LOOKING AHEAD: INVESTING IN OUR LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE, EDUCATION, JOB CREATION AND PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES

Upstate New York, including our own Finger Lakes Region, is suffering under the heavy burden of high taxes, a hostile business environment and the unequal distribution of state funding.  Many of my top priorities this legislative session will seek further ways to cut taxes, bring good-paying jobs back to New York and to our region,  invest in improvements to our local roads and bridges and protect the safety and well being of all New Yorkers.  

Taxes in New York are too high, and as a result, New York is losing people, businesses, and good paying jobs to states who have lower taxes and a better economic climate. Although we have taken significant steps to cut taxes and make New York more business friendly, there is still a great deal of work to be done.

We all know someone who has lost his or her job as the result of a business closure or the decision by a company to move to a more business friendly state. Families are leaving New York instead of building their futures here - and it is a trend that needs to be reversed.

We must continue to promote the food and beverage industry to ignite private sector job development.  The creation of the Institute for Food Safety at Cornell is a game changer for Geneva and the Central Finger Lakes Region. The Institute will help to position Cornell’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at the forefront of food safety. Most importantly, the Institute will also help to create new job opportunities for local residents.

Improving our roads, bridges and transportation systems is vital for the economic future of our region and will remain a top priority for me. Investments in our infrastructure will help to create jobs, improve our local communities, increase tourism opportunities and grow our economy. We have every right to the same quality of transportation services that people downstate have, and additional state funding is critically important to our efforts to repair our local roads and keep them well maintained and secure.

There is nothing more important than the safety and security of our local communities as well as our state and nation.  That is why I will continue to focus on three key areas related to security: Brittany’s Law, cyber security and public protection and Homeland Security.

Brittany’s Law represents a major step forward for New York State in our efforts to protect crime victims. By putting measures into place that enable law enforcement to track violent offenders and keep them informed of their whereabouts, Brittany’s Law will undoubtedly save lives.  Brittany’s Law has passed the Senate every year since 2011, but continues to wane in the Assembly.  We cannot continue to put innocent New Yorkers at risk and I will continue working on behalf of Brittany’s family to enact this legislation into law.

Cyber crime and cyber terrorism are currently the fastest growing threats to individuals in the United States. With several recent high profile breaches in both the public and private sectors, those in power must be held accountable and reaffirm their commitment to protecting our personal information. We must alter the course of the cyber security epidemic in our country by treating it for what it really is -- an imminent threat to our safety and security.

New York State continues to be a target for terrorists and Upstate New York is not immune.  This has never been more evident than the recent arrest of a Monroe County man linked to ISIS who planned to attack a restaurant in downtown Rochester with knives and a machete. The safety and security of our Finger Lakes residents must remain a top priority.

Finally, repealing the SAFE Act remains one of my top priorities. Since the very day the so-called SAFE Act was enacted, I have been an outspoken critic of this law. The SAFE Act violates the freedoms of law-abiding gun owners and it does not provide a real solution to the problem of criminals who illegally obtain and use guns to commit violent crimes in our community.  That is why I am leading the fight against the Governor’s strict gun control law and have introduced legislation that would REPEAL the SAFE Act.

We must take decisive action to keep New York State moving in the right direction. By cutting taxes, investing in our food and beverage industries, reducing onerous regulations, and investing in Upstate New York’s infrastructure, we can build a more favorable environment for businesses to grow and create jobs right here in the Finger Lakes.

I will continue to work on behalf of the people in my Senate District and for those all across New York State to ensure a better future and greater opportunities for all.