Dear Neighbor,

As your Assemblyman, it’s my job to keep you up to date on all of the activities and issues that are happening in Central New York. This newsletter helps to serve that purpose. It contains important information for you and your family, so I ask that you take just a few minutes to look it over.

In addition, I want you to know that my office is here to help you. If you are having trouble dealing with federal, state and local government agencies, don’t hesitate to contact my office. My staff and I are always available to help you with: obtaining benefits, government forms or applications; providing information on programs, such as EPIC, HEAP and STAR; replacing local veterans’ medals and awards; answering questions about government issues; and developing legislative solutions to community problems.

I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. Working together, we can improve and strengthen our community.

Bill has been a member of the Assembly Veterans’ Affairs Committee since 1999 and is now chair of the committee. “It is my duty to remember veterans, their needs and issues and to remind my fellow colleagues how important veterans are to our way of life,” Bill said.

Bill meets with veterans during the Assembly’s annual Women Veterans’ Recognition Day.

Input from residents is vital to understanding the concerns and issues of the town. Four town hall meetings, including one at Geddes Town Hall, were held in March so that Bill could listen to residents’ concerns prior to the beginning of budget discussions. The information gathered at those meetings and other community functions help Bill act on behalf of Geddes residents.

Bill has consistently fought for quality education for our children and worked tirelessly to restore aid to the Solvay School District. Restoration of these funds limits property tax growth while saving basic education programs for our children.

Bill reads to kindergartners during a recent visit to Solvay Elementary School.

Reforming Albany
Bill fought for a far-reaching ethics reform package as chair of the Assembly Ethics Committee. It called for tougher measures, stiffer penalties, more oversight and increased disclosure. This landmark legislation would take remarkable steps in ending abuses in the system by reducing lobbyists’ influence in Albany and strengthening campaign finance filing requirements. The Assembly and the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill after extensive negotiations, research and public hearings (A.9544).

Stopping waste
Bill sponsored legislation that establishes an interagency report analyzing the opportunities to modernize and streamline information collection by state agencies. The report will find ways to improve efficiency, better share gathered data and ultimately reduce paperwork. The legislation passed both the Assembly and the Senate (A.9502-A).

Increasing safety
Bill authored the Gold Alert legislation, which establishes an alert system for missing adults who have cognitive impairments. Within 24 hours of a vulnerable adult going missing, alerts would be sent out through the media and to law enforcement officials in neighboring areas. The Gold Alert system is similar to the Amber Alert system for missing children, also authored by Bill. The legislation passed both houses (A.5220-B).

When Geddes lost the sales tax revenue from the county, Bill stepped in and secured $200,000 in multimodal funding. This funding is awarded to repair and reconstruct local roads to offset the expense to local municipalities. The roads in Geddes to be repaired through this funding are expected to be completed by the end of 2010.

Bill helped secure a grant to help the Village of Solvay fund the construction of a new highway garage at 3143 Milton Ave. The village had been without a garage since October 2007, when it was destroyed by a water main break. The garage will house the trucks and supplies which were pulled from the flooded garage two years ago. The funding allows the village to limit property tax growth.

“A new garage for the Village Highway Department is a much-needed project to protect the investment of residents.”