Races Worth Watching - Trunzo in the Lead

A Newsday article this morning points out that a Siena Market Research study shows the races across the state for New York Senate positions are still very much up for grabs.

According to the article, written by Rick Brand, "Veteran Republican state Sen. Caesar Trunzo, facing the toughest race in his 36-year career, has a 6-point lead in a new poll, but his foe, Brookhaven's Democratic Supervisor Brian Foley, says the survey shows he's "within striking distance" and that Trunzo has "already peaked."

The article goes on to report: "The Siena Research Institute poll of 405 likely voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, shows Trunzo leading Foley 46-40 in a race where Senate Democrats have so far spent $291,000, their most money statewide. The poll also showed Long Island's newest state senator, Democrat Craig Johnson, leads Plandome Manor Mayor Barbara Donno 49 percent to 25 percent."

The Senate races bear watching because the Democrat-controlled Assembly passed a number of bills that were detrimental to the building industry. These bills - listed below - died in the Republican controlled Senate. This is why LIBI co-hosted with the New York State Builders Association a fund-raising event for NYS Senate Majority Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre. We know we can count on Dean to keep a watchful eye on matters that could present problems for Long Islanders in general and builders in particular.

LIBI encourages all of its members to do what they can to support the elected officials who understand how valuable the building community is to the economic well-being of Long Island. We will spotlight these officials in this space as time goes on. Stay tuned.

LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS APPROVED BY THE DEMOCRAT-CONTROLLED ASSEMBLY:

• Allows a person to institute an action for a violation of the provisions of the environmental quality review even if the injury does not affect the public at large.
• Prohibits home improvement contractors from also acting on behalf of mortgage brokers; prohibits a mortgage broker from paying a home improvement contractor directly unless they perform their own inspection of the completed work
• Authorizes the commissioner of labor to implement rules and regulations regarding the removal of lead, asbestos, and other hazardous waste
• Provides for riparian/littoral property lines to be shown on subdivision maps that are contiguous to water bodies of the state.
• Requires the commissioner of health to take action when areas of lead poisoning are designated; the commissioner of health is also required to provide written notice instructing such condition be discontinued within a specified period of time
• Directs the department of environmental conservation to update any forms or documentation prepared by such department which are designed to assist applicants and lead agencies in determining whether certain projects or actions have a significant effect on the environment; and provides such updates shall ensure the consideration of certain changes, including, impacts on sensitive populations such as children
• Establishes requirements for notice, access to information and public comment period with respect to uniform procedures for pending environmental protection agency projects and regulation.
• Requires applicants seeking land use approval from a municipal corporation to certify compliance with applicable state zoning and building procedures and requirements.
• Relates to requiring notice to neighboring landowners of intention to develop in wetland areas.
• Requires agencies to post contractor utilization plans on the agency website
• Requires state agencies, departments or authorities which let more than ten million dollars in service and construction contracts to establish mentor-protege programs to enable the development and success of small, minority, and women-owned businesses.
• Enacts the "New York State fair pay act"; provides that it shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discriminate between employees on the basis of sex, race and/or national origin by paying different wages.