With the start of a new year and a new era upon us in New York State, we’re embarking on exciting times. Eliot Spitzer promises to be a hard-working, dedicated governor, and the Assembly stands ready to partner with him to deliver the positive change...

Although it may seem that children are at school most of the time, they are often at home even more hours each day then they are away. And you as a parent or caregiver can do many things to help them be more successful students. For example, Make sure...

The legislation is the first of its kind in New York State, in that it allows family courts to include companion animals under the provisions of a court order of protection, (signed chap.253 of 2006). New York is only the third state in the nation to...

To support the life-saving practice of organ donation and make it easier for New Yorkers to become organ donors, I supported several measures that currently await the governor’s signature to become law. This legislation is designed to increase the...

What is more important than the safety and well-being of our families? That’s why I worked hard during the 2006 legislative session to toughen crime laws and better protect our loved ones. Keeping criminals and sexual deviants off our streets The...

During the 2006 legislative session we accomplished many goals to protect health care for seniors in Onondaga County. Funding our hospitals and nursing homes By persevering over the governor’s objections and providing $21.5 million in restorations...

For many of us, our home represents our most valuable asset and we protect it for our families by keeping it repaired and making improvements. Generally, over time, our home equity increases. But the value can vanish immediately when dishonest businesses...

This legislative session was a success and we continue to head in the right direction for the residents of Central New York. I believe the accomplishments in Albany will continue to have a positive influence for the upcoming months and years. During this...

Many families use child care while they’re at work. Nationally, more than five million infants and toddlers are cared for by others. In New York State, an estimated 3.7 million children are under 14 and two-thirds of children under 18 live with working...

It’s summer time and New York’s roads and highways are as busy as ever. While many of us just want to enjoy traveling with our families, others are getting behind the wheel after having too much to drink – not only endangering their own lives, but...

The Assembly has passed a package of energy bills that will make New York a more modern, efficient and healthier state. The bills also help working families and seniors deal with high energy costs. The newly reformed Article X legislation that is included...

Memorial Day is a day of reflection when we take time to pay homage to our veterans and thank our active duty military personnel. It is important that we join together in recognizing the dedication, loyalty and ultimately the sacrifices that so many men...

To protect New York State residents from the invasive crime of identity theft, the Assembly has passed legislation I sponsored to help curb this growing problem. The Assembly’s complete package consists of several bills aiming to crack down on identity...

Whether you are commuting to work, traveling on vacation or bringing the kids to little league, we are all paying more attention to how much gas we are using for these trips. The high gas prices have affected everything we do. With summer around the...

Since New York currently has a multibillion dollar surplus of the taxpayers’ money, it is extremely important that we put some of that money back in the pockets of working families. When the Legislature met in open conference committees last month,...

On November 17, 2000, eight-month-old Cynthia Gibbs died after reckless abuse by her babysitter. A month later, eleven-month-old Skipper Lithco III died after a similar trauma. Less than a year later, Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) took the life of seventeen-month-old...