|
Lobby Day set for June 10th
It is certainly an interesting time up in Albany. As you are aware by now, Eliot Spitzer was forced to resign over a scandal. Our new Governor, David Paterson, is a seasoned Albany veteran that the UFA has worked closely with in the past. He has always been supportive of Firefighters and anyone who was at lobby day in 2006 can attest to that. In 2006 he was the Minority Leader of the State Senate and met with members of the UFA. At that meeting he pledged his support for our agenda and has further pledged his support in subsequent meetings that we have had with him as Lt. Governor. Since his elevation to Governor we have reached out to him to offer our congratulations and will be meeting with him in the near future. In addition, we are in the process of setting up a meeting with him for UFA Lobby Day which will be taking place on June 10th.
Many of the items on our 2008 Legislative Agenda have been on past agendas. Each session of the legislature has its own dynamics and a bill that may have been dead last year gets new life in a new session. We are hopeful that this will be the situation this year. Once again we are pushing for the MTA Fare Waiver, Cash for Terminal Leave, and the Citizen Soldier Salary Act which has passed the Senate and now must be passed by the Assembly. In addition, we are supporting new legislation that will provide for interest payments on VSF DROP funds. As always we will be working with the NYS AFL-CIO to pass Taylor Law Reform and other legislation important to our Retirees such as increasing the pension Cost of Living Adjustment. A listing of all of these bills can be found HERE. With looming budget deficits in both Albany and in New York City, events such as Lobby Day become even more important. Don't count on other Firefighters to turn out. Take it upon yourself to be there. You owe it to yourself, to your family, and to your fellow Firefighters. June 10th - Be there!
Lobby Day Sign-Up Form
 |
