During a press conference on February 25, Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt, along with members of the Senate Housing Committee and the Senate Republican Conference, unveiled a comprehensive package of housing legislation designed to help New Yorkers build homes that are affordable in an effort to keep homeowners here in the Empire State.

The package includes affordability incentives for first-time homeowners and lowers the construction costs by removing regulatory burdens, such as streamlining the environmental review process to build homes. The package aims to increase housing supply by establishing a task force composed of local government officials, state agencies, and other stakeholders to develop best practices for local governments to incentivize housing development. In addition, the package includes legislation that ensures rent-controlled and stabilized housing goes to those who need it most.

“To keep New Yorkers living here, we need to ensure that housing is attainable and reasonably priced. The lack of housing affordability remains one of the most difficult economic hurdles facing our state, and a major driver of the affordability crisis that has so many New Yorkers leaving year after year. This is a direct result of policies by our Democratic colleagues. In contrast, our legislative package is about cutting costs, building more, and keeping New Yorkers here,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt.

“For some, it may be uncomfortable to talk about politics. But the reality is that Albany Democrats’ high taxes, costly energy mandates, and excessive regulations are making homeownership harder to achieve. New York families are working hard and trying to put down roots, yet rising construction costs and skyrocketing utility bills are pushing the dream of owning a home further out of reach. These policies are also making it more difficult for retirees to stay in their homes. My housing and energy affordability package offers real, practical solutions. It reduces costly energy mandates that drive up utility bills, lowers construction costs, increases housing supply, and delivers meaningful property tax relief. If the Governor and the Legislature are serious about affordability, they should set aside their politics and pass these bills. Let’s work together to lower costs, expand opportunity, and make it possible for families, seniors, and workers to build a future and stay in New York,” said Senator Pam Helming, Member of the Senate Housing, Construction & Community Development Committee.

Included in the package are proposals that would:

Increase Housing Supply

S.538 (Martins) – Means test rent-controlled apartments to ensure that people who need affordable housing are occupying them.

S.3545 (Borrello) – Streamlines the environmental review process to make it easier to build more homes.

S.529 (Martins) – Establishes the local initiatives task force on housing, in order to collaborate with local government officials, state agencies, and stakeholders to develop best practices for local governments to incentivize housing development.

S.576 (Helming) – Create tax incentives for manufactured housing developers to build affordable homes in rural areas.

Homeownership Affordability

S.850 (Helming) – Provides a first-time homebuyer tax credit for local property taxes.

S.8489 (Weber) – Freezes real property taxes for three years to provide relief to New York homeowners. New York has some of the highest property taxes in the nation.

S.852 (Helming) – Give homebuyers who rehabilitate dilapidated properties an exemption from property tax reassessment.

S.9270 (Chan) – Establishes a new part of the housing court dedicated exclusively to buildings 35 units or less. The owners and tenants of these smaller buildings would benefit from faster resolution of issues.

Lower Construction Costs

S.1167 (Mattera) – Repeal the All-Electric Building Act. The all-electric mandate will increase the cost of the average single-family home by about $20,000.

S.8621 (Mattera) – Allow building developers to comply with the less costly and less burdensome 2020 Energy Codes in lieu of the 2025 Energy Code. This would result in lowering the cost of an average single-family home by approximately $7,400.

“Too many New Yorkers, especially young families and first-time homebuyers, are watching the American Dream of homeownership slip further out of reach. Between crushing property taxes, excessive regulations, and programs that too often miss the people they were meant to serve, the deck is stacked against those trying to put down roots in the communities they call home. This package advances common-sense reforms to increase the housing supply, cut unnecessary regulatory burdens, and provide property tax relief. These are practical steps toward restoring opportunity, bringing down costs, and making it possible for more families to build their future right here in New York,” said Senator George Borrello, SD 57th.

During a press conference in Albany on February 25, Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt, along with members of the Senate Housing Committee and the Senate Republican Conference, unveiled a comprehensive package of housing legislation designed to help New Yorkers build homes that are affordable in an effort to keep homeowners here in the Empire State.

The package includes affordability incentives for first-time homeowners and lowers the construction costs by removing regulatory burdens, such as streamlining the environmental review process to build homes. The package aims to increase housing supply by establishing a task force composed of local government officials, state agencies, and other stakeholders to develop best practices for local governments to incentivize housing development. In addition, the package includes legislation that ensures rent-controlled and stabilized housing goes to those who need it most.

“To keep New Yorkers living here, we need to ensure that housing is attainable and reasonably priced. The lack of housing affordability remains one of the most difficult economic hurdles facing our state, and a major driver of the affordability crisis that has so many New Yorkers leaving year after year. This is a direct result of policies by our Democratic colleagues. In contrast, our legislative package is about cutting costs, building more, and keeping New Yorkers here,” said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt.

“New York families are working hard and trying to put down roots, yet rising construction costs and skyrocketing utility bills are pushing the dream of owning a home further out of reach. These policies are also making it more difficult for retirees to stay in their homes,” said Senator Pam Helming, Member of the Senate Housing, Construction & Community Development Committee. “My housing and energy affordability package offers real, practical solutions. It reduces costly energy mandates that drive up utility bills, lowers construction costs, increases housing supply, and delivers meaningful property tax relief. If the Governor and the Legislature are serious about affordability, they should set aside their politics and pass these bills. Let’s work together to lower costs, expand opportunity, and make it possible for families, seniors, and workers to build a future and stay in New York.”

Included in the package are proposals that would:

Increase Housing Supply

• S.538 (Martins) – Means test rent-controlled apartments to ensure that people who need affordable housing are occupying them.
• S.3545 (Borrello) – Streamlines the environmental review process to make it easier to build more homes.
• S.529 (Martins) – Establishes the local initiatives task force on housing, in order to collaborate with local government officials, state agencies, and stakeholders to develop best practices for local governments to incentivize housing development.
• S.576 (Helming) – Create tax incentives for manufactured housing developers to build affordable homes in rural areas.

Homeownership Affordability

• S.850 (Helming) – Provides a first-time homebuyer tax credit for local property taxes.
• S.8489 (Weber) – Freezes real property taxes for three years to provide relief to New York homeowners. New York has some of the highest property taxes in the nation.
• S.852 (Helming)- Give homebuyers who rehabilitate dilapidated properties an exemption from property tax reassessment.
• S.9270 (Chan)– Establishes a new part of the housing court dedicated exclusively to buildings with 35 units or less. The owners and tenants of these smaller buildings would benefit from faster resolution of issues.

Lower Construction Costs

• S.1167 (Mattera) – Repeal the All-Electric Building Act. The all-electric mandate will increase the cost of the average single-family home by about $20,000.
• S.8621 (Mattera) – Allow building developers to comply with the less costly and less burdensome 2020 Energy Codes in lieu of the 2025 Energy Code. This would result in lowering the cost of an average single-family home by approximately $7,400.

“Too many New Yorkers, especially young families and first-time homebuyers, are watching the American Dream of homeownership slip further out of reach. Between crushing property taxes, excessive regulations, and programs that too often miss the people they were meant to serve, the deck is stacked against those trying to put down roots in the communities they call home. This package advances common-sense reforms to increase the housing supply, cut unnecessary regulatory burdens, and provide property tax relief. These are practical steps toward restoring opportunity, bringing down costs, and making it possible for more families to build their future right here in New York,” said Senator George Borrello, SD 57th.

Provided information and photo

The Hilton Village Election is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, from noon to 9 p.m. at the Hilton Community Center, 59 Henry Street. There are seven candidates across four party lines: three candidates are vying for the office of mayor, and four are vying for two open trustee positions. All are to serve a four-year term.

CITIZENS PARTY
Larry Speer, Candidate for Mayor
Speer says, “Experience matters when it comes to leading our community.” He served for 22 years on the Village Board, acting as liaison to the Zoning Board, Building Department, Recreation Department, and Fire Department. A 34-year volunteer firefighter for the Hilton FD, Speer served 14 years on its board of directors. During his career, he spent 38 years as a Senior Engineering Technician at Eastman Kodak and L3Harris, 20 years with a family-owned construction company, 30 years as a part-time employee at Thomas E. Burger Funeral Home, and 40 years as the owner/operator of a snowplow business. He has volunteered with the Hilton school sports teams, served as chairman of the Hilton Rotary Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast, and served on the board of Parma Union Cemetery. Speer’s vision is to utilize his problem-solving and collaboration skills to deliver high-quality services for Hilton residents, promote local businesses, and establish a community-based ambulance service within the Hilton Fire Department.

HILTON FIRST PARTY
Michael Sengillo, Candidate for Mayor
Sengillo is a longtime resident of Hilton, a proud father and grandfather, and a dedicated local business owner. Working in one of the most demanding businesses in NYS, Sengillo believes the Village of Hilton should be run with the same responsibility, efficiency, and accountability as a successful business. He has a deep passion for his community and says he wants to bring fresh, practical ideas to the table. He holds an associate’s degree from Monroe Community College and has given back to the community through volunteer work with the Hilton Lions Club, Hilton Apple Fest, Habitat for Humanity, and as a Cub Scout leader. Sengillo is committed to protecting what makes Hilton special—its close-knit community, public safety, and local businesses—while leading with transparency, common sense, and integrity. Sengillo said, “I am ready to lead Hilton with honesty, dedication, and a clear focus on what matters most: our families and our future.”

Joe Lee, Candidate for Trustee
Lee has served as Hilton’s mayor since 2014, and in March 2025, announced that he would not run for another term in that office. He hopes to continue serving the community, albeit in a different capacity as trustee, a position he held for a decade before being elected mayor. Lee is a long-time village resident and a member of Hilton High School’s Class of 1970. He worked for Eastman Kodak, retiring after 36 years of service. He is an active member of several organizations, including the Hilton Lions Club, Knights of Columbus Council #9461, and the Hilton Apple Fest Committee, and volunteers with the Salvation Army and Foodlink. “It has been an honor to work on behalf of our community,” Lee said. “I remain committed to continuing the work we’ve started together — focusing on public safety, quality of living, growth, and supporting our newly elected Mayor.”

HILTON FORWARD PARTY
Christine A. Brower, Candidate for Trustee
A village resident for 33 years, Brower says her decision to run for trustee is driven by a desire to ensure that Hilton continues to thrive, thoughtfully balancing progress with the preservation of its unique character. She served on the Planning Board from 2007 to 2011 and continues to attend Zoning Board meetings to stay current on local development and policy matters. “I understand the importance of thoughtful planning, fiscal responsibility, and transparent governance,” Brower said. She is a longtime employee of the University of Rochester, where she earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Local involvements include Quest PTSO, Hilton Heat Soccer Club, and the Hilton Apple Festival Board. Brower says she wants to bring a dedicated, experienced, and community-focused perspective to the village board. “I am committed to being a strong advocate for our residents and a responsible steward of our village’s future.” 

John E. Steinmetz, Candidate for Trustee
Steinmetz has lived in Hilton for over 30 years, raising his family and starting a business (Steinmetz Planning Group) in the community. With a degree in City Planning, he has worked with local governments across the state as a community planning consultant. He was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2020 and is currently Principal Planner and Regional Discipline Leader at Colliers Engineering and Design. Steinmetz says he is running for trustee to utilize his professional and personal experience to benefit the community. “I believe Hilton deserves leadership that is proactive, forward thinking, and focused on the things that matter most to residents – keeping our village financially sound and not only maintaining, but elevating the quality of life we all value, and ensuring everyone has a voice in decisions that affect our community.” He previously served several years on the Hilton Planning Board and has completed multiple consulting assignments on behalf of the Village.

HILTON’S FUTURE PARTY
Andrew Fowler, Candidate for Mayor
A lifelong Hilton resident, Fowler has served three terms as trustee, with experience as vice mayor and as liaison to the Town of Parma, Hilton CSD, and Hilton-Parma Fire Commission. He has been the sitting board member on the Village’s Budget Committee since 2018. Noting the Village’s fiscal responsibility, Fowler said, “Being a debt-free municipality is one of our community’s greatest accomplishments.” He is a Special Education teacher at Monroe 2–Orleans BOCES, where he teaches career readiness skills to high school and postsecondary students with diverse abilities. At BOCES, he is a member of the BOCES 2 United Professionals Executive Board, a liaison to administration, and a Curriculum Team Leader. His wife, Samantha, also teaches Special Education at BOCES. Their sons both attend Hilton schools. “My family is the reason I do the work I do,” Fowler said. “I want my children to grow up in a community that they are proud of, similar to the way I was raised.”

Jamie Attoma, Candidate for Trustee
Attoma has lived in Hilton for the past ten years, and her husband is a lifelong resident. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA in finance, and has worked in strategic sourcing as well as talent and human resources across various industries. “My background has provided me with a strong understanding of budgeting, financial responsibility, strategic planning, and people-centered leadership—skills that are essential for effective local government service,” Attoma said. She is a volunteer and commissioner with Hilton-Parma Recreation and supports its Friends group. She believes in supporting local businesses and that community engagement is essential to building trust and making informed decisions. “As a village trustee, I would advocate for transparency and accountability by ensuring village budgets, meetings, and decisions are accessible and easy for residents to understand. I also believe in maintaining safe and welcoming neighborhoods and supporting the public safety and emergency services that keep our community strong.”

Surrounded by family, friends, colleagues, and partners at every level of government, Supervisor McCann reflected on the people and experiences that shaped his path, honored the leaders who came before him, and outlined a clear vision for Greece’s future.

McCann said, “At our level of government, there shouldn’t be a Democrat or Republican way to get the job done-only a commitment to doing what’s right for our community.”

McCann says he is ready to get to work for the people of Greece with a focus on transparency, ethical leadership, and responsive government.

Town Councilmembers, David DiPonzio, Spencer Bernard, Amorette Miller, and Rick Antelli Jr. also took their oaths of office at the meeting.

There are moments in public life when you can feel a state shifting beneath your feet. Not in a dramatic way, not with fireworks or headlines—but in the quieter, steady way that people talk about their lives. You hear it at diners, in union halls, at hockey rinks, or on the ball field, along Main Street, “We love this place…we just want it to work again.”

And that’s really it. People aren’t asking for miracles. They’re asking for a government that matches their effort. They’re asking for politics that feels grown up again. They’re asking for a future that doesn’t feel like it’s slipping further away.

Leadership means listening, not lecturing; we must change, and it’s not about branding or slogans—it is about humility. New York, too, has changed. And if we want a future worthy of the people who call this state home, then our politics must change with it.

More Decent, Practical Politics

I’m a Republican, yes—but before that, I’m a New Yorker. A Greece kid. A dad. Someone who believes public service is exactly that: service.

We need politics that reward seriousness over shouting. Politics that’s less about “owning” the other side and more about owning up to the hard truths we’ve put off for too long. Politics where we acknowledge something very simple:

We have to be forward-looking. Optimistic. Responsible. That’s not weak; that’s leadership.

A New York That Works—Not Just Talks

Let’s be honest: people are exhausted with a government that feels slow, clunky, and unresponsive. They’re tired of the sense that you need a degree in bureaucracy just to renew a license or open a small business.

This is where we can do better—much better.

Streamline our state agencies so your government responds in days, not months.

Modernize systems with secure digital tools, including blockchain-backed recordkeeping, to reduce fraud and save taxpayers’ money.

Create clear performance standards for agencies and hold leadership accountable for meeting them.

Strengthen ethics oversight so New Yorkers can trust that decisions are being made for the right reasons.

These aren’t partisan ideas. They’re sensible ones.

A Working- and Middle-Class Agenda That Actually Delivers

Too often, Albany debates look like arguments between interest groups rather than conversations about actual people. Let’s reset that.

Our priorities should be clear:

Property tax relief that genuinely impacts homeowners.

A workforce pipeline that trains people for the jobs that are actually growing in Upstate New York, modern manufacturing, health care, and advanced logistics.

Affordable childcare partnerships so parents can re-enter the workforce without going broke.

Infrastructure investments that strengthen our region for the next 50 years—not just the next election cycle.

This is how we rebuild an economy grounded in real opportunity.

A Smarter, Safer New York

Safety is the foundation of everything else. But the debate has become far too binary for a problem this complex.

We need a balanced approach, one that:

Keeps violent offenders off our streets;

Supports recruitment and training for a new generation of police officers;

Adds more mental health services so police aren’t asked to do every job under the sun; and

Invests in community-based prevention programs that have the data to prove they work.

That’s not a left-wing agenda or a right-wing agenda. It’s a grown-up agenda.

A Call for Renewal—Not Resentment

The truth is this: New York doesn’t need more outrage. It needs more optimism.

What I’ve learned, knocking on doors, talking to families, and listening to local businesses, is that people still believe in this place. They believe in New York’s grit and Monroe County and Rochester’s ingenuity. They believe in community. They believe in what we can build together.

What they don’t believe in is politics as performance.

So let me say this plainly: We have to change. Not because the polls say so, not because consultants dream it up, but because New Yorkers deserve politics worthy of them.

We have to be more open, more thoughtful, more modern, and more honest about the challenges ahead. We have to govern with the next generation in mind, not the next news cycle.

A State Worth Fighting For

New York’s best days don’t have to be behind us. The talent is here. The drive is here. The communities that built this state are still here, working hard every day.

All we need is leadership—calm, confident, hopeful leadership—that says:

Yes, things are tough. But yes, we can fix them.

Not by shouting louder, but by working smarter.

Not by dividing people, but by bringing them back together.

Not with nostalgia or grievance, but with genuine belief in what New York can be.

If we choose that path—if we choose renewal over resentment—then the future of our state will be brighter than any cynic would dare admit.

And as your assemblyman, that’s the future I’ll keep fighting for.

Provided information

Members of Brockport American Legion Post 379 marked the 84^th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and honored World War II veterans on December 7 by laying wreaths at area cemeteries.  

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  That attack killed 2,300 Americans – that is, people of Latin descent, people of African descent, of Middle Eastern descent, of Asian, Native-American, and European descent.  All swore an oath to the U.S. Constitution – all were Americans. That attack brought the United States into war with Japan as well as with Germany and Italy – the Axis powers. Their governments were based on the idea that some people are better than others; those of African or Jewish ancestry were seen as inferior.  This violates a basic tenet of our democracy – that all men are created equal. World War II was fought in a very real sense to defend the ideals of our democracy.

Post Adjutant Bill Fine said, “It is our honor and duty today to honor the sacrifices made by service members during Pearl Harbor and WW II with the laying of this wreath.” 

Provided information

Veterans from the Brockport American Legion lay a wreath in memory of Pearl Harbor Day at an area cemetery. Pictured are (l-r) Jimmy Cliff, David Miller, and Jack Tangen. Photo by Bill Fine. 

People have forgotten the new theory of presidential authorization floated up in the classified documents case. Any and every document is declassified as soon as the President says it is.
In today’s federal government, there is no paperwork required, no accountability channels to clear, just the President’s word.

Even sweeping national policies can be enacted in one breath today and taken away in one breath tomorrow. 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico today, zero tariffs tomorrow. An end to TikTok today, back in business tomorrow. Forced and final displacement of Gazans today, a return of Gazans to their land tomorrow.

Land deals are handled the same way. Today the President can “own” great big strips of foreign land with no diplomacy or treaty paperwork involved. Greenland, Gaza, Gulf of America, Panama Canal belong to America just by the President’s say so.

If you have all the power and all the money, just blow some wind out of your mouth.

A search of the internet reveals that “Enthusiasm for new goals wanes around this time,” and, in fact, “80% of Americans have given up completely by February.”

America truly is a Quitter Nation. We have quit on the values and ethics of our ancestors. We have quit on our Constitutional law and our civil and criminal laws. We have given up on the idea that “hard work is the price for success.” We have left behind the days of the Peanut Farmer President and arrived at the day of the Sexual Predator/Multiple Felony President.

We have little resolve to do good for ourselves, our neighbors, or the world. We are a nation of inveterate windbags.

In 2012, Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas signed legislation, supported by Arthur Laffer, a key architect of President Reagan’s tax policy, cutting the state taxes, which he described as “a real live experiment” in supply-side economics, and it would be a “shot of adrenaline into the heart of the Kansas economy.” However, the tax cuts did not produce job growth. Private sector job growth was lower than its neighboring states. Moody’s Investors Service and Standard and Poor’s Rating downgraded the state’s credit rating, making borrowing more expensive. Education took the biggest hit with increased class size, eliminating art programs, laid-off janitors and librarians, and rising fees for kindergarten. The Kansas Department of Transportation announced they were “indefinitely delaying” road projects while roads deteriorated because the state took funds from the highway department to balance the state general budget. The Kansas experiment was deemed a failure.

Despite the economic failure of supply-side economics, Republicans remain committed to it. For example, in Mr. Trump’s first term in office, the Republicans’ signature legislation was the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA), which was supposed to stimulate the economy, create job growth, and increase federal revenues. According to the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), the tax cuts were largely responsible for increasing the national debt by $8.4 trillion. (In contrast, Mr. Biden’s legislation, including the American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure legislation, the Chips and Science Act, the Pact Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, added only $4.3 trillion). While the economy remained resilient during most of Mr. Trump’s first administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that America lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs under Mr. Trump’s administration BEFORE the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Mr. Biden’s administration, more than 700,000 new manufacturing jobs have been created.

Job creation does not occur when there are abundant profits but when there is an abundance of customer demand. Thanks to President Biden, his economic agenda created a strong economy, as evidenced by strong consumer spending this past holiday season.