Assemblywoman Jenne discusses forestry issues with industry reps

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne recently met with John Bartow Jr., executive director of the Empire State Forest Products Association, to discuss the group's 2017 state legislative priorities and budget issues. They were joined at the meeting by Ryan Fleming, a logger involved in the biomass business, and Karmen and Joseph Scofield of Scofield Transport. The association's goals for 2017 include developing a revised forest property tax proposal, getting funding for a private woodland forest stewardship program and gaining funding to support existing certified logger training and attract and train new foresters and loggers.

Assemblywoman Jenne: Despite progress, the War on Poverty continues

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne says she will continue to fight to grow the North Country economy in an effort to provide the region's most disadvantaged families with an opportunity to climb out of poverty and give the working men and women in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties an opportunity to earn a living wage with benefits that protect their families.

Assemblywoman Jenne's comments came on the anniversary of the day more than 50 years ago that President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a War on Poverty.

President Johnson declared a War on Poverty on Jan. 8, 1964 to highlight poverty as a national crisis and human rights issue.

The Johnson administration's far-reaching initiatives ranged from Head Start to Medicare and Medicaid to help Americans get on their feet and provide for their families, as well as programs to reduce unemployment and ensure equal access to a good education.

Assemblywoman Jenne said positive strides have been made over the past half century, but she said far too many people in the North Country are still struggling.

"We have seen changes in the economy over the past two or three decades that have been particularly challenging for rural areas. That has led to even more economic stress in our region," she noted.

Assemblywoman Jenne said while some parts of the state have seen improved economic conditions more than 20,000 residents in the the assembly's River District still live in poverty.

"We need to continue our work to end poverty and provide families struggling to simply afford the basic necessities of life with hope for better opportunities. We need to continue to offer a helping hand to provide those families with the assistance they need so they can climb out of their current economic struggles," she said.

The assemblywoman pointed out St. Lawrence County has long had one of the top five highest poverty rates in the state, and the Jefferson County poverty rates are only slightly better.
The latest report on poverty from the New York State Community Action Association said 20.3 percent of the individuals in St. Lawrence County and 16.3 percent of the residents in Jefferson County live in poverty.

Those poverty rates climb to 24.3 percent in Jefferson County and 30.3 percent in St. Lawrence County for children under the age of 18. Assemblywoman Jenne said the challenge of poverty is greatest for female heads of households with children present, where the rates of poverty are 44 percent in St. Lawrence County and 47.5 percent in Jefferson County.

Assemblywoman Jenne, previously known as Assemblywoman Russell, said the Assembly Majority has long led the fight for better wages, increased economic opportunities and a strong safety net.

She pointed out last year’s state budget included $25 million to create anti-poverty task forces in communities throughout the state, including $1 million allocated to the city of Watertown, as part of the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative.

The Assembly also voted last year to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and make New York’s tax code more progressive to provide real relief to those who need it the most, according to the assemblywoman.

"It's also further proof of the need for the state to live up to its obligation with proper funding for our schools in districts struggling from low wealth factors," Assemblywoman said.

"We know that approximately half of our public school students in the North Country - 53 percent in St. Lawrence County and 47 percent in Jefferson County - are eligible for free and reduced lunches.

"We know the best way to break the cycle of poverty is to provide all of our students with a quality education and the funding so schools can provide the resources necessary to impact students that struggle the most to see there is hope to better their lives," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

"For generations, North Country residents used ingenuity and a strong work ethic to till our fields and find economic promise in our woods. We have to to provide opportunities so those seeking to climb out of poverty can see important values like a strong work ethic, a willingness and desire to obtain job training skills and responsibility pay off. Workers with those attributes will also benefit our region's economic development efforts," she added.

“I see the challenges facing North Country residents, and I will continue to fight for those so often left behind - those living in poverty and the working poor - because every New Yorker deserves to know if they put in the work they have a chance at a good life for themselves and their families,” according to Assemblywoman Jenne.

Assemblywoman Jenne: New session an opportunity to keep fighting for what matters most for the North Country

Assemblywoman Addie A. E. Jenne, D-Theresa, says she is ready to get to work to continue to fight for economic growth for the North Country, fair education funding policies for local schools and continued access to health care for state residents.

“I look forward to continuing to work on issues that matter to North Country families so that we can make our region and our state stronger and full of more opportunity,” Assemblywoman Jenne, formerly known as Assemblywoman Russell, said Wednesday evening following the opening day of the 240th session of the New York State Legislature.

Assemblywoman Jenne said she agreed with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie’s focus on working on policies to drive job creation, invest in infrastructure and address income inequality that he shared with lawmakers during his opening remarks to the state Assembly.

She also noted her continued commitment to getting tax relief for working families, creating more good-paying local jobs and providing funding necessary for improvements to aging roads and bridges in a move that also benefits economic development efforts.

Assemblywoman Jenne said she believes the challenges facing the state means now is not the time to let the so-called millionaire’s tax expire.

"It is now more important than ever to ensure that everyone pays their fair share. We need to close the gap between the top 1 percent of income earners and everyone else. It’s time we have a fair, progressive tax code that provides relief for those who need it the most, like hard-working North Country families," she said.

Assemblywoman Jenne said she wholeheartedly agreed with Speaker Heastie's call for this to be the year the state sets a timetable for fully funding foundation aid for the state's most economically challenged public schools.

"The state has a legal obligation to provide equity in its school funding policies. This will benefit North Country schools that serve communities with a high percentage of families facing personal economic challenges," she said.

"Our students' access to quality education can not and should not be tied to a community's wealth. Our forefathers developed a system of public education designed to provide all students, regardless of their economic status, with equal access to a quality education. We have a moral obligation to follow their lead," Assemblywoman Jenne.

She also noted Speaker Heastie pointed out the governor's call for free tuition for SUNY and CUNY students is in line with legislation that has been championed in the state Assembly for years.

"I have long fought to make sure we continue to make sure college remains affordable for families in our state. Free tuition at state colleges is not a novel approach," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

"It is a recognition that we are hurting our state's economic growth by sending so many of our college students into the work world with heavy student debt that limits their spending options as adults," she added.

"It's also an acknowledgement the gap in incomes between those with and those without college degrees has continued to grow wider as we have lost manufacturing jobs in the North Country and around the state and nation," according to the assembly member.

She said two other points the speaker made in his remarks are also issues that she is deeply committed to seeing achieved during the current legislative session.

"It is critical we act quickly to address full state funding of indigent legal services. This unfunded mandate has placed a heavy burden on our counties. The measure was passed unanimously in the state senate and state assembly. We know this legislation was close to becoming law in recent days, and we need to work to make that happen in the near future," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

She said in light of potential changes on the horizon at the federal level it will be important for state lawmakers to pass legislation to ensure state residents have access to affordable health care and safeguard women’s reproductive rights.

“We need to ensure that everyone has the health care they need when they need it, and that they are empowered to make decisions based on what’s right for them and their families, not what a politician dictates,” Assemblywoman Jenne stressed.

Assemblywoman Jenne eager to see more details from Gov. Cuomo's free SUNY tuition proposal

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne says she is very interested in a proposal the governor announced Tuesday morning calling for free tuition to SUNY and CUNY students whose families make less than $125,000 a year.

"I am eager to learn more about the details in the governor's proposal. Affordable higher education is something I have fought hard to ensure North Country families can access." she said.

"I have always supported funding SUNY appropriately and worked with my colleagues in the assembly to hold the line on tuition increases to help keep college affordable. An income limit of $125,000 per year has the potential to be a game changer for many North Country families that struggle with the affordability of higher education," Assemblywoman Jenne, formerly known as Assemblywoman Russell, pointed out.

She said she is interested in other budget priorities the governor will lay out in his proposed 2017-18 budget.

"This is an important step, but it will have to be evaluated with the other spending priorities the governor unveils in the coming days and weeks. I have been a long-time supporter of public education and am hopeful he will choose to make equitable funding of all public schools in New York State another budget priority this year," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

"For far too long in this state, schools in districts with high property wealth have been able to offer their students far more educational opportunities than students coming from low-wealth districts," she added.

"Much like offering free tuition to SUNY students, we also need to make sure our elementary and secondary public schools receive equitable funding. We know that providing a trained workforce that can afford to live and work in New York is the best investment we can make," Assemblywoman Jenne stressed.

Assemblywoman Jenne pledges to continue fight for state to take over cost of indigent defense services

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne says she was very disappointed by the governor's decision to veto legislation that would have brought equity to indigent defense funding in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.

"I will join with my colleagues in the state Assembly and the state Senate to fight to ensure this legislation is a priority in the 2017-18 budget deliberations. I have been a strong supporter of this legislation from day one. The cost of indigent defense is most onerous on our state's poorest counties, including St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties," Assemblywoman Jenne, formerly known as Assemblywoman Russell, said,.

"The governor has missed an opportunity to sign legislation that had strong bipartisan support in both houses of the state legislature. This veto once again keeps the heaviest burden on counties like those in the North Country with the least resources," she said.

"State funding of the indigent defense program would have ensured defendants from all economic backgrounds had effective representation. This is an issue of fairness. It would also have  put all counties in the state on the same footing and provided important mandate relief for taxpayers in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties ," she added.
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St. Lawrence County spent $2.3 million to fund its indigent defense program in 2014. The cost for indigent defense in Jefferson County is just under $2 million.

While the U.S. and New York State constitutions mandate that those unable to afford counsel be provided with legal representation, counties have struggled to properly fund and operate consistent, quality public defense programs. From providing health care services to maintaining local roads and keeping residents safe, counties simply don’t have enough money to also adequately pick up the tab for indigent legal services.

A recent settlement between the state and five counties (Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Suffolk and Washington) brought this issue to light and called for the state Office of Indigent Legal Services to reform the system of legal representation for defendants who cannot afford counsel in those counties. 

By having the state pay to improve indigent defense in just those counties, though, an unequal system was created in which people in some parts of the state have better access to quality representation than those in other areas.

"That’s why the Assembly passed this legislation – so that all New Yorkers, regardless of where they live, have access to quality legal representation. The governor’s veto of this bill doesn’t make sense," Assemblywoman Jenne said.