I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the Residents’ Council at the ArchCare at Ferncliff Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center. The topic? The personal needs allowance provided by Medicaid to residents.

The monthly stipend has been stuck at $50/month since the 1990s.

Each year, a law moves forward in the NY State legislature to increase the stipend. This year’s law would raise it to $200 and index it to inflation. I’ve spoken with Assemblymember Shrestha and State Senator Hinchey on the topic, and both support the increase. But it hasn’t made it into the budget or out of committee, as it doesn’t appear to be a priority for the Governor.

Meanwhile, at the national level, Republicans are moving forward with a budget that would cut billions from Medicaid over the next 10 years, creating millions of uninsured and devastating state and county budgets.

In the coming months, I’ll continue to work with the residents and the local ombudsman to help lobby for this change.

In this conversation, I speak with Village of Red Hook Mayor Karen Smythe about the work to bring the village septic system into compliance, climate smart certification, and the village’s new composting program, which is funded by a Dutchess County grant.

https://youtu.be/Fm5eCYizKg4

As you may have heard, I have a primary opponent this year. A political newcomer has collected enough signatures to create a Democratic Primary on June 24.

Republicans have already begun rallying behind my primary opponent, hoping to weaken my candidacy or perhaps remove me: an experienced, effective, progressive voice.

I’m proud of my record. I got involved two decades ago, helping to elect leaders and pass laws that protected our farms from development, preserved our open spaces, and prioritized growth in our villages.

I served for years as a volunteer on the Red Hook Planning Board, and later, the Zoning Board of Appeals, learning the ropes before running for elected office.

As a legislator, I passed term limits, ethics reform, and helped write the county’s Independent Redistricting law. I advocated for more resources to be allocated to the opioid epidemic and the mental health crisis. I held the administration accountable for construction cost overruns and poor planning practices.

In just the last 18 months, I led the fight to block a sales tax hike, organized to restore the county bus line, funded new mental health services for our district, and allocated $2M to reduce ambulance response times.

Unfortunately, a primary means unexpected additional costs for flyers, mailings, and getting our message out to the voters. Please help me to continue this work in the legislature by making a contribution to our campaign.

Whatever you can contribute, $100, $50, $25, will make a difference. I cannot do it alone. That’s why I’m turning to you, the people who know me best, and inviting you to get involved in my campaign and help make a difference.

Last night, the Dutchess County Legislature voted unanimously to require members of two additional boards to complete the county’s ethical and financial disclosure forms annually. I have been working on this change for five years.

In 2019, the legislature passed new ethics rules and disclosure requirements that included adding the members of four boards: the Dutchess County Labor Development Corporation (LDC), Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), the Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency (RRA) and the Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority (WWA). But in 2020, the Molinaro Administration removed the four boards from the list after complaints were lodged by Republican donors on the IDA and LDC who did not want to disclose their business ties.

Each year, I made the argument for adding the IDA & LDC back onto the list and finally, last year, with new leadership in the executive and legislative branches, the Republicans agreed to do that. The members of the IDA & LDC guide tax breaks to businesses who create new jobs or bring jobs to our county.

Last night, we added the final two boards to restore the list we originally agreed upon.

Transparency and oversight have always been a top priority for me in the legislature, and I am gratified to finally achieve this milestone.

In this conversation, I speak with Democratic Minority Leader Yvette Valdés Smith about our work stopping a sales tax hike in Dutchess County.

Dutchess County Comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair and I want to hear from you if you have lost a federal job, lost federal funding or any organization you are part of has lost federal money. Please visit this form and let us know!

https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Comptroller/Comptroller-Federal-Funding-Intake-Form.htm

Great Hands Off! rally in Kingston today protesting the wanton destruction and pillaging of our Federal Government by Elon Musk and the Trump Administration. Incredible turnout despite the rain. It was great to run into so many Red Hook and Rhinebeck folks at the event.

In this conversation, I speak with Lisa Kaul, Dutchess County Legislator for District 6 in the Town of Poughkeepsie. We discuss our efforts to improve transparency and oversight in county government. Legislator Kaul is a freshman member of our body who has been doing great work, and I’m proud to have partnered with her on this effort.

As part of last year’s budget, we expanded funding for mental health services specifically for our area. New medical office space is being created at the old Pet Country location and if all goes well, the new services will be available by year’s end. Check out the video to learn more.

In this conversation, I speak with Mayor Gary Bassett of Rhinebeck about some of the village’s current initiatives and plans. They discuss the recent revamping of the comprehensive plan, efforts to improve housing affordability, the Safe Routes to School initiative, and the challenges posed by climate change.