“Today’s State of the State Address contained some good ideas, particularly the proposals to implement term limits on state-level officials and the replacement of the Joint Committee on Public Ethics with a new, independent ethics agency, but I think we can do even better. In addition to implementing these measures, we should also work to pass legislation I’ve proposed that would enable the people to recall elected officials who have been found to have violated the law.

“With that said, I would have liked to hear more about issues affecting the residents of the Mohawk Valley and Adirondacks. In particular, broadband expansion and further support for cellular connection are topics I hoped to hear more details about. These communication methods aren’t a privilege anymore, they ought to be treated as necessities, and that’s one of my priorities.

“This session, it is critical that we support our local law enforcement infrastructure by continuing the pushback against the disastrous bail reform policy, which has resulted in increased crime rates since 2019 across New York. We can’t continue to be the state that allows criminals to go unpunished for the harm they inflict upon our communities. Rest assured, we’re here in Albany this year for the long haul. We’re not backing down.”