“Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it”-Ronald Reagan
Joseph Spector writes in his column how the unions are playing a key role in Governor Cuomo’s push for a $15 minimum wage. The fact that this is the third consecutive day an article covers this should let citizens know (as Marcellus said to Horatio said in Hamlet) “something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
Seriously, Mr. Emery? Your answer to the conflict you and your firm obviously have is, “So long as I remain Chair of the CCRB, my firm Emery, Celli, Brinckerhoff & Abady will not represent a client who filed a claim that was substantiated by the CCRB while I was Chair.” There is only one way to resolve the conflict of interest: resign from the Civilian Complaint Review Board. Your past bias against police does not allow for an unbiased decision.
The Daily Signal is reporting that the FBI vs Apple case is making Congress act on encryption. Of course, if Congress decides, any information on the phone would certainly be dated and with this case being played out in the press, any people who may have conspired with Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook will be so far underground the information on the phone will not produce any results. With that being said, the case does need to be resolved. Here is the Magistrate’s decision on a similar case and some background information from Homeland Security New Wire.
Monica Crowley opined last week on what President Nixon would have told President Obama on Cuba. Part of what Ms. Crowley writes is “Instead of challenging the Castros, Mr. Obama is indulging them. His visit will cement the regime’s increasing oppression, grant it international legitimacy and demoralize victims of human rights violators everywhere.” Read the rest of Ms. Crowley’s column here.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, 25% of discretionary spending is not authorized. However, while the headline is attention grabbing, I cannot imagine that the FBI or the State Department would not be re-authorized. What the article proves is that government is far too big and needs to be consolidated.
The minimum wage ends up hurting those it is supposed to help, if in doubt, ask Oregon.
Most of the focus on raising the minimum wage has been on the inability for private businesses to absorb the costs. Government agencies will have the same problem, unable to absorb the increase costs, so taxpayers will need to come up with more money for all the agencies involved. The disability service providers are currently in Albany, lobbying for an increase in their budgets to pay for the perceived increase. If the minimum wage is increased, taxpayers will pay. The other side of the coin is a problem also. Since the minimum wage for fast food workers was increased by executive fiat, how do you keep responsible workers for the disabled? Governor Cuomo opened a Pandora’s Box, with is executive fiat, and his obsession to increase the minimum wage in New York is detrimental to every New York citizen. Cuomo’s obsession to increase the minimum wage seems to cloud his ethics as well as disregard what is best for New Yorkers.
The NY Daily News opines that crime just keeps happening and wonders how much of the senseless crime is due to the mentally ill not being treated properly.
Brooklyn, NY — Justice Antonin Scalia appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 used his wisdom to guide America as our Founding Fathers outlined in the greatest constitution the world has ever known.
His wisdom and wit will be sorely missed. The world has lost a man who truly understood and fought for the American Dream for every American and every person who sought to be American.
We will continue to fight the good fight with the wise decisions he has left us.
Thank you Justice Antonin Scalia, we will carry on, now rest in peace.
Fort Hamilton Station, NY (10/30/15) The Conservative Party released its ratings for the 2015 Legislative Session today in order to keep the electorate knowledgeable of how their legislators voted on 25 key bills acted upon in the 2015 Legislative Session.
The Conservative Party tracks legislation throughout the session, issues support and opposition memos, and determines, at an executive committee meeting, which key issues including spending, crime, education, nanny state legislation and various other topics that affect the lives of New Yorkers, will be used. “We believe that it is necessary to keep the public informed of these key votes and let the taxpayers be aware of how elected officials spend our money. Every bill is considered, and then we narrow the number to give voters a fair assessment of spending, laws that effect the cost of doing business and the safety of living in New York,” said Mike Long, State Chairman.
“A review of the twenty-five bills used in this year’s ratings will show voters how some passed bills are specious or costly to taxpayers and others will show how they will help New Yorkers,” said Long. “The ratings give voters a scorecard on how their individual legislator voted on a diverse range of bills considered in the legislative session,” said Long.
“Assemblyman Nojay was the highest scoring member overall with 96%, in this year’s ratings. Seven Senators tied as the highest scored in the Senate with 76%.
This year the overall New York State Senate rating is 62%, up from last year’s 56.7%. The conservative endorsed Senate average was 72.75%. The democrats in the Senate averaged 50%. The Assembly did better than last year with an overall rating of 37%, up from 25.18% last year. The conservative endorsed Assembly members averaged 74.4% while the democrat Assembly members averaged 21%.
“Voters should review our ratings and remind their legislators that conservative fiscal policies works for taxpayers and for businesses and conservative values strengthen the principles our great country was founded on,” concluded Long.
(Ratings are online here. If you have a problem downloading, please call: 718-921-2158 or 518-356-
7882 for a copy. Thank you.)
(The first 10 Bills were considered in both Houses; the last 15 bills passed the Senate only)
1. S. 7 Lanza/ A. 506 Paulin: This bill seeks to improve the State’s response to human trafficking in order to end this travesty perpetrated by buyers and traffickers. CPNYS supports this bill.
2. S. 2003C/A. 3003C Budget: CPNYS opposes the Budget Bill that contains taxpayers’ dollars for abortions.
3. S. 2004C/A. 3004C Budget: CPNYS opposes the Budget Bill that squandered the state’s windfall on gimmicks instead of fixing the state’s infrastructure or paying down the state’s debt.
4. S. 3203A-Golden/A. 4969B-Simotas: CPNYS supports the bill that increases the penalty when a person subjects another person to sexual contact for personal gratification or to degrade/abuse another individual while using public transportation.
5. S. 4239-Murphy/A 6255 Rosenthal: CPNYS supports the bill that authorizes eligible defendants, in the judicial diversion program who need treatment for opioid abuse or dependence, to receive certain medically prescribed treatment.
6. S. 4954-Marchione/A. 6258-Magnarelli: CPNYS opposes the bill that extends the borrowing practices of local governments in an effort to provide localities the ability to maintain financial flexibility. While this bill helps manage the expenses of mandates, localities need relief from mandates, not a method to borrow and prolong payments that continue to keep taxes high.
7. S. 4978A-Young/A.7912 Wright: CPNYS opposes the bill that increases the bonding authority of the NYS Housing Finance Agency by $3B to a maximum aggregated amount of $21.780 B.
8. S. 5969-LaValle/A. 8244-Glick: The bill, known as “Yes Means Yes”, provides $10 M in taxpayer’s money for colleges to implement response policies and procedures for sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking prevention.
9. S. 5972-Seward/A.6780-Simotas: CPNYS supports the bill that allows a pregnant individual to enroll in the state health insurance exchange at any time.
10. S. 6012-Flanagan/A.8323-Heastie: CPNYS opposes this bill that incorporates many different issues that are unrelated and should be voted on individually, for example rent control, extending the tax cap, extending mayoral control of NY City schools and a Yonkers bailout as well as giving the Governor, current and former, the ability to solemnize marriages.
11. S. 447- Marcellino: CPNYS supports the bill that creates the crime of aggravated criminal conduct (aggravated criminal conduct is a class E felony) where an individual commits a misdemeanor and has been previously subjected to four or more qualifying misdemeanors.
12. S. 455 – Marcellino: CPNYS supports the bill that establishes, as a class C felony, the crime of terrorism recruitment.
13. S. 894 – Avella: CPNYS opposes the proposed amendment to the state constitution that would increase the terms of office of members of the legislature to four years without limiting the number of terms a legislator can serve.
14. S. 1460 – Golden: CPNYS supports the bill that seeks to create a “blue alert system” to aid in the apprehension of any individuals suspected of killing or seriously wounding any law enforcement officer.
15. S. 1483 – LaValle: CPNYS supports the bill that seeks to increase from twenty-four months to sixty months, the time for which reconsideration for parole for a violent felony offense shall be determined.
16. S. 1976 – Golden: CPNYS supports the bill that seeks to provide incentives (tax credit) for donations to public education entities, school improvement organizations, local education funds and educational scholarship organizations.
17. S. 2295 – Griffo: CPNYS supports the bill that requires any state mandated program imposed on municipalities and school districts to be funded by the state.
18. S. 2720 — Griffo: CPNYS supports the bill that authorizes the state board of parole to require that a violent felony offender serve their maximum term, if release would pose an imminent threat to society.
19. S. 2968 — Funke: CPNYS supports the bill that requires if a state mandate imposes a cost upon a school district that it may not be imposed after the adoption of a school budget.
20. S. 3438 – Young: CPNYS supports the bill that seeks to require that recipients of welfare benefits who do not have a high school or equivalency diploma to participate in good faith in an educational program to provide them with either.
21. S. 4163 – Amedore: CPNYS supports establishing the crime of homicide by sale of an opiate controlled substance.
22. S. 4505 – Lanza: CPNYS supports the bill that prohibits expenditure of state, local or public authority moneys relating to federal terrorism trials in the state of New York.
23. S. 4611 – Budget: CPNYS supports the proposed constitutional amendment to require forfeiture of legislator’s pension benefits, rights and privileges if convicted of a felony involving breach of public trust.
24. S. 5837 – Seward: CPNYS supports the bill that seeks to amend the NY SAFE Act through a series of reforms.
25. S. 5954 – Flanagan: CPNYS supports the bill that seeks to make needed reforms to ensure students are afforded a high quality education and that educators are provided with a fair and robust APPR system.
(The first 10 Bills were considered in both Houses; the last 15 bills passed the Assembly only)
1. S. 7 Lanza/ A. 506 Paulin: This bill seeks to improve the State’s response to human trafficking in order to end this travesty perpetrated by buyers and traffickers. CPNYS supports this bill.
2. S. 2003C/A. 3003C Budget: CPNYS opposes the Budget Bill that contains taxpayers’ dollars for abortions.
3. S. 2004C/A. 3004C Budget: CPNYS opposes the Budget Bill that squandered the state’s windfall on gimmicks instead of fixing the state’s infrastructure or paying down the state’s debt.
4. S. 3203A-Golden/A. 4969B-Simotas: CPNYS supports the bill that increases the penalty when a person subjects another person to sexual contact for personal gratification or to degrade/abuse another individual while using public transportation.
5. S. 4239-Murphy/A 6255 Rosenthal: CPNYS supports the bill that authorizes eligible defendants, in the judicial diversion program who need treatment for opioid abuse or dependence, to receive certain medically prescribed treatment.
6. S. 4954-Marchione/A. 6258-Magnarelli: CPNYS opposes the bill that extends the borrowing practices of local governments in an effort to provide localities the ability to maintain financial flexibility. While this bill helps manage the expenses of mandates, localities need relief from mandates, not a method to borrow and prolong payments that continue to keep taxes high.
7. S. 4978A-Young/A.7912 Wright: CPNYS opposes the bill that increases the bonding authority of the NYS Housing Finance Agency by $3B to a maximum aggregated amount of $21.780 B.
8. S. 5969-LaValle/A. 8244-Glick: The bill, known as “Yes Means Yes”, provides $10 M in taxpayer’s money for colleges to implement response policies and procedures for sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking prevention.
9. S. 5972-Seward/A.6780-Simotas: CPNYS supports the bill that allows a pregnant individual to enroll in the state health insurance exchange at any time.
10. S. 6012-Flanagan/A.8323-Heastie: CPNYS opposes this bill that incorporates many different issues that are unrelated and should be voted on individually, for example rent control, extending the tax cap, extending mayoral control of NY City schools and a Yonkers bailout as well as giving the Governor, current and former, the ability to solemnize marriages.
11. A. 53A — Paulin: CPNYS opposes the bill that seeks to further infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens who exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.
12. A. 1345A – O’Donnell: CPNYS opposes the bill that seeks to adopt United Nations recommendations regarding the use of solitary confinement in NY prisons and jails.
13. A. 1574 –Jaffee: CPNYS opposes the bill that seeks to implement a state policy of fair and equal pay for equivalent value of work.
14. A. 2990 – Aubry: CPNYS opposes the bill that requires employers to make a conditional offer of employment before inquiring about any criminal convictions of a prospective employee.
15. A. 3376B – Wright: CPNYS opposes the bill that seeks to include writer salaries and fees within production costs eligible for the Empire State Film Production credit.
16. A. 3879 – Nolan: CPNYS opposes the bill that expands Workers’ Compensation law to provide benefits for paid family leave.
17. A. 3949 – Wright: CPNYS opposes the bill that prohibits police officers from doing their jobs by onerous regulations.
18. A. 4311 – Moya: CPNYS believes that citizenship has its privileges. We understand the necessity of education, however, providing scholarships and financial aid is an opportunity that must be reserved to those who live by our laws. We therefore opposed this bill that seeks to provide financial assistance to those who are not citizens of New York.
19. A. 4558 – Gottfried: CPNYS is opposed to this Orwellian thought-crimes bill and strongly believes that when a person is discriminated against, there are current laws that those who discriminate should be charged with.
20. A. 5062 – Gottfried: CPNYS is opposed to the bill that seeks to create a single payer health care plan for all New Yorkers. Health Care is best provided by the free market system with minimal government interference.
21. A. 5955B – Rosenthal: CPNYS is opposed to the bill that seeks to equate electronic cigarettes with cigarettes and place the same restrictions on electronic cigarettes by not allowing them in public areas.
22. A. 6221 – Glick: CPNYS strongly opposes the bill that seeks to expand abortion services in NYS.
23. A. 6509 – Wright: CPNYS opposes the bill that seeks to establish the office of special investigation to increase transparency and facilitate additional involvement of the court in grand jury proceedings.
24. A. 7212 – Joyner: CPNYS opposes the bill that seeks to raise the age of 16, 17, or 18 year old first time defendants who plead guilty or are convicted to Youthful Offender status in all courts as long as it is not a felony.
25. A. 7257 – Titus: CPNYS is opposed to the bill that seeks to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 (in NYC, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk) and $12.50 in the rest of the state by 2018 and to index after that to the rate of inflation.
Fort Hamilton Station, NY (10/08/14) The Conservative Party released its ratings for the 2014 Legislative Session today in order to keep the electorate knowledgeable of how their legislators voted on 20 key bills acted upon in the 2014 Legislative Session.
The Conservative Party tracks legislation throughout the session, issues support and opposition memos, and determines, at an executive committee meeting, which key issues including spending, crime, education, nanny state legislation and various other topics that affect the lives of New Yorkers, will be used. “We believe that it is necessary to keep the public informed of these key votes and let the taxpayers be aware of how elected officials spend our money. Every bill is considered, and then we narrow the number to give voters a fair assessment of spending, laws that effect the cost of doing business and the safety of living in New York,” said Mike Long, State Chairman.
“A review of the twenty bills used in this year’s ratings will show voters how some passed bills are specious or costly to taxpayers and where they will help New Yorkers,” said Long. “The ratings give voters a scorecard on how their individual legislator voted on a diverse range of bills considered in the legislative session,” said Long.
“Assemblyman Dave DiPietro is the highest scoring member, 95%, in this year’s ratings. Retiring Senator Greg Ball scored the highest in the Senate with 80%,” Long stated.
This year the overall New York State Senate rating is 56.7%, up slightly from last year’s 53.26%, but still way below 2012’s 72.54%. In 2011, the Senate average was 51.22%. The Assembly dropped to 25.18% from 32.3% last year. In 2012, the Assembly averaged 47.61%, which was higher than the 36.5% they scored in 2011.
In the Senate, Conservatives endorsed 2 Democrats and 28 Republicans who averaged 66.8%, up from last year’s 61.96%. In the Assembly, the Conservative Party endorsed 2 Democrats and 37 Republicans who average 68.21% down from last year’s 76.19%.
“Before going to the voting booth next month, voters should review our ratings and consider how their legislators represented them. Conservative principles works for taxpayers and for businesses, voting for officials committed to conservative principles is the only way New York will return to its Empire State status,” concluded Long.
(Ratings are online at https://www.cpnys.org/node/63. If you have a problem downloading, please
call:
718-921-2158 or 518-356-7882 for a copy. Thank you.)
(The first Bill was considered in both Houses; Numbers 2-8 passed both Houses and the last 12 bills passed the Senate only)
1. A. 2597-A Moya/S.2378-B Peralta: The Conservative Party of New York State believes that citizenship has its privileges. We understand the necessity of education, however, providing scholarships and financial aid is an opportunity that must be reserved to those who live by our laws. We therefore opposed this bill that seeks to provide financial assistance to those who are not citizens of New York.
2. S. 3149-A Griffo/ A. 4422-A Dinowitz: The Conservative Party believes that this proposal is a positive step in having every vote count in the election of our President.
3. S.6353_E / A.8553-E Budget Bill: The Conservative Party opposes this budget bill that continues to use tax dollars to fund abortions.
4. S.6355-D/A. 8555-D Budget Bill: The Conservative Party opposes this budget bill that contains funds to the public financing of campaigns.
5. S.6356-D/A.8556-D Budget Bill: The Conservative Party opposes this budget bill that contains the funds to implement the School Bond Act if the voters pass the statewide proposal on the ballot.
6. A. 6357-E Gottfried/ S. 7923 Savino: The Conservative Party strongly opposed this bill that designates the most abused Schedule 1 drug (Here is how the FDA defines Schedule I drugs: substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.) as medicine.
7. A.9462 – Silver/S. 7368 Rules: The Conservative Party is opposed to this bill that postpones (again) the expiration of certain tax rates and taxes in the city of New York.
8. A.10075- Goldfeder: The Conservative Party opposes this bill that extends the hours of operation of video lottery gaming designed to provide incentives to visit (or stay longer) at video gaming facilities.
9. Senate Resolution #4036: The Conservative Party supports Budget Resolution #2 which creates, expands or makes permanent certain tax cuts , reduces utility rates and prohibits wasteful government spending
10. S.383 Diaz: The Conservative Party has called for this common-sense legislation that prohibits the use of lottery funds for any purpose other than education and prohibits the co-mingling with funds for other purposes.
11. S.725-A Avella: The Conservative Party believes that State Representatives should be responsive to citizens by standing for election every two years.
12. S. 966 – Libous: The Conservative Party strongly supports this common-sense legislation that prohibits public assistance cash benefits from being used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, lottery tickets, gaming or adult entertainment.
13. S.1437 Ranzenhofer: The Conservative Party supports this legislation making it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly harbor (house or employ) a sex offender who has failed to register or verify as required by law.
14. S.1520 Marcellino: The Conservative Party supports this bill that makes terrorism recruitment a Class C Felony.
15. S.1521 Marcellino: The Conservative Party supports this bill that seeks to create the crime of aggravated criminal conduct (Class E Felony) when an individual commits a misdemeanor and has been previously subjected to 4 or more qualifying misdemeanor convictions within the preceding 5 years.
16. S.2142 Lanza: The Conservative Party supports this bill that prohibits the expenditure of state and local funds relating to any trial of enemy combatants at any federal court in the state of New York.
17. S.2468 LaValle: The Conservative Party supports this bill that would extend the number of months from 24 to 60 as the time within which the parole board must set for reconsideration of a denied application for parole in cases where an inmate was sentenced for a violent felony offense.
18. S. 2617 Young: The Conservative Party supports this bill that seeks to provide financial incentives to the City of New York and the counties to identify and prosecute Medicaid fraud, thereby helping eliminate fraud, waste and abuse.
19. S.4444-A Golden: The Conservative party supports this bill that seeks to provide a statutory framework for the prosecution and prevention of criminal street gang activity.
20. S.5879-B Lanza: The Conservative Party supports this bill that seeks to end human trafficking.
