DuhH5a82 NY Senators 2023
After a week in Washington, student delegates write essays about their experience. Some of these essays are edited and published in the USSYP yearbook. Others are unedited and available here.
The panel admonished Menendez for accepting gifts from donor Salomon Melgen and using his position to advance his interests. He faces corruption charges.
Elections
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Every two years, New York voters go to the polls to elect state senators. New York City residents will also vote for the City Council and other local races. Enter your address to see exactly what’s on your ballot.
The 2023 elections are the first to feature City Council races using ranked choice voting. This allows you to rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting just one candidate.
Democratic Council Member Justin Brannan and former Republican City Council Member Ari Kagan are facing off in a competitive race in Brooklyn’s 43rd District. The seat was newly drawn following redistricting to include a large Asian-majority population in southern Brooklyn. Brannan is expected to have an edge over Kagan, who drew some criticism for her support of President Trump and for her focus on issues like housing and public safety in the past.
Democrat Lynn Schulman isn’t taking her reelection in a diverse Queens district that grew more conservative after redistricting in 2021. She faces a challenge from Republican Danniel Maio and a Democrat named Sukhi Singh running on the Common Sense Party line.
Partisanship
A Democrat-controlled state Senate and Assembly now face the prospect of holding on to their veto-proof supermajorities in 2023. That would make it nearly impossible for Republicans to overturn any gubernatorial vetos.
In addition, the new district lines undo some of the gerrymandering that favored Republicans in previous decades. For example, the previously contorted Senate Districts in New York City encapsulating voters from South Brooklyn and Manhattan no longer contain hooks extending into other neighborhoods.
The redrawn districts also make the Assembly and Senate more compact and less partisan, he said. A new map for the Senate, for instance, removes a loop encompassing Brooklyn’s Crown Heights and Sunset Park neighborhoods in the 20th District represented by Democrat Zellnor Myrie.
Legislation
Each year, thousands of pieces of legislation pass through Albany’s complex process on their way to the governor’s desk or legislative oblivion. This page provides an overview of bills that are getting a lot of attention in 2023.
New York State is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the legislature to override the governor’s veto. This threshold is defined in Article IV, Section 7 of the Constitution.
NYSSCPA continues to support the expansion of e-signature laws, with a focus on the inclusion of Power of Attorney documents. This bill would also require real estate listings to include the energy consumption and energy performance ratings of homes for sale or lease.
This bill will provide a sales tax exemption for books, magazines, and pamphlets sold at school sponsored book fairs or events hosted by Friends of Libraries groups. NYSSCPA is urging the governor to alternatively recommend chapter amendments that achieve the same goals in a narrowly tailored manner.
Budget
After weeks of intense NYSUT advocacy, the State Legislature passed a $229 billion spending plan. It includes the full funding of Foundation Aid for school year 2023-24, a 10% increase over last year’s level.
The budget also includes Internet connectivity for all, historic investments in downtown areas, and tax relief for small businesses, homeowners and MWBEs. It doesn’t raise personal income taxes but does extend the corporate tax rate.
It also creates a new pilot program for free NYC bus rides, though that will only be for one year. Finally, it increases the general reserve to $750 million and includes provisions to avoid a future revenue shortfall. The Budget, Part DD, amends the False Claims Act to include actions against individuals who knowingly conceal or fail to pay an obligation of any kind to the State. It also extends the film production credit to level two qualified facilities and makes other modifications.