This article appeared in the Townsman, July 3, 2008 edition
Woodstock, July 1, 2008
State Senator John Bonacic, representing the 42nd Senatorial District, which includes Woodstock, Olive and Shandaken, introduced and saw passed in the State Senate a bill to repeal the “Large Parcel” act. So far there has been no action in the State Assembly. The Large Parcel act, and its intended aim to even out property assessments for use by school and county taxing districts where one of the municipalities may contain a single property, such as a power plant or reservoir, that may skew the equalization rate in favor of such municipality, “simply did not work,” said Bonacic. “It polarized communities and drowned out other issues [effecting education] during school board elections.”
In a wide ranging interview with this reporter Bonacic spoke encouraging words for both the new Democratic Governor David Paterson and new Senate majority leader Dean Skelos (R-9th Senate District), who replaced Joseph Bruno as majority leader on June 24.
Of the Governor Bonacic said, “He not partisan, not confrontational and believes in compromise through honest negotiations. He is much more congenial [than former Governor Eliot Spitzer, who resigned in disgrace earlier this year] and I think has done pretty well in the short time he has governed.” He cited the difficult circumstances of Paterson’s sudden elevation to the governor’s seat and the fact he was still able to usher through the state budget without an embarrassing delay as an accomplishment that augers well for the rest of his administration.
Skelo’s elevation to majority leader “bodes well for Hudson Valley communities,” says Bonacic, who regards Mr Skelos as a friend (Skelos has been in the state senate since 1984, Bonacic since 1998). Although representing Long Island, Mr Skelos will “listen to upstate voices,” says Bonacic, and help the Senate counter balance New York City interests, which otherwise would “hold all the cards” in Albany. He praised Skelos for authoring of New York’s Megan’s Law (the informal name for laws in the United States requiring law enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders), for his efforts to dramatically expand the state’s DNA databank, and for providing tools to police agencies to execute their law enforcement mission. Skelos will be “tougher and stronger than Bruno was in dealing with [Sheldon] Silver,” according to Bonacic, referring to the state Assembly speaker from New York City.
On another big issue looming over upstate New York, the huge deposits of natural gas under parts of the region including areas in the 42nd Senatorial District, Bonacic strongly supports “watchdog” efforts to protect the environment, but also points out that “in the last twenty years more than 75,000 natural gas wells have been dug in New York without environmental degradation.” Just as important as environmental safe guards, which he supports by giving the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) expanded authority over permitting and enforcement of environmental regulations, are safe guards to prevent property owners in the region from being “ripped off” by gas drillers. Bonacic spoke of his efforts to provide property owners with information regarding their rights and to lessen the chance of their losing out on the potential windfall. “All in all, this will be a win win for the region and the nation,” he said, citing the nation’s over-dependence on foreign energy sources. “But it is important that we first address both the environmental and equity issues.”
Bonacic sees a good possibility the State Senate will remain in Republican hands after this year’s election. “With [Hillary] Clinton off the top of the ballot,” and the fact that with former governor Spitzer gone the Democrats have “lost their money machine” he foresees the Republicans maintaining their slight edge. “But make no mistake,” he added, “times are changing in Albany.”
So far Bonacic has no opponent in his re-election bid.
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