"My major focus is legislation that is aimed at improving the economy of the North Country, enacting programs aimed at improving the lives of the working poor and middle-class families and providing equitable funding to our public schools so our graduates have the skills necessary to be effective members of the workforce," Assemblywoman Jenne, previously known as Assemblywoman Russell, said.
She said issues in the North Country in recent years have demonstrated Gov. Cuomo's proposal to invest $2 billion in critical water infrastructure across the state is necessary.
"Communities in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties, including the town of Orleans, have demonstrated the need for state funding to make critical water infrastructure improvements," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
"Many of our communities have aging water and waste water infrastructure, and the state funding will assist those local governments make the necessary repairs while keeping access to this critical infrastructure affordable for ratepayers. It will also benefit the local economy by providing employment opportunities and improving water systems so they can accommodate new economic development opportunities," she noted.
Assemblywoman Jenne said Governor Cuomo's Buy American plan that would require all state entities to give preference to American-made goods and products in any new procurements over $100,000 is encouraging.
"It is important for the state to play a leadership role in the Buy American movement that will benefit local manufacturers and businesses. The Buy American campaign will benefit local employees and some of our region's largest taxpayers," she noted.
But Assemblywoman Jenne said during debate over the merits of the Buy American proposal lawmakers also need to consider the impact of the policy would have on our Canadian neighbors.
"Canada is our largest trading partner, and Canadian businesses play a critical role in the North Country economy. We see the importance of Canadian businesses on our region's economy each day with products moving across the three bridges and on railroad tracks connecting the United States and Canada. We need to make sure we don't impose policies that harm that valuable relationship," she pointed out.
Assemblywoman Jenne suggested Governor Cuomo also needs to add funding to improve the trail system in the North Country to his initiatives for 2017.
The governor has proposed completing the Hudson River Valley Greenway and Erie Canalway trails by 2020 to create the Empire State Trail, the largest state multi-use trail in the nation.
To achieve this, the state will develop 350 miles of new trail in three phases to create a 750-mile pathway for hiking and biking.
"The proposal does not include any funding for trails in the North Country that run along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Tourism conferences I have attended on both sides of the border in recent months have demonstrated there is a need to provide bike trails on the American side that we can connect to the well-planned trail network north of the border," she said.
"We have heard over and over again there is strong interest in creating a trail network that connects the two countries, and we need to provide the infrastructure to make that happen in our region. This initiative would benefit the tourism industry that is so important to our region's economy," according to Assemblywoman Jenne.
She also said state lawmakers also need to scrutinize the state's economic development programs to see steps that can be taken to make sure programs are benefiting rural areas like the North Country.
"It is time to give some power to our SUNY schools, to provide them with funding for economic development initiatives that would work best for their institutions. SUNY Potsdam, for example, would benefit from funding for an Entrepreneurship Center for Music, Arts and Film, while SUNY Canton has laid the groundwork for an entrepreneurship accelerator project," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
"We have seen the success Clarkson has had with its incubator programs. Let's give our local SUNY schools the funding they need to build on their strengths. That work has the potential to positively impact our region's economy far more than the benefits we have seen from the existing state programs in our region," she noted.
Assemblywoman Jenne, who serves on the state Assembly's Agriculture Committee, said Gov. Cuomo's proposal to expand efforts that would authorize farmers to work with the state to conduct research to determine the viability of hemp as an agricultural commodity has potential.
"I think hemp production could play an important role for farmers around the region and state as they seek to diversify their operations. It has the potential to play an important role in growing our ag industry. I have heard from local business people and farmers in the North Country that are very interested in getting into hemp production, and they think it is a market that has great potential in this region," she said.
Assemblymember Jenne has frequently advocated for the North Country and for policies that would increase employment and stimulate businesses and infrastructure in the region. She said she will continue reviewing the proposals set forth by Governor Cuomo to best represent the North Country.