For WXXI, this is connection filling in for Dawson.

I'm Gino Fanelli.

We are continuing our talk about budgets, every year with the passage of the New York State budget.

We invite elected state leaders to come discuss what is in the budget and what's not.

We're also talking about what state leaders want to achieve next.

For Republicans, it's always a difficult task in Albany, legislating in the minority.

As we learned in our previous conversation with members of both parties.

There are disagreements, but also some areas of bi bipartisan alignment.

One significant divide is on the issue of Medicaid.

Does New York State cover too many services on Medicaid?

If so, what should be cut?

And with the federal budget bill, including Medicaid cuts?

What you New Yorkers be prepared for is.

This hour, we're joined by Assembly Member Steven Hawley.

He shares his perspective on the budget, from taxes to child care to economic development and more.

So, Steven, thanks for joining us.

It's great to be here.

I appreciate the opportunity.

And, what a beautiful day in Western New York.

I agree.

So let's get started and take an overhead view of, what you see is the big headlines in this budget.

What are some of the standouts and will, branch out from there?

Well, the largest, And budgets, by the way, from my point of view, should be all about finances as opposed to, programs that are sometimes stuck into the budget, just to, get passage as opposed to standing on their own, and being voted on by both houses of the legislature.

That often happens, regardless of who the governor is.

And, I would like to see that practice.

Just continued.

But, budgets are supposed to be the, the expenditures and, and the, services that are provided.

And, the receipts that are brought in to cover all those, expenditures for all the programs.

The largest program, in New York state, is Medicaid.

And, we're at this year's budget.

The total budget is 254.4 billion with a B.

Dollars.

And out of that, Medicaid is 125.8 billion and represents just about 50%.

If you do the math really quickly, you don't have to be an Einstein to see where the largest portion of the budget, goes.

So what are some of your bigger disappointments in this budget?

What are some of the things that, you think our bloater or our programs that are being put forward by the governor that should be voted on separately?

Yeah.

I don't have those listings right here.

And I'm really, don't, remember the budget, of course, was even though it was late, the budget was, passed five weeks late, after the April 1st constitutional, date.

So it's quite a while ago.

I don't have those programs here.

So it's a general, general comment of, relative to that, on the Medicaid, funding.

You know, the lower our state's every state is required to have Medicaid.

And there are a number of optional programs that, New York option to, that many other states do not.

As I said, the population of New York is I didn't say is about 20, 40 million people.

And, if you look at Texas, where they have 31 million people, their Medicaid cost is 40 billion versus our 125.8.

And that's a 23.7% budget of the total budget.

But on Medicaid and Texas, Florida has a population more than ours, 23.4 versus 19.9.

They spend 34.7 billion versus our 120 5.8, which represents about 29.6% of their budget.

Only California, which has, almost twice the population, actually twice the population that we do, there are 39.4 million are 19.9.

They spend 188 billion out of their $320 billion budget.

So there are 58%, for Medicaid spending, but their population is double ours.

We're at 125 in terms of dollars billion.

There are 188 billion.

So that's that's the biggest boondoggle here that I see.

And you know, there are certain, folks whether they're the elderly, whether they're those that, are disabled, that need to be helped.

And, I'm, I'm all for that.

But just so many of the optional programs are bloated, this budget, beyond belief.

Yeah.

You're talking about, a very large disparity between us and other states in regards to Medicaid.

And I, want to get a sense from you.

One, how do you know how many people are in your district, are on Medicaid?

And, how much that might cost just for your district and the 119th, you know what that number might be?

Yeah, I've gone, but I don't I don't have those numbers.

If I look right here quickly, I can tell you, how many folks or what percentage of you will.

Well, there is a report just, you know, from the umpire.

Sutter.

That indicates that, there's a growing over enrollment in New York's Medicaid program and the essential plan.

And it would appear to them through their study that 3 million New Yorkers appear to be receiving state sponsored health coverage from Medicaid or the Essential plan, despite having incomes above the eligibility limits.

That's an issue as well.

And, of course, that if that is the case, which statistically shows that it is, that would be one of the reasons that our Medicaid budget is so bloated.

We really do need to look into that, because that harms those that are actually below the income level and need to be receiving Medicaid.

So it's a boondoggle, around.

And we need to really start looking into it.

Let me see if I can find the, sure.

44% of the state's population is currently receiving Medicaid, which is 20 points higher than the U.S average and seven points higher than any other state.

And, how am and I think you just kind of touched on this, but how would you account for that and how would you go about fixing it or what could be done to, bring down that number in a way that doesn't leave people just, you know, outside the ability to receive, medical coverage.

How do you reduce that number?

Well, you do it by, calculating and studying it just like any sort of, study.

You have the right kinds of people with the right kinds of background, studying the numbers.

And I would assume that would come through.

I would prefer to see it come from an independent source as opposed to a governmental source.

That way it would be more, in my opinion, more objective, and the results would be more, in line with the activity, to be able to come up with recommendations, and real numbers, you know, in New York City, 60% of the population in New York City is on Medicaid, or the essential plan.

And, you asked about my district.

I don't have those figures specifically, but in New York, Medicaid covers 1 in 4 adults age 19 to 64.

That's 25% across the state.

4 in 9 children, 5 in 8 nursing home residents, two and seven Medicare beneficiaries, and 4 in 9 working age adults with disabilities.

So, you know, it's 57% of the adults in New York or, Medicaid, are working.

And that's a good thing.

But we need to really have more people looking to contribute to their communities and for their families as opposed to, continuing to be dependent on what I've dubbed the drug known as government addicted to the drug known as government.

So I want to talk about the, you know, one of the requirements in the one big Beautiful Bill act that just passed, in the federal government was a, work requirement for Medicaid.

And I want to get something if you support that idea and, how it would be how would you go about implementing it if it was to be, something that was adopted here?

Yeah.

Run the run.

The first part by broke up on me a little bit.

I'm sure the, work, the work requirement for Medicaid that would be included in the one big, beautiful bill that passed, last week, I believe, that, would you support that kind of program being operated here in New York?

And what would it look like?

How would people still be decide to be exempt from that program?

And how would you make sure that, you know, the people that are required to work are capable of it?

And the people that are exempt would be able to still access their Medicaid.

While still in that age bracket where it is required that you work.

So I want to get an idea of whether or not you support the idea and how you would actually effectively put it into practice.

Say you're in charge of actually implementing it.

Yeah, I think we've got some time on that.

As I understand it, even though I'm not a federal official.

And the, one big beautiful bill, is a federal bill that, of course, will impact, New York state and every state in the nation.

So I haven't really, specifically taken a look at what you're asking about.

I generally support, if one is able bodied, and of sound mind, actually working and contributing to society.

And, and I think that, if this is requiring work of those that are able to, we've got about a year, to get that, figured out on how it will actually be implemented and how it will, no pun intended, work.

Because my understanding is this doesn't take effect until next year.

I could be wrong, but that's that's what I'm led to believe.

So, would you support a work requirement for Medicaid if you're able bodied and if you were of sound mind, etc.?

I would, yes.

That's right.

So, you know, looking at this entire budget, as a Republican and, you know, being in the minority in the legislature, is there anything that you look at it and say, well, this is good, I like this or, any positive parts of the budget or, or not.

Are there anything that you like about this budget?

Well, there's always something to like about every situation.

I'm not a doomsday.

I'm not a, everything is, half full as opposed to half empty.

There are always things that are good.

There are a number of, deals and in the budget that, actually, we're we're helping people and helping businesses.

I can't find them right now with all the paperwork I've got for me.

Unfortunately, I'm just back from a four day, wedding down in Canada where, my, my daughter got married and we had an Indian wedding, and then we had the regular wedding that I was able to officiate up.

So I'm not as prepared as I might normally be on this.

But, yes, there are always things that are are positive and in every budget.

And the way the budget works just for folks who are listening, the way it works in Albany and I, I go back to the day I was elected, I came from county legislative experience.

And I still have an occupation.

I do have an occupation.

I have a, source of income.

I don't look at government service or public service as a way to, earn solely earn a living.

But what?

I got elected, I came from the county legislature where we had one budget bill, and we would have public hearings on it, and we would work with our, our staff, to come up with something that would be found not only for delivery of services, but also, for those that have to pay for taxpayers.

And so what I was elected was the beginning of the year.

It was February 28th.

And of course, the next month is that month and the next month or or when the budget gets, really honed over.

And we do at the state level, I hear from many, many, many folks who have a vested interest in where we're going to be, providing services, an adequate dollar amount.

So, the budget, I don't remember when it was got presented to the legislature.

I was expecting one budget bill.

Lo and behold, there ended up, I think that your being nine, budget bills and within every budget bill, one obviously is briefed and studies and asks questions about certain portions of those bills.

And, the, there are all kinds of good stuff and all kinds of bad stuff in each bill, generally speaking.

So one has to determine and, whether one's going to support a singular budget bill or the next one or the next or the next one based upon what's in there.

And so it was a real eye opener for me.

It became much more difficult, obviously, not only because I was new, but because there were so many items in each bill, and we were briefed on all of them.

And so I can remember, one bill in particular, we worked very closely with former majority leader of now, Congressman Joe Braley, on funding for, a project, in my assembly district through the Empire State Development.

And we were finally able to secure that with his assistance.

And so, I voted for that particular budget bill, even though it had probably as many, if not more negative things from my perspective and who I represent and what kinds of businesses and individuals I have in my district, I voted for that bill because it had that, money in there for economic development, even though probably the majority of the bill had some things that I wasn't real comfortable with.

So it's the old darned if you do and darned if you don't, situation, with each of the budget bills.

But it does make it more difficult, I think, to vote on each of those bills each year.

So what are some of your key priorities?

You know, going into, say, next year's budget?

I mean, in a perfect world, what are you some of the things that you think New York and the legislature are not or the governor are not specifically focused on right now, but they should be that should they should be investing more in or pulling money away from we we discussed Medicaid quite a bit so far, but, you know, I think we stand out of what you think, you know, we're missing or, we're over investing in.

Well, one of the key areas, and I watch Rochester, television, and I listen to many of the Rochester, including you, radio programs, and stations, and one of the big things that we see, unfortunately, every single day, in the greater Rochester area, but specifically in Rochester, is the crime issue, and, you know, we did some bail reform a number of years ago, and there needed to be bail reform.

No question about it.

But we've really gone well past reforming and helping individuals who shouldn't have been in jail because they didn't have the money, to post, to go back out on the streets and become hopefully productive members of society.

It's gone to the point where I remember about a year or two ago, there was a carjacking there, gunpoint by a youth, and they ended up catching him, and he was given an appearance ticket, youth below the age of 18.

Appearance ticket.

And the next day, a little over 24 hours later, did the same thing and was given a second appearance ticket.

The days of respect for authority, whether it's law enforcement, whether it's educators, whether it's parents or grandparents, has really disappeared from so many parts of our, our central communities.

And so folks really don't feel safe in their own neighborhoods.

61% is one of the most recent figures that I've been able to come up with, and another 81% find it unbelievably unaffordable to live in our state.

We had that max mass exodus down when the last census was done.

The results were published about three years ago.

We lost a million people, over a million people, and many of them were either senior citizens living on pensions or contributing members, working folks and or businesses that became fed up with the mandates and the excessive regulations that our state comes up with.

I those are the two big items.

And of course, we've got the out of touch, green, energy climate, situation going on.

Where in my assembly district, the 139, which is the entire west side of Monroe County, Avalon parks and Weeden and wiggling, and all of Orleans and Genesee County, the largest solar farm in the state of New York.

5800 acres of farmland that grows crops for you and me and everyone else in our state and nation and the world being developed for solar and that solar, the vast majority of it will be going down state.

So lots of issues in the state of New York, that have gone unattended to, and hopefully for next year is an election year.

For governor as well as for the state legislature.

So sometimes things that should have been done actually get done in an election year.

So we're we're going to be watching very carefully and hopefully we can get some of these, crime issues, pro criminal issues taken care of, as well as, taking care of, eliminating, or reducing the amount of unrealistic regulations and mandates for climate, climate control.

I'll, I'll give you an example.

And I do a lot of talking.

You're the host, so go ahead.

But I, I brought down I won't mention his name, but he was originally from my district, and he worked.

He had a 35 year career with National Grid, and he called me one day.

It was about a year and a half, maybe two years ago.

And he said poorly, are are you still in the assembly yet?

I said, yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment.

I must use his name.

I'm a glutton for punishment.

I mean, he goes, what in the world?

And he just retired, by the way, what in the world is going on with the climate control, act that, that passed just recently?

And I said, well, what are your thoughts?

And he said, how much time have you got?

It's impossible.

The grid can't handle it.

In my 35 years, there were three separate times that the grid almost totally put the entire state in the dark, a blackout, the entire state.

We were able to avert it, but it was that close.

There is no way, no way that this climate control and the and the, characteristics that are within it could be met.

I said, you ought to come down and talk to some folks in Albany.

He said, I do it in an instant.

So I brought him down.

I made it available to all hundred and 50 members.

149 because I knew I was going to be there.

All all 150 members of the state Assembly where they lived in the North Country, over there on Long Island or one of the boroughs in New York City, the Southern Tier, Western New York, all were invited, representing almost 20 million people, each having each of us having about 133,000 people in our districts.

So I invited the office or my conference room, if you'd like to do it in person and ask them questions and listen to what he had to say, just the facts.

Just the facts.

And by the way, he also did the gas portion of National Grid, not national fuel or whatever, but the National grid part.

And I made it available by zoom as well.

How many people do you think wanted to hear from someone who actually had real life experience with energy?

How many do you think signed up either by zoom or came in person?

I'm going to guess you're going to, say not very many.

So, I'd say three.

Would you say 33?

3032.

All well, you're way under.

There's more just in that, we had I believe it was 42 people.

So, but but most of them were from.

We're from upstate, and we have, we have members from both sides of the aisle.

Not too many from the other side, but still.

But isn't that a source salary thing?

Don't you?

Don't you think that elected officials ought to be investigating and researching before they implement policies that have their constituents?

I would agree, yeah.

And, I would think that, do you think there's a balance there?

Do you think there one do you think there's a need for us to be pulling away from fossil fuels to begin with at this point?

And, to how do you do that if you would support it to begin with?

You how do you do that in a way that's, judicious and fair to the constituents in the state.

What does that look like?

Yes.

We do need to, assure ourselves that the carbon, front is, is being reduced.

And part of that is with fossil fuels.

I point out that the United States and New York state, contribute an infinitesimal small portion.

Of the carbon imprint that we're experienced, that we experience, in our country compared to many, many other countries around the world, whether it's self apropos, whether it's China in South America, they all we need to be working with other countries around the world, as well as our country and our state.

So yes, we do need to do that.

But we need to do it in a measured way with a, an eye toward reality and what can actually be accomplished and when it can be accomplished.

And that can only be done by rather than knee jerk reactions and passing, bills that have no, no, no basis in terms of facts and the ability to succeed, we need to really be looking into it.

With studies again.

And studies by outsiders.

Not you can include government as well, but there needs to be a cross-section of society and industries and businesses doing these studies to come up with reasonable, reasonable and, and, and things that can actually be accomplished.

So I won't go back to the crime issue, as, you know, this is a been a longstanding Republican, complaint in New York.

And one, the Bail Elimination Act of 2019, some of the parole reforms, less it's more reforms, and other things of that nature.

But, you know, if it if it just a matter of reforms that, or these bills that passed over the past, half a decade or so that, had contributed to what is seen as a spike in crime.

And I say what is seen because we did have a spike in violent crime, particularly in Rochester.

It's since declined quite a bit.

There's still not great.

You don't really want anyone to be shot, but, it's gone down quite a bit.

So I see two things there.

One, are these the only policies that should be, pulled back on from your perspective to help alleviate some of the crime issues or what else can be done?

I mean, it's just a matter of law enforcement funding.

It's a matter of court reform.

So what do you see is actually something that the legislature can do that could have a tangible effect on, violent crime rates across New York.

Well, I think one of the things that the legislature could, do is, we, allow, our judges to use the, dangerousness, characteristic with regard to, being able to set bail for, and individual who is alleged to have done something that was taken away as part of the bail reform.

And, if if our judges are unable to use that very important descriptive verbiage in ascertaining whether someone should be released back onto the streets, like I just told you about that instance in downtown Rochester, a young man below the age of 18, two days in a row, about 24 hours apart, after having been given initially an appearance ticket at gunpoint, hijacking a vehicle.

That's an example of something where I would say that the vast majority of folks would say, that's dangerous to society.

Gunpoint, hijacking of vehicles.

But I think a of a measured approach would be looking at the kinds of things that are part of the bail reform and what's happened in our society as a result of it, including the age of where you can be charged criminally.

And in this case, the young man was under the age of 18.

He could not be charged criminally because of the change in the age.

That's another thing that was done.

He could only be charged and and held accountable in family court.

There were a number of folks in our conference, former NYPD officers, and, several other, police chiefs from around the state.

Who said, you know, this is just going to be a way for those ne'er do wells who are hell bent, if you will.

Either doing harm to others or wreaking havoc in society illegally to recruit young people because they won't be altered accountable in criminal court.

So I there's a couple of examples of things that need to be changed.

The dangerousness for judges being able to use that as a tool to determine whether someone should be released and that age, issue criminal court versus family court.

If Steven Hall I brings up a very good point here that, New York is a kind of an oddity, that we don't have a dangerous and standard virtually every other state does.

I believe we're the only one.

There may be one other that I'm forgetting, but they it's kind of a rare thing.

So that is a, a point that, is pretty crucial to this conversation surrounding bail reform and, some of the other reforms, surrounding criminal justice.

We're going to take our first break of the hour, and we're going to be back with Assembly member Steven Holley talking more about the state budget.

I'm Veronica Volk.

Friday on the next connections, you may have heard Evan Dawson is taking some time off over the summer, and our very own Raquel Steven will be filling in as host of connections.

But before she does that, we'll sit down and talk about her life and her career.

Then in our second hour, a special rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes.

Who are the voices of our generation?

That's coming up Friday on Connections.

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Mary Carey, Yola Center Transforming Lives of people with disabilities More at Mary Carey, ola.org and we are back in connections talking with Assembly member Steven Holly about the state budget.

You know, one of the things that I want to get to too is something the governor, Governor Hochul has touted is, free school meals and, increasing childcare affordability.

And I won't get an idea from you on both of them.

Do you think these are good ideas or bad ideas?

I mean, what what do you think should be done here?

And, Yeah, I just want to get some of your thoughts on that.

Well, we certainly don't want any any individual.

Of our society, wanting for, food and good nutrition and enough of it, that's for sure.

And especially our young folks who, who, need to be all set up and ready to go so that their brains, and their, internal clock is ready to learn, in our, in our schools.

So, if I don't have the figures again, I apologize in front of me.

Who the what?

Who the expanded eligibility is, good for the only.

The only thing that I want to be sure of is that those folks that can, that are and can be providing good nutrition and enough nutrition for our children, in this case, are not being are not being offered the free lunch or not free lunch, go free breakfast.

That that's where I, I'm kind of on that.

And for reference, universal is, the, stipulation put in by the governor on the, the school meals program.

So pretty much every kid would be I pretty much every kid would be able to access it.

And, the contractor, which would be the school that provides is accredited to serve school lunches would be, applied for reimbursement from the state on that.

So that's how essentially that program would work.

And, that is, what is on the table that every student in New York State public schools would have access to free meals?

Well, go to and I'm, I guess they're, you know, generally speaking, the cost would be, obviously be increasing is increasing.

But at the same time, if my child, had had a good breakfast, I'm thinking that, that those that are in charge of looking at the numbers in our school districts of participants, not of the eligibility, because it's one thing to be eligible and it's another to partake, or participate, if my kids or your kids or anyone else has kids, had already had a good breakfast, they're not to be inclined to, partake in that program.

So it might be salt and, some that might be self, regulated, by the individuals whose children are coming to school.

Right?

Yeah.

And, you know, a big thing right now.

But before we get to this, I want, the expanded child tax credit to since we're talking about, you know, child and affordability.

Do, agree with that idea a bad idea?

The, child tax credit expansion.

Yeah, I do agree with that.

Yep.

Gotcha.

So another huge topic of conversation, surrounding, I guess, the world now.

But is artificial intelligence and, and, the one big, big, beautiful bill, like the federal package that does pass.

There was a, moratorium essentially placed on, regulation on I mean, while in New York, the Raise act was it stands to put some kind of safety, protocols, on AI has, gone through the assembly in the Senate.

And, this is kind of a conversation that it's been, had a lot, surrounding what the future looks like regarding artificial intelligence and one, it's concerned about social media, how it can manipulate information and things like that.

But in other panels, it's about, jobs.

And I replacing good, plain paying jobs for actual human beings.

So I want to start from there.

Do you expect or have any concerns about AI replacing jobs in your district?

Yes, of course I do.

And, since the pandemic, I will just say, because I do have an occupation and a business, I can tell you.

And it's regardless of what type of business it is, I think that not only, have we found less folks who are interested in actually working, since the pandemic?

But if they do work, it's not the same type of production.

And interest and caring.

That it was before.

Whether you're an agriculture.

Excuse me, whether you're an agriculture, whether you're in, an office environment, whether it's banking or any other type of finance, whether it's an assembly line, it is difficult, still to find people who are out there looking for jobs.

And, and if you create more, you will artificial intelligence outlets and possibilities.

There is no impetus for our society to become more interested in working.

It's already lagging.

All we need to do is go through any community.

And, you know, those, you see signs up, posting signs, in windows, advertisements on the back of tractor trailers, looking for a good job.

We're hiring.

You see them everywhere.

And so we need to not discourage people or eliminate jobs with artificial intelligence.

We need to be able to encourage and to bring folks back into what made this country great.

And that's our citizens who give it their all, at their jobs.

So, yeah, I do think it's it's a good thing to take a step back, just like the climate control and, and take a look at it and see what its implications are, not only today, but down the line.

I mean, you and I know we can we can Google anything and ask a question.

And the first thing that comes up is I hey, I summary.

Yeah, yeah.

And it's I mean even in my world and what I do, I've been a journalist for about a decade now.

And you know, I go on the local TV news websites and I read an article that, it reads kind of weird.

And then I see in italics at the bottom that it's, I was assisted to, create this article.

And it does worry me that, you know, my job, which, you know, I didn't ever think could be replaced by a computer, can be replaced by a computer if they get good enough at it.

And I guess there's a couple questions here that that kind of branch off of this, but, I think top of the line for me is, regulation.

I mean, do you support us?

Not only stepping back and doing, you know, some studies about what the future might look like for this, but regulating it and, this seems to be the kind of argument that the federal government and the state are having in regard to AI right now.

But should we be moving forward with regulation now rather than waiting to see what the future has in store?

Well, yes.

And there's no question about that.

And that that goes right back to the discussion that we had earlier around, climate control, the Green New Deal, and, and, all of the, the, unrealistic goals.

Goals are good, but if they're unrealistic, that gets no one anywhere.

And it puts businesses, whether it's National Fuel or others that are providing, gas.

I mean, I remember long ago, 30 years ago, everybody said we can't do electric anymore because it's so expensive.

And we all not we, but many, many folks, a majority folks moved over to either propane or natural gas.

And so now here we are, decades later, moving back toward an unrealistic or becoming all electric.

So it needs to be realistic.

That needs to be studied.

It needs to we need to have, realistic goals, but it needs to be based on facts and real, real figures.

And, you know, you mention, bringing back these, these jobs for, you know, good, hardworking Americans to work in, in New York.

But, you know, large corporations that run factories and manufacturing hubs and, you know, things of that nature, they're going to go for the cheapest option because that's how business work works.

That's how our system works.

So how do you do that?

I mean, how do you make it?

So there is an incentive for people to one, hire real human beings and to make them good paying jobs that can sustain a, you know, a good working class in New York and prevent people from leaving here to go to greener pastures in other states.

I mean, what does that look like?

Well, it looks like, what many of us preaching who are in the real world are providing jobs for others and jobs for myself and my family.

I was in agriculture for years and years.

I was injured on the farm and, but to another area and, have been working in that area for, for quite a while now.

What we need to do is cut back on the I mean, it's a familiar refrain from our conference, cut back on the rules and regulations and fees and mandates and taxes, etc., so that businesses not only will stay here as opposed to leaving, but expand here and come here.

New businesses or existing businesses being able to operate free and unfettered from overregulation of of a government that is just bound to determine, to eliminate so many businesses from expanding and stop them from moving out.

I'll give you a typical example, a very obvious example in manufacturing in my district, in the city of Batavia founded, 125 years ago.

They make treatment sprayers.

They're world renowned.

They do it right here in Batavia.

They've expanded a little bit here, but most recently they expanded.

Not in Batavia, not in Genesee County, not in western New York, not even in New York State.

They went to Tennessee.

They want to Tennessee because there were, a good willing workforce.

They went to Tennessee because the tax and the fees and the mandates were far, far less, it would make for a better paying job for people there as opposed to here because of the costs associated with operating a business.

They want to Tennessee.

They didn't want to, what with open arms, wide open arms.

And thank you for coming here.

Signs everywhere.

That's where they ended up going.

They've never done that before in 125 years.

It's a sad dilemma, but some of our folks in Albany and the governor's mansion don't seem to want to listen to that.

So we got some questions from, my colleagues in the newsroom.

And I want to start out with one that kind of touches on some of the stuff we were just talking about.

When it comes to, sustainable energy.

The governor wants to build a new nuclear power plant, and there has been talks of reconfiguring an old coal plant in Dunkirk.

Is that an idea you support, or should we be looking elsewhere?

And is nuclear a realistic answer to the real and immediate power shortage that we're facing across the state?

So what are your stances on nuclear and would you support, the site in Dunkirk as the site for a nuclear power plant?

So it's it's very, very interesting to now all of a sudden, hear the governor and others talk about, nuclear energy.

It wasn't too long ago, where that was an unheard of statement by any member of the majority party.

But of course, now, as a result of the programs that have been, the bills have been passed with the climate, Green New Deal, obviously, now they're recognizing even with all the solar farms and the wind turbines.

And by the way, yesterday was at a press conference in support of, a group, and many municipalities on the shores of Lake Erie, opposed to locating wind turbines in Lake Erie.

The same is true in Long Island, where they are permitted.

Groups oppose that.

And over the years there have been talk of that in Lake Ontario as well.

So it's amazing to now hear the governor and others say, hey, hey, maybe we maybe this isn't so realistic, although they don't say it that way.

They say maybe we ought to be looking at nuclear.

And I agree that if you're going to continue with these unrealistic, electrification, policies, but yes, we do need to be looking at nuclear and, the folks in Dunkirk and those that represent that area would be the ones that I'd want to talk to first about where it would be located.

We do have a number of them throughout the state.

And, I think that perhaps boutique type, smaller nuclear facilities, or localities throughout the state might be something that we definitely ought to look at.

Yeah.

And, you know, it does feel as you kind of pointed to that when we're talking about this, like green energy and the future of, sustainable energy, nuclear is often left out of the conversation, even though it is a fairly clean source of very plant, Bountiful energy.

And the biggest byproduct is steam.

So, yeah, it's, it is interesting that it is something that's not brought up much in the conversations.

Right.

But I think as, as you just mentioned, the now that the governor is, actually broached to that, forgotten word of nuclear that wasn't part of not only our vocabulary but many others.

Now maybe we'll see some movement toward that.

And I think that's a good thing.

We need to be we need to have different options for businesses and homes, whether they be big or small businesses or what type of home you live in.

We need to have options for folks so that the cost of living and the cost of running a business are realistic.

So another question here from the newsroom.

The Assembly majority Democratic Conference is getting briefed tomorrow on how to how federal cuts will affect New York.

Has there been a similar discussion or will there be a similar discussion from the Republican side?

And where do you think New York should and should not be stepping in?

I mean, is there concern on your end about the federal cuts that have been proposed?

And, is this a conversation you guys are having?

Well, I, I'm the deputy minority leader in our conference.

And, at this juncture, we do have a, a briefing from our ways and committee.

Ways and Means committee, staff.

And I just got it, and I referenced it earlier.

I haven't had a chance to really, go over it.

It's a, let's see how many pages.

Fairly small thought to, I might say.

Doesn't matter.

I'm going to page six pages.

And the analysis, is here on tax policy, health and nutrition programs, Medicaid, health and nutrition programs, energy, climate defense and homeland security, education, student loans, immigration, border security.

And again, taxes, Medicaid and so on and so forth.

So I again just received this, back from that, the wood wetting down and Kennedy was so I haven't had a real chance.

So we've already been briefed, in terms of receiving this, just yesterday, as a matter of fact, and so if there are questions, we will be entertaining those as a conference, separately, obviously from the majority.

By the way, I see that I left a little bit.

It was a little tongue in cheek, obviously separately than the majority.

Wouldn't it be pleasant?

Wouldn't it be as realistic as possible if we could zoom or meet and and work together on things, and listen to others points of view, with respect and maybe come to agreement on some of these very, very important issues that are going to affect every resident and business in the state of New York.

It would be refreshing sometimes to have that, yeah.

Steven, that's, that's real high thinking right there.

That's, quite, quite, quite a fantasy.

It's a nice fantasy.

But yeah.

Yeah.

Well, what I've done over the years just to let you know, I invite guys and gals from down in New York City of members of the majority to come up here and hang out with us in western New York with me, and I take them around the small businesses.

I take them to farms and orchards and to our schools.

And I represent Suny Brockport and Genesee Community College.

They hang out with me a couple of days up here.

I let them ride on my lawn mower.

I put them up in a combine, let them go to a winery and but not let them drink too much.

And then we're developing relationships with individuals opposite sides of the aisle, but creating a give and take, and I, I'm not going to use any names, but I can only tell you that they're.

What are the individuals that I had up here?

Was so impressed, if you will, because he's never been up here.

He's the chair of one of our committees.

He's a very good friend of mine.

As a result of not only him coming up here, by the way, I should say it's an exchange program that I've initiated.

I go down there, there being New York City, either the boroughs or Long Island, and I hang out with those guys and gals for a day or two and learn who they represent, what their districts are like.

And it does create that, that interpersonal relationship with individuals so that the rancor and the shaking of fingers and pointing of fingers doesn't occur quite as much.

And he was the chairman is the chairman of a committee.

I had a constituent who had issues with his children, and I asked if he would talk with the constituents.

Just a regular Joe, regular John, and he did, and he's done that over and over.

And I just had I just had kids come up from the Oakfield, Alabama, school district in Genesee County who are taking a civics class.

They made a presentation to Senator Borrello and myself.

The relationship between drugs and mental health issues.

And they wanted they've made this presentation.

And I said, how do you guys come down to Albany, make the same presentation to members of the mental health committees and the Senate and the Assembly and to the to the drug and alcohol addiction committees in the Assembly?

In the Senate, they did.

They came down two weeks before the end of session.

And there were seven kids in the class.

They paid their own way.

And not only did we give them a tour of the Capitol and the History Museum, but they also made a presentation to the chair people, as well as the ranking members of both of those committees, members of the majority, the chairs, all chairs or members of the majority actually came over and listened and talked to the kids.

And the next week we had a joint press conference on the relationship and the things we need to do between addiction, mental health issues.

So we need more of this.

I believe, it's about people and the people that we represent.

Yeah.

No, I would entirely agree.

And, you know, as a new Yorker and someone who loves the state, man, I would rather, you guys get to work together and stop, just fighting over nothing, and do stuff for the people that actually live here.

So that's my, that's my position.

But, this man, Steven Holley, from the 113th district, talking about the state budget, Steven, thank you so much for joining me.

My pleasure.

I have a great day.

You too.

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