MARTUCCI STATEMENT ON REDISTRICTING AMENDMENT

ALBANY, NY – Senator Mike Martucci (R, C, I – New Hampton) issued the following statement in response to today’s vote by the state Senate majority to amend the independent redistricting process:

“I was proud to join good government groups across the state, like Citizens Union and the League of Women Voters, in opposing today’s attempt on the floor by the Senate Democrats to gut the Independent Redistricting Commission through Senate Bill 515. Fairly drawn legislative districts ensure that the value of a person’s vote is equal no matter where in the state that person may live. The amendment put forward today by the Senate Majority will return us to the bad old days when the majorities in each house cynically gerrymandered their own districts to serve their political ambitions. Let me be clear, whether Republicans or Democrats drove these decisions at the time it was 100% wrong.

“Yesterday, we heard extensively from Senate Democrats about the rule of law, fairness, and respect for our electoral process. Today, we see that their high-minded rhetoric was meaningless. Hypocrisy certainly isn’t new in politics, but today, the majority took that notion to a new level.”

Mike Martucci is serving his first term as the Senator for the 42nd NYS Senate District which comprises all of Sullivan County and parts of Orange, Ulster and Delaware counties. He is the ranking member of the Senate Committees on Developmental Disabilities and Small Business, Commerce and Economic Development. Mike is a small businessman who employed hundreds of people locally at his former company, Quality Bus Service, which was responsible for safely transporting thousands of school children each day in and near the 42nd senate district. Mike and his wife Erin own a family-farm in the Town of Westtown and established a family foundation to support local women and children in need, educational opportunities, job creation, and agriculture initiatives. Mike and Erin have three children and live in the Town of Wawayanda.

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