NEWS
Room 845, LOB, Albany, NY 12248 • 518-455-5291 • email: pretlowj@assembly.state.ny.us
In June, I helped pass bipartisan legislation that implemented the strongest, boldest improvements to New York’s rent-regulation laws in nearly 30 years. In doing so, I was able to give hardworking people residing in Mount Vernon and Yonkers access to affordable housing with stronger rent protections for middle-class and low-income families. The law closed the loopholes that made raising rent and rent decontrol far too easy for landlords who priced families out of their homes.
Listening to the frustrated calls of Mount Vernon and Yonkers homeowners, I helped pass legislation that was signed into law, capping property taxes at 2%. This will help put an end to large property tax increases and help working families and seniors stay in their homes while ensuring that our schools don’t suffer and vital community services remain in operation. It maintains the school-budget timeline, keeping its process intact and it allows a voter majority override so individual districts and taxpayers can best decide the immediate needs of their schools.
I was also instrumental in sponsoring legislation that will allow Westchester County to save over $4 million dollars. This bill, signed into law by Governor Cuomo, will allow Westchester County to issue bonds to fund the cost of the 2010 Early Retirement Incentive at a low interest rate. Opting into the State’s Early Retirement Incentive would have required Westchester County to make a lump sum payment into the NYS Retirement System. In recognizing that a lump sum payment will negatively impact the current County budget, I sponsored this legislation in order for the monies to be paid over a period of time, thus redirecting the savings to much needed resources.
Unfortunately, public schools throughout New York State, and Westchester County in particular, were faced with nearly a billion dollars in cuts in order to balance the state’s budget. It was more important than ever that we ensure tax dollars are spent wisely. Auditing charter schools will work to do just that.
The Assembly helped craft legislation signed into law giving the state comptroller authority to audit charter schools operating in New York State. Since these schools are supported by taxpayer dollars the comptroller’s audits create the same level of oversight that traditional public schools undergo each year, making sure we track where tax dollars go.
During this economic downturn and with charter schools operating in both Yonkers and Mount Vernon, we cannot let essential funding for education go to waste. To avoid unnecessary spending in the future, we must know and understand where our tax dollars are spent every day.
FOR OUR CHILDREN
With the start of a new school year, thousands of kids in our community will begin and end each school day on a school bus. Although our main focus is ensuring that our children arrive to and from school safely, it is also our obligation to make certain that the drivers entrusted to transport our children are properly qualified.
Prior to this law, there were criminal convictions such as, but not limited to; aggravated manslaughter in the 1st and 2nd degree, sexual abuse in the 1st degree, etc., which school bus drivers were allowed to have, that did not disqualify them from transporting children. I am pleased to announce that I sponsored legislation which was signed into law by Governor Cuomo that will create a thorough list of 15 new disqualifying convictions, these among them, for school bus drivers.
Caring for our children is a huge responsibility and the process of putting in the proper safeguards is an important task. Please know that I will continue to work to make sure our children are safe and protected from any harm or danger.
track team
Boys track team
2011 Federation Champs
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As your representative, I can assure you that I am and will continue to work on your behalf in the New York State Assembly. Always remember that you have the power to speak up and inform me of any concerns or comments that you have and would like to discuss with me. Please indicate and return to:
Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow, 87th District
6 Gramatan Avenue, Suite 407, Mt. Vernon, New York 10550
or
48 North Broadway, Yonkers, New York 10701
