When I was elected to the New York Senate, one of my main goals was to work to bridge the partisan divide. From petty bickering to open hostility, the way that our government has operated has been an impediment to good policy and bipartisanship is sorely needed.
Throughout my first term, it has been my duty to work with all regardless of party. Coming from the labor sector, I have been proud to work with many Democrats throughout my career and I consider many to be friends who are doing the best they can for those they represent. It is imperative that we work together to find common ground and compromise when the time called for it.
There are, however, issues where we must stand strong and fight for what we feel is right. One of those is ensuring the safety of our families, our communities and our law enforcement community. That is why I publicly stood with my Senate Republican colleagues to call attention to several dangerous proposals that will endanger our communities.
These proposals include allowing the State Parole Board to consider the early release of criminals regardless of their crimes, removing the ability of parole board members to use certain factors such as severity of crime when deciding parole and expunging records of certain felonies.
There is also a piece of legislation, proposed by New York State Attorney General Letitia James and sponsored by Senator Kevin Parker, aimed at inhibiting the ability of police officers to do their job safely. This irresponsible legislation would have a chilling effect on our police and could lead to many prospective police men and women from even applying to serve.
This is a package that the Senate Republican Conference is united in standing against and that is not politics – that is common sense. We need to make sure our police have the tools they need to protect our community so our residents are safe.
But this does not have to a partisan issue and I look for my Democrat colleagues to join with us to proclaim their opposition. Our police are our protectors and this package paints them as the bad guys. We need to stop this anti-police rhetoric so that our police men and women can do their jobs safely while still holding those break current laws accountable. These public servants are there every single day to protect our families and it is imperative that we stand with them.
Anti-police, pro-criminal policies have allowed those who prey on the law abiding residents of our state to have the upper hand. While some will view this issue through the lens of partisanship, there could be nothing further from the truth. I will stand with and work alongside anyone who is ready to fight for our families and hope all will join with us to stand up for our families and our officers.
That is why we were sent to Albany, that is why we sought elected office and that is what we should and must do.
