From Jane Manning, President of NOW
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To the Editor: I am writing to thank Assemblywoman Amy Paulin for her outstanding work to advance public safety, protect children’s health, and prevent violence against women. The National Organization for Women’s NYC chapter has found Amy Paulin to be one of New York State’s most effective champions for policies that better women’s and children’s lives.
Assemblywoman Paulin won passage of a bill eliminating the statute of limitations in rape cases (under the old law, a rapist who avoided arrest for five years could not be prosecuted under any circumstances, even if proven guilty by DNA evidence). Thanks to Amy Paulin there are rapists in jail—and that means new rapes that will not happen—because of this bill. She sponsored and passed legislation to lengthen orders of protection for domestic violence victims, to expand Family Court access to victims of dating violence, to create criminal penalties for abusers who prevent their victims from calling 911, and to stop human traffickers.
A vigorous advocate for preventive health care, she authored new laws to improve availability of flu and H1N1 vaccines, require insurance companies to cover treatment of mental illness, and expand dental care access for impoverished children.
One of the most productive members of the legislature, she gets results because she is exceptionally hard-working and is respected by Democratic and Republican legislators alike. When I call a Republican legislator or staffer about a bill and mention that it is authored by Assemblywoman Paulin, the bill is taken instantly more seriously because of the trust and respect Assemblywoman Paulin has earned from her colleagues in both parties. Our chapter of the National Organization for Women is deeply grateful to Amy Paulin for her outstanding service to the people of Westchester and New York State.
Sincerely,
Jane Manning
President, National Organization for Women, NYC Chapter
A Tale of Courage
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This letter was sent to the site by Julie Sullivan of Bronxville: Dear Scarsdale10583: I broke my neck in a car accident 16 years ago and became permanently quadriplegic. I had to start a new life in a wheelchair. There were many things that I would never be able to do. Other activities, such as driving, took a bit of courage but were possible. Driving is a treasured privilege. It gives me freedom, independence, and a sense of normalcy.
When I moved to New York, driving became an expensive hassle. Like many disabled drivers, I can’t put money in a meter. Although I had a disabled permit, I was constantly ticketed because the state had no law governing disability parking meters. Rain and snow compounded my aggravation because I can't reach my windshield. Wipers don't work with a ticket stuck to them and it is impossible to respond to a ticket that has been eviscerated by windshield wipers.
My pleas to State administrators for a meter exemption received this absurd response: We won’t help people who can't put money in a meter because it would be unfair to people who can. I felt like Alice in Wonderland. Defeated, I collected parking tickets. Every ticket was a reminder of my limitations.
Fortunately, while serving on the Disabilities Committee for Eastchester, I met Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. During one of those meetings, we discussed the absurd parking situation. Amy and her team quickly created and drafted the solution: a law that provides a statewide parking meter exemption for disabled drivers who can prove that they are physically incapable of feeding a meter. Although it is a common-sense measure, Amy had to fight tooth and nail and overcome opposition from New York City to win passage for the bill.
Passage of that law did not affect your taxes or curb government waste. It wasn’t headline news. It did, however, make an enormous difference every single day in the lives of ordinary people who face extraordinary challenges.
Assemblywoman Paulin's opponent refers to Amy's legislative accomplishments as "nice little bills" implying that they are unimportant. What she doesn't understand is that good government means that sometimes we have to pass nice little bills for nice little people like me who need them. During her tenure, Amy has tirelessly worked on big issues and small for the state, for the communities she represents, and for her constituents. Please consider her impressive record when you vote. Amy Paulin is an incumbent we need to keep in Albany.
Julie Sullivan
Bronxville
Amy Paulin Deserves Our Vote
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How can our representatives in Albany think they can borrow their way out of our financial troubles? It seems illogical and ridiculous, but it's happening all the time. The Democratic leadership wanted to borrow $2 billion to help balance the budget. Thank goodness that fiscally responsible lawmakers like Assemblywoman Amy Paulin broke with leadership. Paulin and just eleven other lawmakers were responsible for the decision to not borrow in New York's final budget. Kudos to Assemblywoman Paulin for looking out for the people she represents. And hats off to her for being her own person and standing up for what's right. On November 2nd, let's give credit where credit is due and cast a vote for a true fiscal conservative, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.
Jeffrey Zuckerman
In Support of Amy Paulin
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Letter to the Editor: We are getting closer to November elections and Scarsdale voters have to make some tough decisions. I've been looking closely at my Assemblymember in the 88th district. I was pleased to find that Assemblywoman Paulin continues to cast votes that are for the greater good. At a time when many lawmakers just vote the party line, Paulin continues to be her own person. It really struck a chord with me when I read that she broke with the Democratic leadership and voted against borrowing $2 billion to balance our state budget. If we had more lawmakers like Assemblywoman Paulin, New York wouldn't be in its current financial mess.
Eric A. Jaffe,
M.D., Scarsdale, N.Y.
Dear Scarsdale10583: When a lawmaker proposes a new tax on us, it is important that we have someone in Albany to fight back. That person is Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. She continues to fight against tax increases and has most recently stopped new taxes on soda, gasoline, cable television, movie theater tickets and Broadway shows. Assemblywoman Paulin has also halted increases in our income tax rate and the mortgage recording tax on co-ops. Can you imagine how many of our hard earned dollars would have been lost had these taxes taken effect? This November we need to re-elect Assemblywoman Amy Paulin so she can continue to be our advocate in Albany, making sure we are not saddled with unfair and burdensome taxes.
Thank you,
Julie Hoofnagle
To the Editor: As a Westchester County resident, mother of four children, and a child abuse pediatrician, I have been amazed at Assemblywoman Amy Paulin’s dedication, knowledge, perseverance and skill – particularly in the area of protecting children and keeping children safe. Almost 165,000 cases of child abuses and maltreatment in the State were investigated in 2009. More than 6,100 of these happened in Westchester County.
Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has worked tirelessly to protect the safety and well-being of our children. Having learned of the tragic death of young Nixmary Brown in New York City and of others here in Westchester, Amy actively investigated in hearings throughout the State the failings of our child welfare system and recommended substantive changes to address them. I met Assemblywoman Paulin when I testified at those hearings, and have been continually impressed at her commitment and knowledge about the complex issues related to child abuse.
As a result of her efforts, several changes in the law were made, including requiring teachers to report suspected child abuse directly to the state hotline, improving child protection investigations and supportive services in certain child abuse cases, and expanding and improving the process of reviewing deaths of children in the State. Assemblywoman Paulin has also tackled physician education in the area of child abuse pediatrics through her advocacy for child abuse pediatrics fellowship training and her steadfast support of a statewide sexual abuse medical education program.
As a physician who evaluates neglected and abused children every day, it is so important that we have an effective voice in Albany fighting to protect our most vulnerable. Although we have made significant strides in improving our child welfare system – much due to Amy’s success in enacting good laws – there is still work to be done. Returning Amy Paulin to Albany, I know will ensure that this critical work will be advanced and that Amy will continue her unwavering commitment to prevent harm to our children.
Jennifer Canter M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P.
Child Abuse Pediatrician
Response to How Big is Too Big
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Dear Scarsdale10583: Congratulations on writing the most important piece of information I have seen about Scarsdale in the past 44 years that I have lived here. The property on 21 Carstensen borders on my property where I have lived for 30 years. With a few neighbors I vigorously tried to prevent the seven additions that they built in addition to the pool, barbeque (which if you have seen the drawings at Village hall looks like it belongs at a Caribbean resort and is 10’X 8’) and the fireplace close to the neighbors property which is approximately 13.9’ high, 10’ wide, and 3’ deep and looks like a Mayan temple. In addition to the claustrophobic backyard, more recently they have added retaining walls around most of the property. We initially thought these were going to be 3’ high sitting walls but they are now approximately 4’.
At the zoning board meeting this spring I mentioned that the house was in a drain sensitive area which was extremely problematic due to our recent storm-related weather problems; nobody cared and the Village said this was not an issue. Despite neighbors concerns the Village allowed everything to go forward. My neighbor and I who are most impacted by this project are extremely upset by this disaster which has been ongoing. I knew the people very well who lived in what was once a beautiful house.
Keep up the good work Scarsdale10583 and let me know if I can be of any help.
