Regular Session - February 26, 2019
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
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3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 February 26, 2019
11 3:26 p.m.
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13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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18 SENATOR BRIAN A. BENJAMIN, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and repeat with me the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: In the
9 absence of clergy, I ask that everyone bow their
10 head in a moment of silent reflection or prayer.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Reading
14 of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
16 February 25, 2019, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, February 24,
18 2019, was read and approved. On motion, Senate
19 adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 Messages from the Governor.
25 Reports of standing committees.
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1 Reports of select committees.
2 Communications and reports from
3 state officers.
4 Motions and resolutions.
5 Senator Gianaris.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
7 Mr. President. I have several motions.
8 On behalf of Senator Martinez, on
9 page 9 I offer the following amendments to
10 Calendar 61, Senate Print 1719B, and ask that
11 said bill retain its place on Third Reading
12 Calendar.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
14 amendments are received, and the bill shall
15 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: On behalf of the
17 great Senator Benjamin, on page 10 I offer the
18 following amendments to Calendar 67, Senate Print
19 1130, and ask that said bill retain its place on
20 Third Reading Calendar.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
22 amendments are received, and the bill shall
23 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Also on behalf
25 of Senator Benjamin, I move the following bill be
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1 discharged from its respective committee and
2 recommitted with instructions to strike the
3 enacting clause: Senate Bill 2077.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: It is
5 so ordered.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: And on behalf
7 Senators Mayer and Sanders, I move that the
8 following bills be discharged from their
9 respective committees and recommitted with
10 instructions to strike their enacting clauses:
11 Senate Bills 2097 and 2288.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: It is
13 so ordered.
14 Senator Gianaris.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: Can you please
16 call on Senator Griffo.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
18 Griffo.
19 SENATOR GRIFFO: Thank you,
20 Mr. President.
21 On behalf of Senator Ortt, I move
22 that Senate Bill 3063 be discharged from its
23 respective committee and be recommitted with
24 instructions to strike the enacting clause.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: It is
1126
1 so ordered.
2 Senator Gianaris.
3 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
4 Mr. President.
5 Can you please recognize Senator May
6 for an introduction.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
8 May.
9 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
10 Mr. President.
11 I'd like to take a moment to
12 recognize two guests from Syracuse University who
13 have made the trip to Albany and have joined us
14 in the gallery.
15 I'd like to welcome Ms. Dina Eldawy,
16 a senior majoring in international relations and
17 citizenship and civic engagement. She's the
18 first woman ever to win a Marshall Scholarship
19 from Syracuse University, and I'll have a
20 resolution to that effect tomorrow.
21 She's also here with her advisor,
22 Jolynn Parker, the director of Syracuse
23 University's Center for Fellowship and
24 Scholarship Advising.
25 I would ask, Mr. President, that you
1127
1 acknowledge their presence and give them all
2 privileges of the house.
3 Thank you.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
5 you, Senator May.
6 To our guests, we congratulate you
7 on your achievement and extend our best wishes on
8 your scholarship. Congratulations, and welcome.
9 (Applause.)
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
11 Mr. President.
12 Can we now recognize Senator Kaplan
13 for another introduction.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
15 Kaplan.
16 SENATOR KAPLAN: Thank you,
17 Mr. President.
18 It is my great privilege this
19 afternoon to welcome several distinguished guests
20 to the Senate chamber. Joining us today we have
21 several representatives and students from the
22 Henry Viscardi School, located in Albertson,
23 New York, and serving young people from across
24 the region.
25 The Viscardi School offers children
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1 and young adults with severe disabilities a
2 traditional education that provides rigorous
3 academics and opportunities for personal growth
4 and leadership development. Its specialized,
5 accessible, educational setting provides a fully
6 enriched academic program, a variety of
7 therapies, assistive technologies, and medical
8 supports to students who may otherwise need to
9 receive instruction in their own home or a
10 hospital setting.
11 I had an opportunity to tour the
12 Viscardi School and to meet with several students
13 and teachers recently. And I was so inspired,
14 not only by their incredible individual
15 achievements, but also by the warmth and the
16 embracing spirit of the community that they have
17 created.
18 Please join me in extending a warm
19 welcome to the students and staff of the
20 Henry Viscardi School.
21 I would like to mention Boruch
22 Nojowitz, who's here with his mother, Malka
23 Baker; John Kemp, the president; Beth Daly,
24 chairperson of the school; Sheryl Buchel,
25 executive vice president and CFO; Kim Brussell,
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1 VP of public affairs and marketing; and Angelo
2 Zegarelli, the school head.
3 Thank you for joining us today.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
5 you, Senator Kaplan.
6 To our guests from the Henry
7 Viscardi School, we welcome you and extend to you
8 the courtesies and privileges of the house.
9 (Standing ovation.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
11 Gianaris.
12 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
13 can we now take up the noncontroversial reading
14 of the calendar.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
16 Secretary will read.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 52,
18 by Senator Persaud, Senate Print 1082A, an act to
19 amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
21 the last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
23 act shall take effect one year after it shall
24 have become a law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
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1 the roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
4 Announce the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
7 bill is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 55,
9 by Senator Gianaris, Senate Print 2145, an act to
10 amend the General Municipal Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
12 the last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect on the first of January
15 next succeeding the date on which it shall have
16 become a law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
18 the roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
21 Announce the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
24 bill is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 98,
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1 by Senator Metzger, Senate Print 2069, an act to
2 amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
4 the last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
8 the roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
11 Announce the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
14 bill is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 112, by Senator Gaughran, Senate Print 1864, an
17 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
19 the last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
21 act shall take effect on January 1, 2020.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
23 the roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
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1 Announce the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
4 bill is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 113, by Senator Mayer, Senate Print 1877, an act
7 to amend the General Municipal Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
9 the last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
13 the roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
16 Announce the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
18 Senator Antonacci recorded in the negative.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
20 bill is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 114, by Senator Gaughran, Senate Print 1913, an
23 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
24 SENATOR GRIFFO: Lay it aside.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Lay it
1133
1 aside.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 124, by Senator Serrano, Senate Print 180, an act
4 to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic
5 Preservation Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
7 the last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect on the first of January.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
11 the roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
14 Announce the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
17 bill is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 126, by Senator Serrano, Senate Print 2494, an
20 act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic
21 Preservation Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
23 the last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
2 the roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
5 Announce the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
8 bill is passed.
9 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
10 noncontroversial reading of today's calendar.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
12 Mr. President. Can we now take up the
13 controversial reading.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
15 Secretary will ring the bell.
16 The Secretary will read.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 114, by Senator Gaughran, Senate Print 1913, an
19 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
21 Griffo, why do you rise?
22 SENATOR GRIFFO: Are you prepared,
23 Mr. President?
24 (Laughter.)
25 SENATOR GRIFFO: I believe there's
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1 an amendment before the desk. I would waive the
2 reading of that amendment and ask that you call
3 upon Senator Seward, that he may be heard.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
5 you, Senator Griffo.
6 Upon review of the amendment, in
7 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
8 nongermane and out of order at this time.
9 SENATOR GRIFFO: In accordance with
10 that ruling, I would appeal the ruling of the
11 chair and ask that you call upon Senator Seward
12 to be heard.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
14 appeal has been made and recognized, and Senator
15 Seward may be heard.
16 SENATOR SEWARD: Thank you,
17 Mr. President.
18 I would argue that this amendment is
19 germane because the bill-in-chief concerns real
20 property tax credits. And projects that are
21 reviewed and voted on by the Public Authorities
22 Control Board, of which I have been a member,
23 frequently depend on tax credits, including real
24 property tax credits.
25 Additionally, the revenue created by
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1 projects that are approved by the Public
2 Authorities Control Board will help ensure and
3 improve the fiscal standing of the state, which
4 in turn will help the fiscal standing of local
5 municipalities that allows them to provide tax
6 benefits like the ones offered in the
7 bill-in-chief before us today.
8 Speaking to the amendment, this
9 amendment would ensure that the leadership of one
10 conference could not derail a project that goes
11 before the Public Authorities Control Board.
12 Currently there is a Senate and Assembly
13 representative as well as the Governor, and the
14 two minority conferences have nonvoting members
15 of the board.
16 And to have any project pass the
17 PACB, it requires under existing law a unanimous
18 vote of the three voting entities: Senate,
19 Assembly, and the Governor. This amendment would
20 change that to be a majority vote, a minimum of
21 two out of three.
22 And the reason for the amendment,
23 you know, the Senate Majority's recommended
24 appointment of a Senator who openly criticized
25 the Amazon headquarters project was a death blow
1137
1 to the project, because that Senator would have
2 had the power to veto the project under existing
3 law.
4 And the economic benefits of
5 Amazon's second headquarters in Queens would have
6 been enormous: 25,000 to 40,000 good-paying jobs
7 and revenues of up to $27 billion. And this is
8 revenue that we desperately need as a state as we
9 deal with a looming deficit of $2.3 billion.
10 That's a gap we'll need to fill in some way.
11 The deal would have helped all areas
12 of the state as well, you know, from Long Island,
13 the Lower Hudson Valley, up here to Albany and
14 the nanotech industry here in Albany, in helping
15 them to recruit other technology companies to
16 come to the state and to spread around the state
17 in areas such as Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse
18 and other parts of upstate as well.
19 And other impacts of losing the
20 Amazon project concern the fact that businesses
21 no doubt will hesitate to locate to New York
22 after Amazon's decision to pull out of the deal,
23 because it adds to the narrative that New York is
24 not open for business.
25 You know, last Friday it was
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1 reported that Leader Stewart-Cousins recommended
2 another Senator to serve as the Senate Majority's
3 representative on the PACB. And with that in
4 mind, as we look at it, potentially we can say
5 here we go again, because that Senator's district
6 includes part of Belmont Park. There is a
7 $1 billion arena and entertainment venue on
8 state-owned property near Belmont Park that will
9 have to go before the PACB for approval. There
10 is some local opposition to that project. That
11 Senator will have the power, if appointed to the
12 PACB, to veto a very important project.
13 Now, this situation is eerily
14 similar to what happened with the Amazon
15 headquarters project, so we want to ensure that a
16 single appointment cannot kill another deal that
17 will bring sustainable jobs and economic growth
18 to the state. This amendment would ensure
19 leadership of one conference of the Legislature
20 does not have veto power over major economic
21 development projects.
22 So this amendment makes sense. I
23 urge a yes vote to, first of all, overrule the
24 ruling of the chair and a yes vote on the
25 ultimate amendment. Thank you.
1139
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
2 you, Senator.
3 I want to remind the house that the
4 vote is on the procedures of the house and the
5 ruling of the chair.
6 Those in favor of overruling the
7 chair signify by saying aye.
8 (Response of "Aye.")
9 SENATOR GRIFFO: Show of hands,
10 please.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: A show
12 of hands has been requested and so ordered.
13 (Show of hands.)
14 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 19.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
16 ruling of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief
17 is before the house.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
20 without objection, can we return Calendar Number
21 114 to the noncontroversial calendar and take it
22 up.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Without
24 objection, so ordered.
25 And the Secretary will read.
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1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 114, by Senator Gaughran, Senate Print 1913, an
3 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
5 the last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
9 the roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
12 Gaughran to explain his vote.
13 SENATOR GAUGHRAN: This bill is
14 important because many of our volunteer fire
15 departments around the state are having
16 difficulties recruiting people, particularly
17 young people. And young people often live in one
18 community, work in another community, and they
19 might want to volunteer in a community that they
20 don't live in. This would give them the
21 opportunity for a tax exemption that other
22 volunteer firefighters have.
23 And I think this will benefit
24 taxpayers because these fire departments are
25 struggling, many of them, to recruit volunteers.
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1 And if we give this sort of incentive, hopefully
2 they will be able to start bringing in a lot
3 more, including the young people, because the
4 alternative is switching to paid fire
5 departments, paid ambulance departments, which
6 will be a huge cost for many communities.
7 So I vote in the affirmative,
8 Mr. President.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
10 Jackson to explain his vote.
11 SENATOR JACKSON: Thank you,
12 Mr. President. I rise to support this matter.
13 And reading the details of the bill
14 and discussing it with my legislative director,
15 we want individuals to volunteer to be members of
16 fire departments and EMS in order to save lives
17 and to save people's properties. We think that's
18 a positive aspect.
19 And so if an individual is willing
20 to put their life on the front lines in order to
21 save others, it's up to a municipality whether or
22 not they want to have this included to give a
23 property tax decrease of no more than 10 percent.
24 So I think this is a win/win
25 situation, and I support it wholeheartedly.
1142
1 Thank you.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
3 Jackson to be recorded in the affirmative.
4 Announce the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
7 bill is passed.
8 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
9 noncontroversial reading of today's calendar.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
11 Mr. President.
12 The remaining business for today
13 involves the taking up of two nominations, so we
14 have to have a series of committee meetings to
15 move the nominees.
16 And so with that, I will call an
17 immediate meeting of the Corporations,
18 Authorities and Commissions Committee in Room
19 332. That will be followed in the same room
20 immediately by a meeting of the Transportation
21 Committee, and finally, still in that same room,
22 Room 332, by the meeting of the Finance
23 Committee, after which we will come to the floor
24 and take up the nominees.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: There
1143
1 will be an immediate meeting of the Corporations,
2 Authorities and Commissions Committee in
3 Room 332.
4 Senators on the Transportation and
5 Finance Committees are advised to be ready to
6 meet in Room 332.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
8 the Senate will stand at ease.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
10 Senate will stand at ease.
11 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
12 at 3:46 p.m.)
13 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
14 4:31 p.m.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
16 Senate will return to order.
17 Senator Gianaris.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 The Committee on Corporations,
21 Authorities and Commissions has completed its
22 work, so the Committee on Transportation will now
23 be meeting in Room 332.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: There
25 will be an immediate meeting of the
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1 Transportation Committee in Room 332.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: The Senate will
3 stand at ease, Mr. President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
5 Senate will stand at ease.
6 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
7 at 4:32 p.m.)
8 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
9 4:54 p.m.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
11 Senate will return to order.
12 Senator Gianaris.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
14 last but not least, there will be an immediate
15 meeting of the Finance Committee in Room 332,
16 after which we will return to the floor to take
17 up the nominations.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: There
19 will be an immediate meeting of the Finance
20 Committee in Room 332.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: The Senate will
22 stand at ease, Mr. President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
24 Senate will stand at ease.
25 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
1145
1 at 4:55 p.m.)
2 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
3 5:44 p.m.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
5 Senate will return to order.
6 Senator Gianaris.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
8 can we go back to motions and resolutions, and
9 can you call on Senator Griffo, please.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Motions
11 and resolutions.
12 Senator Griffo.
13 SENATOR GRIFFO: Mr. President, on
14 behalf of Senator Young, I would like to move
15 that Senate Bill 899 be discharged from its
16 respective committee and be recommitted with
17 instructions to strike the enacting clause.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: It is
19 so ordered.
20 Senator Gianaris.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: Okay. And now,
22 Mr. President, can we go to reports of standing
23 committees.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: We will
25 return to reports of standing committees.
1146
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: I believe
2 there's a report of the Finance Committee at the
3 desk.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: There
5 is a report of the Finance Committee at the desk.
6 The Secretary will read.
7 THE SECRETARY: Senator Krueger,
8 from the Committee on Finance, offers the
9 following nominations:
10 As members of the Board of the
11 Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Sarah E.
12 Feinberg, of New York, and David S. Mack, of
13 Kings Point.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
15 Krueger.
16 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you,
17 Mr. President. Although my script says "Madam
18 President," so we'll work on that.
19 At this time I would like to move
20 the two nominations to the floor, Sarah E.
21 Feinberg and David Mack. And they have been
22 moved through the Transportation Committee, the
23 Corporations Committee, and the Finance
24 Committee.
25 And I would like to recognize them
1147
1 and also have you recognize any Senator who would
2 like to speak on either of their behalf.
3 Thank you, Mr. President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
5 Kennedy on the nominations.
6 SENATOR KENNEDY: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 Let me first start by thanking the
9 members of the Transportation Committee that I
10 chair, the members of the Corporations and
11 Authorities Committee, chaired by Senator Comrie,
12 as well as the Finance Committee, chaired by
13 Senator Krueger.
14 I want to recognize and thank
15 Governor Cuomo for putting forward two
16 extraordinary individuals that we hope with this
17 vote of the Senate today will be approved and
18 ultimately take their seats as we work to reclaim
19 the MTA and continue to put forward our
20 initiative to transform the MTA into something
21 which the ridership, most importantly, can be
22 proud of.
23 We had a robust conversation in each
24 of the committees. Many questions were asked and
25 answered thoroughly. First and foremost,
1148
1 Mr. Mack has a tremendous history with the MTA
2 and is no stranger to the needs of the system
3 that we need to find many, many solutions to.
4 The needs are many.
5 And we have to come up with the
6 solutions that work for generations to come.
7 That is what we are working on collectively as a
8 body. We have the experience of Mr. Mack that
9 will help to drive the vision of the MTA forward
10 as we work to solve the issues at hand.
11 Ms. Feinberg has an extraordinary
12 history herself, having worked at the federal
13 level under the Obama administration, not only in
14 the White House but also as part of the Federal
15 Railroad Administration. She is no stranger to
16 the needs of the MTA system.
17 Both are riders of the system. Both
18 are going to work with us to ensure that the
19 future of the MTA is brighter than it has ever
20 been. And once again, as we work collectively to
21 transform the system into something that the
22 riders can depend upon, that they can rely upon
23 as they go to work, to school, to and from areas
24 in the community, be it a doctor's appointment or
25 to the grocery store or to anywhere else
1149
1 throughout the 13 counties that the MTA serves,
2 that they have a board that is responsive to
3 their needs.
4 This Democratic Conference has taken
5 it upon us to drive an agenda forward where we
6 create a system, working with the leadership at
7 the MTA, in rebuilding trust, in rebuilding an
8 effective, dependable system. And I am very
9 confident that these two individuals that the
10 Governor put forward for approval today are going
11 to do just that.
12 Once again, Mr. President, I thank
13 you and look forward to voting in the affirmative
14 for these nominations.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
16 question is on the nomination of Sarah E.
17 Feinberg and David S. Mack as members of the
18 Board of the Metropolitan Transportation
19 Authority. All in favor say aye.
20 (Response of "Aye.")
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
22 Opposed?
23 (No response.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Sarah
25 E. Feinberg and David S. Mack have been confirmed
1150
1 as members of the Board of the Metropolitan
2 Transportation Authority.
3 (Standing ovation.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
5 Gianaris.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: With that,
7 Mr. President, is there any further business at
8 the desk?
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: There
10 is no further business at the desk.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: That being the
12 case, I move to adjourn until tomorrow,
13 Wednesday, February 27th, at 3:00 p.m.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: On
15 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
16 Wednesday, February 27th, at 3:00 p.m.
17 (Whereupon, at 5:50 p.m., the Senate
18 adjourned.)
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