WPCNR'S THE PAULIN REPORT. From Assemblywoman Amy Paulin of the 88th. May 25, 2005:

Dear Neighbors,

This year I am proud to announce that the state budget was adopted on
time for the first time in twenty years. I have been advocating for
timely adoption of the state budget since I was elected in November,
2000 and am pleased that this reform has been accomplished.

The budget brings more money to our schools – one of my most important
priorities. I am thankful that school districts in the 88th district
will be able to plan ahead and guard against program cuts.

Our cities, towns and villages have gained as well – a total of $1.2
million above last year’s figure. I am especially gratified that I was
able to bring an additional $613,129 to New Rochelle, $540,104 to White
Plains, and $22,203 to the towns and villages.

In the six weeks left in the session, I am working on 60 new bills,
among them:

*Closing loopholes in the thirty-year-old Open Meetings Law.* My bill
would require government agencies to edit out confidential information
contained in electronically stored documents, rather than denying the
entire document, when a Freedom of Information request is made.

*Helping crime victims.* This bill arises from a Westchester case in
which a learning-disabled child was a witness in a murder trial;
traumatized by the ordeal, he needed special schooling, compensation for
which was denied. With Senator Nick Spano, I have introduced legislation
to allow the Crime Victims Board to compensate victims whose preexisting
condition has been worsened by their unintentional involvement with a
crime.* *

*Counterfeit drugs.* In the past few years, incidents in which
unscrupulous wholesalers have introduced counterfeit drugs into the
mainstream drug market have increased dramatically. Patients may receive
drugs that have been watered down or that contain inactive ingredients.
My bill, the Prescription Medication Integrity Act, will require
wholesalers doing business in New York to provide detailed background
information in their application for registration and renewal, as well
as a surety bond of $100,000. The bill will also require each
prescription drug wholesaler to establish a pedigree accounting for the
receipt and distribution of each prescription drug. The bill will also
increase penalties for violations of the provisions governing the
distribution of prescription drugs*.*

*Tuckahoe School District. *My bill would amend the real property tax
law to establish a special equalization rate for the Tuckahoe School
District. At present, Tuckahoe, Bronxville and parts of Eastchester are
assessed as one unit, an inconsistency that exists nowhere else in the
state. My bill will correct this situation, bringing additional school
aid to Tuckahoe on a yearly basis and, most important, increasing
Tuckahoe school district’s building aid by approximately $100,000 a year.

I am happy to report that the Westchester County Board of Legislators
has approved the County’s joint application with the City of New
Rochelle for state funding for the cleanup of *Davids Island, *a 78-acre
island in the Long Island Sound. For more than a year, I have met with
officials of the County, the City of New Rochelle, the Department of
Environmental Conservation, other members of the New York State
legislature, and environmental advocates to facilitate the cleanup and
restoration of the island as a public parkland.

I commend the City of  New Rochelle for its dedication to remediating Davids Island and the
County Board for taking the necessary steps to begin the remediation
process. County Legislators Thomas Abinanti, chair of the Board’s
Environment Committee, James Maisano and Vito Pinto have worked
vigorously to ensure that the County’s commitment to purchasing and
restoring the island becomes a reality.

The *Westchester Medical Center* is in a financial crisis and appeals
have been made for state help. I have just released a 26-page report
outlining the factors contributing to the Medical Center’s fiscal crisis
and recommending steps to help resolve it. Among the findings:

    * Political influence has hampered the Medical Center’s ability to
      govern itself .

    * The County’s withdrawal of financial support in 1999 strained the
      hospital’s ability to become self sustaining.

Among the recommendations:

    * The County must commit to a reasonable subsidy the Medical Center
      can count on.

    * The County must improve the Medical Center’s ability to manage
      itself.

For a copy of the report, see my web page, *Assemblywoman Amy Paulin
*

Throughout the session, I am in Albany from Monday morning through
Wednesday evening.

One of the recent reforms, for which I campaigned,
requires members to be present on the floor in order to vote; this
measure has improved our collegiality and ability to negotiate
productively.

 From Thursday through Sunday I am available to see
constituents in the district office and to attend community events – at
present, I have the pleasure of attending some ten or twelve events each
week during this time.

I look forward to keeping in touch with my constituents. If I can be of
service to you, please call my office at (914) 723-1115.


Sincerely,
Amy Paulin
Member of Assembly