Editorial: Saland Needed in Senate During Time of Great Change
Having served 22 years in the New York State Senate and 10 more previous in the State Assembly, State Senator Steve Saland may have been in Albany during the years when many have said state government became dysfunctional.
But with the election of Governor Andrew Cuomo many are now saying that Albany is heading in the right direction, including Saland, himself, who has said his last term serving alongside, and working with the governor, has been his best.
“We’ve learned that compromise is not a dirty word; it is for the benefit of the people of the State of New York,” Saland said of the Republian majority Senate working hand-in-hand with the governor.
The campaign of his Democratic opponent Terry Gipson publicly may have viewed the governor’s recent endorsement of Saland over his own party’s candidate as political favor-swapping for Saland’s deciding vote on the legalization of same-sex marriage, but it may have also been because of Saland’s calm demeanor and approach; which might be viewed as an asset by the governor in pushing his agenda through with help from both sides of the aisle.
Saland should reconsider his opposition against the increase of the minimum wage, which is favored by Gipson, being that one has not been considered for a decade.
Voters also will have to consider that Saland is standing with the governor in potentially opening up western New York to fracking. Saland has promised he would only support this, in part, if oil companies fully disclosed what chemicals they are putting in to the ground; it remains to be seen if full disclosure will protect New York’s water supply.
There’s no doubt Gipson is enthusiastic about his bid to bring change to Albany. And with taxpayers complaints about ever-increasing school taxes, largely driven by state mandates, and counties crying out about being burdened by the same, change will have to come.
Addressing the concerns about property taxes and what the state can do to help, Gipson has proposed an income-based model for school taxes and for Medicaid to be paid fully by the state, lifting the burden from the counties.
But Saland has countered that while the Medicaid proposal might seem popular, it would force most people outside of New York City to pay much more in income tax.
It’s because of this wise analysis and others based on decades of experience that Saland will be able to provide during times of great change, that he should be returned to represent the people of District 41 for two more years.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
