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About this blog

Senator Tom O'Mara's ( R- NY 58th ) weekly column. 

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Summer Project Number One: Reading List

Summer Project Number One: Reading List

The great American author Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “There is no friend as loyal as a book.” Once again this summer, I am happy to be joining my colleagues in the State Senate, in partnership with the New York State Library – and together with so many local libraries across our region and statewide -- to help promote summer reading. This year’s theme, “Color Our World,” stresses the lifelong value of reading and pays tribute to the key role libraries and library staff play in our co
The Need To Rethink New York's Energy Future Remains Urgent

The Need To Rethink New York's Energy Future Remains Urgent

Last September, when Governor Kathy Hochul convened a two-day “Future Energy Economy Summit” in Syracuse, many of us were hopeful that it would begin a long-overdue, sincere, and transparent rethinking of the future of energy for all New Yorkers. At that time, the need for this rethinking was gaining traction. Doubts were increasing over the Albany Democrat approach -- an approach that has been built on rapidly imposing radical and sweeping clean energy mandates following the enactment of t
What Happened To Making New York More Affordable?

What Happened To Making New York More Affordable?

The bottom line is that the state Legislature finished this year’s regular legislative session late last week exactly where it started the session in January: New York State remains one of the least affordable states in America. In fact, the actions (or inaction) during the seventh consecutive year that New York government has been under one-party, all-Democrat control only point in the direction of making things worse. Over the past year, New York has consistently earned the dubious d
Latest Albany Mandate Sets It Sight On Dairy Industry

Latest Albany Mandate Sets It Sight On Dairy Industry

“To say that I’m a frustrated dairy farmer in New York State would be an understatement. I don’t understand how a bill like this even gets remotely this far.” That was the reaction of just one New York State dairy farmer at the Capitol last week where a proposal coming out of New York City stirred a rallying cry of Upstate opposition from the New York Farm Bureau and many others, and rightly so. The “Upstate-Downstate divide” has been one of New York’s longest running shows and there h
Watch Out For More Albany Surprises

Watch Out For More Albany Surprises

Beware of the final days of any legislative session in Albany -- and be ready for last-minute surprises. That’s especially important to keep in mind this year.  It’s critical for all New Yorkers to keep an eye out. There are legislative proposals under discussion that deserve high-alert status. Legislation known as the “NY HEAT Act,” for example, would effectively ban the use of natural gas as an energy source for homes and businesses. It would have disastrous consequences, including d
Every Move New York Makes Comes With A Cost

Every Move New York Makes Comes With A Cost

New York still doesn’t have a new state budget. Instead, Governor Hochul and the Democrat-led State Legislature are running state government on a series of emergency extender measures, ten in total as of this writing. It’s no way to run a government. It produces uncertainty, concern, and a lack of confidence, rightly so, about where the state is headed. Governor Hochul went solo early last week, like she did last year, and announced a “general agreement” on what she claimed will be a $
A State Budget Process That Blindfolds The Public

A State Budget Process That Blindfolds The Public

The word on the street out of Albany is that Governor Hochul and the Democrat-led State Legislature could be on the doorstep of enacting a new state budget that’s already a month behind schedule. Yet that’s the point. It remains just a word on the street. Which means that whenever the governor and legislative leaders get around to finalizing a new budget, New Yorkers are still going to be left with a broken budget adoption process. It’s a process that every step of the way keeps the pu
Recruit NY Is All About Protecting The Future

Recruit NY Is All About Protecting The Future

Local volunteer fire departments across the region and statewide are once highlighting one of New York’s most daunting challenges: the recruitment and retention of local volunteer firefighters and EMTs. FASNY is launching a “Light Up NY Red” campaign this week, from April 21-27, coinciding with the start of the annual RecruitNY weekend on Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27, when volunteer fire departments statewide open their doors to raise public awareness. “We’re working with state and
New York Government Only Knows How To Spend

New York Government Only Knows How To Spend

Governor Hochul and the Legislature’s all-Democrat majorities still can’t agree on a new state budget, but they’ve shown where they’re headed time after time over the past several years.   Back in April 2021, when former Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Democrat-led Legislature were putting the finishing touches on their new, massive $212-billion state spending plan, it was a budget, we now know, that accelerated the irresponsible fiscal actions that have brought this state to where we are tod
A State Budget Holdup Ignoring Key Discussions

A State Budget Holdup Ignoring Key Discussions

Albany’s leaders left the Capitol late last week after shrugging off the enactment of a new state budget that’s already a week late. The holdup remains over several public policy discussions, including discovery reform, involuntary commitment of the severe mentally ill, and maybe a few others. In other words, non-budget policy discussions. Not the desperately needed economic and fiscal discussions that should be dominating this budget process. No discussions over high taxes, even
Legislative Leaders Sticking To Their Story: "What Crime?"

Legislative Leaders Sticking To Their Story: "What Crime?"

Sometimes there’s just no explaining Albany. That’s really been true over the past six years of New York State government under one-party control. It’s been head scratching, to say the least. Infuriating might better describe the current state of affairs. And the current situation is chaos. Take the latest on public safety which, since Governor Cuomo and the Albany Democrats taking majorities in both houses of the Legislature, has been driven into the open arms of criminals and other b
It's Time To Pay Attention In New York

It's Time To Pay Attention In New York

The warning signs on New York’s dashboard keep flashing “Pay Attention”: Pay attention to the financial industry – an industry on which the state’s fiscal and economic well-being is make or break. This industry moving out of New York State, including the most recent Goldman Sachs announcement of its continued relocation of employees and operations to Texas, is alarming. Pay attention to the fact that over the past several years, New York State has been marked as a national leader
The World Keeps Turning On New York's "Go It Alone" Climate Agenda

The World Keeps Turning On New York's "Go It Alone" Climate Agenda

Repeatedly in this column over the past six years, ever since the approval in 2019 of the all-Democrat climate agenda known as the “Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act” (CLCPA), I have shared warnings – my own and those of many others – that New York State is going too far, too fast. It keeps turning out that we haven’t just been crying wolf. It hasn’t just been a chorus of so-called “climate deniers.” Not at all. In fact, over the past year we have been joined by plenty of voic
During Prison Crisis, Albany Ideology Overruling Common Sense

During Prison Crisis, Albany Ideology Overruling Common Sense

Over the past several years, New York State has become notorious for politically driven, far-left ideology overriding reality, ideology overruling common sense, and, ultimately, ideology overturning the common good. That’s been true on immigration, climate, fiscal practices, criminal justice, and other arenas of public policy which have become dominated by the one-party, largely far-left, highly politicized control of government. The current crisis in our correctional facilities is now
Local Roads Are Essential

Local Roads Are Essential

Approaching final negotiations over a new state budget, it’s critical to begin stressing that this year’s budget must address the right priorities – and one of the top priorities, in my view, is the future of our local roads and bridges.  It’s a priority that I and local Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, together with many of our Senate and Assembly colleagues regionally and statewide, have long worked to strengthen. Since 2013, in fact, we have stood together with New York’s county and town high
Final Week Of Budget Hearings And Then On To More Spending?

Final Week Of Budget Hearings And Then On To More Spending?

We’ve reached the final week of joint Senate-Assembly public hearings on Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2025-2026 proposed state budget, which began in late January. Conducted jointly by the Senate Finance Committee, and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, these forums have examined and critiqued the governor’s proposal in some detail with testimony from state agency officials, public policy and fiscal experts, local government representatives, business leaders, educators, farmers, law enforcement,
New York's All Electric School Bus Mandate Still Ignoring STOP Signs

New York's All Electric School Bus Mandate Still Ignoring STOP Signs

It was a year ago this week when I joined legislative colleagues and school district representatives in Albany for a “Pump the Brakes” news conference to begin calling more urgent attention to what we now know could be the most costly state mandate ever imposed on school districts and local property taxpayers – if it keeps moving forward on its current timeline. That’s right, the costliest mandate ever. It’s important to keep sounding the alarm because, on multiple fronts, this state’s all-
Albany Has Never Kept Its Promises On Mandate Relief

Albany Has Never Kept Its Promises On Mandate Relief

Not long ago, I wrote about a newly proposed state mandate causing yet more consternation out of Albany under which the state Fire Prevention and Building Code Council would require automatic sprinkler systems in every new home construction. The New York State Builders Association (NYSBA) estimates the mandate would increase the cost of building a home by up to $20,000-$30,000 at a time when skyrocketing construction costs already drive up historically prohibitive costs for homebuyers. When
New York's Energy Plan Still Loaded With Unanswered Questions

New York's Energy Plan Still Loaded With Unanswered Questions

Public hearings on Governor Hochul’s proposed 2025-26 state budget were off to a quick start last week, especially on Day 2 when the Legislature’s fiscal committees focused on one of the fundamental debates facing New York: energy. For many of us, New Yorkers deserve forthright and transparent answers to the key questions underlying what will be, if the state’s current Democrat leaders continue to pursue this agenda, arguably the single most costly public policy ever approved. Consequently,
New York State Government Can't Have It Both Ways

New York State Government Can't Have It Both Ways

“We believe every family deserves to keep their hard-earned money in their pockets in a state they can truly be proud to call home,” Governor Hochul said in her recent State of the State message to New Yorkers, adding that it’s her goal “to make New York safer, healthier, cleaner, more affordable for you and your family — and that is what we’re doing with the initiatives announced as part of my 2025 State of the State.” The trouble is that New York State doesn’t allow families to keep their
The Warning Signs Are Already Flashing

The Warning Signs Are Already Flashing

When lawmakers gathered at the State Capitol last week for the opening day of the 2025 legislative session, talk of “affordability” was in the air and ringing through every hallway. Especially from state leaders. From Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul, “My top priority is tackling New York’s affordability crisis.” From Democrat Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, “We have always kept our focus on affordability.” From Democrat Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, “I think pe
Will There Finally Be A Redirection Of New York's Priorities?

Will There Finally Be A Redirection Of New York's Priorities?

In the earliest days of the upcoming 2025 legislative session, the spotlight will be squarely on Governor Kathy Hochul while she begins setting the stage for a new year in state government. Beginning with her State of the State message to the Legislature on January 14th and continuing with the unveiling of her proposed 2025-2026 state budget shortly thereafter, it will be up to Governor Hochul to show what direction she intends to lead this state throughout the coming year. Many of us hope
Senator Tom O'Mara

Senator Tom O'Mara

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Approaching A New Year In New York State Government

Approaching A New Year In New York State Government

I hope this week’s column finds you and your families and friends, and communities and neighbors, doing well and doing your best to have a memorable and meaningful holiday season. Approaching the start of another new year in New York State government, it’s of course time to start looking ahead to the debates and decisions that always await the Governor and the Legislature – and there are many difficult challenges and crises facing all of us on education, economic development, energy and env
Senator Tom O'Mara

Senator Tom O'Mara

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Taxpayers Deserve More Than "Inflation Refund" Giveaway

Taxpayers Deserve More Than "Inflation Refund" Giveaway

The new year in New York State government is already off to an enormously expensive start. What a surprise. Early last week, with great fanfare, Governor Kathy Hochul rolled out a plan to deliver a one-time “Inflation Refund” check of up to $500 to an estimated 80 percent of New York’s taxpayers – at a total cost to the state of at least $3 billion. “My agenda for the coming year,” the governor proclaimed in a round of news conferences and staged events, “will be laser-focused on
Senator Tom O'Mara

Senator Tom O'Mara

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New York Faces Another Soaking From Albany Mandate

New York Faces Another Soaking From Albany Mandate

There have been some memorable political rallying cries throughout American history. “Give me liberty, or give me death!” “Union, liberty, peace.” “Happy Days Are Here Again.” “The Buck Stops Here.” “I like Ike.” “It’s Morning in America Again.” “Kinder, Gentler Nation.” “It’s the economy, stupid.” “Change We Can Believe In.” And most recently, “Make America Great Again.”   Now out of Democrat Albany comes this one: “Mandate a sprinkler system in every new home!” Yes, you rea
Senator Tom O'Mara

Senator Tom O'Mara

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