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Dear Friend:
The last scheduled day of this legislative session is this Wednesday, June 20th. With the closing days comes a final push on multiple legislative issues.
On Monday, June 11th, I was pleased to speak on behalf of S.6310A which requires the State Education Department to study, review, and report on the possibility of Westchester public schools being grouped with NYC and Long Island for purposes of area wages, rather than the Hudson Valley, when determining NYS public school funding.
This new regional grouping is a more accurate representation of the cost of living and would bring greater fairness to state public school funding in Westchester.
I am also pressing for a bill to expand the definition of "public work" to include projects that receive tax breaks and Industrial Development Agency (IDA) favorable financing.
Expanding the definition of "public work" through S.2975A would require developers to pay prevailing wage to their workers on these projects.
For too long, developers have been using this loophole to avoid hiring local union labor. It is time for the state to clarify that public funding, whether through tax abatements or direct financing, requires prevailing wage for workers.
Read more about each of these legislative efforts in the sections to follow.
In the last week, I was happy to attend a beautiful
Juneteenth Celebration in the City of Yonkers organized by the Yonkers African-American Heritage Committee.
See a few pictures of the event in the final section of the e-newsletter.
Warm regards,
Shelley B. Mayer
New York State Senator
37th District
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Contact Me
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Municipalities in the
37th
Senate District
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District Office
222 Grace Church Street
Suite 300
Port Chester, NY 10573
914-934-5250
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Villages of Bronxville, Larchmont, Mamaroneck (and Town), Port Chester,
Rye
Brook
, and Tuckahoe; Towns of Bedford, Eastchester, Harrison (and Village), North Castle and
Rye
; and Cities of Yonkers, White Plains, New Rochelle, and
Rye
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A FAIR FUNDING FORMULA FOR
WESTCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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On Monday, June 11th, I was pleased to speak in support of S.6310A, a bill I co-sponsor, which requires the State Education Department to study, review, and report on potential amendments to the Foundation Aid and Building Aid formulas for Westchester public schools based on regional labor market costs.
Currently, a portion of the formula that determines Westchester public school funding for Foundation Aid and Building Aid groups Westchester public schools with those of the Hudson Valley.
S.6310A requires the State Education Department to work in consultation with the State Labor Department to reevaluate whether Westchester should stay grouped with the Hudson Valley, or rather be regrouped with the New York City and Long Island region, which is more consistent with Westchester's labor market costs.
I am happy to report that
S.6310A passed the State Senate.
If the bill passes the State Assembly and is signed into law by the Governor, it would bring greater fairness to school funding for Westchester public schools by more accurately reflecting our cost of living.
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PREVAILING WAGE FOR PUBLIC PROJECTS
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With only a few days left in the
legislative
session, I am eager to press for S.2975A which amends the labor law by expanding the definition of "public work" and "public funding" to include projects that receive
IDA tax-breaks and thereby require developers to pay their workers prevailing wage.
The bill clarifies that "public work" includes projects supported by our public tax dollars, whether through direct financing or tax breaks for developers. This bill closes a loophole that is hurting our workers and communities. By requiring developers to pay prevailing wage for these projects, the bill would also support middle class jobs and the many union contractors in our communities.
I was a sponsor of
S.2975A while in the Assembly, and I am proud to continue my support of the bill in the State Senate.
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CELEBRATION OF JUNETEENTH WITH THE YONKERS
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMITTEE
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Juneteenth Parade in Yonkers with Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblymember Gary Pretlow, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, Yonkers YMCA President Shawyn Patterson-Howard, and other elected officials and community Leaders.
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I was happy to attend the Yonkers African-American Heritage Committee's (YAAHC's) Juneteenth Celebration on June 10.
The parade was filled with expressions of the heritage and culture that the African-American community adds to the City of Yonkers. I thank the YAAHC for its important work recognizing, promoting, and celebrating African-American heritage and culture in our community.
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Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved.
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