Press Releases

Supporting Dairy Farmers Year ’Round

June is National Dairy Month, and there is much to celebrate, especially here in upstate New York. My district is one of the most prolific dairy farming regions in the state, and dairy farming has played a large part in shaping our community into what...

Blankenbush Says Correctional Officer Increase Good For Prison Safety

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) applauds the recent announcement that the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision will be hiring an additional 103 officers. The new officers will be placed in prisons to help...

Blankenbush Visited By Ft. Drum Officials To Discuss Ongoing Legislative Agenda

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Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) was visited by Ft. Drum officials Maj. Gen. Jeffrey L. Bannister, Commander of the base; Col. Gary A. Rosenberg, Garrison Commander; and Capt. Townsend, General’s Aide. They discussed ongoing issues faced...

Blankenbush Demands End To DMV Profiting From Private Information Without Consent

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) is calling for an immediate end to the Department of Motor Vehicles’(DMV) practice of selling personal information to third parties. It was discovered that the DMV made more than $60 million selling private...

Tax Cap And Unfunded Mandate Relief Critical For New Yorkers

New Yorkers need property tax relief. Our homeowners pay among the highest property taxes in the nation. This burden is often too much for many residents to bear, so they migrate out of the state to more affordable parts of the country. As your assemblyman,...

Blankenbush Encourages Small-Business Owners, Public To Share Testimony With Fast Food Minimum Wage Board

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) is encouraging the public to send testimony to the Fast Food Minimum Wage Board before the public comment period ends on June 26. “Many of my constituents have reached out to my office with concerns...

Blankenbush Slams Assembly Majority’s Costly Taxpayer-Funded Public Health Care Bill

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) voted against the Assembly Majority’s efforts to create a universal single-payer health care system similar to the one abandoned by the State of Vermont. Blankenbush is troubled by how it would negatively...

Blankenbush Welcomes Ft. Drum Youth Of The Year

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Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) recently welcomed Ft. Drum Youth Services’ Youth of the Year Antonio Bell, Jr. to the state Capitol. “Antonio Bell, Jr. is a stand out young man in our Ft. Drum community. He is an exemplary student...

Legislature Must Prioritize During Final Weeks Of Session

This legislative session has been interesting to say the least. Despite all the headlines, the Assembly and Senate still have work to do on behalf of the people of this state. The last few weeks of the legislative session should be packed with productive...

Blankenbush Calls For Tappan Zee Financial Plan From Thruway Authority

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) is calling on Thruway Authority Chairman Bob Megna to release the financial plan for the nearly $4 billion Tappan Zee Bridge project, which could be one of the largest capital projects in state history....

Blankenbush Votes For Education Reforms, Pushes For More

Today, Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) voted in favor of education reform legislation, A.7303A, a bill which delays the deadlines related to teacher evaluation regulations and strikes the requirement that schools adopt the regulations...

Giving The Gift Of Life

This week, I had the honor of meeting some amazing people who were saved by the life-giving gift of an organ or tissue donation. I was so moved by their stories, and by how many young people have been given a chance to enjoy longer lives due to those...

Blankenbush Says START-UP NY Program Should Be Abandoned After Comptroller’s Audit

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) is calling for an end to the governor’s failed START-UP NY program, which is using millions of dollars in taxpayer money for an advertising program many have criticized as a marketing program for the governor....

New York’s Tax Freedom Day Arrives Too Late For Upstate Families

Tax Freedom Day is a day when you, the taxpayer, have worked long enough to pay your annual federal, state and local taxes. This year, New York’s Tax Freedom Day falls on May 8, one of the latest in the nation. According to the Tax Foundation, in...

Blankenbush Welcomes West Point Cadet Brandon A. Lloyd To Capitol

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Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) had the honor of introducing Cadet Brandon A. Lloyd of Watertown at the annual West Point Day celebration in Albany. This is Cadet Lloyd’s second visit to the Capitol. “I know I can say on behalf...

Blankenbush Greets St. Lawrence County Honoree At Senior Citizens’ Day In Albany

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Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) welcomed St. Lawrence Senior honoree Edward J. Fischer at the annual New York State Senior Citizens’ Day at the Capitol. Fischer is from DeKalb Junction and has been an active volunteer for more than 30...

Blankenbush Disappointed By Continued Closed-Door Approach By Board Of Regents

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) is disappointed by the continued closed-door approach of the Board of Regents in regard to education policy. Their approach was further demonstrated by the invite-only Teacher Evaluation Summit that will...

Blankenbush, VVS FFAs Mobile Maple Museum Visit Westmoreland Elementary

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Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA) students from Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (VVS) School District to bring the Mobile Maple Museum to the Westmoreland Elementary School. “The work that our FFA...

Ethical Accountability Needed In State Government

I, like you, have done my fair share of head shaking after reading scandalous headlines about certain state legislators and their questionable sense of ethics. There is a serious problem with some politicians who break the law by trying to scam the system,...

Blankenbush Stands Up For Women’s Equal Pay

Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) today voted for the Women’s Equality Pay Act, A.6075, a bill unanimously supported that reinforces current law prohibiting discrimination in pay due to gender. The bill is one portion of the Women’s...