Slaughter Warns Western New Yorkers about Census Form Scams

Encourages Residents to Fill Out Forms To Ensure New York Receives Vital Federal Resources

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-28) today warned Western New Yorkers about mailings that appear to be from the U.S. Census Bureau but are actually scams hoping to attract your attention or capture your personal information.

Nationwide, the Census Bureau has received complaints about deceptive mailings that arrive in enveloped marked “Census” and include a “census tracking code.” In reality, many of these mailings are not affiliated with the Census Bureau. So far, none of these scams have yet appeared in Western New York .

Official Census Bureau documents will never ask for your full social security number, money or a donation, PIN codes, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts. Also, the Bureau never sends requests on behalf of a political party. More information on these scams is available here.

Slaughter Leads Effort to Restore Great Lakes

Introduces Legislation that Ensures Federal Commitment to World’s Biggest Source of Fresh Water

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (NY-28) today announced that she introduced H.R. 4755 the Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection Act which will put the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative into law.

In February, the Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with other federal agencies, released the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan, a 40-page document which demonstrated a renewed commitment to the Great Lakes and laid out plans to restore and renew the Lakes. The full report is available here.  

“The Great Lakes represent 20 percent of the world’s fresh water supply, and it is about time we put some serious effort into restoring and protecting them,” said Slaughter.  “The economies of the cities bordering the Great Lakes, including Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester are absolutely dependent on them making this not just an environmental issue, but an economic one.”

STACHOWSKI: "A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE FOR ALL NEW YORKERS" 

What do WNYers think about Gov. Paterson's plan to close some state parks as a way of cutting costs and balancing the Albany budget?

Judging by a recent Save Our Parks Rally hosted by NYS Senator Bill Stachowski in Woodlawn and attended by Democratic Assemblymember Mark Schroeder and his Republican colleague, Jack Quinn, among others, the answer is: We don't like it at all.

"The proposal is plain unacceptable," said Stachowski shortly after the event. "The turnout of support we had at Woodlawn validates my opinion that we must find other revenue sources to keep the parks open. At Woodlawn Beach we had a bipartisan group of elected officials, from the local and state levels, coming together to rally against closures. This is a quality of life issue for all of New York’s residents"

Senator Stachowski seems especially troubled by the fact that the NYS Parks Dept. is already cancelling people's outings even before the Legislature has voted on the Paterson plan.

BUFFALO BUSINESSMAN, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST GETS WARM RECEPTION FROM FELLOW ALBANIAN-AMERICANS IN BIG APPLE

Buffalo businessman and community activist Eddie Egriu got a warm, even overwhelming reception during a fundraising trip to New York City last weekend. Meeting with business and political leaders of America's Albanian-American community, Egriu found himself being encouraged to announce his candidacy immediately for a major public office.

"They told me I should announce for major office right away," Egriu recalls. "These leaders of the Albanian-American business community offered me financing if I decided to run right away. They wanted me to be the first Albanian-American to achieve major political office in America. However, I decided to step back for a minute and make sure I have my ducks in a row first. I don't want to rush into a campaign until all the needed factors are fully in place."

Egriu adds that his New York City backers have pledged to come forward with financial support very soon.

"I'm not saying which office I'm going to run for yet," he says. "But, I think it's clear that I'm going to be running for a major political office in 2010."

Siena College Poll:

Majority of Voters Say Paterson Need Not Resign

71% Do Not Want Him Impeached If He Doesn’t Resign

Confidence in Popular Attorney General to Conduct Fair Investigation

54% of Voters Are Now “Embarrassed” to Call Themselves New Yorkers

Loudonville, NY.  A clear majority of voters, 55 percent, would prefer Governor David Paterson serve the remainder of his term, compared to 37 percent who would like him to resign and allow Lt. Governor Richard Ravitch to serve as governor for the remainder of the year.  And an even larger majority, 71 percent, would rather see the Governor finish his term, while 21 percent would like the State Legislature to move to impeach the Governor if he does not resign, according to a new Siena (College) Research Institute poll of registered voters. 

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo remains strongly popular with voters and a majority thinks he will conduct a fair and impartial investigation of the Governor and his staff, although two-thirds of voters would prefer to see the investigation conducted by an independent, outside prosecutor.  While 70 percent of voters agree with the statement that New York has never been more dysfunctional than today, by 54-41 percent voters also say that what’s going on in Albany makes them “embarrassed” to call themselves New Yorkers. 

“More voters have an unfavorable view of David Paterson now than at any time, and more voters view the job he’s doing as governor as poor than at any time in the two years he’s been governor.  Yet, a clear majority want to see him serve out the remaining nine months of his term rather than resign by a more than three-to-one margin, voters do not want to see the Legislature begin impeachment proceedings,” said Siena pollster Steven Greenberg.

FROM THE NEW POOL AT MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK TO THE DEM SENATE MAJORITY TO GREEN JOBS FOR ALL WHO NEED THEM, SENATOR ANTOINE THOMPSON LOOKS BACK ON A PAST FULL OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FORWARD TO AN AGENDA  FULL OF HOPE

As NYS Senator Antoine Thompson looks forward to his birthday celebration this Saturday night at the Pierce Arrow Museum on Michigan (His actual birthday was a week ago), he looks back on a busy career that has been full of 7 day a week action. What has meant the most to him amidst all the speechmaking and bustle...the long days of legislative negotiations and the long nights of legislative research?

"It's been the opportunities I've had to help people that have meant the most to me," he quickly replies. "Helping people has really been the key to my career and really to my entire life...It meant a lot to me that we were able to do what was needed so that our kids can enjoy the pool at Martin Luther King Park every summer. It meant a lot to me that we were able to build the library on Jefferson that has been such a positive influence on so many people's lives. It meant a lot to me that I was able to help secure a Democratic majority in the Senate, which has given people like those in my district a much bigger voice in Albany."

Still, at the end of the many long days the Senator works, sometimes it's the little, every day achievements that mean the most.

Republican leaders who doubt Rick Lazio’s ability to beat likely Democratic gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Andrew Cuomo this fall may be conspiring to bump the former Long Island congressman as their 2010 nominee. In fact, the party’s nine regional vice chairs have invited another potential GOP candidate for governor, Democratic Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, to a meeting in Albany Tuesday. Lazio was also asked to attend, but will not be there, according to his campaign.

"Steve Levy will not be Rick's lieutenant governor or have a spot on our statewide ticket," said Lazio spokesman Barney Keller, although his may not be the final word on this subject the way things are be going. "We have no idea why any Republican would want a Shelly Silver supporter (referring to Levy, of course) to represent our party. It's ridiculous and an insult to all those who believe in responsible, efficient, and effective government."

State GOP Chairman Ed Cox had floated the possibility of Levey running as a Republican candidate for governor in January, touting his fundraising prowess and fiscal conservatism. However, Levy failed to catch fire with party leaders back then after he refused to switch his enrollment and denounce the Democrats.

Some GOP insiders are speculating that Cox wants Levy on the ballot because his name recognition and past support among Conservatives and Republicans in Suffolk County could boost the prospects of certain down-ballot candidates, like his son, Chris, for example, who is one of a number of Republicans vying to take on Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop in NY-1 this fall.