Suffolk County Legislature Supports NYS 911 Good Samaritan Bills

(Smithtown, NY) All 18 Suffolk County legislators have signed a letter addressed to Governor Paterson and the Long Island delegation asking for their support in passing legislation (S-5191A/A-8147A) and signing it into law, which would provide a limited exemption from prosecution for individuals calling for medical assistance in response to a drug or alcohol overdose. The letter states, “While we in the Suffolk County Legislature certainly recognize the importance of enforcing state and local laws, we believe that additional consideration must be given when it comes to preventing needless deaths.” This effort was spearheaded by Legislator Lynne C. Nowick who read a letter from the parents of the late Natalie Ciappa who believe their daughter would be alive today if someone had called 911 instead of cleaning the room. In addition, representatives from about 30 organizations attended the press conference to lend their support. According to Legislator Nowick, “A 911 Good Samaritan Law has been enacted in Texas, Colorado and New Jersey and we need one in New York to save a life.”

Caption: Pictured at the press conference are Suffolk County Legislator Lynne C. Nowick (center) and from left, Legislators Vivian Viloria-Fisher, Thomas Cilmi and DuWayne Gregory.

Bishop Introduces Long Island Sound Improvement Act

Port Jefferson— Congressman Tim Bishop was joined by local officials and Citizens Campaign for the Environment to announce new bipartisan legislation to protect and restore Long Island Sound.  Bishop went to Port Jefferson Harbor to announce the Long Island Sound Improvement Act, which he is introducing with Congressman Peter King.  The legislation will improve and restore water quality in Long Island Sound by providing new funding and provides regulatory tools for states and municipalities to protect waters throughout the Sound’s watershed. 

 

“This bipartisan legislation will allow us to take the next steps in the effort to protect the Long Island Sound,” Congressman Bishop said.  “Long Islanders know there is an important connection between the health of our environment and the health of our economy.  This legislation allows us to protect both.”

The legislation authorization continued appropriations of $40 million for the Sound as well as new funding—$125 million in the first year, and $250 million per year thereafter – for wastewater infrastructure repair, construction, and upgrades, including stormwater systems, and green infrastructure technology and approaches.

“This is a great day for our community and a great day for the Long Island Sound,” Assemblyman Steve Englebright said. “One of the reasons people want to live on Long Island is to have access to this resource.”

Over the past two months, Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) has collected over 16,000 handwritten letters, which have been sent by members in New York and Connecticut to their federal elected officials in support of this legislation.

“We applaud Congressman Bishop’s leadership to protect the Long Island Sound,” Maureen Dolan-Murphy, Executive Programs Manager at CCE said.  “Last year, dolphins returned to the Sound.  This shows things are working and this legislation will allow us to do even more.”

The legislation also extends the footprint of the Long Island Sound program through the whole watershed that drains into Long Island Sound. This includes elements of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. It also seeks to improve accountability by requiring evaluations of the Long Island Sound program every two years to determine whether activities are meeting goals set out in the management plan.

“This is a cost we need to mitigate,” Suffolk County Legislature Deputy Presiding Officer Vivian Viloria-Fisher said.  “We need to lower nitrogen into the Sound, but without the help of the federal government, it becomes an unfunded mandate on our community.”

“I congratulate Tim Bishop and Peter King for fighting to restore this funding,” Suffolk County Legislator Ed Romaine, whose district spans the further along the Sound of any legislator, said.  “It is critical to our community that we keep the Sound clean and never allow it to become a dump again.  We need the ability to implement systems to make sure we’re catching runoff before it enters the Sound.”

The legislation directs the Environmental Protection Agency to develop new regulations for regional stormwater general permits. Under this authority, communities have the option of coordinating their stormwater management activities under a regional stormwater general permit. This practice has been demonstrated to reduce the overall cost and increase the effectiveness of stormwater controls. The legislation would provide a more attractive federal cost-share to entities that voluntarily join regional permits.

“Congressman Bishop has been a leader for the Long Island Sound, whether it’s fighting Broadwater or fighting nitrogen loading,” Brookhaven Town Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld said.  

WE ARE FUNDING OUR OWN EXECUTIONERS

So, the Congress and administration has given up on an energy bill.  Who are these *&#@s who are willing, each time they fill up their cars with gas, to fund some of the most regressive tyrants in the world with hard earned US dollars which seem to leach into terrorist funding as well?

 

Where is forceful, principled leadership from Obama to motivate Americans to undertake a Marshall Plan to wean us from fossil fuel, to thumb our noses at those Middle Eastern thugs who enrich themselves at our expense?  Where is his rhetorical skill and his persuasive power to energize the public to insist of their elected officials that now is the time to act?

 

We are funding our own executioners.

 

Also, please read Paul Krugman  who offers Democrats a short simple mantra to counter the GOP rewrite of tax and economic history .

 

And Shirley Sherrod...

 

Woe is we.  Saturday Night Live skits gone very wrong.

Sigh,

Ricki

ASSEMBLYMAN FITZPATRICK - EAGER TO HELP CHRIS COX

ASSEMBLYMAN FITZPATRICK BACKS CHRIS COX FOR CONGRESS
Cox Honored by Endorsement from “The Most Fiscally Responsible Member of the State Legislature”

SMITHTOWN, NY — Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R,I,C - Smithtown), honored by the Conservative Party of New York State as Albany’s most conservative legislator, has today announced his endorsement of Chris Cox (R), Congressional candidate for New York’s First District.

“I’m eager to help Chris Cox fight for Long Island on the fiscal issues that plague our nation as they plague New York State,” Fitzpatrick declared.

“It’s time that the voters of Suffolk County know that Tim Bishop votes more in line with Nancy Pelosi than even Charlie Rangel.  After eight years in the Assembly, I already know what damage New York Democrats have done to the taxpayers of Long Island,” said the lawmaker.  “I know that Chris will fight a federal government run amok so Washington will not continue to send us deeper into debt and mortgage the future of our children and grandchildren.  Chris Cox is a true conservative and, with the help of Republicans, principled Conservatives and Tea Party supporters, is poised to win in November.”

Fitzpatrick is well recognized for his consistent conservative stands.  Called the “most fiscally responsible member of the State Legislature" by Governor George Pataki, the Assemblyman is currently seeking re-election for a fifth term.  Fitzpatrick was the very first recipient of the Legislator of the Year award three years ago when the Conservative Party of New York State began to so honor the most conservative legislator.  He was awarded the same honor the following year.

In addition to a landmark pension reform initiative, Fitzpatrick was the prime sponsor of the Property Taxpayer Protection Act, proposing a specific cap on New York’s property tax.  The issue is now an integral part of the debate regarding solutions to New York’s fiscal crisis and overwhelming tax burdens.  His fight for a tax cap helped bring the issue front and center.  It is now a central part of the platforms of the candidates for Governor.

Assemblyman Fitzpatrick serves as the ranking minority member on the Assembly Housing Committee and holds memberships on the Assembly Ways & Means, Local Governments, Small Business and Higher Education committees.  He is an active member of the New York State American-Irish Legislators Society.  He served for fifteen years on the Town Board of his home township of Smithtown before going to Albany.

“We need more statesmen like Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick in the State Capitol,” Chris said.  “He hasn’t forgotten the people who have elected him to office.  Mike has been pushing for legislation that focuses on their needs and the interests, and fighting the reckless spending that threatens not only current taxpayers but also future generations.  He’s a leader who understands the similarities of the dysfunction in Albany and Washington, D.C.  I am grateful for his endorsement, and after I’m elected, I look forward to working with him to take government out of the pockets of New Yorkers and bring reform to our state’s capital.”

As a steadfast, fiscal conservative and resident of Westhampton, Chris will put Long Island taxpayers first, fighting to limit spending by Congress and increase government transparency.  Like Fitzpatrick, he will work to expose wasteful practices such as earmarking, one of the most obvious examples of a legislative practice that invites corruption and adds significantly to the federal deficit.  In Washington, Chris will work to completely ban these wasteful practices – with no exceptions or excuses – in order to make life more affordable for citizens.

Chris will also put more money back in the hands of American families and small businesses: They, and not government, are the creators of wealth and opportunity. He will refuse to support, and will fight against, the tax increases proposed by the White House and Congressional Democrats, as they will deprive small businesses and their workers of the means to save, invest and purchase.  In addition, Chris will advocate for legislation that restrains public sector growth, grows private sector jobs over government and makes American business more competitive.

While Chris places a high value in honoring the sanctity of public office, he sees that many of our members of Congress do not show that same respect for their service. Like Assemblyman Fitzpatrick, Chris will refuse to compromise his integrity for the self-interested, ‘business-as-usual’ practices so prevalent in government.  Instead, he will support full penalties for members who break the law or violate congressional ethics rules.  Americans should have trust in their representatives; Chris hopes to restore that trust.

Summer Enrichment In Smithtown

Smithtown Central School District’s Summer Explorations Program which is run through SCOPE is well under way. Students are reporting that they are having fun participating in many hands-on learning activities such as learning to catch fish, making magical balls disappear, cooking homemade Tiramisu, creating multimedia presentations and getting wet in water relay races. Approximately 600 students are enrolled in enriching experiences which include: American Girls, Cartooning Magic, Clay for Kids, Clowning Around with Magic, Computer Adventures, Cooking Around the World, Crazy Crafts, Creative Carpenters, Culinary Kids, Digital Storybooks, Dogs, Dogs, Dogs!, Edible Art, Fun with Web Design, Funtastic Fishing, Intro to Golf, Kid Detectives, Mad Scientist II, Math Madness, Model Building, Picture Books, Perfect Projects and Edible Crafts, Smithtown Survivor, Sports Club, Summer Art Adventures and Instrumental Music Lessons.