August 2008 Archives

更低的東邊、東方村莊、唐人街道和電池公園城市是在一次危機中間在付得起的住房。人們，大多數是長期居民，努力支付他們的租或被迫移動。房子和商店的購買和整修不應該允許發展和發生追逐人從他們的家。

當我們的區構成改變了，發言人Sheldon Silver未跟上工作家庭的增加的需要。他允許房東對公寓解除管制和允許未使用的地皮去未開展。通過他的堅持在秘密談判成交，不用社區成員輸入或其他立法者，銀導致了減弱了付得起的住房章程的有缺陷的立法。

阿爾巴尼為政治高壓封鎖和秘密是傳奇的。是時間消滅阻礙變動和極限公開辯論和輸入的規則。某些神秘立法結構允許參議院和彙編領導獲取勉強地被定義的議程。

我的對手，會議報告人Sheldon銀，變得確立在阿爾巴尼通過重傾斜在這些立法規則他的精通。作為管理委員會的主席，報告人阻礙授權他規則的改革和多數黨領袖到整體上立法機關的損傷。例子包括力量射擊委員會職員、對立法日曆的單邊的控制和控制資助為立法職員和辦公室。與到位這些規則，代表制定領導的意志而不是追求興趣他們的組成部分。

我在所有立法想要開放立法手續考慮到公開辯論和表決。我也支持改變規則要求對會議委員會的頻繁用途，應該使用解決在彙編通過的相似的立法和參議院之間的區別。今天，報告人和多數黨領袖何時被給謹慎至於召開會議委員會，減慢進展并且保證高壓封鎖。在會議委員會裡應該，反而，總是提到和解決區別加速決議。

在之下紐約的當前系統，州議會的參議院多數派領導人和報告人有效地給予開出匯票權新的區域分界線為他們自己的房間每十年。這個系統保證黨羽擅自改劃選區那生產促進非競爭性競選的區。當畫區保護新任時，立法者追求他們自己的興趣，而不是工作贏得他們的組成部分表決。感到安全在他們的工作由於他們的區設計的立法者不可能是有效的代表。

什麼構成會提出國家議會將投票的計劃的一個獨立委員會可以是最好稱和給予優先的一個相當組成的區。根據這樣計劃，委員會會起草根據一套的三個潛在的計劃標準，并且立法機關會選擇之一三。我支持一個憲法修正案創造這樣一個獨立委員會。

減少州政府的費用通過創始聘用的結冰全面的和減少薪金和福利為未來管理聘用。

加速德意志銀行大樓的爆破，成為了政府失敗的標誌和阻礙了發展在爆心投影。

普遍醫療保健是最實用和最有效的解答到我們的狀態的醫療保健問題。通過保險全部人口，紐約人將做更加規則的參觀對醫生和少量參觀對急診室，并且家庭不會被迫做出恐怖的決定在購買食物和處方藥之間。

聯邦政府證明了無法形成聯合必要通過國民普遍性醫療保健。直到我們的國家的領導加入其他工業化國家等級并且保險全部人口，紐約應該按照馬薩諸塞的例子和設立全州普遍醫療保健。

我支持創造更加地方的主要醫療保健診所，因此人們做更加頻繁的參觀對醫生。這允許情況被診斷進入他們的早期，當治療是較不昂貴和更加成功的時，免除衛生保健系統災難性疾病增加的壓力。

邁克爾・ Bloomberg市長的壅塞由Speaker Silver今年否決的定價計劃的一個新版本將減少造成區的高童年哮喘率的交通，并且提供狀態以資金必要修理我們的城市的惡化的公共交通基礎設施。與三座主要橋梁，我們的區的居民負擔曼哈頓的交通汙染的一個不合理的比例。

通過保證那能運用公共交通如此做的人民和通過促進合夥使用汽車，壅塞定價將上車街道。并且交通高壓封鎖不是一個僅公共衛生和安全問題; 它也花我們錢。合作為紐約適當地安置通信擁塞的費用在$13十億一年。

紐約州面對一次財政危機，当計劃的缺乏騰飛到$6.4十億。如果它在三月，被立法了壅塞定價計劃在聯邦津貼金錢可能鞏固了$354百萬美元。計劃年年也將引起估計的$500百萬為MTA，可能被用於更新一個粉碎的和過時的系統需要改善為了繼續城市前進的金錢。增加的收支將幫助MTA避免在更低的曼哈頓將財政壓抑工作家庭的接著而來的率高漲。

我將工作看一個新和被改進的計劃通過。一個新的計劃應該也演講這樣計劃將投入在小企業的負擔，并且適當地表達它的對不得以進入對公共交通的低收入鄰里和區域的影響。

是時間刺激採取行動創新實踐把開發商變成力量為環境好。立法委員必須提供框架，以便發展將發生用使有害環境影響減到最小，保存社區現有的字符，并且改進它為將來的方法。

在阿爾巴尼，我將工作放在適當的位置刺激由經營在狀態的開發商鼓勵綠色技術的實施。為國家公助基金的項目，像新的公共住房設施，立法委員應該做綠色技術每一部分的出價過程。應該授予政府合同不僅根據哪個承包商可能完成任務在最便宜，而且基於誰能最好集成將提供社區的長期環境興趣的技術。我相信我們的州政府在道路上可以帶領開發商把紐約放到成為一個模型為負責任的環境管理工作。

我支持紐約公共教育系統的市長的控制。父母在他們的兒童的教育該當發言權，因此他們應該能投票支持負責他們的學校系統實施的政策的立法委員。為此， 2009年應該更新市長的控制。

然而，请改變是需要的。按照現在情況，狀態放棄了對學校的許多個控制，導致缺乏責任和不足的機會為輸入從學生、父母和老師。他們應該的父母協調員不填裝角色，作為輸送管道在父母和管理之間。當立法者投票支持市長的控制時更新，他們可以包括將要求狀態主辦父母，學生，并且老師看家狗編組為了保證的供應他們服務的公立學校適應人民的需要。狀態在將使資金有條件在制定立法的市議會將使系統更加有責任的教育專有應該也包括供應。

狀態應該通過提供普遍前幼稚園設施也擴展教育機會，因此每個孩子被給堅實起點他們的教育，不管社會經濟狀態。我也支持減少學費為SUNY和CUNY學校。

通過成為第一個狀態立法制定婚姻平等，紐約可以是容忍模型到居民能所有培養強的家庭國家和狀態的其餘。州長Paterson的最近方針所有州機關必須認可同性婚姻從在狀態外面是鼓勵的第一步。是過去時間我們的國家議會制定充分的婚姻平等。

在應該強迫狀態行動關於問題的道德命令之外，婚姻平等將是經濟恩賜為狀態。一項研究由加州大學洛杉磯分校估計加利福尼亞將享受幾乎一個$65十億助力陳述箱櫃由於最近加利福尼亞最高法院決定傾向於婚姻平等。它支付做正確的事。

我也支持性別表示非歧視性行動(GENDA)，在工作場所、住房和公共設施將禁止變性、換性者和性別變形紐約人歧視的一張提出的票據。

Luke Henry and his wife, Meghan Bryant, welcomed their first child, a son, on Saturday, August 16. Oliver Franklin Henry was born at 2:41 p.m. at New York University Medical Center, weighing in at seven pounds, nine ounces.

Mom and baby are doing great. An elated Luke says he's looking forward to taking Oliver to the park for an introduction to campaigning.

For more information, please contact Kate Tomassi at (646) 408-4452, or press@lukehenry.org.

On Tuesday, July 15, 2008, Luke Henry joined local activists in advocating for increased community involvement in the LES/East Village rezoning process. The rezoning plan has already been approved by Community Board 3 and is awaiting the approval of the Borough President, City Council, and the Mayor. The rezoning process has not, to date, carefully enough addressed the impact that the plan will have on surrounding areas. It does not sufficiently protect the low-income families and small businesses that are most adversely affected by the plan. Luke Henry believes that it is incumbent upon the elected officials, whose approval is required for the process to move forward, to exert their influence to ensure that the plan meets the needs of all people affected by rezoning.

"The Shame of Speaker Shelly Silver's Resistance to Seward Park Redevelopment "

Tom Robbins considers Speaker Silver's involvement in the lack of progress in redeveloping Seward Park, the largest vacant swath of city owned property south of 96th street, in order to ameliorate access to affordable housing.

By becoming the first state to legislatively enact marriage equality, New York can be a model of tolerance to the rest of the nation and a state whose residents can all raise strong families. Governor Paterson's recent directive that all state agencies must recognize same-sex marriages from out of state is an encouraging first step. It is past time that our state legislature enacts full marriage equality.

Beyond the moral imperative that should compel state action on the issue, marriage equality will be an economic boon for the state. A study by UCLA estimates that California will enjoy nearly a $65 billion boost to state coffers as a result of the recent California Supreme Court decision in favor of marriage equality. It pays to do the right thing.

I also support the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), a proposed bill that would outlaw discrimination of transgender, transsexual, and gender-variant New Yorkers in the workplace, housing, and public accommodations.

I support mayoral control of the New York public school system. Parents deserve a say in their children's education, so they should be able to vote for the lawmakers who are responsible for the policies implemented by their school system. For this reason, mayoral control should be renewed in 2009.

However, change is needed. As it stands, the state has relinquished too much control over the schools, leading to a lack of accountability and insufficient opportunities for input from students, parents, and teachers. Parent coordinators are not filling the role they should, acting as a conduit between parents and the administration. When legislators vote for renewal of mayoral control, they can include provisions that would require the state to sponsor parent, student, and teacher watchdog groups in order to ensure that the public schools are meeting the needs of the people they serve. The state should also include provisions in education appropriations that would make funds conditional upon the City Council enacting legislation that would make the system more accountable.

The state should also expand educational opportunities by providing universal pre-kindergarten facilities, so that every child is given a solid beginning to their education, regardless of socioeconomic status. I also support reducing tuition for SUNY and CUNY schools.

It's time to incentivize innovative practices to turn developers into a force for environmental good. Lawmakers must provide a framework so that development will occur in a way that will minimize adverse environmental impact, preserve the existing character of a community, and improve it for the future.

In Albany, I will work to put in place incentives to encourage the implementation of green technologies by developers operating in the state. For state-funded projects, like new public housing facilities, lawmakers should make green technology a part of the bidding process. Government contracts should be awarded not just based on which contractor can accomplish a task at the lowest cost, but also based on who can best integrate technologies that will provide for the long-term environmental interest of the community. I believe that our state government can lead developers to put New York City on the path to becoming a model for responsible environmental stewardship.

A new version of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan that was killed by Speaker Silver this year will cut down on the traffic that contributes to the district's high childhood asthma rates and will provide the state with the funds necessary to repair our city's deteriorating public transportation infrastructure. With three major bridges, residents of our district bear an unfair proportion of Manhattan's traffic pollution.

By ensuring that the people who can utilize public transportation do so and by promoting carpooling, congestion pricing will get vehicles off the streets. And traffic gridlock isn't just a public health and safety issue; it also costs us money. The Partnership for New York City conservatively places the cost of traffic congestion at $13 billion a year.

New York State is facing a fiscal crisis, with projected deficits soaring to $6.4 billion. Congestion pricing plan could have secured up to $354 million dollars in federal grant money if it had been enacted in March. The plan would also generate a projected $500 million annually for the MTA, money that could be used to renovate a crumbling and outdated system that needs improvement in order to keep the city moving forward. Increased revenue would help the MTA avoid the ensuing rate hike that will financially constrain working families in Lower Manhattan.

I will work to see that a new and improved plan is passed. A new plan should also address the burdens that such a plan will put upon small businesses and will properly address its impact on low-income neighborhoods and areas that do not have access to public transportation.

Universal healthcare is the most practical and cost-effective solution to our state's healthcare problems. By insuring the entire population, New Yorkers will make more regular visits to the doctor and fewer visits to the emergency room, and families will not be forced to make the horrifying decision between purchasing food and prescription drugs.

The federal government has proven unable to form the coalition necessary to pass national universal healthcare. Until our nation's leaders join the ranks of every other industrialized nation and insure the entire population, New York should follow the example of Massachusetts and institute statewide universal healthcare.

I support creating more local primary health care clinics, so that people make more frequent visits to the doctor. This allows conditions to be diagnosed in their early stages, when treatment is less costly and more successful, relieving the health care system of the added pressure of catastrophic illness.

Debt and budget reform are first priorities in curbing New York's excessive spending and debt. I advocate limiting the amount of debt the state and its authorities can assume, restricting the use of debt to capital projects, and making debt issuance subject to more rigorous financial and public review.

I will fight to reform our budget process by requiring greater accountability, transparency, and fiscal discipline. I will fight to add accountability by providing a greater opportunity for public review, add transparency by adding and enforcing reporting requirements for public authorities, and promote fiscal discipline by requiring lump-sum appropriation awards be merit-based.

New Yorkers pay high personal income tax rates and, often, get little in return. In addition, our regressive tax system unfairly places the burden on those who can afford it least. I will fight to reduce regressive sales and property taxes with a more progressive personal income tax structure.

Under New York's current system, the Senate Majority Leader and Speaker of the State Assembly are effectively given the power to draw new district lines for their own chamber every ten years. This system guarantees partisan gerrymandering that produces districts that foster non-competitive elections. When districts are drawn to protect incumbents, legislators pursue their own interests, rather than working to earn the votes of their constituents. Legislators who feel secure in their jobs due to the design of their districts simply cannot be effective representatives.

What constitutes a fairly composed district can be best weighed and prioritized by an independent commission that would propose plans to be voted upon by the State Legislature. Under such a plan, the commission would draft three potential plans based on a set of criteria and the legislature would select one of the three. I support a constitutional amendment to create such an independent commission.

Albany is legendary for political gridlock and secrecy. It's time to eliminate the rules that obstruct change and limit public debate and input. Certain arcane legislative structures allow Senate and Assembly leaders to secure narrowly defined agendas.

My opponent, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, has become entrenched in Albany by leaning heavily on his mastery of these legislative rules. As Chairman of the Rules Committee, the Speaker stands in the way of reform of rules that empower him and the Majority Leader to the detriment of the legislature as a whole. Examples include the power to fire committee staff, unilateral control over the legislative calendar, and control of funding for legislative staffs and offices. With these rules in place, representatives enact the will of the leaders rather than pursuing the interests their constituents.

I want to open up the legislative process to allow for public debate and votes on all legislation. I also support changing the rules to require frequent use of conference committees, which should be used to resolve differences between similar legislation passed in the Assembly and the Senate. Today, the Speaker and Majority Leader are given the discretion as to when to convene conference committees, which slows progress and guarantees gridlock. Differences should, instead, always be referred to and resolved in conference committees to speed resolution.

On August 8th, the Downtown Express featured an article about the race for the 64th Assembly District. As in the past, Luke received positive press coverage as he described his background and dedication to the community's amelioration.

An excerpt from the piece regarding Luke's background:

Henry went to law school at Fordham University, where he was president of the Fordham Law Democrats and founded the school's American Constitution Society to advance progressive ideas in the judiciary. He has represented plaintiffs in medical malpractice suits and most recently worked in contract law. Henry has also worked pro-bono for the Village Reform Democrats and volunteered for Community Board 3's Environment Committee.

Henry and his wife live on E. 4th St. and are expecting their first baby, a boy, any day now. He said he decided to run against Silver because he sees this as a moment for a political sea change: New York has a Democratic governor and many think the Senate will turn Democratic this fall.

Click here for the full text of the article.

"Loans From Assembly Speaker Aid Firm That Finances Trial Lawyers "

The Lower East Side, the East Village, Chinatown, and Battery Park City are in the midst of a crisis in affordable housing. People, many of whom are long-time residents, are struggling to pay their rents or have been forced to move. The development and gentrification that is taking place should not be allowed to chase people from their homes.

As the makeup of our district has changed, Speaker Sheldon Silver has not kept up with the needs of growing numbers of working families. He has instead allowed landlords to deregulate apartments and has allowed unused plots of land to go undeveloped. Through his insistence on secretly negotiating deals without the input of community members or other legislators, Silver has produced flawed legislation that has weakened affordable housing regulations.

New York's antiquated election laws are highly technical and needlessly burdensome, making it entirely too easy for incumbents to throw challengers off of the ballot. Speaker Silver has not received a primary challenge in 22 years in part because of his ability to knock challengers off of the ballot. Luke Henry successfully navigated New York's highly technical ballot access laws, but it should be easier for candidates to secure a place on the ballot. Competitive elections benefit everyone. Elections should be a battle of ideas not an exercise in clearing onerous legal obstacles.

Campaign finance reform is the reform that makes all other reform possible. That's why I support Clean Money, Clean Elections legislation that will decrease the power of incumbency and reduce the influence of special interests in New York state government. Our state has some of the weakest campaign finance laws in the country. In the special interest capital of the world, high contribution limits, loopholes, and insufficient oversight make Albany accessible to the highest bidder while closing it to the interests of voters.

Clean Money, Clean Elections is a public financing system under which potential candidates raise a number of small qualifying contributions in order to receive a lump sum of public funds with which to conduct their campaign activities. Such legislation will limit the amount of money spent in elections, make politicians accountable to the voters, and create natural term limits by making incumbents more vulnerable to challenges.

The reality is that wholesale change of the campaign finance system will take time and convincing. In the interim, I will work hard to implement immediate changes necessary to the integrity of our state's government. The most desperately needed changes include significantly reducing contribution limits, closing loopholes that allow limited liability companies and companies with subsidiaries to contribute large amounts to candidates, and creating an independent Board of Elections empowered to robustly enforce campaign finance law.

New York, New York (August 1, 2008)--On Wednesday, Speaker Sheldon Silver addressed the state's climbing budget deficit projections by saying, "Let's sit around for a few more weeks and analyze a little more data before we act precipitously." Today, Luke Henry responds to this negligent and irresponsible approach.

"'Wait and see' has been a hallmark of Speaker Silver's tenure," said Henry. "The Speaker always finds time to sit around but all too often doesn't find time to act until it's too late. Speaker Silver has received ample time and ample warning about growing fiscal woes, but has remained mired in inaction. He has demonstrated this pattern time and again, putting off the introduction of campaign finance reform legislation until the waning days of the legislative session, when no time for compromise remained. He dragged his feet on congestion pricing, all the while signaling support, until he orchestrated a no-vote on the vital legislation. Lower Manhattan needs a representative who will act decisively to combat the state's problems."

Luke Henry advocates initiating a state hiring freeze and reducing salaries and benefits for future managerial hires, until the depth and severity of the problem is appreciated. He also highlights the need to identify and remove duplicative programs that strain the state's budget. But such short term fixes need to be coupled with long term initiatives in order to dislodge the structures that have caused the state's deficit to mount over time. Luke Henry calls for increased oversight over the state's authorities in order to expose and reduce waste. He also champions publicly financed campaigns as the best means to limit the influence of special interests, whose priorities clog the arteries of government.

"If elected, I will not sit around to institute cost-saving reforms," Henry said. "Voters in Lower Manhattan can count on me to relentlessly pursue any and all measures that can responsibly contribute to putting the state's fiscal house in order," he added. Henry additionally outlined greater review and oversight over member-items as a common sense opportunity for fiscal housekeeping.