New York State Assembly

We have now crossed over into 2014, and I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season and fun-filled New Year's Eve celebration. During the upcoming legislative session, it is my hope that the lawmakers in Albany will be able to enact meaningful reforms, create laws that protect our citizens and provide our families and businesses the tools they need to succeed.

NEW YORK MUST REALIZE ITS POTENTIAL

The beginning of each new year provides another opportunity to improve the lives of New Yorkers. In 2014 we must commit to making New York more affordable for citizens, more conducive to job creation and business growth, and more accountable to the millions of New Yorkers we serve. It's time to walk-the-walk on priority legislative issues that will benefit communities across the state. My goals for the upcoming legislative session include action on a number of areas that impact every community in New York State:

Unfunded Mandates - Requirements and regulations imposed by Albany upon local governments come at a cost. When state-driven expenses rise for a municipality, property taxes go up for residents. I have proposed bill A.1570 to prohibit new unfunded mandates on local governments and school districts, and will continue to fight for this legislation.

Tax Relief - The Governor's New York State Tax Relief Commission recently issued recommendations on how to lower taxes. We must go much further in order to shed New York's dubious ranking as the worst tax climate in the United States. We need to make permanent the Middle Class Income Tax cut; eliminate state sales tax on items such as gasoline, car seats, bike helmets, hygiene products and other family necessities; and end the Corporate Franchise Tax and Personal Income Tax (PIT) for all manufacturers.

Public Corruption - Unfortunately, accusations of public corruption have already made their way into the headlines. Recent allegations are all too reminiscent of the unacceptable behavior we saw last year that resulted with the resignation of Vito Lopez.

Lawmakers must enact the Public Officers Accountability Act (A.7393) - a sweeping anti-corruption package developed by the Assembly Minority Conference that strengthens penalties, implements term limits, and increases accountability from public officials.

Education - Members of the Assembly Minority Conference hosted several forums around the state to listen to the concerns of parents, teachers and community leaders about our educational system and the Common Core standards. Anxiety runs high in many school districts, and a more focused look on the effectiveness of current programs and policies is required. In 2014, we have a responsibility to implement legislative solutions that address curriculum, testing standards, funding and providing greater support for teachers and more importantly for students.

POSITIVE STEPS WILL GET NEW YORK ON TRACK

These are just some of the major topics that the Assembly should be ready to act upon early in 2014. Despite some of the challenges ahead, New York still has many great resources at its disposal. With the proper legislation and dedication on behalf of our government, we can, and will, get New York into position to be a national leader in finance, public safety, government transparency and technology. This year I will work tirelessly toward that end.

What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030 or email me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us.