The latest slew of proposed legislation from Republicans in the State Assembly ended in a shocking result: Democrats unanimously rejected all the common sense proposals set forth.
As the budget negotiations continue past the April 1 deadline, GOP lawmakers are using all the power they have to try to bring New York back to the logical center as Democrats dig their heels further.
Legislation downvoted include, but is not limited to:
• Congestion pricing exemptions
• Protecting municipalities and counties from “right to shelter” rulings, related to the migrant crisis
• Expanding bail qualifying offenses
• Creating a Class-E felony charge for criminal possession of fentanyl
• Establishes a crime of coordinated petit larceny relating to the smash-and-grab epidemic
• Designating offenses against law enforcement, EMTs, and/or firefighters as hate crimes
• Prohibits supervised injection sites, as it relates to heroin and other drugs
• Establishing opioid rehabilitation facilities and diverting certain defendants to those facilities
• Expanding the criteria for hate crimes to include specified offenses on the grounds of a house worship
• Ensuring individuals convicted of murdering a minor in the first or second degrees are sentenced to life without parole
• Establishing the crimes of criminal sale of a substance resulting in death
• Requiring colleges to implement programs and training to stop incidents of antisemitism on campuses, or lose public funding
• Requiring residents of the state who are foreign refugees to register with the office of temporary and disability assistance
The way Democrats constantly carry on about a safer, better, more equitable New York, you’d think these pieces of legislation would have passed with flying colors.
Unfortunately, the GOP in the Assembly carries highly limited power. Since Democrats control the chamber, they control the committees and therefore, which legislation passes through. The 150-body member is also controlled in the supermajority by Democrats, meaning that Republican power is further diluted than it already is.
Still, our devoted Assemblymembers submit pieces of legislation that shouldn’t even have to be debated. In fact, it should have never gotten this far in the first place.
Only in New York can you legally take over someone’s home by ordering fast food and retaining a receipt as “proof of residence.”
Only in New York can you assault police officers, be released almost immediately after, and flee the state for more liberal pastures.
Only in New York do you have to fight for felony charges for criminal possession of fentanyl, while the Governor and the Legislature make it a priority to stock men’s rooms with menstrual products.
Only in New York do overdose victims’ families have to fight for access to state funds for burial services while repeated drug dealers are treated with kid gloves and routinely given the benefit of the doubt.
Only in New York do you have to fight tooth and nail to see where your charitable donations are going after they hit state coffers, while billions of dollars are bilked from school districts to fund the self-inflicted migrant crisis.
Only in New York do bureaucrats nickel and dime commuters in the country’s largest city, while state agencies continue to be bottomless pits of fiscal irresponsibility and delusion.
Only in New York do power-hungry bureaucrats try to control how much soda you can buy in one purchase (remember that?), while degenerates get high on literal cattle sedatives, known as xylazine, or “tranq.” And to boot, xylazine is not a controlled substance in the state, while it’s becoming more responsible for overdoses across New York.
Only in New York are you expected to esteem others solely based on race, gender, or creed, while first responders are mercilessly victimized and shamelessly left to fend for themselves.
Only in New York can first responders be brutally attacked, while there is no criminal penalty for the sale of a controlled substance resulting in death.
We could go on, but why would we? We all know it because we all continue to call the Empire State home. But alternative options only look more tantalizing as Albany Democrats continue to dig their heels in and double down on their disastrous policies that have created a vacuum requiring aforementioned legislation.
The Messenger wholeheartedly thanks our Senators and Assemblymembers for their dedication in fighting one of the most brutal uphill state battles in the country. We’d say we’d have no hope for New York, but their tenacity gives us hope that there are leaders who are passionate about curtailing the insanity and making New York a sensible place to live again.
Within our tri-Town coverage area, Assemblymembers who sponsored legislation unanimously downvoted by the Democratic machine are: Keith Brown (R-Northport), Joe DeStefano (R-Medford), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-St. James), and Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson Station).
Not to slight our colleagues to the west and the north, other names on the list: Anil Beephan, Jr. (R-East Fishkill), Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Pulaski), Karl Brabenac (R-Deeprark), Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst), John Lemondes, Jr. (R-Jamesville), John McGowan (R-Pearl River), John Mikulin (R-Bethpage), Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square), Michael Reilly (R-Eltingville), Matt Slater (R-Yorktown), and Michael Tannousis (R-Great Kills).
