s something that we should consider doing in the next legislative session.

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C&S: How should the $5.1 billion from bank settlements be used?

DS: That should be used for one

“I don’t believe that the attorney general should be a special prosecutor, essentially, whenever there is a killing of an individual.

That’s what we have a grand jury system for.”

city & state — January 6, 2015

W

ith Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos at the helm, the GOP seized outright control of the Legislature’s upper chamber last fall, despite a concerted effort to help Democrats secure a majority by some of the state’s most powerful political figures.

Senate Republicans, who shared power with the Independent Democratic Conference the past two years, are now expected to be in a position to block a slate of progressive bills, from the abortion measure in the Women’s Equality Act to public financing of campaigns, while promoting their agenda of tax cuts, regulatory changes and education reform.

On the last day of 2014, City & State Albany Bureau Chief Jon Lentz spoke with Skelos about his party’s victories during the 2014 elections and the upcoming 2015 legislative session.

shots, not put it into something that becomes recurring—infrastructure, sewers, bridges—but it all should be geared towards economic development. I don’t believe that we should just be giving money to some municipalities for just repaving, for state of repair. This has to be for true infrastructure that will lead towards economic development, maybe more construction. Some of the biggest costs that developers have are the infrastructure, the sewers, storm water, that type of thing. So to encourage development, I think that’s where the money should be directed. And we read all the time about what’s happening with that system that has crumbled.

city & state — January 6, 2015

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with the grand jury system. It’s been set up very deliberately to protect those who are witnesses who come in, that they can speak freely and truthfully and honestly, without fear of it becoming public. We have to be very, very careful with tinkering with the grand jury system.

C&S: Is working?

the

current

system

DS: I think overall it’s working. I mean, there’s never a situation where you can say something works 100 percent correct. That’s not what life is, unfortunately, but I think it’s working fairly well. I’ve met with [Manhattan District Attorney] Cy Vance and others, and we’re going to have discussion about potential reform.

We’ll work with them. I’m not saying no to reform. What I’m saying is we

have to move cautiously when we look at changing the grand jury system.

And many times when we rush to do things because we want to be first, it ends up not being the right way to go.

To read the full interview, including Skelos’ thoughts on what it’s like to negotiate with Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, go to cityandstateny.com.

C&S: One top priority for you in 2015 is tax cuts. What kind?

DS: In terms of tax cuts, again they should be geared towards job creation. We have to look at money of the upstate communities, the Southern Tier, which is suffering in terms of jobs, to encourage manufacturing. We have to bring down energy costs, because that’s a critical part of job creation, and ease the tax burden. We should bring down all levels of the personal income tax.

C&S: Another major issue is criminal justice, with two NYPD officers recently shot and killed and concerns about the Eric Garner case. You will be holding hearings on protecting police officers.

DS: We’re going to look at police safety. We’re going to look at figures.

Yesterday I read that there have been in this country 50 assassinations of policemen throughout the country.

We’ve seen with these two good souls who lost their lives for doing the right thing. We have an obligation in our society to make sure that as much as the police protect us, that we show them the respect and do what we can to protect them in the performance of their duties.

C&S: Democrats have questioned how the grand jury process played out in the Eric Garner case. Is there room for any reforms there?

DS: I don’t believe that the attorney general should be a special prosecutor, essentially, whenever there is a killing of an individual. That’s what we have a grand jury system for. That’s why we elect the local district attorneys, because they’re responsible to that community. So I think you have to be very careful when you start tinkering

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CSEA members were on the frontlines

Snowvember to Remember When recent storms dumped epic amounts of snow on western New York, putting people at risk and threatening to cripple the region, CSEA members were on the frontlines of the response.

Those capable and dedicated crews responded bravely and professionally.

They have continued to do so in communities across New York during some tough early season weather emergencies. It’s part of what adds value to living in our communities and state.

None of this just happens. It comes about because of good public policy decisions that value a public workforce. That means having people with the know-how and providing them with the help and resources they need to do the job.

New York’s elected officials need to take that responsibility seriously.

LOCAL 1000 AFSCME, AFL-CIO DA N N Y D O N O H U E , P R E S I D E N T

9111_Snowvember 7.458x10 CS.indd 1

cit yandstateny.com

12/22/14 2:51 PM

Support Student Aid! Each year, more than 370,000 students depend on state student aid programs to pursue their college aspirations.

Yet, state investment in important and highly successful financial aid and access programs like the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Liberty Partnership, the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) and its collegiate counterpart, the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), has not kept pace with need – leaving the futures of many of our most talented minds in doubt.

It is time to make our students and their futures budget priorities.

For the fiscal year 2015-16 Budget, we urge Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to: ■ Raise the maximum TAP award to $6,500 ■ Restore TAP funding for New York State’s graduate students ■ Increase funding levels for the HEOP, Liberty Partnership, STEP and C-STEP programs by 30% If New York State is to remain the center for research, technological development, and job creation, it must wisely steward its investments for the better.

We can think of no better investment than our college students. Support state student aid.

eeo

NEW LEGISLATORS

MEET THE CLASS OF 2015 A

lthough the balance of power shifted little in the 2014 elections— the governor, state comptroller and state attorney general kept their seats, and the legislative leadership is largely unchanged—there are a number of new faces in the Senate and Assembly chambers.

In total, 27 new state lawmakers were elected in the November elections.

There are 10 new state senators, among them seven Republicans who helped the party seize outright control in the upper house. In the Assembly there are 17 new members, including a number of Democratic pickups expanding Speaker Sheldon Silver’s super majority.

Some of the newcomers had held elected office before—in city and town councils, county legislatures, even in Albany—or worked on political campaigns or as government staffers. Others are political neophytes, including a former TV newscaster, state policeman and a college registrar.

In this special section, City & State introduces all 27 new lawmakers, providing key background information and identifying their top priorities for the upcoming session.

Profiles by Ashley Hupfl, Jon Lentz, Michael Gareth Johnson and Gabe Ponce de Leon

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GEORGE AMEDORE

city & state — January 6, 2015

46th Senate District DATE OF BIRTH: April 2, 1969 BIRTHPLACE: Schenectady RESIDENCE: Rotterdam OCCUPATION: CEO, The Amedore Group

PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Assembly FAMILY: Wife and three children PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Cecilia Tkaczyk TWITTER: @GeorgeAmedore

G

eorge Amedore is heading back to the state Capitol.

The former Albany-area assemblyman ran for the state Senate in 2012 in a district widely seen as tailor made for his candidacy thanks to redistricting lines drawn by the Republican conference, but Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk upset Amedore, eking out a win by just 18 votes.

He returned the favor this past fall, easily knocking out Tkaczyk by a margin of more than 10,000 votes.

As the incoming senator tells it, the reason he took another shot at the seat was threefold: he is “a very concerned parent, a very frustrated business owner, and an overtaxed resident in the State of New York that is just sick and tired of it.”

Amedore said that he will focus on reviving the state’s economy, restoring dignity in the wake of corruption scandals and building closer connections with his

constituents in his new role. Other goals for 2015 include eliminating the Gap Elimination Adjustment in order to boost education funding in his district, reducing property taxes and addressing unfunded state mandates on local governments.

Although he is one of the more experienced incoming state lawmakers, Amedore said he initially never expected to get into politics. The only time he was in the state Capitol prior taking office in the Assembly in 2007 was on a fifth grade field trip. But working for his family’s real estate company and dealing with government bureaucracy frustrated him and drove him to run, first for the Assembly and then for the Senate.

“I just felt I need to be involved,” he recalled. “More private sector individuals with backgrounds of running businesses of any size need to get involved in the public policy process.”

—JL

cit yandstateny.com

Hon. Alfonse M. D’Amato

& The Partners of Park Strategies, LLC

Would like to welcome back our legislators & congratulate all new members!

Lobbying/Public Relations/Political Consulting/Business Development/Issue Advocacy

NEW LEGISLATORS

LEROY COMRIE

14th Senate District DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 10, 1958 BIRTHPLACE: Jersey City, N.J. RESIDENCE: Queens EDUCATION: Attended University of Bridgeport and York College PREVIOUS OCCUPATION: Queens deputy borough president

PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: New York City Council, school board member FAMILY: Wife, one daughter and one son PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Malcolm Smith TWITTER: @Leroycomrie

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t the risk of “dating” himself, Leroy Comrie admits that his decision to get involved in politics was influenced by the Watergate hearings, which brought home to him the importance of electing effective public officials. Comrie decided to volunteer at the local Democratic club, and would go on to work for Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign.

Four decades later, Comrie brings a wealth of experience as an elected officeholder to the state Capitol, having served three terms in the New York City Council from 2001 to 2013. Comrie had previously worked as chief of staff to Archie Spigner, whom he succeeded.

In the City Council, Comrie chaired the Queens delegation and, prior to running for state Senate, served as deputy to Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.

In a three-way primary Comrie pummeled the 14th District’s

embattled incumbent, Malcolm Smith, winning nearly 70 percent of the vote. A one-time Democratic majority leader, Smith held the seat for over a decade prior to his arrest on bribery charges stemming from a play to enter the 2013 mayoral race on the Republican ballot.

Though Comrie, who ran unopposed in the general election, believes that his past experience working with state lawmakers will give him a “head start” up in Albany, he remains uncommitted to any specific legislative items.

“I want to know what’s going on as far as the ebb and flow in Albany is concerned,” he said. “I don’t want to get out there and say, ‘I want to do X,’ and that’s not even part of Albany’s agenda for next year.”

—GP

city & state — January 6, 2015

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cit yandstateny.com

3rd Senate District

55th Senate District

om Croci was not the Republican Party’s first choice to run for the state Senate seat vacated by Lee Zeldin—but after winning with 58 percent of the vote last fall, he appears to be the right choice.

Democrats were bullish on their chances in the Suffolk County district after Zeldin opted to run for Congress, especially when a toxic dumping scandal prompted one GOP candidate to step aside. But the Democratic nominee had less luck against Croci, a military veteran who was serving as the Islip Town supervisor.

“I’m a Long Island resident and a lifelong New Yorker and recognize that there’s a lot of work that needs to be done on Long Island, and we needed a voice in Albany that understood some of the more granular local issues,” Croci said. “As a former town supervisor now, having run the fourth largest town in the state, I’m hoping that perspective, combined with a really motivated community on Long Island, can be helpful in shaping our state’s policies.”

Croci said the economy and jobs would be his top priorities, citing high property taxes and

cit yandstateny.com

energy costs on Long Island.

The state senator served in the Navy from 1999 to 2007, then as a homeland security staffer in White House, and was activated in 2013 for a stint with the Navy Reserves.

“As a military officer, I was always aware that the policies of our country are shaped by elected civilians,” he said, “so when you serve in the military for a long time, as I did, on active duty, you realize that if you want to really effect change and you serve during dynamic times, certainly during the last 12 years of war, you want to be in a position to effect change if you can based on the experiences that you’ve had.”

—JL DATE OF BIRTH: May 21, 1972 BIRTHPLACE: Smithtown RESIDENCE: Sayville EDUCATION: B.S. in political science, James Madison University; J.D., New York Law School OCCUPATION: Partner in a federal contracting firm; attorney PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Islip Town supervisor FAMILY: Single PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Lee Zeldin TWITTER: @tomcroci

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n his long career as a television newscaster, Rich Funke did what most journalists do: write about a lot of things, try to get both sides of a story and inform the public. But with rare exceptions, Funke said he didn’t have the opportunity to actually solve major issues.

“In terms of really being able to solve any particular issues, it’s a little more difficult,” he said.

So when he was approached about running for the state Senate, Funke decided to give it a try. His journalism background proved to be an asset, he said, not only in keeping him informed about the issues but also through his involvement in public service as a well-known local television personality.

“I spent some time thinking I didn’t like the direction of the State of New York or the direction of the country, for that matter, and you’ve got two options in life: either you sit on the sidelines and you complain about it or you step up and try to do something about it,” he said.

“I had some gas left in the tank, so I decided to take the challenge and run for office.”

In a key pickup for the GOP, Funke knocked out Democrat

Ted O’Brien. Now, as one of New York’s newest state senators, he will be debating and voting on some of the most pressing issues of the day.

“Continuing the work that’s been done in terms of making New York State a more businessfriendly climate, that’s absolutely essential,” he said. “It is about jobs and the economy, particularly in upstate New York and particularly in our area.”

NEW LEGISLATORS

RICH FUNKE

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—JL

DATE OF BIRTH: Jan. 30, 1949 BIRTHPLACE: Batavia RESIDENCE: Fairport EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in business, Adelphi University PREVIOUS OCCUPATION: TV newscaster FAMILY: Wife, one daughter, one deceased son PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Ted O’Brien TWITTER: @rfunkerochester

city & state — January 6, 2015

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TOM CROCI

NEW LEGISLATORS

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JESSE HAMILTON

20th Senate District DATE OF BIRTH: Jan. 31, 1963 BIRTHPLACE: Bronx RESIDENCE: Brooklyn EDUCATION: B.S. in finance, Ithaca College; M.B.A., Long Island University; J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law

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OCCUPATION: Attorney PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: District leader; school board president; community board president FAMILY: Wife, one daughter and one son PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Eric Adams TWITTER: @jesse4senate

esse Hamilton is an Albany newcomer, but back in Brooklyn he’s a familiar face.

A longtime attorney for the New York City Department of Finance, he is also a three-term district leader, former president of his block association and Community School Board 17, and a former vice president of Community Board 8.

“I’m the person people come to when they want things done,” he said.

As a state senator, however, Hamilton promises that he will not sit around and wait for his constituents to come to him.

“We have mobile offices now.

We go to senior centers, we go to schools. We go wherever people need us,” he said.

Hamilton, whose father was chairman of the board of Lincoln Hospital and whose mother opened the first credit union in the South Bronx, grew up knocking on neighborhood doors during petition drives.

“At a young age I was introduced to political activism,”

he said.

That early exposure to retail politics proved beneficial during a competitive 2014 primary for the seat vacated by Eric Adams, who was elected borough president of Brooklyn.

“We knocked on 30,000 doors, we made 25,000 telephone calls,” he said. “I knocked on doors every day. Through NYCHA housing, I went from the roof to the basement in every building.”

Following his victory, there was speculation that Hamilton might join forces with the breakaway IDC. The freshman senator has since confirmed, however, that he will caucus with mainline Democrats.

As for his priorities in the upcoming legislative session, Hamilton highlights public safety, education and affordable housing.

“A lot of folks in my district can’t afford to live where they grew up,” he said.

—GP

Gov. Cuomo and State Legislators:

city & state — January 6, 2015

We are counting on you to fully fund our public schools.

www.nysut.org

Over the last six years, deep budget cuts starved public schools of the support they need to properly serve the nearly 3 million schoolchildren who deserve a great education.

Billions of dollars in state funding disappeared.

Now the state has a $5 billion budget surplus. It’s time to put that money back into our public schools.

We need a $2.2 billion increase over current funding—students cannot take any more classroom cuts.

We’re counting on you to increase school funding for all school districts

in this coming budget and give priority to needier districts.

Our students and our schools need more resources, not less. We need great public schools that serve all our children.

Show your pride in public education

Representing more than 600,000 professionals in education, human services and health care

cit yandstateny.com

40th Senate District DATE OF BIRTH: July 5, 1966 BIRTHPLACE: Bronxville RESIDENCE: Yorktown EDUCATION: Associate’s degree, Westchester Community College; B.S. in nutrition and doctorate in chiropractic science, Life University

OCCUPATION: Chiropractor and nutritionist PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Yorktown Town Council FAMILY: Wife, three children PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Greg Ball TWITTER: @vote4murphy

E

ven before state Sen. Greg Ball decided not to run for re-election, his Hudson Valley seat was on track to be one of the most bitterly contested in the state, with Democratic challenger Justin Wagner having come close to knocking out the Republican incumbent in 2012.

But Terrence Murphy, a chiropractor and small business owner who was serving in the Yorktown Council, trounced Wagner this past fall after taking Ball’s spot as the Republican nominee.

“The only thing that my opponent had to run on was character assassination, because he didn’t have anything under his belt,” Murphy said. “Five years as a town councilman in the Town of Yorktown, I do have a proven record.”

Murphy said that when he first was elected in Yorktown, he helped strengthen local legislation dealing with ethics—an issue that

also resonates on the state level in the wake of a series of corruption scandals in Albany.

“The people nowadays have an idea of a politician being in a cesspool, and it’s only up to us as politicians to change that and hold ourselves to a higher standard and be accountable to the people,” he said.

The new senator’s top priority, however, is improving the business climate and cutting red tape—and to create “jobs, jobs, jobs.”

“It’s just to try make New York a more affordable place for us, for myself and for people to raise their families,” Murphy said. “We are the highest taxed state in the United States of America. I own and operate two local businesses and I’ve been feeling the pain, so it’s just about making it a more affordable place so people have the opportunity to succeed.”

NEW LEGISLATORS

TERRENCE MURPHY

—JL

ROBERT ORTT

62th Senate District DATE OF BIRTH: May 23, 1979 BIRTHPLACE: North Tonawanda RESIDENCE: North Tonawanda EDUCATION: B.A. in political science, Canisius College PREVIOUS OCCUPATION: Mayor of North Tonawanda

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PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: Mayor of North Tonawanda; city clerktreasurer of North Tonawanda FAMILY: Wife PARTY: Republican REPLACING: George Maziarz TWITTER: @RobGOrtt

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he decision by state Sen. George Maziarz, the former No. 3 Republican, not to run for re-election last year left a power vacuum in Western New York, given the longtime lawmaker’s connections and clout.

Now Robert Ortt, a fellow Republican, is trying to fill Maziarz’s large shoes after voters overwhelmingly elected him to the open seat this past fall.

Ortt said his experience serving as mayor of North Tonawanda since 2010 gave him a firsthand education of the needs of his constituents.

“Being a mayor for the last five years, I came to understand the impact, both negative and positive, that state government can have on local municipalities, school districts and local property taxpayers and businesses,” Ortt said. “Being a mayor allowed me, in a way that I didn’t know necessarily before, just how much of an impact or what that relationship was between state government and local property

taxpayers, small businesses, farmers, what have you.”

Ortt, who is also a military veteran and former city treasurer, started his Senate campaign with a built-in base of support, but spent countless hours knocking on doors and attending events to connect with voters who didn’t know him in other parts of the district.

“We talked about issues that are important to this district—we talked about jobs and economic development issues, issues important to small farms and small business, Second Amendment rights, which is a big issue up here,” he said. “We outworked our opponents, we had a better organization, and we had the right message.”

In Albany he plans to focus on energy policy, given the hydropower resources in the region, as well as agriculture, veterans’ issues, education and transportation.

—JL

city & state — January 6, 2015

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NEW LEGISLATORS

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city & state — January 6, 2015

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MARC PANEPINTO

SUE SERINO

60th Senate District

41st Senate District

he 2014 elections were a huge success for state Senate Republicans, including seven newcomers who helped the party win an outright majority.

The GOP’s only loss was suffered by state Sen. Mark Grisanti, who was defeated by Marc Panepinto, a lawyer whose Election Day victory was the one bright spot for Senate Democrats.

“I thought this was an opportunity, given the dynamics of Sen. Grisanti’s district and that it’s … an overly Democratic district, and some [positions he took] that weren’t popular with Republicans, I thought it was a good time to take him on,” Panepinto said.

The “crazy, four-way general election”—with Republican Kevin Stocker, the Conservative Party’s Timothy Gallagher and Grisanti on the Independence Party line—also helped out, Panepinto said, as well as an aggressive ground campaign.

The incoming senator said it was his experience in student government and as a football player in high school and college that put him on the path to eventually running for office. He later became a union organizer and a lawyer before doing political organizing around progressive issues starting about 15 years ago.

“It was a natural progression for me based on a lifetime

of experience,” he said. “I considered running a couple years ago, but it was always something I wanted to do from being a little kid.

In 2015, Panepinto said he plans to focus on living wages, local control over minimum wages and regulating “taxpayer giveaways to corporations.”

—JL

DATE OF BIRTH: March 7, 1965 BIRTHPLACE: Lancaster RESIDENCE: Buffalo EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in history, University at Buffalo; M.A. in labor and industrial relations, University of Illinois; J.D., University at Buffalo OCCUPATION: Civil litigation lawyer FAMILY: Wife, three daughters PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Mark Grisanti TWITTER: @Panepinto4ny

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ue Serino has already been in elected office, serving on the Hyde Park Town Board and the Dutchess County Legislature—but she doesn’t consider herself a politician.

What sparked her interest in politics, in fact, was dealing with her local government. When she opened a real estate office in her hometown of Hyde Park, the bureaucracy she faced inspired her to public service.

“Going through the process with all the regulations, and going back and forth instead of being able to streamline—and not even streamline, not like you’re trying to get something done too quickly— but just in a certain amount of time without delays because it wasn’t organized frustrated me to the point that I said I’ve got to get involved,” she said.

This fall Serino knocked out Democrat Terry Gipson a closely watched state Senate race, helping Republicans win a majority.

“If the Republicans didn’t stay in the majority, there would be no checks and balances, and we need checks and balances,” Serino said.

“It can’t just be one-party rule.”

Among Serino’s goals are addressing the heroin epidemic and mental health issues, and she supports investing in local infrastructure to spur economic growth. She is a critic of the

Common Core education standards, the SAFE Act, a landmark gun control law, and the Dream Act, which would provide financial aid for college to some young undocumented immigrants.

“Some people going door to door didn’t even know what the SAFE Act was—they hear the name, ‘safe,’ and it’s just like the Dream Act, people think it’s got a nice name, it must be okay,” she said. “They don’t realize with the SAFE Act they’re taking away your Second Amendment rights, and with the Dream Act we’re sending illegal aliens to school, and they wanted to send prisoners to college.”

—JL

DATE OF BIRTH: Sept. 8, 1961 BIRTHPLACE: Suffolk County RESIDENCE: Hyde Park EDUCATION: Attended Dutchess Community College OCCUPATION: Owner, real estate firm PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: Hyde Park Town Board, Dutchess County Legislature FAMILY: Husband, one son PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Terry Gipson TWITTER: @Sueserino4ny

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NEW LEGISLATORS

Without

MICHAEL VENDITTO

Fair Facility Funding New York’s charter schools are left out in the cold.

8th Senate District

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Stand Up for Charter Schools!

city & state — January 6, 2015

Charter School Advocacy Day February 3th, 2015 Albany

very two years, Democrats try to steal one or two of the nine state Senate seats on Long Island that are all held by Republicans.

But this fall, strong candidates like Michael Venditto helped hold off the Democrats once again, keeping the “Long Island Nine” intact.

“The message that really became the centerpiece of my campaign, and all the Long Island senators, I would say, was really the importance of holding onto the Republican majority in the state Senate to ensure that Long Island receives our fair share of resources, to ensure our schools are properly funded, and that the tax burden is eased as much as possible,” Venditto said.

Politics was always part of life for Venditto, whose father, the venerable Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto, was in elected office before his son was born. The younger Venditto has since established a record of his own in the Nassau County Legislature.

When fellow Republican Charles Fuschillo stepped down a year ago, Venditto said he was approached by local party officials about running, and ended up facing David Denenberg, a Democrat whose candidacy ultimately

imploded.

Venditto said that his top goals in Albany would be to cut taxes, ease regulations, create jobs and restore a sense of ethics after a series of corruption scandals.

“With that said, obviously the 8th Senatorial District being a completely South Shore district on Long Island, there are still a lot of post-Hurricane Sandy issues that need to be tackled,” he said, “and there have been so many gaps in communication between the state and residents, and I’ve heard too many stories as I walked door to door about residents who submitted paperwork five or six times and not getting a response.”

—JL DATE OF BIRTH: June 30, 1981 BIRTHPLACE: Massapequa RESIDENCE: Massapequa EDUCATION: B.A. in political science, Hofstra University; J.D., St. John’s University School of Law OCCUPATION: Attorney PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Nassau County Legislature FAMILY: Wife, one son PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Charles Fuschillo

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city & state — November 04, 2014

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NEW LEGISLATORS

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city & state — January 6, 2015

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CHARLES BARRON

RODNEYSE BICHOTTE

60th Assembly District

42nd Assembly District

ublic service is a family affair for Charles Barron.

When he stepped down from the New York City Council at the end of 2013 because of term limits, replacing him was his wife, then Assemblywoman Inez Barron. Her victory left the 60th Assembly District vacant throughout all of 2014, allowing her husband to run for the seat and a shot at keeping it in the family.

In September he cruised to an easy victory in the Democratic primary. In the general election he also won, garnering 94 percent of the vote in a landslide against a little-known Republican.

Barron, an outspoken and at time provocative legislator, said he intends to push for criminal justice reform in Albany. He wants the state Legislature to create an independent agency made up of civilians who have prosecutorial power to charge police officers if they abuse citizens, especially in cases in which they use deadly force.

“I don’t think we will ever get any justice if we rely on [district attorneys] or U.S. attorneys or [state Attorney General] Eric Schneiderman or special prosecutors appointed by the governor,” Barron said in a recent City & State TV interview.

The Brooklyn Democrat’s other top priority for the upcoming session is to improve education funding for the more needy areas of the state, including his own

district in East New York.

Barron also wants the state Legislature to comply with the Campaign for Fiscal Equity ruling directing the state to provide billions more in education funding to New York City schools and other urban school districts.

Job creation is also a priority for Barron.

“We have to begin to identify poverty-stricken areas and develop some kind of program where we have more of the money going to those areas,” he said.

—MGJ

DATE OF BIRTH: Oct. 7, 1950 BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn RESIDENCE: Brooklyn EDUCATION: B.A. in sociology, Hunter College OCCUPATION: Author, activist PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: New York City Council FAMILY: Wife, two sons PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Inez Barron

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odneyse Bichotte has donned many hats on the road to the state Capitol.

A former educator, engineer and Wall Street banker, Bichotte is now shunning more lucrative career paths for the opportunity to represent a Brooklyn Assembly district that, she contends, has “been ignored for many years.”

Bichotte cites a visit to Haiti in the wake of its catastrophic 2010 earthquake as a critical turning point in her transition to public service. That same year she was elected district leader.

“From then on,” said Bichotte, who is one of three HaitianAmerican women to enter the Assembly over the last two election cycles, “I got the political bug.”

Brooklyn’s 42nd Assembly district is home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the United States. Bichotte fell short in her 2012 bid to unseat Rhoda Jacobs, who then chose to retire rather than seek reelection in 2014.

As district leader, Bichotte reportedly was criticized in her community for endorsing then Public Advocate Bill de Blasio over Bill Thompson in the 2013 mayoral race, but a year later the mayor’s endorsement helped her defeat the outgoing assemblywoman’s preferred successor by a wide margin.

“I’ve been able to produce with nothing,” said Bichotte,

noting that district leaders have no budget or staff. “As a result of that, I think the constituents were very comfortable—and that’s how I won.”

In Albany, Bichotte intends to make affordable housing one of her legislative priorities. Her district, she claims, has seen more than 4,000 rental units deregulated in the past three years—the highest rate of any district in the city. The former electrical engineer and math teacher is also committed to promoting science and technology programs in public schools and universities.

—GP

DATE OF BIRTH: Dec. 2, 1972 BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn RESIDENCE: Brooklyn EDUCATION: B.S. in mathematics and secondary education, SUNY Buffalo State; B.S. in electrical engineering, University at Buffalo SUNY; M.S. in electrical engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology; M.B.A., Northwestern University PREVIOUS OCCUPATION: Director of mergers and acquisitions and corporate development, American Express PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: District leader FAMILY: Single PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Rhoda Jacobs TWITTER: @Vote_Bichotte

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79th Assembly District DATE OF BIRTH: Dec. 25, 1982 BIRTHPLACE: Bronx RESIDENCE: Bronx EDUCATION: B.S. in journalism, Northwestern University

PREVIOUS OCCUPATION: Former White House and campaign aide FAMILY: Single PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Eric Stevenson TWITTER: @MrMikeBlake

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the home of salsa. Yes, we have the Yankees, but we want you to be thinking about the South Bronx and the entrepreneurs. We want you to be thinking about the business.”

Career-oriented education and creating “a more equal environment all across the board” are additional areas that Blake, who is Jamaican-American, intends to address.

“If you help someone pick up a check, you help them pick up a book, they probably don’t pick up a gun,” he said.

A veteran of both Obama presidential runs, after the 2012 election Blake managed Reshma Saujani’s campaign for New York City public advocate.

Then this year, in a four-way primary for the 79th Assembly seat, Blake proved to be the most adept fundraiser on his way to defeating another candidate backed by much of the county establishment.

NEW LEGISLATORS

MICHAEL BLAKE

even years after earning his political stripes as a member of the ground team that delivered then U.S. Sen. Barack Obama a momentous victory in the Iowa caucuses, Michael Blake is bringing his own message of renewal.

It’s a welcome message in the troubled district he is now representing in his native Bronx after two of its last three Assembly members left office following corruption scandals.

“People didn’t lose hope, though,” Blake said. “They had a sense of things can be better.”

Blake oversaw outreach to minority business owners in the Obama White House, and as a state legislator he intends to place minority- and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) at the forefront of his agenda. When MWBEs prosper, Blake argues, so will the community at large.

“We want you to look at the South Bronx and think positive things,” Blake said. “Yes, we’re the home of hip hop. Yes, we’re

—GP

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city & state — January 6, 2015

LOOK WHO’S READING

NEW LEGISLATORS

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city & state — January 6, 2015

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ERIK DILAN

KIMBERLY JEAN-PIERRE

54th Assembly District

11th Assembly District

rik Dilan got an early start in politics. The assemblyman can trace back his roots in politics to the age of five when he would help out with the campaign of his father, state Sen. Martin Dilan.

He said his upbringing and familiarity in the district helped him successfully campaign for the Assembly seat.

“I think there’s a familiarity they have with me on a personal and professional level,” Dilan said.

“They’ve seen my body of work in the City Council and I like to think that’s the reason why.”

The assemblyman served in the New York City Council from 2002 to 2013, before he was term-limited out of the seat. Rafael Espinal, a friend of Dilan’s, was elected to succeed Dilan in the City Council, leaving Espinal’s seat in the Assembly open—which Dilan will now fill.

Dilan’s new Assembly district largely overlaps with his old City Council district.

“I love serving the people of my district,” he said. “Public service has been a passion of mine since I was young and there was an opportunity in the Assembly and I decided to put my name forward and hopefully my expertise in the area of housing and community development and infrastructure would be beneficial to them in Albany.”

The new state legislator

said he will continue to focus on developing affordable housing in areas where it is needed and plans to push for rent reform legislation.

His entrance into the Assembly is timely as state rent stabilization laws expire in June.

Dilan also plans to focus on public health, specifically the impact of the state’s $8 billion Medicaid waiver from the federal government, which is designed to help the state reform the system by creating the Delivery System Incentive Payment program.

“I’m not an expert in that area, but with the magnitude of what’s going on with the shifts it’s going to be a place where I will spend a lot of my time and energy,” he said.

—AH

DATE OF BIRTH: May 11, 1974 BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn RESIDENCE: Brooklyn EDUCATION: A.S. in business administration, St. John’s University PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: New York City Council FAMILY: Wife, two children PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Rafael Espinal TWITTER: @edilan37

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imberly Jean-Pierre left her native Brooklyn to attend Stony Brook University in Suffolk County, where in 2007 she earned a master’s degree in public policy.

Rather than return home, however, Jean-Pierre chose to remain on Long Island and raise her younger siblings amid its leafy parks and pools and strong public schools.

“I’ve always been a family person,” Jean-Pierre said. “Long Island’s not so far from urban life when I want to go back, but then I can return to a small, familyoriented community. And I can call that home.”

In 2008, Jean-Pierre was hired as a legislative aide to DuWayne Gregory in the Suffolk County Legislature. In 2010, she joined U.S. Rep. Steve Israel’s staff as a community outreach coordinator.

Working for Israel, then chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, afforded Jean-Pierre the opportunity to participate in several political campaigns. But she never saw herself as a candidate until the chair of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee asked her to run for the seat vacated by Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, who was retiring.

At the time of her election, Jean-Pierre served as director of the Town of Babylon Wyandanch

Community Resource Center, where she assisted members of the community, including with job training and placement.

“When we are trying to move people out of the public system,” she said, “we have to place accountability on employers to pay them so they can live independently without public assistance.”

Jean-Pierre, who is HaitianAmerican, said that guaranteeing living wages, the empowerment of women in the workplace and equal educational opportunities will rank at the top of her legislative agenda.

“I know how education was important for me,” she said.

“Public education has brought me where I am today.”

—GP

DATE OF BIRTH: March 17, 1984 BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn RESIDENCE: Wheatley Heights EDUCATION: B.A. in English and creative writing, Brooklyn College; M.P.P., Stony Brook University OCCUPATION: Director, Town of Babylon Wyandanch Community Resource Center FAMILY: Single PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Robert Sweeney TWITTER: @kimjeanpierre

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77th Assembly District DATE OF BIRTH: Sept. 13, 1986 BIRTHPLACE: Manhattan RESIDENCE: Bronx EDUCATION: B.A., Stony Brook University; J.D., Buffalo Law School

OCCUPATION: Attorney PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Aurelia Greene TWITTER: @JoinJoyner

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equitable for the families living in the 77th Assembly District.”

Joyner ran a grassroots campaign with the help of local clergy members, tenant leaders, community leaders and union support and knocked on hundreds doors and attended community events to help message out.

“I am humbled that the voters of my district have chosen me to represent them in the New York State Assembly,” she said.

Like many other New York City Democratic politicians, Joyner’s top priority in 2015 is increasing the protections of rent regulation laws to provide sustainability and affordability of housing. The Bronx resident has said she is a proponent of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “Five-Borough, Ten-Year Plan” to create or protect 200,000 affordable housing units over the next decade.

Joyner also plans to focus education and issues facing seniorcitizens.

NEW LEGISLATORS

LATOYA JOYNER

he 77th Assembly District finally has a new representative. The seat was vacant since Vanessa Gibson joined the New York City Council in 2014, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo decided not to call a special election to fill the seat.

“I wanted to be the voice for my community, which had been without representation in Albany due to a vacant seat,” Joyner said. “I believe that effective representation comes from leaders who are from the community and are committed to the advancement of that community. With my Albany experience, participation in the local community board, and law degree, I wanted to serve the interests of my community in the state Capitol.”

The Bronx Democrat was accepted into the Assembly internship program in 2008 and placed with former Assemblywoman Aurelia Greene.

“After finishing law school, I joined my local community board and neighborhood advisory board,” she said. “These experiences sparked my interest in running for office to develop legislation and policies that are more

—AH

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city & state — January 6, 2015

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fter the financial crisis and Superstorm Sandy, Todd Kaminsky decided to run for the Assembly to help Long Island’s South Shore recover.

“Our state government must do more to not only help homeowners rebuild and improve our infrastructure—such as by rapidly repairing Route 878 and restoring critical medical services to the Long Beach Barrier Island—but also must give our residents a way back to financial safety by reducing taxes, improving services, and investing in our communities,” Kaminsky said.

The Long Beach Democrat said that programs meant to make victims of the storm whole have been slow to get vital funding out and mortgage programs for homeowners have not been as proactive and robust as necessary.

During his campaign, he worked on building support from his community and focused on the issues that matter to citizens in the district.

“My No. 1 goal is to make progress on all those fronts, and to restore and grow wealth among my constituents,” Kaminsky said. “They do not deserve the hardships they’ve suffered, and it is government’s responsibility to help.”

In Albany, Kaminsky pointed to education, the environment and good government as issues he would like to focus on. Kaminsky was previously an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York and helped indict former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm.

“I grew up watching the people I respected the most commit themselves to serving their neighbors; people who regarded public service as the highest calling,” Kaminsky said. “Since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a part of that tradition.”

—AH

DATE OF BIRTH: March 23, 1978 BIRTHPLACE: Franklin Square RESIDENCE: Long Beach EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, University of Michigan; J.D., New York University OCCUPATION: Attorney FAMILY: Wife PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Harvey Weisenberg TWITTER: @toddkaminsky

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The Long Island Association watches out for the interests of Long Island business in Albany, in Washington DC, and at the local level, too. Join today and add your voice to ours.

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NEW LEGISLATORS

PETER LAWRENCE

134th Assembly District DATE OF BIRTH: June 16, 1950 BIRTHPLACE: Little Falls RESIDENCE: Greece PREVIOUS OCCUPATION:

New York State Police FAMILY: Wife PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Bill Reilich

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any people at one time or another are critical of government.

However, Peter Lawrence decided he would take action instead of just complaining about how the government is being run.

“I see a problem with the way our state and government is run and I felt if I was going to be critical of it, I should try and get involved, so I threw my hat in the ring and I hope to go down and achieve something,” Lawrence said. “I think I’m very representative the feelings, the ethics, the morals of the people that belong to the 134th District.”

The assemblyman’s interest in politics began during the Vietnam War. He said during that time— with the country plagued by inflation, the protests of the war and the Iran hostage crisis—there was a reason to pay attention to what was going on in government.

Since then his interest has never waned.

“I’m 64 years old, I’ve seen a lot of things in my lifetime and I think it’s just natural become involved and interested in the country and government that you live in,” he said.

Once in Albany, Lawrence would like to focus on the business climate and associated taxes and he said he would like to see the SAFE Act either repealed or reformed.

On education he said the biggest problem with Common Core was the way it was implemented and believes more changes could be made to fix the standards.

“Taxes obviously is [a] huge [issue],” Lawrence said. “Business taxes need to be lowered, personal income taxes need to be lowered … taxes across the board, really, should be lowered.”

—AH

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GUILLERMO LINARES

city & state — January 6, 2015

72nd Assembly District DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 30, 1950 BIRTHPLACE: Cabrera, Dominican Republic RESIDENCE: Marble Hill EDUCATION: Doctorate in education, Columbia University Teachers College PREVIOUS OFFICES HELD: Community school board; New

York City Council; New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs; Assembly FAMILY: Wife, one daughter and one son PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Gabriela Rosa TWITTER: @GLinares72

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nlike most of the other incoming state lawmakers this year, Guillermo Linares has served in Albany before.

In the November election, Linares reclaimed the Assembly seat he previous held between 2011 and 2013. Linares has a long history in politics, having begun as an advocate for public education and immigration rights before serving from 1992 to 2001 in the New York City Council—when he was the first Dominican elected to office in the United States. The former councilman lost the seat to Miguel Martinez, a protégé of state Sen. Adriano Espaillat, who has been a longtime rival of Linares.

Additionally, Linares was appointed the New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs in 2004 and also served as a member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Affairs during the Clinton administration.

The assemblyman reclaimed

the seat after it was vacated by Dominican-born Gabriela Rosa who pleaded guilty to marriage fraud.

“A lot is changing in the neighborhoods of Northern Manhattan, not all of it for the better,” Linares said.

Linares credited his election success to a large volunteer network and a high-visibility campaign that helped get his message across to voters.

“I made my 40 years of experience as an elected and governmental official an option for the constituents of the 72nd Assembly District because I want to help my community in these challenging times,” he said.

In the 2015 legislative session, Linares plans to focus on extending and strengthening rent regulations that expire in June and increasing funding for housing. In addition, he wants to improve his district by improving job creation and supporting small businesses.

—AH

cit yandstateny.com

Integrated Eligibility Done Right

By Debora Morris, Managing Director, Accenture

At every level of government, human services agencies are seeking to improve service delivery and enhance outcomes for citizens while boosting cost effectiveness. In the quest to make a lasting impact on families and communities, organizations are evolving to drive new efficiency and effectiveness.

NEW LEGISLATORS

DEAN MURRAY

Moving Up the Curve The Human Services Value Curve (HSVC) is a visionary framework developed by Accenture and Harvard University as part of the Human Services Summit.

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ean Murray decided to run in 2014 to regain the seat he had lost two years prior to Democrat Edward Hennessey. In their rematch, Murray successfully unseated Hennessey in a very tight race, winning 51 percent of the vote— only 526 votes over his opponent.

“I originally ran because I feel that we need more ‘business people’ in elected office,” Murray said in an email. “I ran to regain the seat I had held before because I feel that there is so much more that still needs to be done.”

Murray’s race against Hennessey gained statewide attention when it became public that Assembly GOP campaign workers had placed a GPS tracking device on Hennessey’s car in a failed attempt to prove that Hennessey didn’t actually live in the district. The scandal has provoked a few counties to move to ban GPS tracking by private citizens.

Hennessey was the only incumbent state Assembly member on Long Island to fail to win reelection.

Murray first became interested in politics because he played softball many years ago with a man who was chief of staff to a U.S. congressman, current Brookhaven Town Republican Chair Jesse Garcia. Garcia

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helped Murray get involved as a committee person, which led to Murray becoming more and more involved with politics until he decided to run himself.

With his return to Albany, the assemblyman’s top priority will be to deliver real mandate relief. Murray will also focus on education, investing in infrastructure projects and creating a more business-friendly environment in the state.

“The state continues to impose unfunded and underfunded mandates on local governments and school districts which ends up driving up property taxes,” he said.

—AH

DATE OF BIRTH: July 22, 1964 BIRTHPLACE: Maryland RESIDENCE: East Patchogue EDUCATION: Broadcasting Institute of Maryland OCCUPATION: Owner, advertising agency PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Assembly FAMILY: Wife and son PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Edward Hennessey TWITTER: @DeanMurrayNYAD3

The Human Services Value Curve offers a useful framework when rethinking human services organizations, processes and enabling technologies. It maps a progression across four stages of integration: · Regulative, with a focus on serving eligible people while complying with policy and program regulations · Collaborative, with a focus on supporting people in receiving all applicable services across agency and programmatic boundaries · Integrative, with a focus on addressing root-cause issues by fully coordinating and integrating services

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· Generative, with a focus on generating healthy communities by cocreating solutions for multi-dimensional family and socioeconomic influences.

For inspiration, look to the Buckeye State, which aligned its approach with the Human Services Value Curve. Like New York, Ohio administers services at the county level and has prioritized integrated human service delivery as one of its key enterprise initiatives.

In 2011, Ohio created the Office of Health Transformation to focus on modernizing Medicaid, streamlining health and human services, and improving overall system performance. The Office is also helping shift the human services delivery model from one that focuses on the agency to one that is client and customer centric—and provides the type of convenient self-service options people now expect in their daily lives.

A critical component of Ohio’s service delivery transformation was improving the eligibility system that supports more than 50 health and human services programs serving Ohioans. In working toward integrated eligibility, Ohio embraced a truly transformative approach—focusing on technology not as the end goal but rather as a vehicle for supporting key objectives and outcomes.

Integrated eligibility can mark an important milestone in the progression from a regulative to a generative operational model. But achieving that milestone requires a strategically focused approach. Such an approach begins with an integrated eligibility initiative built upon clearly defined objectives and citizen service values—namely, that there is “no wrong door” for citizens entering the system, that the process for determining eligibility is improved, and that caseworkers are able to focus more on managing outcomes for families and less on managing paperwork.

New technology makes the best impact when it is designed and deployed as part of a clear strategic vision—and part of a true operational transformation.

city & state — January 6, 2015

3rd Assembly District

The Human Services Summit at Harvard University is an annual gathering of the most senior and innovative health and human services practitioners from the government and nonprofit sectors. Over the years, a number of leaders from New York have attended.

NEW LEGISLATORS

ROXANNE PERSAUD

REBECCA SEAWRIGHT

59th Assembly District

76th Assembly District

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city & state — January 6, 2015

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oxanne Persaud sees her path to public office as the natural extension of a lifelong commitment to volunteerism and community service.

“You have to be willing to do the work for your community to grow, and when your community grows then you can be the example for everybody else,” said Persaud, a member of the Lion’s Club and Community Board 18, as well as president of the 69th Precinct Community Council.

Though she ran unopposed in the primary of this heavily Democratic district, Persaud says she made a point of getting out and meeting constituents as if the field were competitive.

“You should not take anything for granted,” she said. “You should not take the people for granted.”

Persaud’s candidacy was backed by the Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club, which counts county Democratic leader Frank Seddio as a member. The 59th Assembly seat had remained vacant following Alan Maisel’s departure for the New York City Council last January.

As for her legislative priorities, Persaud points to the need for more after-school programs, an increased focus on college preparedness and shoring up resources for senior services.

“Too often we go to senior

centers and … they’re always nervous around the budget time,” she said.

A native of Guyana, Persaud cites immigrant rights as another issue of particular importance to her.

At the time of her election, Persaud was the registrar of Saint Francis College in Brooklyn Heights. As an assemblywoman, she hopes to continue working with young people and encouraging them to participate in the civic process.

“You have to be vocal.

Numbers count,” she said. “When outsiders see you as complacent, you’re not going to have any assistance.”

—GP

DATE OF BIRTH: March 1, 1966 BIRTHPLACE: Guyana RESIDENCE: Brooklyn EDUCATION: B.S. and M.S.E. in education administration, Pace University OCCUPATION: Registrar, St. Francis College PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Commissioner, New York City Districting Commission FAMILY: Single PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Alan Maisel TWITTER: @rj_persaud

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ebecca Seawright first arrived in New York on a mission for Texas gubernatorial candidate Ann Richards shortly after Richards’ legendary keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.

“She sent me here to work on her fundraising and I decided to go to law school in New York, got hooked, married a native New Yorker and have been here for over 20 years,” said Seawright, who had previously worked on the staff of former U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen.

Now she is the first woman to represent the 76th Assembly District, which encompasses a swath of Manhattan’s Upper East Side in addition to Roosevelt Island. The seat was previously held

by Micah Kellner, who declined to seek reelection following allegations of sexual harassment by a female staffer.

Seawright, who chairs the board of directors of the Feminist Press, has also served as Texas director of the National Women’s Political Caucus.

“I’m particularly passionate about the Women’s Equality bill, having spent a lifetime working for women’s rights,” said Seawright, who would like to see all ten points of the legislation pass. “New York ranks 33rd in the nation on the amount of women in the state Assembly.”

Along with women’s issues, Seawright says campaign finance reform and education will sit atop her legislative agenda. A former PTA member, Seawright has two kids currently enrolled in public schools.

Seawright also intends to fight the controversial plan to build a marine transfer station on East 91st Street. “It has no place,” she said, “within 150 feet of the largest non-profit in the district, public housing, a public school, right smack dab in the middle of a soccer field.”

—GP

DATE OF BIRTH: April 24, 1962 BIRTHPLACE: Waco, Texas RESIDENCE: Manhattan EDUCATION: B.S. in economics and political science, Tarleton State University; J.D., CUNY School of Law OCCUPATION: Attorney PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Community board member FAMILY: Husband, one son and one daughter PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Micah Kellner TWITTER: @Rebecca76AD

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NEW LEGISLATORS

JO ANNE SIMON

52nd Assembly District BIRTHPLACE: Yonkers RESIDENCE: Brooklyn EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in speech pathology; master’s in education of the deaf; J.D., Fordham University School of Law OCCUPATION: Disability civil rights lawyer

PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: District leader/state committeewoman FAMILY: Husband, two stepsons PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: Joan Millman TWITTER: @JoAnneSimonBK52

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city & state — January 6, 2015

LATRICE WALKER

55th Assembly District DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 13, 1979 BIRTHPLACE: Brooklyn RESIDENCE: Brooklyn EDUCATION: B.A. in sociology and political science, SUNY Purchase PREVIOUS OCCUPATION:

Counsel to Rep. Yvette Clarke FAMILY: One daughter PARTY: Democrat REPLACING: William Boyland, Jr. TWITTER: @latricemwalker

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state committeewoman and district leader since 2004, Jo Anne Simon has been a fixture in her community going back to her tenure as president of the Boerum Hill Association in the 1990s, a period of growth and transformation in the swath of brownstone Brooklyn she now represents.

“I’ve been actively involved in almost every issue you can think about—locally—for so many years,” she said. “So I know where the community is on things.”

In Albany, Simon plans to focus her energies on the intersection of the environment, transportation, land use and public health, as well as education. Siting issues, she says, will also require attention given the continued “development pressure” in her district.

In response to the contentious closure of Brooklyn’s Long Island College Hospital, whose building complex was sold to a real estate developer, Simon has already announced a bill that would require the state Department of Health to provide notification and receive

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atrice Walker grew up in the Prospect Plaza Houses, a NYCHA complex in Brooklyn whose residents were relocated in 1999 with the promise they could return after building renovations were complete.

The development instead was demolished.

“My mom received a stack of paperwork,” Walker recalled, “and she was expected to read it, and my mother had an 8th grade education ... and there was no way for her to really be able to understand exactly what she was signing, and to even know she was signing away her home.”

That feeling of helplessness in the face of upheaval motivated Walker to go to law school. And she still remembers the excitement among her neighbors that “this little girl they knew was going to be a lawyer,” she said.

“Many of the grandmothers would pack lunch for me as I’m going to school,” she added. “They

public input prior to closing medical facilities.

Simon is currently drafting another bill motivated by the Long Island College Hospital controversy that would require the Department of Health to collect and report community health data to the Legislature, she said, “so when we go to make decisions about what kind of healthcare facilities we need in our communities, we actually have community-based data that allow us to make those decisions based on data and not political conjecture.”

An attorney specializing in disability civil rights, Simon was endorsed by outgoing Assemblywoman Joan Millman, who did not seek reelection.

In the past, Simon has been an outspoken proponent of increased transparency and participation within the Brooklyn Democratic Party.

“Politics for me is an outgrowth of serving my community,” she said.

—GP

would pack lunch as I was going to study for the bar, and it was just a real community movement.”

After graduating from Pace University School of Law, Walker worked in a private practice before turning to public service. In 2007, she joined the office of Rep. Yvette Clarke as a community liaison and, in 2013, served as treasurer on Letitia James’s successful public advocate campaign. Both women supported Walker in a competitive field for the Assembly seat vacated

by William Boyland, Jr., who was convicted on bribery charges.

While on the campaign trail Walker recalls quoting Brooklyn rapper Lil’ Kim: “I’m not an industry chick, I’m an in-thestreets chick.”

“That’s just who I am,” said Walker, who still lives on the same block she grew up on. “And that’s who I expect to remain.”

—GP

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PROPERTY TAXES AND NEW YORK’S FUTURE: SOLVING THE FISCAL CRISIS OF COUNTIES Brief: In partnership with EffectiveNY, City & State will convene leaders in government, business, and advocacy on January 20th to discuss how New York can solve the fiscal crisis facing counties around the state. Participants will discuss innovative and bold ideas for reducing the property tax burden, creating new sources of revenue, and creating a stronger future with long-term economic growth.

9:15AM

WELCOMING REMARKS

9:20AM

PRESENTATION BY NYS COMPTROLLER, TOM DINAPOLI* Brief: Comptroller DiNapoli discusses the Fiscal Stress Monitoring System his office implemented as an early warning system and outlines trends and best practices from across the country on handling the fiscal crisis.

10:00AM

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STEVE ACQUARIO, NYS Association of Counties (Moderator) STEPHANIE MINER, Mayor of Syracuse MIKE HEIN, Ulster County Executive STEVE NEUHAUS, Orange County Executive ANTHONY PICENTE, Oneida County Executive More Panelists TBA

NEW YORK STANDS ALONE: A PRESENTATION BY BILL SAMUELS, EFFECTIVENY Brief: Across upstate New York, $7.6 billion of Medicaid costs are currently covered by Local County property taxes. Is it time for New York to join the other 49 states that have absorbed this fiscal responsibility from local counties?

11:15AM

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DICK RAVITCH, Former Lieutenant Governor E.J. MCMAHON, President, Empire Center for Public Policy* DR. MILDRED E. WARNER, City and Regional Planning, Cornell University More Panelists TBA

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LUNCH

12:30PM

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PANELISTS:

STEPHANIE MINER, Mayor of Syracuse STEVE ACQUARIO, NYS Association of Counties RON DEUTSCH, Interim Executive Director, Fiscal Policy Institute MIKE HEIN, Ulster County Executive More Panelists TBA

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CLOSING REMARKS

For more information on programming and sponsorship opportunities contact Jasmin Freeman at JFreeman@CityAndStateNY.com or 646.442.1662.

NEW LEGISLATORS

CARRIE WOERNER

ANGELA WOZNIAK

113th Assembly District

143rd Assembly District

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city & state — January 6, 2015

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hen she won the 113th Assembly District seat, Carrie Woerner became the first person from Round Lake in more than 100 years to serve in the Assembly.

Woerner defeated Republican Steve Stallmer in a very competitive race to occupy a seat that had been vacant since Tony Jordan resigned in January 2014 to become Washington County district attorney. The Democrat won by nearly 2,000 votes over her Republican opponent despite the fact the 113th AD is predominantly Republican.

“I think people saw in me someone who doesn’t come out of the political system, someone who brings practical, real ideas to problems,” Woerner said. “I think people saw in me the kind of practical, non-ideological background that they respected and wanted in an elected official.”

Woerner also made history when she was elected. With Assembly Members Didi Barrett and Pat Fahy, this is the first time in history three women are representing the Capital Region in the Assembly.

Once in office, Woerner plans to focus on improving agriculture technology, eliminating the Gap Elimination Adjustment and working toward a streamlined

process for state agency compliance for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Round Lake Democrat is a software developer by trade.

She is also a former Round Lake village trustee and planning board member before she ran for the Assembly seat. A small business owner herself, she speaks passionately about improving the business climate in the state.

“I have a lot of priorities, but I will consider 2015 a success if I am able to make some headway on getting rid of the things that are impediments to small businesses starting up and flourishing,” she said. “It’s a broad answers but something I feel very passionate about.”

—AH

DATE OF BIRTH: April 7, 1962 BIRTHPLACE: New Jersey RESIDENCE: Round Lake EDUCATION: B.A., Carnegie Mellon University; M.B.A., Santa Clara University.

OCCUPATION: Software executive PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Round Lake village trustee PARTY: Democrat

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ngela Wozniak only had to attend an Erie County Republican Committee roundtable event to become hooked on politics.

“It was the first time I was able to hear from a panel of local elected officials on what was happening in government,” Wozniak said. “I was so impressed I knew I wanted to get more involved.”

Wozniak decided to run for the Assembly to fight for new ethics legislation. While campaigning, she met residents who said they are fed up with the “old ways” of Albany and expect more of their elected officials. It was not surprising considering her predecessor, Dennis Gabryszak, resigned from office under pressure after allegations of sexual harassment came to light.

“People have grown tired of the good ol’ boys club that exists in government and are looking for governmental officials that will serve honestly and with integrity,” Wozniak said. “State lawmakers must be held accountable for their wrongdoing and have stronger repercussions when they break the law.”

Along with ethics reform, Wozniak plans to focus on education reform and tax relief for Western New York, where

she was born and now lives—and represents.

With her victory, the assemblywoman became one of the highest ranking Conservative Party office holders in the state and won over a district that had been Democratic for decades. Before she ran for the Assembly, Wozniak became the first Republican member of the Cheektowaga Town Board in 20 years.

“I ran for office because Albany is broken and I can be a part of the solution,” she said. “I have a track record of fighting corruption in government and I want to continue to fight for Western New York families that are struggling to provide for their families.”

—AH DATE OF BIRTH: March 11, 1987 BIRTHPLACE: Buffalo RESIDENCE: Cheektowaga EDUCATION: B.S. in business management, D’Youville College OCCUPATION: Owner, insurance agency PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Town of Cheektowaga Council FAMILY: Married, one son PARTY: Conservative REPLACING: Dennis Gabryszak TWITTER: @AngelaWozniak

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98th Assembly District RESIDENCE: Westbrookville EDUCATION: B.A., Mount Saint Mary College; M.P.A., John Jay College of Criminal Justice PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: Deerpark Town Council

FAMILY: One son and one daughter PARTY: Republican REPLACING: Annie Rabbitt TWITTER: @KarlBrabenec

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to become county clerk a year before.

Brabenec, the son of Czech refugees, grew up in Orange County, and got his start in government as assistant to then County Executive Edward Diana after graduating from college.

He was later elected as Deerpark town supervisor, and on the campaign trail for the Assembly Brabenec touted his record of reducing spending, avoiding tax increases and coming out in opposition to the SAFE Act, the landmark state gun control law.

The assemblyman told the Mid-Hudson News that his goals for the 2015 legislative session in Albany are to lower property taxes and repeal the SAFE Act while also focusing on agricultural issues, providing constituent services and communicating with the community, especially after Rabbitt’s resignation left the seat vacant for months.

NEW LEGISLATORS

KARL BRABENEC

three-way battle for the 98th Assembly District went into extra innings, with Democrat Elisa Tutini leading Republican Karl Brabenec with a razor-thin 10-vote margin after Election Day. But by mid-December Brabenec had come away with a narrow victory, winning the seat by a mere 37 votes.

“It is an absolute honor to be elected by the voters of the 98th district to be their next Assemblyman,” Brabenec told the Journal News after he was sworn in to the Orange County seat. “I will do my very best always to provide exceptional constituent service and to propose positive legislation that will change our state for the better.

This is an exciting time and I know we will do great things in the years to come.”

Brabenec’s win keeps the Orange County district in Republican hands after it was vacated

by Annie Rabbitt, who had resigned

—JL

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city & state — January 6, 2015

The Must-Read Afternoon Roundup of New York Politics and Government

PERSPEC TIVES

BRUCE N. GYORY

city & state — January 6, 2015

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y students often ask why governors and presidents have rough second terms.

While the past is not always prologue, let’s explore why re-elected governors tend to lose both policy and political momentum in their second terms.

My purpose is not to presume that Gov. Andrew Cuomo will succumb to a second-term slump; instead, it is to accurately measure the gravitational forces underlying second terms.

First, chief executives entering their second term should recognize that their administrations are tired and thus, they should compensate to avoid the collective exhaustion that results in a loss of political energy.

Four years of hard work ending in the strain of a re-election campaign takes its toll. Yes, it helps to bring new blood into a second term administration, but care must be taken to ensure that a new chemistry takes hold within the second administration that blends good policy and smart politics.

Time and again, second terms are marred by disconnected political bases and by ignoring signals of looming political trouble. Charles Evans Hughes’ second term was undermined by political bitterness within his own party’s governing coalition after a first term highlighted by significant reform achievements.

Hugh Carey’s administration took justifiable pride in how successful it had been in combating the state’s fiscal crisis, but forgot in its second term how the need for fiscal prudence

frayed political nerve endings— particularly within the Democratic Party—once the days of wine and roses were over.

The second Carey administration remained sharp on policy questions, but its loss of political prestige resulted in the Legislature overriding his budget vetoes in his final year in office. History ultimately proved Carey correct as those overrides left a gaping deficit, but that was cold comfort at the time.

Nelson Rockefeller’s second term was weakened by his inability to avoid a long-term cold war with the rising conservative tide within the Republican Party, as his administration ran roughshod over the state GOP base on tax and spending issues. It was not until Rockefeller’s third term that his administration regained its political potency.

Next, chief executives would also be well advised to make wise choices in regard to second-term policy priorities. Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s second term as president

Gov. Andrew Cuomo taking the oath of office at a ceremony held at One World Trade Center.

was derailed not only by the CourtPacking Debacle of 1937, which united the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress against him, but also by his decision to double down on the failed purge of conservative Democrats in the 1938 congressional elections.

The lesson to be learned for second-term governors is simply this: don’t pick institutional battles you can’t win. In first terms, particularly if political failure and dysfunction directly preceded your administration—as it did for Andrew Cuomo—the Legislature will tend to bend to the chief executive’s policy thrusts. But in second terms, legislative bodies tend to seek a rebalancing by standing up for their own prerogatives.

Finally, pick early policy battles wisely, as they set the tone and tenor for the entire second term. Before Hurricane Katrina and war fatigue set in, George W. Bush’s secondterm stagnation began with Congress tracking public opinion and rejecting his attempt to privatize Social Security.

Losing early second-term battles at once saps an administration’s strength while encouraging political adversaries to pounce.

Consequently, let’s watch for Cuomo’s ability to maintain his administration’s political energy while making smart choices on policy priorities, especially in terms of winning the early battles in the second term. These three factors become interrelated links in the chain distinguishing productive from unproductive second terms.

A smart New Year’s wish for Cuomo would be to maintain both the political ballast and policy buoyancy necessary to avoid the second-term slump.

Bruce N. Gyory is a political and strategic consultant at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP and an adjunct professor of political science at SUNY Albany.

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