A Message from Assemblywoman Sandy Galef - Albany Update

A message from

Assemblywoman
Sandy
GALEF

September 2005

Albany
Update

E-mail: galefs@assembly.state.ny.us • Address: 2 Church Street, Ossining, NY 10562
Phone: 914-941-1111 • Fax: 914-941-9132

Dear Constituent:

It was a very active session in Albany this year. As you know, having an on-time budget for the first time in twenty years was a major event that was important to our school districts and others who depend on state dollars. Because we passed the budget on time, we were able to take action on important legislative issues. Specifically, I was able to accomplish my goals to help residents in my district with bills you will see in the legislative wrap-up inside these pages.

As fall approaches, it will be your turn to act on three substantial issues. One issue deals with the type of voting machine we will be using to replace the current lever model before the 2006 elections as required under the federal Help America Vote Act. In New York, each county gets to choose its own system, either electronic voting machines or machines that optically scan paper ballots. A poll in my last newsletter showed that more than 73% of you favored optical scanning of paper ballots, which is also my choice. Call now and give your voting machine preference to those who will make the decision in Putnam and Westchester counties. They are your county executive, county legislator, and county election commissioners. Please call me for those numbers.

The other two issues will be ballot resolutions you will vote on in November elections. One is a proposal to amend the state constitution to change the way we do our budget process in New York. I favor this proposal because it will guarantee an on-time budget each year. When I served as a county legislator, budgets passed on time without fail because, if not, the prior year’s budget went into effect. Something no one wanted. On the state level, no matter who has been the governor or the legislative leaders these past twenty years, the present system has not served us well. You, the voter, can change the system by saying “yes” to the constitutional amendment altering our budget process. Please note that this proposal will only deal with how we do our budget and nothing more. It does not call for a statewide constitutional convention. (Click here for details.)

Finally, there is a proposal to enact a $2.9 billion Transportation Bond Act that also needs voter approval in November. The monies are part of a multiyear transportation program for mass transit and road projects. There are 27 specific projects that are bond related. I am in favor of this bond act because the projects are identified and will have a positive impact on my constituents who travel on roads, bridges, and mass transit. (Click here for details.)

This newsletter brings you up-to-date on Albany happenings and other issues of interest to you.

Sincerely,
signature
Sandy Galef
Member of the Assembly

Members of the Wellness Committee of the Haldane Central School District in Cold Spring meet to discuss ways to improve the health of students through food choices and fitness programs in the schools. Superintendent Dr. John DiNatale welcomed the group. Sandy is sponsoring a bill that calls for healthy foods in school vending machines. (Photo taken by Sandy Galef.)

LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS OF 2005

Here is a wrap-up of eight pieces of important legislation that I have sponsored in the assembly that have passed both the assembly and senate. Some bills await Governor Pataki’s signature so they can become laws. The legislation represents my strong commitment to our armed forces and veterans, campaign finance reform and democracy, libraries and education, local environment and community participation, and public safety and terrorism.

Armed Forces and Veterans

A5101-a/S5065-a

This legislation extends the deadline so that military personnel on active duty can ‘solemnize’ or formalize a marriage. The legislation eases the marriage solemnization deadline restrictions for military personnel on active duty who have little flexibility in their schedules.

A4435-a/S2233-a

This legislation renames Route 9D from Beacon to the Bear Mountain Bridge in Garrison as the Hudson Valley POW-MIA Memorial Highway to honor those soldiers who are missing in action or have been taken prisoner during wartimes.

Campaign Finance Reform and Democracy

A6533/S5856 (Signed by governor.)

This legislation requires candidates for local public office and political committees to file campaign finance statements in electronic format if they have raised or expended more than $1,000. Political candidates and committees must currently file electronically on the state level, and so now political candidates and committees must do so on the local level.

A7977-b/S5048-b

This bill ensures that all citizens have the opportunity to vote by absentee ballot in Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Land Sale Referenda. This legislation would rectify the current situation where absentee ballots are not provided to qualified voters who are voting on propositions related to the sale, exchange, or purchase of real property by BOCES. This allows the voters to easily access information on campaign contributions.

Libraries and Education

A1739/S2510

This bill sets up fifty library science scholarships for graduate study in a program leading to a degree of Masters of Arts in Library Science. The three-year scholarships may be awarded up to $5,000 each, but not to exceed tuition and fees.

Local Environment and Community Participation

A7387/S4523

This bill expands the membership on the Westchester County Soil and Water District Council from five to seven members, inviting more participation from the community at large.

Public Safety and Terrorism

A8072-a/S5025-a

This bill creates a statewide First Responder Building Mapping Information System Task Force. The Task Force mission is the determination of how best to design and operate a statewide first responder building mapping information system and make recommendations to the governor and legislature. The system will ensure that first responders to building emergency incidents are provided with the maximum information possible to protect the public when disaster strikes.

A4436/S2232

This legislation prohibits the pulling of a person on an inflatable device by an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV). Currently the law prohibits pulling a person on skis or towing a sleigh, sled, toboggan, or trailer from an ATV. The bill would add inflatable devices to the list.

Please feel free to contact Governor Pataki at 518.474.1041/phone, 518.474.1513/fax, or write to him at New York State Governor, Executive Chamber, Albany, NY 12224 in support of any, or all of this legislation.

Constituent Poll Results On Help America Vote Act

These are the results of my April 2005 newsletter poll asking my constituents what voting system they preferred in New York – electronic voting, paper ballot with optical scan, or other. 352 people answered as follows:

73%	favor optical scanning of paper ballots

13%	favor electronic voting

14%	favor other means such as phone-in voting, email, or keeping current lever machines.

The federal voting act does not allow any state to keep their lever machines because they are not accessible for everyone.

Local community members of a Help America Vote task force meet with Sandy to promote their position in favor of optical scan machines with paper trail versus using electronic voting machines. The local group believes that optical scanners are more secure, easier to use, and less expensive to buy and maintain. The state has passed legislation allowing local municipalities to decide which equipment to purchase to replace the current lever machines. The new systems must be in place by the fall of 2006 under the federal Help America Vote Act.

A Constitutional Amendment In November

Some features of the constitutional amendment
to change the state budget process are:

change the start of the state fiscal year from April 1 to May 1;

impose a contingency budget if a new budget is not adopted by May 1;

provide a two-year “step-ahead” appropriation for school aid;

create reserve funds for May and June school aid payment;

require a 3-year projection of the financial impact of any changes to the governor’s budget;

require Independent Budget Office to give the legislature and public detailed information related to the budgetary process.

Should We Amend The Constitution
To Guarantee An On-Time Budget?

Some Pros	Some Cons
There is no budget deadline written in the constitution and there are no consequences for a late budget. Under 3 governors, 3 senate majority leaders and 4 assembly speakers, only once in the past 21 years has a budget been passed on time. The system is not working.	Different personalities in office will lead to different outcomes. This year proves that the current system does work. A budget can be passed by April 1 when leaders work together.
If the budget does not pass on time, a contingency budget will be put into place, which the legislature and the governor have already agreed to the prior year. This budget can be added to and changed with appropriations bills that the governor needs to approve, just as any other budget bill.	A contingency budget takes all the power out of the governor’s hands by rejecting his budget. The legislature is then given the power to adopt any spending bills it pleases. Budget making power shifts away from the governor to the legislature.
By creating an Independent Budget Office to be used by both houses and to give information to the public, consistent figures will be available to all legislators with a reduction in disagreement about budget figures.	The Independent Budget Office will be only advisory. There are already organizations that provide accurate figures.

Sandy with constituent Edward Rondthaler, who celebrated his 100th birthday as Grand Marshall of this year’s Croton-on-Hudson Summerfest Parade.

A Transportation Bond Act In November

The $2.9 billion bond measure voters will be asked to approve is part of a much larger $35.8 billion capital plan that allocates dollars for mass transportation, highways, bridges, canals and the general transportation infrastructure of the state. In Putnam County, the bond measure will help pay for $1.3 million in traffic improvements for Route 6 and 6N in Mahopac. In Westchester County, the bond issue will help fund over $70 million in infrastructure work for projects on the Saw Mill Parkway and the Cross-Westchester Expressway. There are other projects affecting our counties, including improvements at Bear Mountain-Route 6. Metro North commuters also will benefit with the purchase of new M8 cars, parking improvements, and track upgrades.

Sandy at the Ossining Public Library and the Desmond - Fish Library unveiling the new “Love Your Library” custom license plate. Each $25 annual fee will be deposited to the credit of the Love Your Library Fund, which benefits statewide summer reading programs for children. Please call the DMV Custom Plates Unit at (518) 402-4838 to apply for a special library plate. Sandy is Chair of the Assembly Libraries and Education Technology Committee.

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