Common Sense: Priorities
The New York State Conservative Party will be releasing its 2016 legislative priorities this upcoming weekend at its annual conference in Albany. The two-day conference is attended by better than 200 party leaders and activists from around the state. The event consists of a number of panel discussions, talks, a breakfast, lunch, reception and dinner.
Many members of the legislature attend and, in fact, Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis will on Monday morning be speaking on the New York State Dream Act which she has vocally opposed. Other topics on the agenda include the minimum wage, educational tax credit, the state budget, overregulation and, of course, the presidential election. In addition to the members of the legislature, a number of members of Congress also participate.
At the Monday night dinner, which is attended by the State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan and the State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Conservative Party State Chairperson Mike Long presents the party’s priorities for the 2016 session. Certainly, opposition to assisted suicide legislation, a state Dream Act, taxpayer-financed elections and increased state debt are top priorities as well as the enactment of the Educational Investment Tax Credit which is sponsored by State Senator Golden (whom I serve as chief of staff) and State Senator Simcha Felder.