The South Shore Press caught up exclusively with New York State Assemblyman Joe DeStefano in the halls of the Capitol in Albany this week to discuss several major issues facing New Yorkers.
The Suffolk County Republican weighed in on the state's growing budget, efforts to support volunteer firefighters, the impact of one-party Democratic control in Albany, and a controversial proposal that would give lawmakers greater authority over congressional redistricting.
Budget and Spending
“The budget was $169 billion when I got here in 2019. We just passed a budget that's $268 billion. That's almost $100 billion more in spending in eight years,” DeStefano said. “There is still a lot of wasteful spending that we need to look at. We're on an unsustainable path if we keep going the way we're going, and there's not enough in this budget to change the affordability crisis facing New Yorkers.”
Volunteer Firefighters
“We made sure we took care of our volunteer firefighters by fighting for a real income tax credit,” DeStefano said. “We wanted to give them $2,500, but we ended up with $800. If you're married and both volunteer, that could mean up to $1,600 in tax credits. It's a step in the right direction because every department is struggling to recruit and retain volunteers.”
One-Party Rule
“In a one-party rule state, not everybody's voice is heard,” DeStefano said. “When one side controls everything, there isn't meaningful participation from the minority party. That's unfortunate because taxpayers benefit when different viewpoints are represented and debated.”
Redistricting
“The voters created an independent redistricting commission for a reason,” DeStefano said. “Now they're trying to change the rules and give politicians more power over the maps. If lawmakers can redraw districts whenever they don't like the outcome, that's bad for democracy and undermines public confidence in the process.”