AARP supports Spitzer health care initiatives

ALBANY, NY — AARP New York has announced its support for provisions in Gov. Spitzer’s budget that assist older New Yorkers.

The organization specifically supports provisions that promote long-term care. Among these are a provision that maintains funding for home and community-based care and adds $8.5 million to support continued cost of living adjustments for Expanded In-home Services for the Elderly Program, Community Services for the Elderly Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); and another that provides $5 million in funding to invest in innovative new technologies to expand and improve the availability of tele-home health care.

The support comes at a time when other aspects of the budget, that would involve closing medical facilities around the state, have come under heavy fire from other groups.

Independent living center for Sullivan gets a boost

ALBANY, NY — State Senator John J. Bonacic (R/I/C - Mount Hope) has announced that the senate’s budget plan includes $1 million in additional funding, at his request, to support the creation of an Independent Living Center in Sullivan County. Independent Living Centers in New York State are community-based, nonprofit, consumer controlled centers available to all people with disabilities.

“Sullivan County is a large county that does not have an Independent Living Center,” said Bonacic. “While Action Toward Independence has a satellite office, a full-service center will help to meet the needs of the disabled in Sullivan County.”

Independent Living Centers provide important services for the disabled such as peer counseling, independent living skills training, housing assistance, securing, maintaining equipment, all geared toward promoting self-help and equal access. The centers also provide information and referral services to enable disabled individuals to make informed choices about living and working independently.

Clinton pushes energy fund

WASHINGTON, DC — In light of rising gasoline prices, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has renewed her call for a “Strategic Energy Fund” to develop alternative energy technologies. Her office has released figures showing that at current prices, New Yorkers are now spending over $581 million per month more on gasoline than they did in 2001. The estimates showed an added monthly gasoline cost for Sullivan County of about $3.7 million.

Clinton has introduced legislation to create a “Strategic Energy Fund” to jumpstart research and investment in clean energy technologies in order to promote job growth, energy independence and a cleaner environment.

Rising crude oil prices and unexpected cold weather that has swept through the region have factored into the recent price spikes. This swell in demand, coupled with fears of annual spring shortages, has experts predicting another summer of soaring gas prices.

Hinchey takes media to task

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) have called on the major television networks to address the findings of a new Media Matters for America study that shows Republican and conservative voices dominating the influential Sunday-morning talk shows.

“When network news shows favor one political point of view over others, the American people are cheated out of an open, honest and fair discussion. The American people are the owners of the public air waves, and the networks have an obligation and responsibility to use those airwaves to offer a balanced presentation of ideas and perspectives from Democrats and Republicans alike,” said Hinchey, who is the founder and chairman of the Future of American Media Caucus.

Among the findings of the study was the fact that, despite network claims that a conservative advantage existed because Republicans controlled Congress and the White House, only one show, ABC’s “This Week,” has been roughly balanced between both sides overall since the congressional majority switched hands in the 2006 midterm elections.

Six-lane 17 may be on the way

WASHINGTON, DC — Senator Charles Schumer is promoting the idea of turning New York State Route 17 into a six-lane highway in order to accommodate the additional traffic expected from building casinos in the Catskills.

The New York State Department of Transportation is currently engaged in a feasibility study of expanding the lanes, which it expects to complete early in 2008. Two years ago, Schumer estimated the project would cost $900 billion.

The St. Regis Mohawks tribe, which has been given approval to build a casino in Monticello, sponsored a study estimating that 600 vehicles per hour would come in to the casino from Route 17 on Friday evening and 900 per hour would exit on Sunday afternoon. Route 17 already carries a peak of about 3,000 vehicles at those times.

Hinchey chimes in on Gonzalez scandal

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) is demanding answers from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales regarding a National Journal article that reveals Gonzales worked to block an internal U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation of the National Security Agency (NSA) warrantless surveillance program. According to the report, Gonzales advised Bush on shutting down the DOJ probe after finding out that the investigation, which Hinchey and three House colleagues requested, would focus on his role in approving and implementing the NSA warrantless surveillance program as White House counsel and then Attorney General.

“We are talking about some very serious ethical and quite possibly criminal violations committed by Attorney General Gonzales and maybe President Bush if he was aware of OPR’s intentions when he blocked that investigation,” said Hinchey.