Insurance Victims Tell Congress: Pass Health Care Reform Now

A panel of 24 victims of insurance industry abuse and their families told their heart-rending stories directly to members of Congress this morning and asked the lawmakers to listen to the American people and pass health care reform that works for us, not Big Insurance.

Marcelas Owens is spending his 11th birthday telling lawmakers it’s time to provide real health care to all Americans. Marcelas, who lives in Seattle, lost his mother, Tiffany, in 2007. She was too sick to work and lost her job as manager of a fast-food restaurant. She also lost her health insurance. She died of pulmonary hypertension at age 27.

Today’s forum on Capitol Hill, where Congress is debating how to fix the nation’s broken health care system, follows nationwide rallies yesterday, including one in Washington, D.C., where we told Big Insurance that blocking health care reform is a crime.

Members of Congress also heard from Leslie Boyd of Asheville, N.C., whose uninsured son died in 2008 at age 33 after a delayed diagnosis for colon cancer because he could not afford colonoscopies. Boyd’s husband also recently suffered a heart attack after his insurance company delayed approving his doctor’s request for a stress test.

They heard from Marcus Grimes of Woodbridge, Va., a former teacher who lost his sight because he did not have the $3,000 down payment for doctor-recommended surgeries that would have saved his sight (see video above). Speaking to the rally yesterday, Grimes said:

When you leave here to go to your congressman, go to your senator and tell them: “We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.” We ask you senators. We ask your representatives. What side of history do you want to be on? We should have no more people dying….We stand as one. We walk softly, but we carry a big stick.

The forum on Capitol Hill, and yesterday’s rally, were sponsored by Health Care for America Now (HCAN), a coalition of more than 100 organizations, including the AFL-CIO and many union affiliates. You can read the stories of all 24 victims of insurance abuse here.

Wendell Potter, a former vice president of insurance giant CIGNA and now senior fellow at the Center for Media and Democracy, moderated today’s forum. He points out the insurance industry is trying to drown out the voices of ordinary Americans in the health care debate.
See more HERE from the AFL-CIO

Local #2 Leaders Testify before the NYS Senate Labor Committee

President Bob Mantello & Secretary-Treasurer Pat Tirino testified today before the NYS Senate Standing Committee on Labor. They gave testimony on the worker misclassification crisis here in NY. President Mantello's testimony begins at 2 hours, 18 minutes, Brother Tirino's follows shortly after that. Interestingly, the president of the Empire State Chapter of the ABC was there to listen, but not to testify...

Read more HERE from Bricklayers Local 2

Broad Plan Urged to Battle New York’s Fiscal Crisis

Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch at the Capitol on Tuesday. His plan includes billions in borrowing and imposes curbs on future spending.

ALBANY — New York could borrow billions of dollars to address its urgent budget shortfall and a financial review board would be established to impose new discipline on future spending under a five-year financial rescue plan that Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch will present Wednesday.

The plan would also require significant spending cuts and abolish some of Albany’s much-criticized budgeting practices, forcing lawmakers and the governor to account for how they will pay for spending expansions when they are approved.

Mr. Ravitch, who was asked by Gov. David A. Paterson to draw up the blueprint, is seeking to curb the runaway spending that has helped plunge New York into fiscal crisis. Despite the recession and talk of fiscal austerity, state spending this year soared by 10 percent over the previous year’s budget.

The state faces a $9 billion shortfall for the fiscal year that begins April 1 and a $15 billion gap for the following year.

The plan, which requires legislative approval, seeks to address New York’s immediate cash needs by permitting the state to sell bonds to help cover operating expenses. But those bonds would be contingent on the state’s producing a balanced budget, and the newly established board would have the authority to determine whether the budget meets that requirement.

In addition, the plan would limit how much could be borrowed — probably 1 percent or 2 percent of the total budget, so lawmakers do not rely on borrowing to shirk difficult decisions on spending cuts, though any increase in borrowing will be controversial.

It would represent drastic change to how Albany has operated for decades. But the severity of the fiscal problems, and Mr. Ravitch’s stature as one of the leading figures in the rescue of New York City in the 1970s, have legislative leaders and other top state officials examining the proposal seriously.

Even though the plan would take away some authority from lawmakers, Sheldon Silver, the most powerful Democrat in the Legislature, said it would be carefully considered by his colleagues.

“It’s not D.O.A.,” said Mr. Silver, the Assembly speaker. “I think there’s too much respect for Dick Ravitch in that regard, and he’s worked hard to come up with a plan that works.”

Mr. Ravitch declined to provide details on his proposal on Tuesday, but the plan was described by a number of people who had been briefed on it.

Read more HERE from the New York Times

Senate Acts to Cut Energy Costs in 24 NNY Towns, Villages

Municipal power alliance in

Franklin, St. Lawrence counties

to reduce electricity rates for residents

ALBANY (March 8, 2010)—Legislation that will clear the way for 24 municipalities in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties to develop a municipal power system that will save residents and businesses money on their energy bills has passed the New York State Senate. Sponsored by Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, the legislation (S.2813B) establishes the North Country Power Authority to finance and operate the system.

“For more than a decade now the Alliance for Municipal Power has been working to establish a municipal power system to provide much needed low-cost power,” said Sen. Aubertine, who is the ranking majority member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee. “This legislation gives these municipalities the ability to finance this project and ensure the accountability standards are there to best serve the public. The aim is to reduce energy costs for homeowners, renters and businesses, which will help families make ends meet and create jobs.”

Since the late 1990s, the Alliance for Municipal Power, based in Canton, has united the interests of 24 towns and villages, and more than 95 supporting organizations—chambers of commerce, colleges, schools, business development corporations, unions, and more—to work toward a goal of providing low-cost municipal power for economic development and a reduced cost of living for residents. The Senator first introduced similar legislation as an Assemblyman and brought it over to the Senate, where he has garnered bipartisan support for the bill. It passed 54-3 today.
“The Senate has again come through to ensure lower energy rates for residents and businesses in these 24 allied towns,” said AMP Chair Robert Best. “Passage of the North Country Power Authority Act again takes that first significant step towards lower rates, energy independence, and better services for AMP communities. We want to thank Senator Aubertine and all the sponsors of the bill for their effort to move this legislation and their commitment to helping AMP advance New York’s important energy goals.”

AMP Vice Chairman Wade Davis said, “Thanks to the leadership of Senator Aubertine and all of our local elected representatives in Albany, we are closer today to what we have been working for over many years—municipal power that will significantly reduce rates and provide more reliable service through local control. Towns, Villages, Libraries, Fire Districts, Chambers of Commerce, and many other groups from across the region have signed on in support of our goal and the Senate has come through again to pass this legislation.”

This legislation to create the North Country Power Authority would provide AMP towns and villages in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties with the ability to explore implementing owning and operating the transmission and distribution of electric power over the next 10 years. This initiative could provide thousands of New Yorkers with significantly reduced rates, more reliable service, and local control. Preliminary studies indicate the annual savings for rate-payers in the millions of dollars, as well as an average system-wide rate reduction of 4 percent.
While towns and villages are allowed by law to form a municipal electric company, the small and rural communities have opted to work together to further reduce costs. AMP’s mission is to establish this regional public power utility through the acquisition and operation of the existing distribution system for communities within the AMP area.

AMP is comprised of the towns of Bombay, Fort Covington, Moira and Westville in Franklin County, and towns of Brasher, Canton, Colton, DeKalb, Edwards, Fowler, Gouverneur, Hermon, Lisbon, Louisville, Madrid, Norfolk, Pierrepont, Potsdam, Russell, Stockholm, and Waddington and the Villages of Canton, Norwood, and Potsdam in St. Lawrence County.

Former Governor Carey (D) Goes Under Knife

Former Gov. Carey on the

Mend at age 90

ALBANY -- Former Gov. Hugh L. Carey was flown from his Florida residence to New York City
for cardiac bypass surgery, his daughter Nancy Carey Cassidy said Thursday.

Carey, a Democrat, served two terms as governor, from 1975 to 1983. He served 14 years in Congress earlier.
The 90-year-old political veteran was rushed to New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center after taking a Med-Jet to New York, his daughter said. Carey is "doing well and we expect a full recovery," said Carey Cassidy, one of his 14 children.

She said he had been having difficulty breathing during his exercise routines recently, and a shortness of breath Wednesday was a cause for concern. He did not have a heart attack, his daughter said.

Dr. G. David Onstad of Ft. Lauderdale and a team of physicians at Holy Cross Hospital discovered a coronary blockage and recommended the governor return to New York for surgery.

Under the care of Dr. Wayne Isom at Cornell, Carey was reported to be alert at all times and serenaded the medical flight crew with "New York, New York" during the flight, according to his family. Before surgery on Thursday, he quipped that his World War II experience, his experience in Congress and in Albany, and years of parenthood conditioned him for a heart operation, his family said.
Read more HERE from The Albany Times Union

1000 Islanders Rally for "a miracle" at Nursing Home

About 60 people braced the chilly winds coming off the St. Lawrence River yesterday to urge River Hospital not to close its nursing home and adult day care unit. The hospital says it can’t sustain the home’s financial losses. But the demonstrators believe the community can raise the money needed to keep open the place their elders call home. David Sommerstein reports.
Click HERE for North Country Public Radio's news on River Hospital.

How Milk Will Travel

TO HELP NY DAIRY FARMERS AND PROTECT CONSUMERS,

GILLIBRAND PUSHES LEGISLATION TO

REQUIRE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

ON ALL DAIRY PRODUCTS
Also Outlines Legislation To Ensure Stable Milk

Prices By Requiring USDA To Audit Cold Storage Facilities

Washington, DC – Responding to yet another recall of milk from China, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced her push for legislation that would require country of origin labeling (COOL) on all dairy products. Just last month, the Chinese government recalled 170 tons of milk powder that had been tainted with melamine. In 2008, milk tainted with melamine killed at least six infants and sickened more than 300,000 in China. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), during the past five years, U.S. dairy imports averaged around $2.7 billion annually.

If the U.S. cedes production of food to the lowest-cost producer, it leads to consolidation and eventually outsourcing. Senator Gillibrand believes it is a national security imperative that there is food production in every part of this country. In addition to Dairy COOL, Senator Gillibrand announced legislation to ensure stable farm milk pricing by requiring cold storage facilities to report their inventories to the USDA.

“We must do more to protect consumers and provide a competitive edge to New York dairy farmers,” Senator Gillibrand said. “All consumers have the right to know whether the milk, yogurt and cheese that we buy are made in Upstate New York or China. This legislation supports both families and farmers by requiring country of origin labeling on all dairy products. With increasing dairy imports and alarming news about tainted products overseas, country of origin labeling provides critical information to parents and all adults that will help them make smart choices for their families.”

Every year an estimated 87 million Americans are sickened by contaminated food, 371,000 are hospitalized with food-borne illness, and 5,700 die from food-related disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To protect families from imported dairy products and strengthen New York’s dairy industry, Senator Gillibrand announced her plan:

Country of Origin Labeling for All Dairy Products
Food imports constitute a growing share of what is sold on grocery shelves across the country and what Americans eat. Fifteen percent of America’s overall food supply is imported from overseas, including $5.2 billion worth of food from China alone. Since 1996, the U.S. agricultural trade surplus shrank from $27 billion to $8 billion in 2006. Individual shipments of food from China increased from 82,000 shipments in 2002 to 199,000 in 2006.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s current COOL law went into effect requiring Country of Origin labeling for nuts, fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood. The Dairy COOL Act would extend COOL requirements to include dairy products – milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and butter.

Regularly Update Dairy Pricing Structures

The NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) survey, which keeps track of cheese inventory, has a large bearing on the price that farmers get paid for their milk. Currently, the price farmers get for their milk is determined by a complex formula based largely on the price of cheese and how it is traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Milk is valued by about 5 percent of national product being traded. Thus, not having a full picture of cheese inventory potentially has huge impact on the price of milk for all dairy farmers in America.

While Senator Gillibrand is working to find solutions to this arcane pricing system before writing the next farm bill, in the short-term, she wants to ensure that the pricing system is accurate and fully transparent.

Currently, the cold storage facilities that house cheese inventories report their stocks to NASS on a voluntary basis. For the facilities that do not report their stocks, NASS makes estimates of their inventory.

In February 2009, when NASS worked with facilities that had not been making reports to ascertain inventory, they found a 6 percent over-reporting between NASS estimates and actual stock. This had the effect of keeping dairy prices artificially low, while inventory was reported higher than actually existed.

Senator Gillibrand plans to introduce legislation which would make the NASS survey mandatory, and require the USDA to conduct periodic audits to ensure that cold storage facilities are properly reporting their inventories. Senator Gillibrand is working with USDA to create a mandatory reporting regime that increases transparency to ensure that the pricing regime, though flawed as it currently stands, is as accurate as possible.

Owens Pushes for Area Funding in Budget Hearing

Job growth, Fort Drum development,
and border security top priorities

WASHINGTON – Congressman Bill Owens today testified before the House Budget Committee to make the case in favor of funding for several projects integral to Upstate New York job growth and economic development. Below are excerpts from Rep. Owens’ testimony.

“New York’s North Country is the proud home of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, an installation recently named one of the top ten communities for military families in the world. The division is the most deployed in the Army and, today, two-thirds of the combat teams stationed at Fort Drum are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The families of these soldiers depend on Congress to provide the services they need to endure these frequent deployments. When our soldiers come home, they deserve to return to installations with the sufficient funding to support their training and transition to garrison life.

“Earlier this year, Fort Drum learned that their budget would be slashed 30 percent, forcing the base to cut contracts with businesses in the community and eliminate services for soldiers. The FY11 budget includes only a very modest increase in these funds over FY10 levels, and I’m concerned this increase does not reflect recent adjustments the Army has had to make in base funding by shifting $500 million to worldwide base operating funds from other operational accounts. Although this shift negated further cuts, it has left many military communities uneasy about the future. Ensuring adequate operational funding for our Army installations is critical to easing the burden on both our soldiers and the greater communities they reside in. I urge the committee to carefully consider the base operation support budget for the Army.

“In addition to being home to a major Army installation, the 23rd district of New York shares an extensive border with Canada. To better secure this border, GSA has completed the planning phase of a new Land Port of Entry in Alexandria Bay, New York. Each day this port of entry receives 484 trucks and facilitates trade of nearly $19 million worth of cargo. Future tenants of the expanded Alexandria Bay facility will include many of the agencies that protect our borders from terrorists and facilitate the flow of cargo.

“GSA requested $171.5 million to continue the Alexandria Bay project in FY11, but the President did not include the request in his budget. Upstate New York began suffering from economic difficulties long before the current recession, and its communities rely heavily on trade with Canada. Expansion of the Alexandria Bay facility is critical to creating jobs and to securing our northern border, and I urge you to include funding for this project in your FY11 budget.

“Finally, I urge you to support the President’s request for a $36 billion dollar increase to the nuclear loan guarantee program. There has been a serious effort in my district to utilize this program for the construction of a third reactor at the Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant in Oswego County, New York. Completion of this effort would create 4,000 construction jobs and nearly 400 permanent positions at the plant.

“But funding for this project is unavailable due to the relatively small pool of funds in the program. With the increase requested by the President, there is new hope for this significant piece of economic development to succeed in Central New York. This is exactly the type of investment we need replicated across the country to help create jobs, move our local economies forward and make clean energy a reality for America’s future.”

Senate Passes Bill to Ease Regulations on Maple Producers

Aubertine bill would expand opportunities

for maple producers to grow agricultural tourism

ALBANY (March 3, 2010)—The New York State Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine which will ease building codes for maple producers in an effort to increase agricultural tourism.
“Easing unnecessary regulations on our agricultural industries will enable these businesses to grow, improve our economy and help create jobs,” said Sen. Aubertine, who is chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Maple production is a staple in our rural communities and an industry that lends itself well to tourism activities. By easing these regulations we are giving maple producers the latitude they need to expand their business for tourism.”
"Agriculture plays a critical role in our economy, and this legislation is another step toward helping expand opportunities for agribusiness in New York State,” Senator David J. Valesky said. “Maple production has great potential for business and tourism, and this bill will help encourage growth in the industry."
New York State is consistently one of the top maple producing states in the country, with room to grow, the state has more tappable trees than any other state. This bill would require the state fire prevention and building code council to expand the definition of agricultural buildings to include maple production facilities and sugarhouses, allowing these businesses to provide for public access and assembly as an agricultural tourism activity. This change in the code will put maple syrup producers on the same level as wineries in New York State, allowing the industry to enjoy the same product promotion opportunities.

Executive Council Approves Action to Create New, Good Jobs

Saying “We will be in the street wherever the fight for jobs is being fought,” members of the AFL-CIO Executive Council today issued a call to action for the entire union and progressive movement to put America back to work and ensure those whose reckless acts created this jobs crisis pay a price.

At its meeting in Orlando, Fla., the AFL-CIO Executive Council approved a statement saying in part:

Mass unemployment is intolerable. Action is required. The AFL-CIO calls upon the entire labor movement—our affiliated unions, our state and local labor councils, the millions of members of Working America and our allies in communities and progressive movements across this country—to come together in a great effort to create and protect good jobs. This campaign for jobs must be carried out at every level—in Washington, D.C., in state capitols and city halls, in boardrooms and workplaces and in living rooms across this country.

The council outlined an ambitious plan that targets politicians who vote to deny aid for the unemployed and against action to create jobs. It also calls for strong actions against Wall Street firms that pay bonuses but won’t pay taxes and against corporations that take the public’s money and use it to downsize and outsource jobs.

Saying that to date, neither Congress nor the Obama administration has proposed a jobs bill on the scale that is needed to close our jobs gap, the council urges enactment of the AFL-CIO’s five-point plan for good jobs now. The five-point plan calls for:

•Extending current federal supplemental unemployment benefits programs to prevent a downward spiral as families fall into bankruptcy and lose their health care and their homes to foreclosure.
•Investing the money to meet the $2.2 trillion in unmet infrastructure needs, while including prevailing wage protections and strong Buy America provisions.
•Helping state and local governments meet pressing needs to overcome an estimated $180 billion shortfall in the fiscal year 2011 and $588 billion over the next four years.
•Putting people back to work doing work that needs to be done by preserving good public jobs that provide vital services and capacity for building strong communities. In addition, expansion of vital services in targeted areas can reduce unemployment and provide infrastructure for economic growth.
•Easing the credit crunch for small- and medium-sized businesses by establishing a fund to lend TARP money to small- and medium-sized businesses at commercial rates, managed by the community banks left out of the Wall Street bailout, with the banks taking first-dollar risk.
It is only fair to ask Wall Street to pay for repairing the economy, the council said. The union leaders support a four-part package of measures to ensure the government has the funds to pay back what we have to spend to create jobs. These measures include imposing fees on Wall Street banks to pay back the cost of the bank bailout and a special levy on Wall Street bonuses.

The council also says it supports taxing the income of hedge fund and private equity managers at ordinary income rates, by closing the carried interest loophole.

The AFL-CIO also joins the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in supporting a financial speculation tax and calls on the Obama administration to support the proposals for an internationally coordinated adoption of such a tax by the world’s major financial market countries.

In addition, the council adopted a plan for mobilizing union members, communities and allies. The council called for all parts of the labor movement to act as one to restore good jobs for all Americans and to seek bold action from Washington, from state capitols and from local government, holding elected officials and the private sector accountable for what they do or don’t do.
Read more from the AFL-CIO HERE

Owens Announces Energy Funding For North Country

WASHINGTON – Congressman Bill Owens today announced funding to improve energy efficiency in Northern New York. More than two million dollars in funding is made possible for eleven projects through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“I am glad to see these federal funds come back to the North Country,” said Owens. “During these tough times, these types of grants are needed to reinvest in our infrastructure, cut future energy costs, create jobs and turn our local economy around.”

A total of $2,029,137 will be provided to schools, municipalities and health centers to streamline energy consumption at these public facilities and reduce future costs. The projects are estimated to save an estimated $536,731 annually.

Facilities receiving funding in the North Country are:

·Saranac Lake Central Schools in the amount of $361,513 to install a high-efficiency biomass wood boiler. The project is estimated to save $40,000 annually.

·Jefferson-Lewis BOCES in the amount of $163,760 to install a 20 kilowatt wind turbine. The project is estimated to save $6,135 annually.

·St. Joseph’s Addiction and Treatment Center in the amount of $51,184 to improve general energy efficiency. The project is estimated to save $22,067 annually.

·Village of Malone in the amount of $3,654 to complete street lighting retrofitting. The project is estimated to save $10,000 annually.

·Town of Vienna in the amount of $198,454 to install a 31.5 kilowatt photovoltaic system. The project is estimated to save $5,175 annually.

·Malone Central Schools in the amount of $288,750 to install high-efficiency biomass wood boilers. The project is estimated to save $141,100 annually.

·Thousand Islands Central Schools in the amount of $163,760 to install a 20 kilowatt wind turbine. The project is estimated to save $7,474 annually.

·Plattsburgh International Airport in the amount of $121,539 to install a solar wall system. The project is estimated to save $14,888 annually.

·Town of Alexandria in the amount $122,652 to install a 20 kilowatt photovoltaic system. The project is estimated to save $3,810 annually.

·SUNY Potsdam in the amount of $178,871 to replace existing boilers with new condensing hydronic boilers. The project is estimated to save $56,933 annually.

·SUNY Plattsburgh in the amount of $375,000 to install a campus-wide metering system. The project is estimated to save $229,149 annually.

Get Green Now

Statement of Rep. Bill Owens on Senator Bunning’s Obstruction of Legislation Vital to North Country Job Growth

WASHINGTON - Congressman Bill Owens today released the following statement on Senator Jim Bunning’s (R-KY) continuing hold of Senate legislation authorizing federal highway programs that would begin Crown Point Bridge construction and extend unemployment benefits to Upstate New Yorkers.

“This is exactly what is wrong with Washington. As one Senator puts partisan politics before the interests of hard-working families, many in the North Country are worried about paying their bills and putting food on the table. As our unemployed continue to look for jobs, they need their representatives in Washington to work for -- not against -- them.

“Because of Senator Bunning, Federal Highway Administration employees are not at work and are not able to approve the paperwork for Crown Point Bridge construction. Area residents and businesses have been seriously impacted by the bridges closure and we must not delay the rebuilding process.

“Washington should be focused on moving legislation forward that creates jobs and cuts taxes for our small business community, not partisan politics.”

Last Thursday, the House unanimously passed emergency legislation to extend a range of programs that expired midnight Sunday, February 28th. Programs included in this package and now being suspended by Senator Bunning are:

·Unemployment benefits;·Help with health insurance for the unemployed (COBRA);Satellite TV access, which puts at risk the ability of people to watch the programs of their choice;Surface transportation programs including highway and bridge funding and other critical state transportation projects thereby putting hundreds of transportation jobs at risk; Delay in the cut to Medicare physician payments, thereby putting seniors access to doctors at risk; Flood insurance; and Small business loan guarantees.

This emergency 30-day extension passed by the House last week is critical to North Country families in need of help during the economic downturn, and these provisions have now expired.

Dean Norton - President, New York Farm Bureau - Comments on Open Hearing on Farm Bill - See Video of Senator Aubertine Below

Watch Senator Aubertine Fight for Our Farmers, Farm Workers and Consumers

Please Take Time to Watch

These Clips of Senator Aubertine!!!

Senate Ag Committee Holds Hearing on Farm Worker Bill

ALBANY (March 1, 2010)—The New York State Senate’s Agriculture Committee held a public hearing today to gather testimony on the proposed Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act, after which Committee Chair Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine called for a pro-active agenda to grow our state’s agriculture industry.

“Agriculture is a critical piece of the foundation for our state’s economy from the North Fork on Long Island to Massena and from Buffalo to the Capital Region,” Sen. Aubertine said. “This industry is more than farmers tilling the land and milking cows. It is an industry that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs on and off the farms in our communities. Our focus in creating and preserving jobs should include our farms and agricultural industries at the forefront of those discussions.”
“Agriculture still is our number one industry,” said Sen. Catharine M. Young, Ranking Minority Member of the Agriculture Committee. “We have to keep the viability of our farms in mind and do what’s right for our farmers and our farm workers. We have to protect and boost our economy. I believe there is a solution that will accomplish all of these goals.”

The Agriculture Chair said the agenda for the committee will include the promotion of farm to table sales direct from farmers to the consumer, preservation of existing farmland, and most importantly, relief from taxes, fees and regulations imposed on farmers. To accomplish these goals, the Senator is again calling for passage of legislation to promote urban farmer’s markets that sell New York produce (S.6782), expansion of the farmland protection eligibility to enable not-for-profits to help farmers take steps to protect their land (S.4476), and the Farmer Tax, Fee and Regulatory Reform Act (S.6947).

Introduced by Sen. Aubertine last week, the Farmer Tax, Fee and Mandate Relief Act would amend New York State laws to help farmers gain inclusion in agricultural districts, obtain tax credits for farm investments, exempt farm wineries from sales tax reporting requirements, ease corporation filing fees for farmers, ease payroll tax and vehicle supplemental registration fees within the Metropolitan Transit Authority service region, clarify that trucks used for agricultural purposes are exempt from highway use tax, reduce fees on agricultural truck registration, and reduce permit fees with the Department of Environmental Conservation.Dean Norton, President of New York Farm Bureau, said “I want to applaud Senator Aubertine and his colleagues on the Committee for holding this important hearing. It’s critical that lawmakers understand that a lot of the conditions that advocates say are occurring on our farms are, not only untrue, but also illegal under current laws. If we are to continue to have local farms producing local food for local people, we need ways to strengthen the farm community, such as the Farmer Tax, Fee and Mandate Relief Act, not keep introducing ridiculous bills that impose costly mandates.”
In regard to the hearing, testimony was given in person by farmers, advocates, agribusiness and other interested or affected parties, all of whom discussed the legislation, the impact its mandates would have on farm workers and the agriculture industry as a whole. Written testimony was also be accepted by the committee from parties unable to attend the hearing.

“I was honored to testify at this hearing and represent farmers from Niagara County,” said Oscar Vizcarra of Becker Orchards and Vizcarra Vineyards, who told the committee that he no longer sells asparagus because he competes against foreign farms in Peru that exploit workers paying $5 to $8 per day, when he pays his workers $8 to $9.50 per hour. “We can no longer afford more regulations and the reality is we have to compete on the same playing field as South America and China. That’s why I came here today.”

The farm worker bill was amended twice in January before it was reported out of the Senate Labor Committee on January 20 and committed to the Agriculture Committee the following day. Sen. Aubertine and the committee scheduled the hearing to ensure that the bill is opened up to public scrutiny and comment. This bill presents new regulations for the state’s 35,000 farms, even those that do not regularly hire farm workers, not to mention other provisions that could impact the price of food for consumers and the availability of local products.

“It is important that we gave the committee this opportunity to hear from those who would be affected by this legislation, especially our farmers and the businesses that make up our agriculture industry,” Sen. Aubertine said. “New York’s farmers already operate under some of the most comprehensive regulations to protect the rights of farm workers, paying their workers fair wages and additional benefits, including housing. This bill stands to impose expansive and onerous new mandates on farmers who do not get to set the price they get for their goods. We’ve lost more than a farm a day in New York State over the past 30 years and there’s no question that we cannot afford to lose another industry, especially agriculture, which is a cornerstone of our economy.”

Keep these Jobs "Made in America"

Community, Labor Unite with

IUE-CWA at Whirlpool Rally

When more than 5,500 workers and community and religious activists from at least six states converged in front of the Whirlpool plant in Evansville, Ind., members of IUE-CWA led the way to deliver the message to “Keep It Made in America.”

Local 808 President Darrell Collins said:

We have had small rallies before and Whirlpool ignored us! They will not ignore us today! This is just the beginning of something big. We will carry this fight on till it changes. There is no limit to what we can accomplish as long as we work together.

One of the Whirlpool workers who stands to lose her job is Natalie Ford. A member of Local 808, Ford told the rally:

This doesn’t just affect us, it affects everyone in our families….This is the only life we’ve known—now it’s gone. The questions run through my mind: Am I going to lose everything I’ve worked my entire life for? I try to be strong for my family, but deep down I’m scared to death, not knowing what the future holds for us.

Speaking amid an increasing crescendo of cheers and applause, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Vice President Seth Rosen told the energized crowd that although some people “blame us for what they call ‘legacy costs’: union wages, health care, pension for retirees”:

There is a legacy from those things. You know what that legacy is? Every firehouse in Evansville, Ind., is a legacy of the tax dollars of union workers making a middle-class wage. Every school house is a legacy of the people who work in this plant.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, along with 40 people, including children and grandchildren of workers, clergy and retirees, used a Whirlpool refrigerator to wheel petitions with 70,000 signatures to the plant’s locked front gate. At the same time, as coordinated with the Michigan AFL-CIO, the Machinists delivered more than 40,000 signatures on petitions to the Whirlpool headquarters in Michigan. The petitions urged Whirlpool executives to reconsider their decision to shutter the Evansville plant, laying off 1,100 people and moving jobs to Mexico. Union members also made more than 1,700 phone calls in one day to Whirlpool headquarters in Benton Harbor, Mich., and the Evansville offices with the same message. IUE-CWA Local 808 represents 900 of the 1,100 workers.

Read More HERE

Congressman Owens Supports Local Libraries

Owens Announces Broadband

Funding for Upstate Libraries

WASHINGTON – Congressman Bill Owens today announced funding to expand broadband capacity in Upstate New York libraries. The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded the grant last week to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in the amount of $9.5 million.

“I am pleased that our community libraries have received this funding,” Owens said. “Grants like this are an investment in both the education and the economic development of our area. Our libraries help our neighborhoods advance a great deal from finding a job to early childhood education.”

The project, Broadbandexpress@yourlibrary will provide more than 860 computers in 30 libraries and five mobile training centers across 41 counties in Upstate New York. The grant is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and provides matching grants to spur job creation and stimulate long-term economic growth.

“Our local libraries are not immune to the economic downturn and have suffered cuts that hurt their ability to serve our community. This grant will help them continue to provide educational opportunities to our area and avoid job cuts.” Owens added.

Libraries benefitting from this grant include:

·Plattsburgh Public Library
·Jefferson County Community College
·Carthage Free Library
·Potsdam Public Library
·Pulaski Public Library

Making a Big Splash for River Hospital

UPDATED

See Link at Bottom of Article

for Pictures

Courtesy of Abay.com

Judges for the 2010 River Hospital Polar Bear Dip

Sean Hennessey (Chairman, JCDC), Johnny Spezzano (Radio Personality), Terry Robb (Mayor Alexandria Bay), John Burns (Sheriff, Jefferson County NY), Jeff Nelson (WWNY) , Tom Hanley (WPBS), Martha Zimmer (Mayor, Clayton NY) and so many others came to Alexandria Bay today to help raise funds and awareness for the River Hospital in Alexandria Bay, NY. It was standing room only (other than the Judges above) at the Bonnie Castle Resort. Don Cole and all the staff at the resort made the day so pleasant. Another thing that made the day so pleasant was the weather. Jeff Cole and Jeff Nelson, from WWNY, can be thanked for offering up a great forecast for the day. Sunny and 37 degrees was the forecast and it hit that and then some. (Yes, it was 37 degrees but the water was a frosty 30. )

Contestants who raised over $100 were allowed to jump in the cold St. Lawrence, and from where the Judges were sitting... the spray was mighty COLD!!! Many of the jumpers were decked out in full regalia with costumes ranging from Evil Knievel to Sonny and Cher (right). Some contestants jumped with not much more than their birthday suit. Belly Flops and Back Flips were the choice of many, with some taking the more generic feet first approach.

The day was quite a success with tens of thousands of dollars being raised for River Hospital. Karen Peters truly deserves to be thanked for all that she does to organize this annual event. People like Karen Peters, Don Cole and the staff of the River Hospital is what keeps our North Country Community great!

Click HERE for Pictures Courtesy of Abay.com

An Open Invitation from Senator Aubertine

You are Invited to Participate in the Upcoming

Hearing Without Having to Drive to Albany

The New York State Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a public hearing Monday, March 1, on proposed legislation known as the Farm Worker Fair Labor Practices Act (S.2247-B). The hearing will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Hearing Room A of the Legislative Office Building, Albany, and be Web cast live on the Internet HERE.

Testimony will be given in person by farmers, advocates, agribusiness and other interested or affected parties to discuss the legislation, the impact its mandates would have on both farm workers and the agriculture industry as a whole. Written testimony will also be accepted by the committee from parties unable to attend the hearing or unable to testify within the timeframe.

Senator Aubertine said "I encourage you to tune into the hearing as it will be the first time there has been a truly open forum in Albany aimed at examining the impact of a bill which may significantly change the the face of Agriculture in New York State. Farmers, farm workers, human rights advocates, economists, state agencies, and scholars will debate the merits and shortfalls of this bill while at the same time be questioned by a bi-partisan panel of Senators on the agriculture committee. We are making history tomorrow and I hope you can be part of it too."

Sincerely,

Sean Coffey for Attorney General of New York

This is a video worth watching! We'll keep you posted on other candidates planning to run for NYS Attorney General.

Can You Identify This Democrat?

The Jefferson County Democratic Committee put out a request recently for memorabilia and many have responded. One of our Committee members from the City of Watertown, Mrs. Rosemary Burns, was kind enough to donate a picture of Bobby Kennedy when he visited Watertown. The people listed in the picture are: Robert Kennedy, John Galvin and Lowell Fitzsimmons. What we would like to know is who the lady at the front of the picture is. If any of our readers can identify this person please post it here or email us at: jeffersondemocrats@gmail.com

Any memorabilia (ie buttons, lawn signs, pictures etc) that you might have would be appreciated. All we would like is for you to bring it to the Headquarters at 95 Public Square Rm 205 and have us scan them. The electronic files will then be attributed to you, catalogued and stored for future generations. Processing the items takes only a few minutes and you can then take your items home with you. Images captured will be stored indefinitely and will be a testament to all the hard work and dedication that you and your family have given to our Party and Community through out the years.

If you have anything you would like posted please drop us a email at jeffersondemocrats@gmail.com or call our Head Quarters at (315) 785-3028.

A Statement from Chairman Hennessey

The Jefferson County Democratic Committee is watching with great interest the news that Governor Paterson will not seek a new term as Governor. Though we are unable to comment on recent allegations without more information, domestic violence is a matter that must always be taken seriously.

This committee has been supportive of Governor Paterson's political career and the way he has overcome many difficult challenges. However, election year battling has taken its toll on Albany and we hope that the elected officials, that we have wisely voted to represent us, can resume work on the important issues facing the North Country in a better political atmosphere.

The Jefferson County Democratic Committee is focused on moving forward to assist our local candidates and officials in the upcoming election year; as our representatives are focused on passing a responsible budget that will help our region and this state to recover from the economic downturn and create jobs.

Sean Hennessey, Jefferson County Democratic Chairman

TO PUT NEW YORKERS BACK TO WORK, GILLIBRAND HELPS U.S. SENATE PASS NEW BIPARTISAN JOBS BILL

Gillibrand Pushed for Tax

Cut for Businesses that Create New Jobs

HIRE Act Cuts Taxes for Businesses When

They Make New Hires, Cuts Overhead Costs for

Small Businesses, Expands Investments in Local

Infrastructure Projects to Save, Create More Jobs

Washington, DC – The U.S. Senate today passed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act – legislation to cut taxes for businesses that hire new workers, invest in infrastructure projects and reduce financial burdens on small businesses to put more Americans back to work starting right now.

“No one is feeling the burden of this economic downturn like New York families,” Senator Gillibrand said. “After months of continued job loss, it’s time to do whatever it takes to put New Yorkers back to work and help families survive. The legislation we passed today cuts taxes for businesses when they make new hires, cuts costs for small businesses and gives states and local governments the resources they need to continue updating our infrastructure, creating construction jobs and supporting future economic growth. It’s commonsense legislation that makes smart, targeted investments to create jobs right now and continue rebuilding our economy for the long term.”

Similar to legislation that Senator Gillibrand wrote, the HIRE Act includes tax cuts for businesses when they make new hires. Giving businesses incentives to hire new employees right now is one of the fastest, most effective measures we can take to create a large amount of jobs in a short period of time, instead of waiting for the economy to recover, and prolonging chronic unemployment.

Despite making gains in the housing and financial markets over the last year to pull our economy back from the brink, job numbers are historically the last part of the economy to recover from a recession.

To put more Americans back to work starting right now, the Senate’s HIRE Act would:

· Create new tax incentives for businesses to hire unemployed workers
The legislation provides firms who hire a worker who has been unemployed for more than 60 days a break on the firm’s Social Security payroll taxes until the end of the year, as well as a $1,000 general tax credit for firms who maintain an employee for more than one year.

· Cut costs for small businesses
This proposal in the legislation would help small businesses grow and hire more workers by allowing them to write off more of their expenditures. Specifically, the HIRE Act would extend a provision in the Recovery Act that allows small businesses to deduct up to $250,000 of the cost of qualifying property in the year it is purchased, rather than waiting to recover their costs through depreciation deductions over a number of years.

· Extend transportation programs to rebuild aging infrastructure, save existing jobs
The legislation includes a fully-funded extension of the current transportation authorization through the end of the year. Currently, New York was receiving 70 cents on the dollar for federal transportation funding, severely hindering the state’s ability to move forward with numerous infrastructure projects. The construction sector has been severely hindered because of the economic recession. Unemployment in construction trades is above 22 percent nationwide, and in some parts of New York, is upwards of 35 percent. With this continuity in funding, New York State will have the ability to take up longer-term commitments as Congress moves forward with the development of a multi-year transportation authorization bill later this year.

· Expand the Build America Bonds program
The Build America Bonds program allows local governments to sell tax-discounted bonds to fund investments in roads, sewer and other infrastructure projects and help manage local tax bills. Expanding it will allow state and local governments to finance more infrastructure projects and put people back to work.

Congressman Owens Fights to Restore Cuts to Fort Drum

Owens Presses Sec. McHugh, Gen. Casey for Fort Drum Funding
Congressman continues fight to restore funding cuts

WASHINGTON – At today’s House Armed Services Committee hearing, Congressman Bill Owens questioned Secretary of the Army John McHugh and General George W. Casey on recent funding cuts for Fort Drum.

"It is critical to our nation's security and North Country job growth that Fort Drum funding cuts be restored as quickly as possible," said Owens. "Fort Drum is a main driver of our local economy and I will continue to fight these cuts every step of the way."

The hearing marked another step in Rep. Owens’ fight to restore Fort Drum funding cuts. Since the budget reduction was announced, Owens has regularly met with military officials to ensure that adequate support is provided to the facility, which houses the most deployed division in the United States Army.

Congressman Bill Owens is a former Air Force JAG officer and currently sits on the Committee on Homeland Security and the House Armed Services Committee.

Senator Aubertine Highlights New Jobs

Census Offering 1,200 Jobs in

Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties
Aubertine: Short term jobs will have

a 10-year impact on region in

terms of aid, representation

ALBANY (February 25, 2010)—State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine said today that more than 1,000 jobs to help administer the 2010 U.S. Census are available in Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. One-Stop Career Centers throughout the region are currently testing for these jobs.

Joining the Department of Labor, the Governor and the New York State Senate, Sen. Aubertine is encouraging all residents interested in these jobs to apply and take the test. These jobs are temporary, but offer wages of $9.75 to $15.75 for 25 to 30 hours per week to help ensure that every New Yorker is counted in the 2010 Census. According to the state Department of Labor, about 500 jobs are available in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, with another 200 available in Oswego County.

“Short term, these are jobs which will help many struggling to make ends meet earn good wages, but long term, the results of this Census will help determine our future as a region,” Sen. Aubertine said. “The results of the Census will help determine what level of representation we have as a state in Congress and what federal funding will be available for roads, housing, schools and public safety. Make no mistake, the Census matters for Central and Northern New York and we must do all we can to count everyone. These jobs are available and people are needed to do this important work.”

Every ten years, the Census Department counts the people in each state. This census count helps decide how many representatives New York will have. It also determines how the federal government allots funds to states and communities. For each person counted in the region, New York receives some $1,500 in federal funds per year over the next ten years. For every person not counted, the region will lose $15,000 in federal funds over the same period.

Census takers play a vital role in counting New Yorkers. They find households, check address lists, interview people and record answers. They usually work in their own neighborhoods or communities, most often at night and on weekends.

To find out more about testing dates and locations, applicants should call 1-866-861-2010. Census practice test available at: 2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/documents/Practice_Test.pdf. For more information on the Census, go to 2010.census.gov and for more information from the state Department of Labor, see press releases at www.labor.ny.gov/pressreleases/pressreleases.shtm.

Congressman Owens Fighting for Small Buisness

Owens Votes to End Health Insurance Price Fixing

Washington – Congressman Bill Owens today voted in favor of legislation that will repeal the special anti-trust exemption for health insurance firms and medical malpractice insurance companies. The measure would end special treatment for the insurance industry that allows them to fix prices and set their own markets without fear of being investigated. H.R. 4626, the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 406-19. Owens is an original cosponsor of the legislation.

“There is no legal, rational, or moral reason to grant insurance companies an anti-trust exemption, and it has to stop,” said Owens. “My top priority is job creation, and taking away insurance companies legal trust status will improve our system in the right way by lowering insurance costs for small business owners, and encourage them to create quality jobs.”

Under the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, insurers will no longer be protected from liability for price fixing, dividing up market territories or bid rigging. In the last 14 years, there have been 400 mergers among health care insurers so that 95% of health insurance markets are “highly concentrated,” which means consumers have little or no choice between insurers. This non-competitive market has led to health insurance premiums having more than doubled in the past decade.

“Every month we hear of record profits for insurance companies and CEOs while we see our own costs rise. Washington must reform our system in the right way without taxing health care benefits, cutting Medicare, or crippling our small business community. Legislation like this improves our health care system and lowers costs without adding to our national debt.”

H.R. 4626 was introduced earlier this week by Rep. Tom Perriello (VA-5) and Rep. Betsy Markey (CO-4).

AS NYERS PREPARE THEIR TAXES, GILLIBRAND OUTLINES HOW TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF MIDDLE CLASS TAX CUTS SHE HELPED CREATE

Broad Range of Tax Cuts Available

for New Yorkers to Save on

Property Taxes,

New Home and Car Purchases,

College Tuition

COUNTY-BY-COUNTY REPORT:

Gillibrand Cut Taxes For Approximately 6.3 Million

New York Families With ‘Making Work Pay Tax Credit’

– Cutting Taxes for 93 Percent of New Yorkers
Free IRS Tax Assistance Available in Every

Corner of New York to Help Taxpayers

Maximize Federal Returns

Washington, D.C. – As New Yorkers get ready to file their tax returns for 2009, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is urging New York taxpayers to take full advantage of tax cuts she worked hard to secure. In addition to creating a broad range of tax relief for New Yorkers through the Property Tax Deduction and Child, Tuition and First Time Home-Buyer tax credits, Senator Gillibrand cut taxes for approximately 6.3 million middle class New York families – 93 percent of New Yorkers – through the “Making Work Pay Tax Credit.”

“New Yorkers pay some of the highest taxes in the nation,” Senator Gillibrand said. “After nearly a decade of tax giveaways to big corporations and the wealthiest Americans at the expense of small businesses and everyday New Yorkers, middle class families deserve a break of our own. From easing the burden of property taxes to helping families afford child care, purchase a new home, or send our children to college, I fought hard over the last year to help make life more affordable for New York’s hardworking middle class families.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, over the last 10 years, gas prices on average have more than doubled. Food prices increased an average of 50 percent. College tuition at a four-year public institution rose by over 60 percent, according to the College Board. And health care premiums have doubled, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

To help middle class families keep more of what they earn, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that Senator Gillibrand helped pass last year included the “Making Work Pay Tax Credit.” Approximately 6.3 million New York families are eligible for the tax credit, cutting taxes for approximately 93 percent of New Yorkers.

In the North Country, approximately 185,000 are eligible for the Making Work Pay tax cut – cutting taxes for approximately 97 percent of North Country residents.

To create more opportunities for middle class families and help them save more across the board, Senator Gillibrand fought hard last year to make the following tax deductions and resources available for 2009 tax returns:

Keeping More of What We Earn

Making Work Pay Tax Credit
The Recovery Act included the $400 Making Work Pay Tax Credit for working individuals. The tax credit was automatically included for most workers to ensure middle class workers receive this tax cut immediately. However, workers who did not receive a deduction in their withholding or who may have lost their job before they received the full value of the credit should be sure to claim it on their returns.

Earned Income Tax Credit
The Recovery Act also included the Earned Income Tax Credit – a refundable tax credit to help lower-income taxpayers. The credit begins to phase out at $21,420 for married taxpayers filing a joint return with children and completely phases out at $40,463 for one child, $45,295 for two children and $48,279 for three or more children. The Recovery Act expanded the maximum benefit for families with more than three children to $5,657.

Unemployment Benefits
In addition to helping workers keep more of their paychecks, the Recovery Act is also helping New Yorkers who have lost their jobs keep more of what they collect in unemployment benefits. Individuals receiving temporary unemployment benefits receive the first $2,400 tax-free. Most beneficiaries should have received this benefit in a reduction in their withholding, but those who did not should be sure to deduct it in their taxes.

Making Life Affordable for Middle Class Families

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit
Senator Gillibrand helped pass the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit as part of the Recovery Act, and passed legislation in October to extend it into 2010 and expand it for more buyers. Individuals who bought a home and have not lived in a residence they owned for the past three years are eligible for this $8,000 credit, which will also be available this year through the end of April. Existing homeowners are now eligible for a tax credit of $6,500.


The First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit has been a driving force to shore up the housing market and spur new buyers. In fact, home sales jumped 5 percent in 2009, with the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit fueling sales. New home sales continued rising last month by 3.8 percent, according to estimates from U.S. Commerce Department economists.


Property Tax Deduction
Senator Gillibrand introduced bipartisan legislation last year that expanded and made permanent federal property tax relief for New Yorkers who do not itemize their federal tax deductions. The enhanced deduction would offer new tax relief for up to 30 million homeowners across the country.

Before 2008, only taxpayers who itemized their deductions could claim a deduction for state and local property taxes. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act that Congress passed in 2008 temporarily allowed non-itemizing taxpayers to deduct their property taxes. However, this deduction was capped at only $500 and expired at the end of 2009. Senator Gillibrand’s legislation would lift the caps and makes the property tax relief permanent.

New Car Purchases
Anyone who purchased a new car in 2009, including through the Cash for Clunkers program, is eligible to deduct the state and local sales tax on their purchase. To claim the credit, families must earn less than $260,000 and $135,000 for joint filers.

Child Tax Credit
Working families have been especially hard hit by the recession – for example, the cost of child care is rising $730 each year. To ease the burden on working parents, the Recovery Act expanded the Child Tax credit, which offers a tax cut of up to $1,000 for each child for many New York families by making it fully refundable and increasing the amount of income that families can count toward the credit.

American College Opportunity Tax Credit
The high cost of college tuition has put the dream of higher education out of reach for too many of New York’s brightest, hardest working students. To make college affordable for every student, the Recovery Act created the American College Opportunity Tax Credit, allowing families to claim a credit for the cost of a student’s college tuition and required course materials.
The credit is capped at $2,500 per student for four years. The full credit is available to individuals whose modified adjusted gross income is $80,000 or less, or $160,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels.

Free Federal Tax Filing Help

Tax Assistance Centers In Every Corner of New York
New York taxpayers can get free assistance on their federal taxes at IRS assistance centers across the state.

Additionally, every taxpayer making less than $57,000 can use the IRS Free File program available on the IRS Web site. Users get the step-by-step help they need to prepare, complete and file federal tax returns online – at no cost.



The program is made possible through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a group of industry-leading tax software providers. Since 2003, the Free File program has delivered free tax services to more than 25 million people.


Not only is the program completely free and secure, but taxpayers who use Free File with direct deposit may receive refunds in as little 10 days.

Statement from Governor David A. Paterson Calling for the Extension of Unemployment Insurance

ALBANY, NY (02/24/2010)(readMedia)-- "As we in government work to rebuild a broken economy, we must continue to protect those most affected by this catastrophic downturn: the unemployed. Many of our neighbors without jobs have come to rely on the unemployment insurance benefits that provide them with the means to make their mortgage payments, buy groceries or simply make ends meet. However, if Congress does not act quickly, this much-needed resource will expire, leaving many without the support they need to weather this storm.

"I strongly urge Congress to extend the unemployment insurance benefits beyond the February 28 deadline through the end of this year. Without this extension, approximately 575,000 New Yorkers will see an end to their benefits. With it, we will help to ensure the economic security of those who have already made sacrifices, scaled down spending and gone without."

Aubertine: Tax Refunds Must Be Paid

Senator Pushing Resolution

Opposing Governor’s Plan,

Signs Petition to Move Bill to

Prevent it

ALBANY (February 24, 2010)—State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine today reiterated his support for the timely return of personal income tax refunds and his opposition to a plan proposed by the Governor to withhold refunds. On Tuesday, he signed a petition to discharge a bill that would require by law that refunds be paid within 30 days.
“To call it a refund does not reflect what this money really is: It’s an overpayment to New York State that must be returned,” said Sen. Aubertine, who is chair of the Rural Resources Commission and the Senate Upstate Caucus. “It’s not New York State’s money. The money should be returned and returned in a timely fashion. People very much need this money. People pay into the system all year long and this time of year a lot of people are counting on that money to make ends meet.”
Under Senate rules passed last year with the support and urging of Sen. Aubertine, any 38 members of the Senate can discharge a bill from committee for eventual placement on the Senate calendar. After signing onto a bipartisan resolution formally opposing the governor’s plan to lower the state’s current cap on income-tax refunds paid out before March 31st, the Senator signed a petition to discharge for Rural Resources Commission member Sen. George Winner’s bill, which would require payment of refunds within 30 days or else require the state to pay interest on the refund.
“There’s no question we need reform in the budget process, be it zero based or performance based budgeting, as well as statutes to prevent these kinds of gimmicks,” Sen. Aubertine said. “We've got a tool here that can bring out to the floor a bill to address this issue. If that's what it takes, let's use it to get it on the floor for a vote. I and other members, from both parties, are willing to do just that.”
The governor’s proposal is to lower the cap from $1.75 billion to just $1.25 billion, resulting in a nearly two-month delay for thousands of taxpayers awaiting lawful refunds. Additionally, taxpayers will not be paid interest on their funds until June 1 while businesses would be denied any interest until the second half of March.
“The governor really does not have a right to hold payments back to taxpayers across the state to the tune of some $500 million and another $200 million for businesses,” Sen. Aubertine continued. “The long and short of this is that it’s simply not the state’s money. Crafting a budget and meeting the needs of our state in these tough economic times requires creative solutions not repetition of the mistakes made in other states or gimmicks that only put hard working individuals and families in a deeper hole. ”
According to Sen. Winner, his legislation (S.3985/A.5100) would require the state Department of Taxation and Finance to pay a taxpayer’s refund within 30 days after receiving the taxpayer’s filing. If the department is unable to pay a tax refund because of a discrepancy in the taxpayer’s return, it would be required to provide written notice to the taxpayer of the discrepancy and an expected timeframe for its resolution. If the department fails to provide a refund or written notice within 30 days, the taxpayer would be paid interest on the refund owed at a rate of six percent annually.