A Legislative Column from Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo (R,C-New Suffolk)
(Long Island, NY) As the New York State budget negotiations continue, three issues are at the top of my list and are on the minds of Long Islanders: education, ethics and invigorating our local economy.
Our children and their education should be a top priority for every legislator. With Common Core supporters in full retreat mode as significant portions of the harmful mandate are being repealed – a move the Assembly Minority Conference advocated for years – we must now turn our focus to ensuring that our schools receive adequate funding.
Since 2010, our school districts have had millions of dollars withheld from them – a move supported by Assembly Democrats. These critical monies were supposed to be given back to our schools within two years, but six years later our schools still face hard decisions about cutting programs essential to children’s development such as art and music classes, special education and athletics because the state has welched on its promise. We must restore full funding to our school districts this year, no exceptions.
If depriving school districts of essential funding isn’t enough of a black eye for the state, Albany has become known nationwide for its corrupt politicians. Back room deal making, legislative leaders wielding nearly unlimited power and ex-politicians convicted of job-related felonies collecting hefty taxpayer funded pensions have become commonplace in the New York State Legislature.
Much of this can be avoided by enacting term limits for legislative leaders. I sponsor Assembly Bill (A.4617) which will keep any individual leader from amassing too much influence and imposing their own agenda on the Assembly while allowing fresh ideas from new leaders every eight years.
I also support Assembly Bill (A.4643-A) to keep taxpayer money from funding pension and retirement benefits for politicians convicted of job-related felonies. Under this legislation, their retirement benefits will be removed altogether.
Unfortunately, both of these measures have been blocked repeatedly by Assembly Democrats. With the opportunity to stand with the Assembly Republicans and stamp out corruption – action that the people of New York State have called for again and again – they have only hindered the process.
Another major issue that hits home for Long Islanders is the need to continue to create jobs and support our local economy. In recent years, droves of residents have headed for greener pastures where the property taxes are lower, businesses are thriving and more job opportunities are available. New York State must support small businesses such as the family farms, vineyards and breweries that are a large part of the fabric on Long Island. These small family-owned businesses provide an important boost to our economy. We must provide tax incentives to encourage them to grow and create more jobs and stop forcing unfunded state mandates that will only serve to cripple them.
These are some of the issues facing Long Island that I will be fighting for during this year’s budget negotiations. No child should miss out on opportunities because of a lack of school funding, no corrupt official should cash in on hard-earned taxpayer dollars and no small business should feel the weight of Albany crushing its ability to grow and contribute to its local economy.
