As your Assemblyman, my top priority is voicing the concerns of Central New York residents and representing our communities’ interests in Albany. To make it easier for you to share your opinions on key issues facing our region and the state, I developed a survey covering a variety of topics to let me know where you stand. My community survey can be completed at www.nyassembly.gov/Stirpe.
A pivotal issue for Central New York is addressing the aging I-81, the most significant infrastructure project our region has faced in decades. In April, the state Department of Transportation (DOT) identified the community grid alternative as its preferred solution for the corridor.[1] I support the community grid approach because it’s the most affordable and least disruptive option and offers potential benefits for all of our communities. However, knowing your thoughts on how this critical project should proceed allows me to see whether we’re on the right path forward.
A priority that I’m sure everyone shares is ensuring our schools are safe for students and staff. Many school districts have hired police officers or private security to serve as school resource officers (SROs), but several hurdles exist before retired police officers can fill these positions. I’ve authored legislation to remove obstacles for school districts to hire these officers (A.6456-A), which is often a cost-savings alternative compared to active police and private firms.
Other issues impacting Central New York include addressing the state’s fiscal deficit due to federal cuts in Medicaid support, providing reliable transportation for our regional workforce, reducing the tax burden on local residents and potentially legalizing marijuana for recreational adult use. I hope you’ll take the time to share your thoughts on these topics and more through my survey so I can work to get the best results for our families.
The 2020 legislative session holds the potential for even more positive changes for our communities, and I look forward to building on this year’s accomplishments. Some of 2019’s critical victories include enacting the Child Victims Act to allow more victims of childhood sexual abuse to seek justice (Ch. 11 of 2019), decoupling teacher evaluations from students’ state test scores (Ch. 27 of 2019), expanding the Operation Recognition program so more veterans have an opportunity to receive their high school diplomas (Ch. 477 of 2019) and forging a greener future through the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Ch. 106 of 2019).
I also supported several new laws to simplify the voting process, including allowing early voting during a nine-day period before an election (Ch. 6 of 2019), combining the state and federal primary election dates (Ch. 5 of 2019) and requiring boards of elections to automatically transfer voter registration information for residents who move to another county in the state (Ch. 3 of 2019).
I’ll continue working with you and our local leaders to craft solutions to make Central New York an even better place to call home. If you have any questions about this survey or any community issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 315.452.1115 or StirpeA@nyassembly.gov.