NYS Senator Kathleen Marchione comments on Governor Cuomo's 2013 State of the State Address

For Immediate Release: January 9, 2013

Contact: Joshua Fitzpatrick, (518) 455-2381, joshuakevfitz@yahoo.com (518) 542-2413 (cell)

 NYS SENATOR KATHY MARCHIONE: MANY POSITIVE PROPOSALS IN GOVERNOR CUOMO’S 2013 STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS; SERIOUS CONCERNS OVER COSTLY NEW GUN CONTROL THAT COULD WEAKEN THE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF LAW-ABIDING NEW YORKERS 

Statement from New York State Senator Kathleen A. Marchione (R,C-Halfmoon)

             “Governor Cuomo outlined many positive proposals during his 2013 State of the State Address today, including a commitment to no new taxes, growing our entrepreneurial and innovation economy to create more good-paying jobs, helping New York maintain and expand its educational edge, along with rewarding excellent teachers with performance pay.  These were good ideas and real solutions that I would support and look forward to partnering with him to achieve.   

I was hoping to hear more about a specific plan to tackle the serious challenge of New York’s unfunded mandate crisis, as unfunded mandates are hurting taxpayers and pushing local governments to the brink of bankruptcy.  It is time to stop talking about unfunded mandates and actually do something; we need to pass a comprehensive mandate relief plan this session.  This must be a top priority, a bi-partisan priority.  Along with delivering unfunded mandate relief, we need a spending cap in place to ensure fiscal responsibility. 

I do not support the new restrictive gun control measures the Governor called for today.  Like the Governor, I am a responsible gun owner, as are millions of law-abiding New Yorkers.  While I have yet to see the specific details or actual legislation, I have concerns – serious concerns – that these proposals could quickly become costly mandates, drive away employers like Remington Arms and curtail the Second Amendment Constitutional freedoms of gun owners.  New York State already has some of the toughest gun control laws in America; instead of weakening the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens, we should instead focus on keeping firearms out of the hands of seriously mentally ill individuals who pose a clear and present danger to themselves and others.  It is time for an honest and adult conversation about mental illness, how it is reported and treated, as well as examining access to mental health care, especially for individuals or families in crisis.  Enacting potentially unconstitutional and costly new gun control mandates are not the answer to keeping New Yorkers safe.” 

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