Courtesy Assemblyman Stec
By State Sen. Dan Stec
As the 2021 State Legislative session gets underway in Albany this month, the first order of business must be reestablishing its role as a co-equal branch of government.
Since March, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has exercised unprecedented authority to deal with the myriad challenges created by COVID-19. He was granted this authority by the Legislature at a time of great uncertainty and when there was a need to quickly respond to mitigate the spread of the illness and avoid our health care system becoming totally overwhelmed.
Fortunately, we have moved beyond that critical time. Remaining vigilant to prevent the virus from spreading is certainly still very important. But the coronavirus vaccine now offers great hope that we will be able to get back to ‘normal’ in the near future. As we begin a new session of a newly elected Legislature, it seems to me the time is right for lawmakers representing all regions of our state to discontinue the governor’s emergency power and fulfill their critical constitutional role.
We are all well aware of the financial challenges that lie ahead. While revenues for all levels of government are down, the real story is what our businesses, especially small employers and lower-wage workers, have been enduring. Small businesses drive our economy and their recovery must now be our priority.
A new event, WinterFest, is planned for the four weekends of February, replacing the Lake George Winter Carnival.
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) welcomed two new team members. Joining the ARCC team are Carol Ann Conover in member services and Karen Mattison as finance manager.
Farmer’s Market with Dickinson’s Delights, and has been an active fundraiser, most recently for the Great Cycle Challenge benefiting Children’s Cancer Charities.
