4/21/10: Statement on the Defeat of the SEQRA and Farm Labor Bills

"Members of the Unshackle Upstate Army had been pressing to defeat two anti-taxpayer and job creator measures.  Ultimately they succeeded in helping to convince all the members of the Senate Republican Conference as well as Sens. Darrel Aubertine (D-Watertown), William Stachowski (D-Buffalo) and David Valesky (D-Syracuse) to oppose the "Citizen Suit" SEQRA bill (Thompson S.1635).  This legislation, if enacted, would have allowed special interests anywhere in the state to intervene and interject their views in local government decision making. 

Additionally, in the Senate Agriculture Committee, Chairman Aubertine and Ranking Minority Member Catherine Young (R-Olean) led committee members to join in a bipartisan manner to defeat the "farmworker labor bill" (Onorato S.2247B), which would have placed family farms squarely in the crosshairs of big-money corporate unions. These unions have been working with Sen. Pedro Espada to increase their membership at the expense of New York's agricultural community. The growing Unshackle Army continues to be a voice in Albany and ensuring that legislators are held accountable for their actions as we move toward Nov. 2 - Judgment Day - when New Yorkers head to the polls."