Union Votes Make a Difference!

TED O’BRIEN : FAQ for Educators

Committees: Banks, Codes, Cultural Affairs-Tourism-Parks-Recreation, Environmental Conservation, Health, Insurance, Local Government.

 ON K-12 EDUCATION:

 ·         Ted has fought to increase education funding for the 55^th Senate District by  $77 million, expand access to pre-K in our community to over 700 high-need children, and pass much needed reforms to the Common Core Curriculum.  

·         He believes that more state funding for schools also relieves the cost burden on local governments and reduces the need to raise property taxes, which are the biggest impediment to growing our middle class.

·         Ted successfully pressured the State Education Department to increase transparency surrounding Pearson-developed Common Core tests by releasing of 50% of test questions and answers.

 From his letter, “I am writing to call on you as Commissioner of the New York State Education Department to release the standardized 3rd and 8th grade Common Core tests that were administered earlier this year. Educators and parents increasingly agree that we must get the Pearson company to eliminate the so-called “gag order” from current and future testing contracts."

 ·         He secured funding to expand pre-K to more than 700 at-risk students in the City of Rochester.

·         Ted helped to secure the second phase of the City of Rochester facilities modernization program. (S.7859)

 ·         Ted called on New York State to use billions from wall street bank settlements to end the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA).  According to the D&C, NYS has shorted local schools more than $400 million.  The GEA was put into place by Governor Patterson in response to the national economic crisis.  Ted called on lawmakers to restore funds to education.

·         Ted fought for upstate and voted against Republican budget proposal to send more money to New York City charter schools than all Upstate public schools combined.

·         Ted supported a two-year moratorium on the use of standardized testing for teacher evaluations. (S.7921)

ON HIGHER EDUCATION:

·         Ted voted for a bill that would hold SUNY financially harmless from the Long Island College Hospital.

·         Ted supported a moratorium on edTPA until June 2015.  This bill would provide that no teacher would be required to take the edTPA until April 30, 2015.

·         Ted wrote legislation that would prohibit state funds from being used for inmates’ college education.  (S.6859)

ON WOMEN’S EQUALITY:

·         Ted has been an outspoken advocate for women’s equality in New York, and will not stop fighting until women and men receive equal pay for equal work, are better protected against sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, are better protected against domestic violence, and New York finally recognizes a woman’s right to choose. (S.7540 Senate bill – blocked from going to the Senate floor for a vote by Senate leadership.)

ON WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE CHOICES:

·         Ted believes that all 10 components of the Women’s Equality Act are necessary to making New York a fairer and more equal state. That includes the 10th point, which codifies the reproductive choice protections of Roe v. Wade in New York State law. The 10th point DOES NOT, as its opponents claim, legalize late-term abortion or otherwise expand existing law. It simply ensures that the rights that exist are protected in New York, regardless of what the federal government does. (A.8070 Assembly bill – blocked from going to the Senate floor for a vote by Senate leadership.)

ON MINIMUM WAGE:

·         Ted is proud to have helped increase New York’s minimum wage increase because he believes that our economic recovery must include all New Yorkers.  A higher minimum wage will boost our economy because more money in the pockets of working families means more money being spent in local stores and restaurants.  (Labor law 652. Minimum wage.)

ON ETHICS:

·         Ted has worked tirelessly to fight corruption by advocating for term limits for politicians and passing tougher penalties for public officials who break the law. Ted has written a bill that would prevent politicians accused of corruption for using campaign funds to pay for their legal defense. (S.5094)

ON THE ENVIRONMENT:

·         Ted knows that a healthy environment is key to the Finger Lakes Region’s economic prosperity. He’s increased park funding by $92.5 million and secured a $1 million increase for funding to protect the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario.

·         Ted believes that we must continue the moratorium on hydrofracking in New York and voted for a state budget that invests in key environmental initiatives to increase tourism in our region and create new jobs. 

·         Ted has also sponsored environmental bills that would ensure that wastewater treatment facilities safely handle water from any hydraulic fracturing operations.  Pennsylvania required drillers to stop taking such waste to the State's treatment facilities (S.7783) To encourage the development of clean hydrogen energy; O'Brien has sponsored (S.6129).

ON FRACKING:

·         Ted strongly believes, as the Ranking Member of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, that until we truly understand the potential impact that hydraulic fracturing on our families, our environment, and our emerging industries, we must not allow any new fracking projects to take place in New York. In 2013, he co-sponsored legislation that would impose a fracking moratorium to give us more time to study this process and ensure the safety and future prosperity of the Finger Lakes region and our entire state. (S.4236, S.4236A,  S.4236B)

ON RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY:

·         Ted has been a strong advocate for tapping into the region’s energy-based innovation economy. Just last year, the Senator advocated for the conversion of a former Kodak production building into an innovative solar power research facility. The vision for the facility is for the research to lead to technological advancements that will speed up solar manufacturing. The Senator believes that this facility is a worthwhile investment to enhance Rochester’s green future.

ON PUBLIC HEALTH:

·         Ted has advocated passionately on behalf of public safety. Just this session, the Senator introduced the Child Product Safety Act, which would provide parents with better information regarding products they buy for their children, and will help prevent kids from being exposed to dangerous toxins. Senator O’Brien is working hard to bring this bill and others like it, to the Senate floor for a vote. (S.3947)  

·         Ted also sponsors a bill also prohibits the sale or offering for sale of toys, and liquids, foods and beverages in containers, for children 3 or younger, containing bisphenol A; requires manufacturers of products containing bisphenol A to use the least toxic alternative chemical compound to replace bisphenol A. ( S.3533A)

ON THE SAFE ACT :

·        While there are some problematic elements of the SAFE Act, Ted voted for it because he supports common-sense policies like universal background checks and, especially after the tragedy in Webster, felt that penalties should be increased on criminals who shoot first responders. Ted believes we must strike a balance between preserving Second Amendment rights and making our community a safer place to live. (S.2230, A.2388)

ON PROPERTY TAXES:

·         Ted believes that property taxes are the single biggest obstacle to economic growth in Monroe and Ontario Counties, and that it’s time we get serious about helping hardworking families afford to remain in our area. This year, Ted helped secure $1.5 Billion in property tax relief that will go directly to homeowners and businesses. He also increased state aid to Monroe and Ontario Counties to help reduce the property tax burden on local residents.

ON MANDATE RELIEF:

·         Ted believes that unfunded mandates are the biggest driver of rising property taxes.  County governments cannot continue relying on rising property taxes to pay their bills, but the state must also stop forcing them to provide certain programs without any funding for them.  He has introduced legislation that would force Albany politicians to get serious about this critical issue by making them vote on a plan to reduce unfunded mandates within 30 days of its introduction. By curbing the states problem with unfunded mandates, we can lower property taxes.                                                                           

ON TAXES:

·         Ted believes that for too long, New York’s families and businesses have struggled under the burden of high taxes that drive up the cost of living and stifle growth and innovation. During this year’s budget process, Ted fought to cut the manufacturing tax  rate to 0%, provide manufacturers with a 20% property tax credit, accelerate the phase-out of the unfair 18-a energy tax, and cut the business income tax rate to its lowest level since 1968.  Ted has also voted for two on-time budgets that keep middle class income taxes at their lowest rate in 60 years.

ON CREATING JOBS:

·         Ted believes that creating new jobs in our community requires a three-pronged approach: investing in the innovation-based economy, supporting tourism in the Finger Lakes Region and empowering our highly-skilled workforce to fill the jobs of the future. Ted helped secure $1.7 million in job training grants for our community to provide local job seekers with training and skills that will enable them to work in high-demand fields. Ted has also introduced the New York Jobs Protection Act to take away tax breaks from companies that ship jobs out of state.

ON VETERANS:

·         Ted has worked hard to represent the Veterans of the 55th Senate District and throughout New York State since taking office. He has strongly supported pushing job creation for veterans and recently helped pass the Jobs for Heroes Act that aims to set aside 6% of state contracts for businesses owned by veterans with service-related disabilities.

ON SENIORS:

·         Senator O’Brien has worked hard to represent the seniors of Monroe and Ontario Counties and by supporting the Enhanced STAR property tax exemption for seniors and expanding access to the EPIC prescription drugs program for seniors.