At the foundation of our state and federal governments is the separation of powers between the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. The checks and balances are important to ensure that the rights and interests of the people are protected.

The governor recently gave the legislature several ultimatums. This is a dangerous ploy and it oversteps his role as executive. The governor has, over the years, forced his policies into the state budget and created a stash of taxpayer money to fund his pet projects. This heavy-handed approach isn’t good for the health of our state.

Recently, he withheld local school aid runs and linked school aid to adoption of his questionable education reforms. Additionally, he threatened to veto the budget outright if it does not include his list of so-called ethics reforms. This is indicative of a troubling pattern which began when he forced his gun-grab law, the NY SAFE Act, on the law-abiding people of New York.

I am not saying that his concerns about education and ethics reforms aren’t valid, but he should take a more cooperative approach when addressing some of these pressing matters. Had he reached out to the legislature, he would have found there are many reform packages that my colleagues and I sponsor, such as the Achieving Pupil Preparedness and Launching Excellence (APPLE) Plan, which outlines multiple ways we can provide the best education to our children according to their developmental needs.

Similarly, if the governor sought input from the Assembly, he would have found that my colleagues and I have sponsored some of the toughest ethics reform legislation in the nation, such as the Public Officers Accountability Act and the Pension Forfeiture Act. No one individual, even the governor, has all the answers about how to fix the largest issues facing our state.

Working together would provide more comprehensive results for the people of New York. I encourage the governor to rethink his approach to serving the people of this state and to work cooperatively with the legislature.

I welcome your input on this or any other state matter. Please share your ideas with me by emailing blankenbushk@assembly.state.ny.us or by calling 493-3909.