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Goodell Points Out Negatives In State Budget

Andy Goodell

Chautauqua County’s state assemblyman said consumers, law abiding residents and taxpayers are getting the short end of the stick when it comes to the approved 2019-20 New York budget.

On Wednesday, Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, told The Post-Journal that each year there are budget winners and losers reflected in the legislation approved in the spending plan.

“This year’s budget winners are criminals and criminal immigrants and the losers are consumers, law abiding residents who want safer neighborhoods and the taxpayers,” Goodell said.

When it comes to criminal justice reforms approved with the budget, Goodell voted against eliminating cash bail on all misdemeanors and and non-violent arrests.

“Cash bail is to make sure someone shows up for trial or their next court appearance. This eliminates all cash bail,” he said. “In addition, if someone doesn’t show up for trail instead of issuing a bench warrant the court is required to send (the defendant) a courtesy reminder to rescheduled the hearing again. District attorneys and police organizations are opposed to this get out of jail free card granted to anyone who is arrested for a misdemeanors and many felonies.”

Goodell said another criminal justice reform he is against is to reduce the maximum sentence for a Class A misdemeanor by one day for immigrants. He said by reducing the maximum sentence by one day it will allow immigrants sentenced to serious crimes to avoid deportation.

“I voted against this budget bill because I don’t think it’s sound public policy to change our criminal code so that immigrants that have committed serious crimes against New York residents can avoid deportation and stay here in New York,” he said. “New York shouldn’t be considered a safe haven for criminal immigrants who have been sentenced to the maximum penalty for a Class A misdemeanor. Typically, most maximum sentences are those arrested for a felony who plea bargain to a maximum misdemeanor charge. We’re talking about serious criminal immigrants.”

Another criminal justice reform Goodell opposes is the prosecution providing more information to the defense prior to trial, including the identity of witnesses two weeks before trail.

“If you’re dealing with a violent defendant or a gang member or the mafia, providing the identity of a witness a couple weeks before trial will result in many witnesses refusing to cooperate or changing their story or not showing up for trial because they’re either afraid to or they are no longer alive to show up,” he said.

Another initiative passed in the state budget Goodell is against is the new rule that mandates employers provide three hours of paid time off to cast a ballot on Election Day. He said even though the state is moving forward with early voting, the new provision to allow employees three hours of paid time off will be a huge potential cost to employers. He added there is no exemptions to the new law to protect small businesses or facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, police and fire departments that have minimum staffing requirements.

“Under the current law, an employee can go on unpaid leave to vote if their shift does not leave at least 4 hours of time to vote. A typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift allows four hours because polls don’t close until 9 p.m. They eliminated that altogether so every employee can have three hours of paid time off with no exemptions to employers who run a small businesses or have critical staffing needs,” he said. “This applies to every election — school board, village, town, county, special districts, primaries, special elections. The cost and disruption to the economy will be substantial.”

Another negative in the state budget is no line item funding for the Chautauqua Lake Association or Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Goodell said. Last year, the CLA received $150,000 and the CLP received $95,000. He said he will advocate for funding for both organizations the state budget provides to fight invasive species. He added there is $6 million in the budget for this initiative.

On the positive side of the state budget, Goodell said he is pleased that school districts in Chautauqua County will receive $6.869 million, a 2.45 percent increase, more than originally proposed. He said Jamestown Public Schools will receive $2.58 million more, or a 4.3 percent increase. Goodell said Dunkirk City Schools will receive 5.12 percent more than originally proposed.

Goodell said the budget also restores cuts in library operating aid; restores three-fourths of the funding cut by Gov. Andrew Cuomo for agricultural assistance; 2 percent increase in compensation for direct care workers effective Jan. 1, 2020; $15.5 million for Community Services for the Elderly program; and Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funding restoration to the same level as last year at $438 million.

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