“The Assembly Minority Conference has tried to rein in the governor’s emergency powers but, unfortunately, the Majority has blocked all our efforts to do so. As our governor likes to tout every press conference he holds, our state has successfully flattened the curve and transmission rates remain low and he is continuing his victory tour to states struggling with a surge of cases to remind everyone of his accomplishments. If this is the case, why will the governor not relinquish his emergency powers? Why does the Majority continue to block our efforts to do so?

“If this pandemic has shown us anything it’s that the governor prioritizes downstate and New York City above all. Although the North Country and Mohawk Valley has been impacted proportionately less by COVID-19 than other regions of the state, we have still been subjected to frivolous policies that just continue to burden our small businesses and way of life. One man should not have the authority to dictate policy for all 19 million residents of our Empire State for almost five months. It’s time democracy resumes in our state once again. I will continue fighting in Albany to have the governor’s emergency powers removed.”