Please join me at a rally and forum on the future of bus service in our community.

Date: Wednesday, May 19

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Xaverian High School, 7100 Shore Road

Representatives of the MTA will be in attendance, and they need to hear how these cuts will hurt you and our community:

* Complete elimination of the X37 and X38 (Uptown Express Bus Service).

* Complete weekend elimination of the X27 and X28 Express Bus.

* Complete elimination of the B23 bus.

* Complete elimination of the B37, and rerouting of the B70 to supplement partial service.

* Elimination of overnight service on the B31.

* Elmination of weekend service on the B2.

* Service reductions for weekday/weekend/overnight on the B4, B16 and B654 buses.

Please come to this important rally. The MTA needs to hear from you. Let them know how these cuts will have a devastating effect on you and our community, how you get to and from work, the doctor, and your shopping for food and other essentials.

I have introduced legislation in the New York State Senate, Bill S. 7514, that will establish a temporary commission to study child abuse prevention and make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature for the implementation of child abuse prevention programs across New York State. The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Frank Padavan (R-Queens) and Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island).

There is no place in our homes, our schools or our society for child abuse, and the unfortunate reality is that it is happening too much here in New York. I have introduced this legislation because it is time we become more pro-active in our approach to child abuse, rather than just reacting to news reports and horror stories. In many cases, intervention and counseling can prevent cases of child abuse and we need to figure out how to reverse the trend that is damaging families.

Child abuse prevention programs address not only child abuse prevention but other aspects of family dynamics that threaten child and family well-being. These threats include preventable health conditions such as low birth weight, infant mortality, drug-addicted babies and more. These programs often provide referrals, education, expertise and most importantly stability for at-risk families. Some of the programs offered also focus on training for new parents.

Currently, these preventive programs have proven to be effective, but are currently only available to a small number of families at risk of abuse and neglect. Home visitations are only available to about 10% to 14% of eligible families. The temporary Commission would study the availability of successful prevention programs and recommend to the Governor and the State Legislature as to the best way to expand their services to more families at risk.

I am hopeful that this Commission will win the legislative support of my colleagues in both the Senate and the Assembly, so that the work can begin to prevent the abuse of children and save families here in New York State.

There are approximately 80,000 children found to be victims of child abuse and maltreated each year in New York State. There are more than 33,000 of these cases annually in New York City.

I’m pleased to announce that the N.Y. State Department of Transportation has responded to my recent letter about speeding along Shore Road, and had recommended action in an effort to prevent speeding.

The DOT recently completed an investigation and has issued work orders to refurbish all ‘25 M.P.H.’ speed limit signs and ‘Curve’ warning signs, as well as attaching ‘15 M.P.H.’ advisory plates to the ‘Curve’ signs along all of Shore Road.

In addition, I have been in contact with the 68th Precinct and have asked for more enforcement along Shore Road to prevent speeding. I am always hearing from the residents of Shore Road, including neighbors at Shore Hill, that cars are going way to fast on Shore Road.

To prevent future accidents, we are working to increase motorists’ awareness of the speed limit signs as posted, and are urging drivers to follow the regulations for the safety of pedestrians, themselves, and other motorists.

I will continue to work with the DOT and the 68th Precinct to slow down the traffic on Shore Road.

An important M.T.A. meeting this Wednesday morning where a vote is planned to adopt the proposed service reductions on our local and express bus routes.

Many of you have contacted me to express your opposition to the proposed cuts that include elimination of the B37 bus and the B23 bus, elimination of overnight service on the B31, discontinuation of weekend express bus service, and the elimination of uptown/downtown express bus service on the X37 and X 38 during rush hour, and more, including weekend and general service reductions to the B16, and the B64.

I need your help.  I need you to continue to let your voices be heard.  If you can, please attend the MTA board hearing this Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. at the MTA Headquarters at 347 Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Register to speak at least 30 minutes before the star of the meeting and they are asking that those wishing to speak keep their remarks to 2 minutes.

If you can’t make the hearing on Wednesday, call the MTA at (212) 878-7000 and let your voice be heard or visit their website at www.mta.info and send them a message, by clicking on the link “Contact Us”.  Again, if you can’t make the hearing on Wednesday, please take a moment and send a message.

If the service reductions as proposed go through, our quality of life and our ability to get to work, do our shopping, and get around town will be severely impacted.  Please join me and let’s continue fighting for the transportation service we both need and deserve.

I just announced that I am co-sponsoring legislation introduced by Senator George Winner, S. 3985, that requires the Commissioner of the New York State Taxation and Finance to provide for the payment of State tax refunds within 30 days of the Department’s receipt of a taxpayer’s tax return unless there is a discrepancy.

Also, today I launched an on-line petition drive, which can  be  found  on  my government website — at golden.nysenate.gov — to protest Governor Paterson’s decision to withhold New York State tax refunds. The petition encourages the State to issues the tax refunds to New Yorkers as soon as possible. I plan to deliver the petition to the Governor to let Mr. Paterson know how residents feel about this proposal.

Hardworking New Yorkers are counting on the State refunds and many residents of  my district have already expressed their frustration upon hearing his announcement. Families are planning to use this refund to help pay bills, tuition, buy clothing, pay rent and more, and so it is simply not right for Governor Paterson to unilaterally decide to hold the refunds. This is not the State’s money. This is the people’s money and the people should get it just as quickly as possible.

This money belongs back in the pockets of New Yorkers. It’s a terrible economic time to ask hard-pressed taxpayers to wait a  little  longer for a tax return that they’ve earned. When the shoe is on the other  foot, we know that the state doesn‘t hesitate to impose fees, fines, and everything else under the sun on taxpayers failing to make timely payments.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs I’ve launched a new on-line petition allowing New Yorkers to join my effort to get the 9/11 terror trials moved out of New York without delay.

New Yorkers can sign my petition on my government website,  golden.nysenate.gov, or on the on-line petition at nysenate.gov/trials. They can also join the new “Move the Terror Trials” Facebook page that I established.

The people of New York suffered one of the greatest tragedies in our nation’s history on September 11th. The idea that these trials would be held just blocks from where the tragedy occurred is an outrage, and shows a callous and blatant disregard for the people of New York.  Holding the terror trials in New York City will unnecessarily put New Yorkers at risk and have a staggering economic impact on businesses, disrupt city residents, and cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.”

I urge all New Yorkers to make their voice heard by joining my on-line petition and my Move the Terror Trials Facebook page. Together, we can send a loud and clear message to the Obama Administration that these terror trials need to be moved, and need to be moved now.

I’ve also announced that I have co-sponsored a resolution in the New York State Senate opposing the Obama Administration’s decision to conduct the 9/11 terror trials in New York City in federal civilian court. My colleague, Senator Leibell, is urging the Senate Majority Leadership to bring this resolution to the floor of the State Senate immediately for a vote.

Since the birth of our nation, the United States has recognized that enemy combatant terrorists should be tried by military tribunals. It is an outrage that these terrorists would be given the same protections that U.S. citizens have. The Obama Administration is wrong and has offered no justification whatsoever for this change in policy, which places everyone in New York City at risk. The President and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder need to reverse this decision without delay and prosecute these individuals on a secure military base where the public cannot be harmed.

Last week, New York City Mayor Bloomberg said that the trials should not be held in New York City. Lower Manhattan community groups and business organizations echoed the Mayor’s opposition. Mayor Bloomberg’s office estimated that the terror trials, which are expected to take several years to complete, would cost the City of New York nearly $1 billion.