Dear Friend,
Great news out of Albany today! As a result of Governor Cuomo’s leadership, the 235th Legislative Session has been one of the most productive and broadest-reaching in modern Albany political history.
When Andrew Cuomo became Governor 18 months ago, he was faced with a weak state economy, failed state economic policies, and a dysfunctional government that had lost the trust of the people.
The Governor set out to change the course of the state. He put politics aside, focused on getting things done, and began to rebuild our state from the ground up. His first task was to stabilize the state and restore function to Albany. He began by producing results on issues that had been intractable for decades. He passed a property tax cap to end the crushing burden on our families and businesses, achieved broad ethics reform that provides unprecedented transparency and accountability, and fought to secure a cleaner and more affordable energy future for New York. Additionally, he passed the historic Marriage Equality Act, making New York the largest state in the nation to extend full marriage equality to all of its citizens.
After proving that he could make the government work for the people, throughout the past seven months, the Governor has implemented an innovative economic plan to create tens of thousands of jobs, and has fought to pass reforms that have fundamentally transformed our state. Highlights of these achievements include:
- A second, honestly-balanced budget that moved the state toward long term fiscal balance
- A transformational jobs program, New York Works, that will create tens of thousands of jobs and lay a foundation for the future prosperity of our state
- A reform of the state’s tax code, cutting middle class income tax rates to their lowest levels since 1953 and relieving over 700,000 small businesses and self-employed individuals of the burdensome MTA payroll tax
- A bold pension reform plan that will save local governments more than $80 billion over the next 30 years and help protect working families from spiraling property taxes
- A new statewide teacher evaluation system that serves as a national model for promoting achievement and accountability and puts students first
- The first all-crimes DNA databank in the nation, which will help prevent crimes and exonerate the innocent
- The creation of the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs to transform how our state protects the over 1 million New Yorkers with disabilities and special needs
- Toughened laws to protect victims of domestic violence and combat child pornography on the internet
- The removal of finger imaging as a requirement for federal food stamps to combat hunger, particularly among children
- An innovative jobs program – NY Youth Works – to address chronic, high unemployment among inner-city minority youth
New York is now a very different place than it was just 18 months ago. While there is still much that needs to be done, Governor Cuomo has laid the solid foundation for a new New York – a New York State that works for you and your family.
As always, thank you for all that you do to help make our success possible.
Sincerely,
Andrew Cuomo Committee
Paid for by Andrew Cuomo 2014 Committee Richard Sirota, Treasurer