Senator Tom O'Mara

“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 hard-earned money in their pockets – and that’s been the case for quite some time now. Over the past several years hundreds of thousands of proud New Yorkers have fled to more affordable, lower taxed states in search of greater opportunities and freedoms. While they love New York, they've made it clear that they feel the state is headed in the wrong direction largely because of policies coming out of Albany under all-Democrat, one-party control. New York is not safer. New York is certainly not more affordable. Far from it. So how does Governor Hochul propose to change course? There’s no question that she put forth an ambitious agenda on paper. And there’s no question that it doesn’t add up. Despite the overriding emphasis on addressing New York’s affordability crisis, she opened the door wide for the state’s Democrat-led Legislature to join her, once again, in prioritizing long-term commitments to higher state spending and ongoing state mandates that will be unaffordable and unsustainable for current and future taxpayers. She’s talking a good game about finally beginning to provide badly needed tax relief for many New Yorkers. But the governor can’t promise permanent, long-term tax relief at the same time she’s looking to continue spending taxpayer dollars and imposing mandates like there’s no tomorrow. You can’t have it both ways. Eventually the well runs dry and taxpayers are left paying for it. That’s the way it is now in New York State. That’s the way it will go on being under the current direction of this state government. New York State has not been stronger, safer, saner, or more affordable throughout this era of one-party, all-Democrat control. In the aftermath of the governor’s State of the State and after she unveils her proposed 2025-2026 state budget on Tuesday, it will become clear that there’s no true turnaround in sight. Governor Hochul is putting forth an ‘affordability agenda’ that is still chock-full of giveaways, higher spending commitments, ongoing and accelerated mandates, and big-ticket new programs that can only keep making New York a more expensive state in which to live, work, do business, raise a family, and pay taxes. That’s all before the biggest-spending Legislature in America even gets involved. There will be no let up for the middle class. The Albany Democrat bottom line will go on ignoring the middle class in favor of a politically driven, hard-left roadmap continuing to mandate huge state spending handouts. It will only keep driving this state into the ground economically. It will keep increasing costs across the board. It will keep killing jobs and economic opportunities. It will keep chasing more and more New York taxpayers and families out of the state because they can't afford to live here anymore. Following the release of the governor’s proposed budget this week, I continue my role as the Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee and join colleagues, on a bipartisan basis, to undertake this year’s public hearings on the governor’s plan. Conducted jointly by the Senate Finance Committee, and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, these forums examine the governor’s proposal in detail and solicit testimony from state agency officials, public policy and fiscal experts, local government representatives, business leaders, educators, farmers, and other advocates. Senate Republicans will continue to be a voice for lower taxes, less regulation, greater accountability, affordability, economic growth, job creation, and more common sense on state fiscal practices and economic policies. It’s an uphill battle in this state government yet we need to keep working against a tax and regulatory mindset that puts our businesses and manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage, imposes red tape that strangles local economies, or prioritizes higher and higher spending, overtaxing, outrageous mandates, and burdensome overregulation. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

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 people are going to be pleased to see how much of a concentration we’re going to have on trying to put money back into people’s pockets.” Put it back? How about not taking money out of people's pockets in the first place? We can't continue to rob Peter to pay Paul to offset the unaffordable cost of living in New York State. The Peters are the ones leaving this state, in droves. New York’s Democrat leaders have either finally seen the light on how unaffordable this state has become under their direction or, more likely, they’re finally, truly feeling the wrath of taxpayers and voters saying, Enough. We’ll see. The trouble is that for all their talk of finally addressing this state’s affordability crisis, which continues to drive out taxpayers in masses (according to one of the latest studies, New York was the state with the third-highest number of people moving out in 2024), it leaves many New Yorkers simply wondering where the Democrats have been along? Even more striking, for all the Democrat talk about affordability, in the next breath they get right back to talking about a more favorite pastime: spending more. Governor Hochul delivers her State of the State address to the Legislature on Tuesday and she’s already been signaling her desires for new spending, including new big-ticket items such as her “Inflation Refund” to hand out a one-time, direct payment of up to $500 to nearly nine million New Yorkers at a cost of at least $3 billion. That’s on top of ongoing Green New Deal initiatives like the Climate Superfund, Cap-and-Invest, all-electric school buses, cars and trucks, and mandatory sprinkler systems in new home construction. And rest assured that announcements of additional big spending will be on the way for migrant services, education, Medicaid, and more. All of which will exacerbate unaffordability in New York. Talking about big and bold spending of taxpayer dollars is all well and good – and it may include some priorities on which there could be across-the-board agreement – but sooner or later you have to pay for it all. A fresh million here and a new billion there add up quickly. And believe me, we’ve been paying for it all under all-Democrat, one-party control of state government since 2019, paying for it all to the tune of nearly $70 billion in increased spending to afford what has become, year after year after year, the latest highest-ever New York State budget. That's 40% growth, far outpacing inflation, in just six years of Albany Democrats in complete control. By the time they get done – and by the time this governor leaves office and it’s not her concern anymore – a new generation of New York State taxpayers will join a previous generation of taxpayers who are being left trying to foot the bill for this out-of-control spending for the rest of their lives in New York – that is, if they stay. I have called it one of the most bloated and wasteful state budgets in the nation and we may well be in for yet another round of it in the coming year. It has already put New York on a steady course of budget deficits that will require an equally steady dose of steadfastly high taxes, borrowing, unfunded mandates, cost shifting, and other so-called “revenue raising” actions and fiscal gamesmanship. While I would bet that we won’t hear Governor Hochul go anywhere near the topic in her State of the State on Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Heastie did it for her on the session’s opening day. While far from setting it in stone, Speaker Heastie did put it on the table on day one by at least injecting some candid reality into the jubilant atmosphere of affordability at the Capitol when he said to Spectrum News, ““Usually there are very few ways to raise revenue, fees and taxes…You got to get revenue from somewhere.” Talk doesn’t matter at the end of the day. Actions do. We’ll see where it all winds up a few months from now when the Democrats finally get around to enacting a new state budget. But the warning signs are already flashing. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

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 it will be a redirection – a redirection of priorities and resources to begin truly addressing unmet challenges and crises, as well as charting a course for a saner, more sensible, and more sustainable state government. We hope to hear this governor deliver unequivocal commitments to: a safer and better quality of life for all New Yorkers by making fighting crime, supporting law enforcement and crime victims, and restoring public safety and security as one of the state’s highest responsibilities; finally addressing an illegal migrant crisis that has already cost state taxpayers billions of dollars and continues to place an extreme and unfair burden on local government programs and services, threatens safety and security in far too many communities, and heightens the already widespread belief that New York is a state in free fall and decline; making New York more affordable by cutting the state’s highest-in-the-nation tax burden and one of the country’s heaviest burdens of mandates and debt; refusing the continuation of the out-of-control government spending that has defined her tenure so far and that many fear will make the nation’s highest population losses even worse; rethinking and slowing down a process to quickly implement radical energy mandates that ignore affordability, reliability, and sustainability; truly transforming the state-local partnership by making good on a promise made by her predecessor over a decade ago to address the outrageous practice of unfunded state mandates; recognizing that passing the buck for the state’s failure to address the Unemployment Insurance crisis to small business owners and other employers is wrong and continues to prevent a full and robust post-COVID recovery of the state and local economies; refusing to take any actions that add to the burden or otherwise jeopardize the future of New York’s family farms; finally, fully, and honestly engaging a reassessment of New York’s COVID response, including its tragic failures and shortcomings, especially within the state’s nursing homes; combating an exploding fentanyl crisis; and restoring accountability to state government in the aftermath of disgraced ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo’s rampant abuses of executive power. I have said it over and over throughout the past few years and I’ll say it again now on the doorstep of the beginning of 2025: New Yorkers across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, throughout Upstate New York, and statewide, are worried about making ends meet. For far too long now, they have watched this this state become less safe, less affordable, less free, less economically competitive, less responsible, and certainly far less hopeful for the future. They see the Albany Democrat direction for this state’s future focused on out-of-control spending with no commitment to eliminating taxes, lowering costs, or cutting burdensome regulations and mandates. Governor Hochul needs to be focused on turning things around. She must be unequivocally committed to rebuilding stronger and safer communities, and working toward a more responsible and sustainable future for middle-class communities, families, workers, small businesses, manufacturers and other industries, farmers, and taxpayers. Will she lead the way on an agenda in pursuit of these priorities? We’re about to find out. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

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 environmental conservation, health care, fiscal policies, immigration, infrastructure, public safety and security, and so many others. Here at home, the beginning of 2025 arrives during what continues to be a long road back to community and economic renewal across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions. As always, this hoped-for revitalization will continue to rely on strong regional teamwork in pursuit of the goals and priorities we share. The experience we have gained and the bonds we have cemented over the past several difficult, unexpected, and unprecedented years will continue to serve us well in the year ahead. This teamwork will remain fundamental to our success and our ability to keep pushing forward. Nevertheless, once again, we simply need a state government that’s focused on addressing the right priorities. Throughout the past two years, I have enjoyed and welcomed the opportunity to represent the newly redefined (as a result of legislative redistricting in 2022) 58th Senate District encompassing all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates counties, and the eastern portion of Allegany County (the towns of Alfred, Almond, Amity, Andover, Birdsall, Burns, Grove, Independence, Scio, Ward, Wellsville, and Willing). It is one of New York’s geographically largest legislative districts, however as I’ve said many times before, the communities and citizens comprising the 58th District share common strengths and fundamental goals and I have appreciated working with so many of you to be a strong voice in Albany – especially to keep fighting to secure our priorities for affordability, opportunity, and stronger and safer communities. On the economic front of this ongoing effort to reclaim solid ground, we need the Hochul administration and government as a whole out of Albany to better recognize that our regional revitalization can and must move forward with greater clarity, common sense, and fairness. Many of us across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes, as well as all over Upstate New York -- government officials, business owners, families, taxpayers, and workers alike – continue to believe this revitalization can and should be accomplished more effectively and rapidly. In 2025, we will need to redouble our emphasis on the need for fairness and affordability. I’ve had this discussion with many local leaders and citizens. We will continue pushing the administration and legislative leaders (who undeniably approach governing New York from a decidedly downstate, New York City-based perspective) to recognize specific regional concerns and suggestions -- and the need for sensible compromises and effective, safe resolutions. State government needs to get away from its one-size-fits-all mentality. There is enormous work facing us to fix what’s broken and keep providing fundamental assistance. On the legislative front, we must continue to hear the voices of small business, farming, tourism, manufacturing, and the other foundations of our local economies. Moving forward, these ongoing discussions, on a bipartisan basis, will become increasingly critical. As I have also said repeatedly, one way we stay together is by staying informed. Finally, as we move through these last few weeks of 2024, weeks which traditionally serve as centerpieces of reflection on the past year, we do well to recall our gratitude to everyone throughout the public and private sectors providing diligent outreach and services. Because of these incredible and inspiring efforts, local citizens and communities have been able to persevere, remain hopeful, move forward, and keep planning for a better future. Let’s all keep doing our part. These local commitments will remain the lifelines of hope at the beginning of the coming New Year, as well as the foundation of strength that always has and always will keep seeing us through. My very best wishes to you and your families, friends, and neighbors throughout this holiday season, and a safe, healthy, and successful New Year. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County

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 putting money back in your pockets, and that starts with proposing Inflation Refund checks of up to $500 to help millions of hard-working New Yorkers. It's simple: the cost of living is still too damn high, and New Yorkers deserve a break.” She’s right about New Yorkers deserving a break. In a state recognized as one of the least affordable places to live in America, New York’s taxpayers and families deserve a break from high taxes, out of control government spending, relentless state mandates, and unending government handouts and other costly gimmicks like this one. How about the state taking less money out of your pocket to begin with? New Yorkers need recurring relief from the high taxes and fees levied upon them by the state. We need less government and less regulation, not another one-shot gimmick. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal summed it up this way: “New York Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced a new congestion tax on drivers entering the Manhattan business district. Now she wants to send checks to lower and middle-income New Yorkers. Call it the Albany way: Raise taxes, then redistribute the money to buy votes.” In other words, Governor Hochul’s latest move to try to turn this state in a better direction gets her a “Bronx cheer” at best, full of all the sarcasm and cynicism this hackneyed politics deserves. No New York taxpayer’s going to send it back, but rest assured it’s going to be received knowing full well its bottom line and I guess it will remain to be seen if it earns any lasting feellngs of goodwill toward high-taxing, big-spending New York – a state that can already boast of hundreds of thousands of former residents who now make up the largest population loss in the nation. Governor Hochul’s Inflation Refund calls for a $500 state government handout to families making less than $300,000 and a $300 payment for individual taxpayers earning $150,000 or less. First, any household bringing home $300,000 or any worker making $150,000 doesn’t need a state government handout. But for those lower-income earners who could truly use a break from everything New York State throws at them, if this governor and her team of advisers think $500 could even begin to ease this state’s affordability crisis, they’re even more out of touch than most New Yorkers already think they are. The latest statewide poll from the Siena Research Institute, also released early last week, found that more than 70 percent of respondents said that their top concern is the affordability of living and housing in the state. In today’s economic reality, $500 won’t get any family very far for very long. In New York State at this moment in time, throwing around billions of dollars’ worth of “Inflation Refund” checks is a politics of the past that should have worn out its welcome, that taxpayers aren’t buying anymore, and that residents (those who keep trying to stick it out here at least) won’t be fooled by any longer. This state needs to focus on fundamental priorities that have been neglected almost to the point of no return: Address one of highest state and local tax burdens in the nation. Address true and meaningful mandate relief, particularly in the arena of Medicaid, for local governments, school districts, and property taxpayers Address out-of-control state spending. Address and pay off the state's $700 million unemployment debt incurred during state-required COVID shutdowns and currently being squeezed out of struggling small businesses. Address a migrant crisis that has already gobbled up billions of state and local taxpayer dollars, with no end in sight. Address a current lineup of energy mandates that any straightforward cost-benefit analysis will show will only serve to make New York State more unaffordable than ever before. In short, there’s a long, extensive list of priorities to address that, if done right and we get started on them now, could begin to provide real and meaningful short- and long-term relief to overburdened New Yorkers. A one-time, here-today-gone-tomorrow, so-called “Inflation Refund” isn’t on that list. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

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 read that right, mandate a sprinkler system in every new home. Specifically, the state Fire Prevention and Building Code Council has proposed to change the state’s 2020 Residential Code to mandate automatic sprinkler systems in new construction. If approved, it would require that automatic sprinkler systems be installed in newly constructed one and two-family homes. Additionally, sprinkler systems will be required if an addition is made to a home that creates a third story or if an attic is finished and made habitable. Sprinklers will be required in all areas of the dwelling with some exceptions for small closets, bathrooms, crawl spaces and the like, and would need to have a temperature sensitivity range of 135 degrees to 225 degrees depending on the distance from a potential heat source such as an oven. There are other details but there’s no need to belabor the point: It’s ridiculous! If it keeps moving forward to the point of enactment, it will surely be memorable – for all the wrong reasons. 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 make it difficult to build and drive up already historically high costs for homebuyers. NYSBA Executive Director Michael Fazio recently wrote in opposition, “While we fully support efforts to enhance safety, this mandate would impose significant financial burdens on home buyers and disproportionately affect rural and low-income communities when New York is in the midst of a severe housing affordability and supply crisis, which shows no signs of ending any time soon.” What can Democrats be thinking in a state that already ranks as one of the most unaffordable states in America in far too many categories, including high taxes. What can they be thinking in a state where, for as long as I’ve been in office, Albany’s appetite for imposing unfunded state mandates has been insatiable and where the consequences have become nothing short of a mass exodus from New York, the largest population loss of any state in the nation. It just keeps defying belief. In 2011, former Governor Andrew Cuomo made a big show – like he would do on so many other issues – about cracking down on unfunded state mandates out of Albany. As part of his push to deliver a local property tax cap, he also made a promise to localities and school districts to roll back one of the nation’s heaviest burdens of unfunded state mandates. It never happened. That promise was never kept and we still have a lot of work to do to lift the existing burden off the backs of local governments and local property taxpayers. It’s the reason I and many others have so often helped sponsor legislation to put an end to unfunded state mandates. If the state mandates a program or a service that increases costs, the state should pay for it. Instead, the mandates just keep pouring out of Albany. A barrel full of energy mandates are in the pipeline, which I’ve warned about many times over the past few years, including an all-electric school bus mandate that school districts warn could be the heaviest unfunded mandate hit of all. Now, instead of commonsense steps to ease this state’s affordability crisis and lift the burden, New Yorkers may be in line for just another soaking. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

One of the time-honored traditions throughout this holiday season is to gather around the table to share a meal, express thanks, and count blessings in the company of family, friends, neighbors, and even sometimes the community at large. It’s a chance, as well, to reflect on the contributions of farmers and the entire agricultural industry here at home in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, throughout New York State, and across America. A recent state report, “A Profile of Agriculture in New York State,” does just that and stands as a timely reminder. “Agriculture is an important part of New York State’s economy, and farmers make significant contributions to the State,” State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli notes in the new report from his office (the full report can be found here: www.osc.ny.gov), “In New York’s rural counties, farming can be a significant driver of the regional economy, spurring a suite of support businesses supplying equipment, repair services, seed and soil conditioners and veterinary services, as well as sustaining employment.” The latest figures from the federal Department of Agriculture show that farming is practiced in every county in the state. Nearly 31,000 farms and farmland account for over 21 percent of the state’s area. New York’s agricultural sector contributes $2.7 billion to the state’s gross domestic product and directly supports over 163,000 jobs. In short, the industry is a foundation of the statewide economy and the food supply networks vital to the future. Over the past two decades, working through the “Harvest for All” program linking Farm Bureau and Feeding America in every state in the nation, New York’s farmers have been national leaders. In 2023, our farmers donated eight million pounds of food to regional food banks, the second highest donation total in America. In short, farming and agriculture remains the anchor of a way of life that has long defined and sustained so many communities and regions. New York has many agricultural products that consistently rank in the top 3 nationwide, including maple syrup, grapes, wine, red table beets, apples, cabbage and milk, yogurt and cheese. The comptroller’s report also found that: Agritourism and recreation in 2022 saw the largest increase in farm-related income, a 78% jump since 2012. Research from Cornell University found that farming and related supporting businesses directly supported 163,148 jobs in New York in 2019. In 2022, New York’s farms paid a total of $6.2 billion in expenses, an increase of $1.9 billion from 2017. From 2012 to 2022, hired labor expenditures grew by 68%, far surpassing other categories. Despite economic growth, between 2012 and 2022, the state lost close to 14% of its farms and over 9% of farmland. New York is losing farms and land at a faster rate than the U.S. and all neighboring states except Connecticut (farms) and Massachusetts (farmland). The overall decline of farmland is troubling, as conversion to other uses, particularly residential, commercial or industrial, may prevent its use for farming in the future. This includes 1,728 acres located in agricultural districts classified as solar electric generation facilities. “New York’s diverse farms are an essential part of the state’s economy, but there are increasing challenges that are changing the agricultural landscape,” according to the comptroller. “Volatile commodity prices, labor pressures and extreme weather are adding to the unpredictability of farming that is contributing to the consolidation and the loss of farms. Policymakers must consider the ways in which state programs and policies affect this sector.” Approaching the start of a new legislative session in January, it will be important for New York’s lawmakers and policymakers to renew a strong commitment to ensuring that our actions will not undermine an industry and a way of life that has defined the regions we represent. We cannot afford to change the face of New York State agriculture as we have known it for generations. We can’t risk the future of high quality, local food production or take steps that could spark the loss of more family farms and the livelihoods these farms support throughout hundreds of local economies. Now is no time to risk regulating and mandating an even more uncertain future for family farmers, farm workers, farm communities, and New York’s agricultural industry overall. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

We continue facing an era in state government that will forever be defined by a “no consequences” approach to law and order. And in a state that remains, at least for the foreseeable future, under one-party, all-Democrat control, there appears to be no let up on that approach. In fact, one of the first post-election actions for New Yorkers is the implementation of a new law known as the “Clean Slate Act” – which took effect on November 16th and directs the state court system to begin the process of automatically expunging millions of criminal records from public view. The consequences of these and many other actions have become more than clear to many of us in the Legislature, throughout the law enforcement community, amongst advocates for crime vicitms and their families, and elsewhere: a rapidly declining Empire State. Beginning under former Governor Andrew Cuomo and continuing under current Governor Hochul, working in tandem with the Legislature’s Democrat majorities, New York State’s criminal justice system has been turned upside down – and, in the view of many, for the worse. Much worse, in fact. Failed bail and discovery law reforms have been a disaster. A “Raise the Age” law (aka the Gang Recruitment Act) removes criminal responsibility for violent 16- and 17-year-olds, thereby providing incentive for gangs to recruit and utilize younger members. The ability of law enforcement to ensure public security has been severely weakened and the criminal element knows it. The same is true throughout our prison system, where the Albany Democrats’ HALT Act restricts the Department of Corrections from maintaining control and, instead, gives violent inmates the upper hand. Correctional facilities have become powder kegs of violence. At the beginning of November, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) called on the governor and the Legislature to recognize and end it, noting that the most recent data indicates “that both inmate-on-staff and inmate-on-inmate assaults have already exceeded 2023 levels with two months still left in the calendar year, underscoring a crisis that shows no signs of improvement.” NYSCOPBA President Chris Summers said, “Enough is enough—our members cannot and should not be used as punching bags. NYSCOPBA members, working in the most challenging of conditions, are being assaulted at record rates, yet their health and safety continue to be disregarded by those responsible for protecting the state workforce. The statistics speak volumes: 2024 is set to shatter last year’s assault records.” New York now has a parole system that goes out of its way to release violent inmates – including cop killers and child murderers – back into society. Instead of it all being a wakeup call to Governor Hochul and Albany Democrats, it just seems to keep fueling their determination to keep going too far in the opposite direction. The latest example is that the “Clean Slate Act” is now another law of the land in New York. The governor and supporters of the new law tout it as a “second chance” action, aimed at giving people with criminal records, who have served their time and paid their debt to society, a better opportunity to move forward in their lives to find a job, get an education, and secure housing. That’s an admirable and, in fact, widely held goal of the criminal justice system and New York State already had built-in mechanisms to achieve it. Clean Slate, however, takes erasing criminal records from public view to a whole new level – a sweeping, across-the-board, one-size-fits-all approach at the risk of crime victims and law-abiding New Yorkers. That’s because the innocent-sounding action now begins a widespread sealing of millions of criminal records, upwards of 2.3 million conviction records to be exact, including for any number of violent crimes including assault, armed robbery, attempted murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, drug trafficking, and others, regardless of how many criminal convictions an individual has, they're all expunged. Records will be sealed eight years after sentencing or after release from incarceration, whichever is later, for felony convictions, and after three years for misdemeanors. One former, prominent state prosecutor, Albany County District Attorney David Soares, a Democrat, never bought it. Following the law’s approval, he said, “Employers and other people will not be able to see who it is that they're hiring, so you're putting a lot of employers in peril. If you're a parent who's looking for child care, you may be hiring someone who has had a violent past, and you just don't know it." Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt has stated, “The victims of crime and their families do not get a ‘Clean Slate.’” Clean Slate continues an alarming trend by Governor Hochul and the Legislature’s Democrat majorities to keep enacting pro-criminal policies that risk the safety of all New Yorkers. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

It’s best to start this column with a memory. In the end, that’s what this week is all about: remembering. With that in mind, I’ll recall these words from former President Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Fought for. Protected. Handed on. Travel through this region’s individual communities and it’s striking to reflect on the common landmarks that stand equally tall as reminders of the guiding principles and the underlying and unifying strengths of our nation: town and village halls, county courthouses, churches, elementary schools, community parks, local public libraries. These fundamental American places still echo the very reasons for our nation’s founding and her endurance as the world’s great democracy. Consequently, we can never forget the monuments and memorials that America’s communities have built to honor our veterans. Indeed, there may be no more powerful or poignant landmarks anywhere and on Veterans Day we will gather in many of these places to remember. We’ll be observing this year's Veterans Day with American troops still bravely engaged in protecting freedom and democracy here at home and across the globe. It will be observed at a time when the world’s stage remains embroiled in uncertainty and instability. We still stand proud in local ceremonies around the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions to honor the sacrifices and the victories of our soldiers — past, present, and future. In so doing, we reaffirm our pride in this nation’s armed forces and, of course, we turn our thoughts and prayers to those young soldiers whom we’ve lost. Since the tragic unfolding of Sept. 11, 2001, this generation has realized and continues to realize, all too painfully, that our freedom here at home can be threatened at any moment. We realize, as well, that our troops always stand ready to protect it again and again. The freedoms we cherish have been hard-won by the soldiers of previous generations and by those of this generation who have continued to serve. They are true American heroes, and we are grateful to every one of them. Sacrifice is the truth that we remember and honor on Veterans Day, especially today when sacrifice can too often seem an on-the-decline virtue in American life. To always honor our veterans is the reason that, in 2005, the New York State Senate established a Veterans Hall of Fame. We inducted our class of 2024 earlier this year and I was proud to pay tribute to the service of Merle John Tobias, a native of Hornell, former resident of Steuben and Allegany counties, and employee of the Bath VA Medical Center. I also had the opportunity to honor John during a local ceremony this summer at the Allegany County Fair. John served in the United States Army during the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and throughout the Persian Gulf War. One other way that New York government seeks to constantly honor military service has been through the development of new laws and the administration of programs and services that seek to address the many challenges facing today’s veterans in areas such as health care, employment, and education. The state Division of Veterans’ Affairs (www.veterans.ny.gov) was established in 1945 to assist veterans, members of the armed forces and their families. Since then, the division — in concert with its offices in counties locally and statewide — has strongly advocated for New York’s veterans and veterans’ issues at the local, state, and national levels. It is a proud history of service. But Veterans Day, more than anything else, draws us to those monuments and memorials in our midst that still, and we hope will always, rise up to honor and remember those who have served and sacrificed. To all those who have served or are serving at this moment, Thank You. May God Bless America. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

First and foremost, I will take this opportunity to urge everyone – if you haven’t already taken advantage of early voting – to get out and cast your vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th. There is not a single more important or fundamental right and responsibility that we have as citizens of this nation. To be reminded of the importance of voting, recall the words of so many former Presidents of the United States: “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” – Thomas Jefferson “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision.” – Abraham Lincoln "The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter." – Dwight D. Eisenhower “The greatest threat to democracy is indifference. Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves, and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”– Franklin D. Roosevelt “We vote not because we’re liberal or conservative, but because we’re American citizens, and that is our responsibility.” – George W. Bush It was Susan B. Anthony who said, “Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” President Ronald Reagan’s former chief speechwriter and top aide Peggy Noonan has written, “Our political leaders will know our priorities only if we tell them, again and again, and if those priorities begin to show up in the polls." Noonan’s words speak to the practical bottom line of the importance of elections in a democracy: Once the votes have been counted and Election Day has passed, it becomes time to immediately get back to the hard work of governing, which is always about (or should be about, if a government is being responsive and effective) responding to the will of those who voted. That will certainly be the case here in New York State government. In so many ways, the direction of this state is on the ballot on Tuesday. In one of the latest statewide polls from the Siena Research Institute, more than half of New York voters believe that our state is headed in the wrong direction, and over 60% say the country is on the wrong track. Tellingly, 75% of those surveyed believe this is the most important election of their lifetimes. Consequently, when the dust has settled and it’s time to get back to governing in New York State, voters are telling us that it’s time to govern in a way that turns this state (and country) around and gets it heading in a new, better, safer, and stronger direction. Toward that end and looking ahead to the start of a new session of the State Legislature in January just sixty days from now, it is worth restating many of the goals and priorities that will continue to drive my colleagues and I in the Senate Republican Conference. We believe we need a redirection of New York's priorities and resources to begin addressing unmet challenges and crises. We need to start charting a course for a more sensible and sustainable state government focused on priorities that include: A better quality of life for all New Yorkers by restoring public safety and security as one of the state's highest responsibilities Making New York more affordable by cutting one of the nation's highest tax and debt burdens Putting a strict cap on state government spending that threatens to make the nation's highest population losses even worse Rethinking a process underway to quickly implement energy mandates that ignore affordability, feasibility, and reliability Transforming the state-local partnership by making good on a promise made over a decade ago to address the practice of unfunded state mandates Finally, fully, and honestly reassessing New York's COVID response, including its failures and shortcomings, to be better prepared in the future Continuing to protect and strengthen our Second Amendment and other Constitutional rights and freedoms Restoring local decision-making and addressing abuses of executive power at the state level Please vote on Tuesday. Let your voice be heard. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

It was just over a year ago, shortly after the enactment of a state budget that paid Albany Democrat lip service to the need to end New York’s failed and dangerous bail reform experiment, when Governor Hochul declared, “We are done with bail. We accomplished what we needed to do.” Since then, it sure has looked like the governor meant what she said. She and the Legislature’s Democrat majorities have done nothing to fix a continually failing and exceedingly dangerous law that they put in place and that has turned the criminal justice system in this state upside down. The latest exhibit of their failure comes out of western New York in Allegany County, where I represent a portion of the eastern half of the county. Recently, following a year-long investigation and surveillance operation of an illegal drug operation in a former factory in the small town of Cuba, local and state law enforcement executed a drug bust valued at over $4 million. According to a former member of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force who was involved, it stands as the largest drug bust ever in Allegany County and one of the top three in Southern Tier history. Police made two arrests. According to news reports, the two individuals were both charged with felony first-degree possession of cannabis, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. One of those arrested was an illegal immigrant and was turned over to federal authorities. The second perpetrator, who in addition to the drug and weapons offenses was also charged with resisting arrest, was arraigned in Allegany County court and “released with tickets.” That’s right, under Albany Democrat bail reform, he could not be kept behind bars. Once again we’re reminded that an outrageous and dangerous public policy currently defines criminal justice in New York State. Law enforcement in Allegany County did not hide their frustration at the current system and they shouldn’t. Their testimony from the front lines speaks volumes. Cuba Police Chief Dustin Burch said, “We worked on this case for 12 months. I don’t like to play politics, but there is a lot of manpower in this here, a lot of overtime and now, there is a lot of frustration. There is a resisting arrest charge here. We have 50 percent or more of people resisting us when we make arrests. We do all this work, we potentially get hurt, and since bail reform happened, they get out. We were here from 3 a.m. until well into the night. We were subjected to the conditions inside these buildings, the resisting (incident) and then (the suspect) gets released.” Allegany County District Attorney Ian Jones added, “It’s important to note we have a lot of charges here and high-level charges but not high enough to fall into our new bail laws. It has to be an A1 felony, which operates as a major drug trafficker and it’s very hard to prove. You have to prove the drugs are moving and the money coming in and out for 12 years. I think this highlights yet another failure of our bail reform. Here we have arguably the largest drug bust in the history of this county, yet it’s still not good enough to meet our new bail rules, so unfortunately, no bail rules were set.” The Allegany County case is a stark reminder that Albany Democrats remain more than satisfied with the status quo that keeps giving away streets and neighborhoods in every region of New York to the chaos and violence of their “no consequences” approach to law and order. Contrary to their belief, we are not “done with bail.” We’re not. We can’t be. It continues to put local law enforcement and local communities at risk. Once again, Chief Burch stated what was at stake in the Allegany County operation, “It’s important because (the drugs seized) is what is being funneled into our school systems and a lot of younger kids are getting their hands on it.” Albany Democrat bail reform remains a failed public policy that just keeps waiting for the next victim. Failed bail reform remains the law of the land. The criminals in this society know it. The criminals know that Albany Democrats have their back. An overriding policy of no consequences for far too many bad actors remains in place. A climate of chaos over security reigns supreme in far too many places. “We have accomplished what we needed to do,” Governor Hochul said back in May of 2023. No, we have not. Innocent, hard-working, law-abiding, responsible New Yorkers remain at risk. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

While this state – more specifically, while citizens, communities, families, taxpayers, workers, and others, in every corner of New York – remains under one-party, all-Democrat control, we can never allow that to mean there’s no room for other voices, other ideas, or, most importantly, other commitments to a way of legislating and policymaking that can head this state in a better, stronger, more effective and successful direction. It's a role and a responsibility that I, together with all my colleagues in the Senate and Assembly Republican conferences, continue to take seriously and stand up for. Toward that end, our Senate Republican Conference recently reaffirmed our obligation to this critical place in New York government through the release of a new working agenda called “Commitment to New York.” It’s a declaration and a platform for better government. We believe it recognizes that this state is headed in the wrong direction, that we are a state in decline under one-party control, and that New York’s current powers that be are ignoring fundamental priorities. The Senate Republican “Commitment to New York” is founded on the following 10 cornerstones: Delivering tax relief for families and small businesses. In short, we have pledged to implement tax cuts to make New York more affordable for working and middle-class families, seniors, businesses, and veterans; Repealing cashless bail and pro-crime policies. Prioritizing public safety will be one of our top priorities moving forward. That means repealing dangerous policies and confronting the crime crisis head-on. It also means ensuring a fair voice in the justice system for everyone, including police, corrections officers, judges, and the victims of crime; Implementing a pro-New York jobs plan. Senate Republicans are committed to building a business-friendly economic climate and eliminating the bureaucratic red tape standing in the way of the kind of economic growth and opportunity that all New Yorkers deserve; Protecting and safeguarding women’s rights and safety; Energy affordability and freedom. Our conference has put forth a commonsense, long-term energy strategy focusing on diversification balancing clean, safe, and affordable energy supplies; Standing with law enforcement. We have long been dedicated to being law enforcement’s voice in state government, prioritizing the safety of our officers and enforcing strict laws to better protect them from ever-increasing criminal violence; Ending New York’s migrant crisis, a crisis that is on its way toward bankrupting this state unless it’s brought under control by ending unlimited sanctuary policies and shutting off the limitless taxpayer-funded handouts and incentives attracting illegal migrants to our border; Supporting Israel and combatting antisemitism, including ending state funding for institutions, including colleges and universities, enabling, or ignoring antisemitism; Defending parental rights to make decisions concerning their children’s health and education; and Enacting statewide voter ID and term limits for state legislators. Find out more at: https://www.nysenategopcommitment.com. At the beginning of the 2024 legislative session, Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, outlining our conference’s hope for the future of New York State, said, “New Yorkers are deeply dissatisfied with the direction of our state and our Conference is here to provide an alternative path forward. I have traveled throughout the state and people are tired, frustrated, and angry. They feel forgotten. Over the course of the year, we have seen crimes and costs rise. Antisemitism is infiltrating our schools and communities and has become the norm. The migrant crisis has only gotten worse because New York City politicians continue to push their feel-good policies, but it is these radical policies that are driving New Yorkers out. As the Leader of this conference, I will not take a back seat to the progressive agenda destroying our state. Our Republican Conference will fight to give hope to those New Yorkers who feel they have no alternative but to leave our state. Our commonsense agenda provides solutions to build a greater New York for future generations.” Those words continue to ring true at this very moment and they continue to express the underpinning of our conference’s “Commitment to New York” platform. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

Over the past few months in New York State government, we’ve witnessed constant reminders why this state is headed in the wrong direction under one-party, all-Democrat control, with no turnaround in sight. Exhibit A: Energy mandates. Serious doubts have been expressed, from many quarters, on the affordability, feasibility, and reliability of New York’s current clean energy strategy. A July report from the Hochul administration itself admitted that their timeline to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and zero emissions by 2040 can't be met under the current plan. Shortly thereafter, a state comptroller’s audit concluded that the implementation of the Democrats' climate agenda has been seriously flawed and its true costs remain unknown. Exhibit B: COVID-19. Earlier this summer, a long-awaited (and long-delayed) report commissioned two years ago by Governor Hochul – a report that was supposed to be a comprehensive, honest, transparent reassessment of New York’s COVID-19 response -- was determined to be worthless. The Albany-based Empire Center for Public Policy, in a review of the report entitled “Hochul’s Pandemic Study is a $4.3 Million Flop,” concluded: “Hochul had commissioned a $4.3 million after-action review of the crisis, saying she wanted it to cover 'the good, the bad and the ugly' and bolster the state's preparedness for future outbreaks. Yet the 262-page report from the Olson Group, a Virginia-based consulting firm, turns out to be thinly researched, poorly argued, ill-informed, sloppily presented and marred by obvious errors. Although many of its findings ring true, it glosses over or ignores some of the state's most questionable actions -- such as ordering thousands of Covid-positive patients into nursing homes." More recently, former Governor Andrew Cuomo publicly testified before a Congressional Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic and delivered more of the same song and dance on his administration’s execution of the COVID response. It’s a song and dance that has long been tainted by stonewalling, misinformation, coverups, and outright lies. This was the most devastating public health crisis New York State ever faced and yet, because of continued stonewalling from both the Cuomo and Hochul administrations, in concert with an all-Democrat Legislature that has remained unwilling to accept the responsibility, we have not yet taken a full accounting of the response -- its costs, its shortcomings, its outright failures, what worked and what did not, who was responsible and who wasn't, what actions should remain in place going forward and what needs to be scrapped immediately. The longer the reassessment of the response is delayed, the more the effectiveness of New York's future responses is jeopardized and weakened. Exhibit 😄 Border crisis. The illegal migrant crisis in New York remains as out of control and costly as ever. Ten billion taxpayer dollars already spent on the Sanctuary City and State Democrats’ self-induced crisis. Now they're paying migrants $4,000 of your tax dollars to move out of shelters. In early January, I summed up the condition of New York State at that time with the following, “We face an affordability crisis. We face a border crisis. Law and order are in free fall. The Albany Democrat direction for New York simply fails to produce any hope for a long-term, sustainable future for communities, families, workers, businesses, industries, and taxpayers. New York is a state in decline that continues to become less safe, less free, less affordable, less economically competitive, less responsible, and far less strong for the future. We are at a dangerous crossroads, and we must enact an across-the-board agenda to rebuild stronger and safer communities.” The same assessment and sentiment hold true nine months later. We need a redirection of New York’s priorities and resources to begin addressing unmet challenges and crises. We need to start charting a course for a more sensible and sustainable state government focused on priorities that include: a better quality of life for all New Yorkers by restoring public safety and security as one of the State’s highest responsibilities; making New York more affordable by cutting one of the nation’s highest tax and debt burdens; putting a strict cap on State government spending that threatens to make the nation’s highest population losses even worse; rethinking a process underway to quickly implement energy mandates that ignore affordability, feasibility, and sustainability; transforming the State-local partnership by making good on a promise made over a decade ago to address the practice of unfunded State mandates; finally, fully, and honestly reassessing New York’s COVID response, including its failures and shortcomings, to be better prepared in the future; continue to protect and strengthen our Second Amendment and other Constitutional rights and freedoms; and restoring local decision-making and addressing abuses of executive power at the state level. What are we waiting for? Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.

A plaque on display at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial shares the following post-9/11 words from then President George W. Bush: “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings. But they cannot touch the foundation of America.” At this week’s 9/11 observances here at home and across our state and nation, the foundation of America will again stand strong. The years keep passing, twenty-three now, yet Americans never forget. More than two decades later, never forgetting remains as critical as it has ever been since that terrible morning of September 11, 2001, and its long aftermath. Throughout this 23rd Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, observances will be held across our region and state, at the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in the nation’s capital, and at the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. As always at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, built on the footprint of the fallen Twin Towers, there will once more be a reading of the names of all 2,983 victims who perished on September 11, 2001 – as well as the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Center terrorist bombing. To find out and view more (including a livestream of this year’s 9/11 ceremony beginning at 8:46 a.m. on Wednesday), visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum website, 911memorial.org, where these fitting words have been shared, “Today, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum stands as a beacon of healing and renewal – a physical embodiment of the compassion we showed to one another, the resolve we demonstrated to the world, and how, in the face of unfathomable loss, we rose as one.” Twenty-three years later, we will continue to honor the memory of 9/11's victims and keep their families in our prayers. Twenty-three years later we will pay tribute to the heroic bravery, courage, and selflessness of the rescue and recovery workers – the firefighters and police officers, every first responder and every citizen who gave their lives, and those who spent week after week after week at Ground Zero in tribute to the ultimate sacrifice of their fellow men and women. It is important to also remember that the total number of victims continues to grow as those responders succumb to illnesses related to their toxic exposure during recovery efforts at Ground Zero. In 2018, the number of post-9/11 illness deaths surpassed those killed on 9/11. The number of NYFD firefighters and NYPD police officers who have died post-9/11 exceeds those killed that day. We must keep the survivors who continue to struggle with post-9/11 illnesses in our thoughts and prayers. Twenty-three years later we will reaffirm our pride in this nation’s service members, and we will keep all of them and their families in our thoughts and prayers – including those young men and women whom we have lost from here at home. As events continue to unfold across the world, our veterans and their families must know that as a nation, we value, we respect, and we honor their remarkable service and sacrifice. We also recognize, however, that too many American veterans struggle in crisis, and, tragically, too many of these heroes are taking their own lives. We need every veteran to know and to believe that they are never alone. The nation’s Veterans Crisis Line is available around the clock to connect with caring and qualified responders with the Department of Veterans Affairs, many of whom are veterans themselves. The Veterans Crisis Line can be reached by calling 988 (then press 1) or text 838255. As always, I also take the opportunity to recall all the many firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency services volunteers, not-for-profit organizations, school classrooms, business leaders, and individual citizens and communities from across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions who responded in such strong, uplifting ways in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. I am grateful, each and every year on Patriot Day, for the chance to remember how so many citizens, young and old, from all walks of life and all stations, responded with a powerful, instinctive, enduring determination to help America recover and rebuild – and how, to this very day, this memory can stand as a reminder that even in the darkest of days and troubling of times, Americans face a future of hope, that the fundamental American values of fortitude, generosity, and strength will help us carry on and keep this region, this state, and our nation looking ahead. Twenty-three years later, Americans will undertake a responsibility and a duty as citizens to again, in the words of former President Bush, “honor the memory of the 11th day.” ...

Governor Kathy Hochul this week convenes a two-day “Future Energy Economy Summit” in Syracuse to begin what many of us hope will be a long-overdue, sincere, and transparent rethinking of New York State’s energy future. This rethinking is badly needed. Over the past few months doubts have exploded over the Albany Democrats’ current approach -- an approach that has been built on rapidly imposing radical and sweeping clean energy mandates on all New Yorkers following the enactment of the Climate Leadership and Protection Act (CLCPA) in 2019. The state’s Climate Action Council (CAC), established through the CLCPA, issued its action report in December 2022, a year and four months after Governor Hochul was sworn in as New York’s chief executive. Many of us, from the outset, warned that the failure of Governor Hochul and legislative Democrats to put forth a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the costs of implementing their mandates under the prescribed timeline doomed the entire effort to failure. We have questioned the affordability, feasibility, and reliability of the strategy for ratepayers and taxpayers, business organizations, and local economies. We have done so with good reason. The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which is responsible for managing the supply and transmission of electricity across New York State, issued a report in 2022, three months prior to the CAC's final report, entitled “2021 – 2040 System & Resource Outlook.” That report warned of future reliability shortfalls due to the CLCPA which will require the state's electric grid to triple its current generating capacity by between 110 gigawatts (GW) and 130 GW by 2042. This includes, because of the intermittent and unreliable nature of wind and solar, between 20 GW and 47 GW of Dispatchable Emissions-Free Resources (DEFRs), a generic name to describe an unknown source not yet developed. It will require 20 GW of new clean electricity generation by 2029. To put that growth in perspective, during the 23 years to September 2022, the state only developed 13 GW of new energy production, and only 2.6 GW over the five years prior. During that same five-year period, New York deactivated 4.8 GW of generation, for a net loss of over 2 GW – enough to power over a million homes. “That means that New York is currently going backwards, not forwards,” according to NYSIO (read more at: https://www.empirecenter.org/publications/nyiso-predicts-troubled-energy-future/). In short, the NYISO lives in reality while the Albany Democrats’ CLCPA and CAC hail from Utopia. In its 2022 report the NYISO politely characterized the required growth in electric generation as “unprecedented” and that “future uncertainty is the only thing certain (of the plan).” Bear in mind that the unknown costs of all of this will be borne by New York ratepayers and taxpayers. The recently approved massive rate hikes by NYSEG, RG&E, and National Grid, which when fully phased in will increase monthly bills from $40-$60 for an average home (much larger impacts to industries), are no coincidence and are just the tip of the iceberg of how all of this will exacerbate the overall unaffordability crisis we have in this state. Just this July, a report from the Hochul administration itself admitted that their timeline to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and zero emissions by 2040 isn't realistic and, in fact, can't be met under the plan with current technologies as it stands. Later in July, NYISO reiterated its warnings that under the current timeline the state is "at risk of blackouts without significant new generation coming online before the middle of the next decade." Then came a new audit and report from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli that the implementation of the Democrats' climate agenda has been seriously flawed and, especially, that its true costs remain unknown. The comptroller's audit further cemented long-held doubts over the current plan’s affordability, feasibility, and reliability. Consequently, Governor Hochul convenes a so-called energy summit this week. Will it mark a “back to the drawing board” moment on the CLCPA timeline and other climate mandates? Equally important, will it lead to an honest, open, long-awaited, and desperately needed public discussion on the realities of where we’re headed? That’s what many of us are hoping. We’ll see. In that spirit of rethinking, our Senate Republican Conference recently put forth a comprehensive set of proposals to chart a different course. We call for refocusing on affordability, feasibility, and reliability. We offer what we believe are commonsense alternatives to delay the CLCPA mandates while providing relief to taxpayers, ensuring the reliability of the grid, and ensuring a diverse energy portfolio that will keep energy options affordable and accessible for the long term. Our “Creating Lasting Affordable Energy for New York” plan would: delay the implementation of the CLCPA mandates by ten years, giving the state time to develop a sustainable plan to build affordable, clean energy infrastructure and give state agencies more flexibility to adjust those timeframes if the cost to New Yorkers is determined to be unaffordable while also considering the impact of the CLCPA’s compliance on reliable and affordable alternatives for heating and other services currently supplied by natural gas, including renewable natural gas and hydrogen; create the “Ratepayer Relief Act” to determine the actual cost of CLCPA/CAC mandates; prevent the state from closing any power generation facility before new facilities come online; study the feasibility of bringing the Indian Point nuclear power plan, shuttered by former Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2021, back online and expand investment and research into alternative small scale nuclear energy possibilities. The closure of Indian Point caused an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in excess of 40% in the New York City metro region due to increased use of peaker plants; establish a commission to evaluate the impact of grid electrification on the safety and reliability of heating systems in extreme winter weather incidents that cause power outages; create the “Rural Energy Infrastructure Act of 2025” to provide a tax credit for individuals in underserved or unserved areas of the gas system to assist the buildout of natural gas infrastructure to help bring service to those areas; prohibit the state from mandating the purchase of only electric cars in 2035 and electric school buses in 2027; and establish the New York state hydrogen vehicle task force to examine another source of clean and affordable fuel. Since the CLCPA's approval in 2019, Albany Democrats have been moving at world record speed to pile one unaffordable mandate on top of another unworkable mandate on top of the next unrealistic mandate desperately trying to inflict a zero-emissions economy on this entire state that will have zero impact on the climate. Remember that NYS accounts for just 0.4% of global emissions. These actions will come with a devastating price tag and consequences for ratepayers and taxpayers, businesses and industries, school districts, farmers, and entire local economies. Let’s hope this week’s summit begins a straightforward reassessment and reexamination of the realities of the current strategy. Senator Tom O'Mara represents New York's 58th District which covers all of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties, and a portion of Allegany County.