News
Saving Stiefel’s top priority
 |
| Assemblyman Peter Lopez, R-Schoharie, speaks to about 75 local residents who turned out for a Constituent Outreach Program at Cairo-Durham Middle School. Hilary Hawke/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers |
Keeping jobs in Durham vital, Lopez says; assemblyman supports NY constitutional convention
By Hilary Hawke
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
DURHAM — Government corruption, jobs, taxes, the economy and healthcare are not just national issues. They’re also top concerns for the roughly 75 local residents who turned out for a Constituent Outreach Program organized by Assemblyman Pete Lopez, R-Schoharie, at the Cairo-Durham Middle School.
Fielding questions and providing answers at the second of 20 meetings scheduled between now and the end of November with residents of the 44 towns in the 127th district, Lopez started off with an overview of state finances.
“New York State has issued $7 billion in new taxes, $7 billion in new borrowing and received $5 billion in stimulus money in the past year,” he said.
“That isn’t sustainable. The stimulus money will dry up in another year and we have to find ways to better manage our resources,”
“We have to change the way we do businesses, consolidate services and provide them more efficiently.”
After listing his four priorities — helping farms, growing jobs, property tax reform and energy independence — Lopez turned the agenda over to the audience.“I’ll go on as long as you want,” he said, “And we’ll discuss whatever’s on your mind.”
The audience kept him to his word with the 7 p.m. meeting continuing for almost three hours.
Among the hot button issues was government corruption with questions and comments ranging from the exasperated to the belligerent.
Jeffrey Shapiro, an attorney and former leader of the Newburgh Political Party, now a Libertarian, asked if Lopez would support a People’s Constitutional Convention to clean house in Albany and bring in new leaders.
“What’s going on in Albany is a massive display of corruption,” Shapiro said. “The New York State government hasn’t worked in decades. We need to scrap the entire state constitution and write a new one with no current elected officials as delegates.”
“We have to break the enshrined power of the incumbents,” he continued. “Nothing gets done without Sheldon Silver’s stamp of approval. We have to get rid of this three-men-in-a-room mentality and reclaim our power.”
Lopez responded that he is co-sponsoring a bill called “The People’s Motion to Reform New York Act” which is currently being preparing for introduction to the assembly.
If passed, the Constitutional Convention would occur sometime between 2009 and 2010. If it isn’t passed, another opportunity for a People’s Convention would not arise until 2017. New York State has held nine People’s Conventions since 1777.
The purpose of the bill currently being drafted includes “adoption of a state spending cap and property tax cap, restrictions on unfunded mandates, banning backdoor borrowing, debt reform, public authorities reform and local government tax authority.”
Also addressed were issues including “a clear line of succession to the governorship and lieutenant governorship and elections to fill elected state office vacancies.”
Another resident asked about the propriety of Gov. Paterson having recently hired an adviser at a salary of $100,000 who doesn’t live in New York State and is also on state disability.
A second commented on the State legislature voting themselves raises despite the faltering economy.
Lopez likened the New York State governing body to the feudal system of medieval times. “There were fiefdoms, with lords and ladies swearing fealty to a particular power broker. It’s a feudal model with those in control and in power dispensing the resources.”
“I may have to swim in those waters,” he said, “but I vote my conscience.”
To illustrate, Lopez pointed out, “I was one of only a handful of the 211 Assembly members who turned earmarks down during the budget adoption hearings from January to March of 2009.”
Lopez also said that while there are some conscientious hardworking members in the state Legislature, there are others who take advantage of their positions.
“It’s a sore spot with me,’ Lopez said. “When I see legislators doing crossword puzzles, playing solitaire, reading magazines and not paying attention to the legislation we are voting on it bothers me. It’s my view those in positions of leadership should be servants of the people. They’re not there to feather their nests, enrich themselves or aggrandize.”
Juanita Lane, a longtime Stiefel’s employee, expressed concerns about her job and the company’s future in Durham, which was recently acquired by GlaxoSmithKline for $2.9 billion.
The combined 2008 revenues of both companies were almost $1.5 billion, an 8 percent share of the global prescription dermatology market
“I have seen people laid off in the past year,” Lane said. “Eight were let go last January. I have survived two layoffs but I am worried. Now that GSK owns Stiefel’s, we don’t know what the future holds. Management told us we’ll know by December whether we still have jobs. Many of us are the sole providers for their families and the only source of income. It’s going to affect the entire community if Stiefel’s leaves.”
“We don’t want what happened at Kaz to happen here,” Lopez said. “By the time the Kaz workforce and the community got involved, it was too late. We should have a conversation with GSK Management and ask what we can do to encourage them to stay in Durham.”
Lopez said that he, Senator James L. Seward and the Greene County Legislature will be reaching out to GSK executive offices soon.
“It’s my hope that with the weight of the State Legislature behind us we can bring GSK to the table and discuss ways of retaining the business, keeping the workforce and strengthening their position in Greene County,” he said.
Lopez said he had undertaken a similar challenge in Delaware County by encouraging the binder producing company Mead-West Vaco to keep its company open.
Another resident commented on excessive taxation and government meddling.
“Our country was founded on the principle of no taxation without representation. But that’s what’s happening now. The government shouldn’t be in the business of running businesses. They shouldn’t be running the car companies. They shouldn’t be redistributing wealth from one part of the population to another. We have to stop the handouts. We can’t pay anymore. We need nationalization not globalization.”
Lopez responded, “Globalization is a fact of life but we have to find ways to reduce the impact on New York State. Why are we buying dairy products from other countries when our own farmers produce them in our backyard? I am committed to helping our local farmers through food safety, food security and competitiveness.”
Lopez said he has scheduled a Catskill-Athens Outreach scheduled for mid-October and another for the mountain towns of Prattsville and Ashland soon.
Fielding questions and providing answers at the second of 20 meetings scheduled between now and the end of November with residents of the 44 towns in the 127th district, Lopez started off with an overview of state finances.
“New York State has issued $7 billion in new taxes, $7 billion in new borrowing and received $5 billion in stimulus money in the past year,” he said.
“That isn’t sustainable. The stimulus money will dry up in another year and we have to find ways to better manage our resources,”
“We have to change the way we do businesses, consolidate services and provide them more efficiently.”
After listing his four priorities — helping farms, growing jobs, property tax reform and energy independence — Lopez turned the agenda over to the audience.“I’ll go on as long as you want,” he said, “And we’ll discuss whatever’s on your mind.”
The audience kept him to his word with the 7 p.m. meeting continuing for almost three hours.
Among the hot button issues was government corruption with questions and comments ranging from the exasperated to the belligerent.
Jeffrey Shapiro, an attorney and former leader of the Newburgh Political Party, now a Libertarian, asked if Lopez would support a People’s Constitutional Convention to clean house in Albany and bring in new leaders.
“What’s going on in Albany is a massive display of corruption,” Shapiro said. “The New York State government hasn’t worked in decades. We need to scrap the entire state constitution and write a new one with no current elected officials as delegates.”
“We have to break the enshrined power of the incumbents,” he continued. “Nothing gets done without Sheldon Silver’s stamp of approval. We have to get rid of this three-men-in-a-room mentality and reclaim our power.”
Lopez responded that he is co-sponsoring a bill called “The People’s Motion to Reform New York Act” which is currently being preparing for introduction to the assembly.
If passed, the Constitutional Convention would occur sometime between 2009 and 2010. If it isn’t passed, another opportunity for a People’s Convention would not arise until 2017. New York State has held nine People’s Conventions since 1777.
The purpose of the bill currently being drafted includes “adoption of a state spending cap and property tax cap, restrictions on unfunded mandates, banning backdoor borrowing, debt reform, public authorities reform and local government tax authority.”
Also addressed were issues including “a clear line of succession to the governorship and lieutenant governorship and elections to fill elected state office vacancies.”
Another resident asked about the propriety of Gov. Paterson having recently hired an adviser at a salary of $100,000 who doesn’t live in New York State and is also on state disability.
A second commented on the State legislature voting themselves raises despite the faltering economy.
Lopez likened the New York State governing body to the feudal system of medieval times. “There were fiefdoms, with lords and ladies swearing fealty to a particular power broker. It’s a feudal model with those in control and in power dispensing the resources.”
“I may have to swim in those waters,” he said, “but I vote my conscience.”
To illustrate, Lopez pointed out, “I was one of only a handful of the 211 Assembly members who turned earmarks down during the budget adoption hearings from January to March of 2009.”
Lopez also said that while there are some conscientious hardworking members in the state Legislature, there are others who take advantage of their positions.
“It’s a sore spot with me,’ Lopez said. “When I see legislators doing crossword puzzles, playing solitaire, reading magazines and not paying attention to the legislation we are voting on it bothers me. It’s my view those in positions of leadership should be servants of the people. They’re not there to feather their nests, enrich themselves or aggrandize.”
Juanita Lane, a longtime Stiefel’s employee, expressed concerns about her job and the company’s future in Durham, which was recently acquired by GlaxoSmithKline for $2.9 billion.
The combined 2008 revenues of both companies were almost $1.5 billion, an 8 percent share of the global prescription dermatology market
“I have seen people laid off in the past year,” Lane said. “Eight were let go last January. I have survived two layoffs but I am worried. Now that GSK owns Stiefel’s, we don’t know what the future holds. Management told us we’ll know by December whether we still have jobs. Many of us are the sole providers for their families and the only source of income. It’s going to affect the entire community if Stiefel’s leaves.”
“We don’t want what happened at Kaz to happen here,” Lopez said. “By the time the Kaz workforce and the community got involved, it was too late. We should have a conversation with GSK Management and ask what we can do to encourage them to stay in Durham.”
Lopez said that he, Senator James L. Seward and the Greene County Legislature will be reaching out to GSK executive offices soon.
“It’s my hope that with the weight of the State Legislature behind us we can bring GSK to the table and discuss ways of retaining the business, keeping the workforce and strengthening their position in Greene County,” he said.
Lopez said he had undertaken a similar challenge in Delaware County by encouraging the binder producing company Mead-West Vaco to keep its company open.
Another resident commented on excessive taxation and government meddling.
“Our country was founded on the principle of no taxation without representation. But that’s what’s happening now. The government shouldn’t be in the business of running businesses. They shouldn’t be running the car companies. They shouldn’t be redistributing wealth from one part of the population to another. We have to stop the handouts. We can’t pay anymore. We need nationalization not globalization.”
Lopez responded, “Globalization is a fact of life but we have to find ways to reduce the impact on New York State. Why are we buying dairy products from other countries when our own farmers produce them in our backyard? I am committed to helping our local farmers through food safety, food security and competitiveness.”
Lopez said he has scheduled a Catskill-Athens Outreach scheduled for mid-October and another for the mountain towns of Prattsville and Ashland soon.
Copyright © 2010 - The Daily Mail