Page 4 - Retiree News Fall 2020

A look at at some key races around the state
CSEA has a a a a member-driven endorsement process Candidates running for Assembly and and Senate
seats are interviewed by region Political Action Committees (PACs) made up of of members who represent the diverse cross-section of of our membership CSEA members members take their responsibilities very seriously when interviewing and and vetting candidates seeking our endorsement endorsement A A CSEA endorsement endorsement is provided to a a a candidate who best represents the interests of union members and and protects the services we provide regardless of political party Over the last several months region PACs conducted
these interviews over Zoom videoconference calls and have made more than 100 endorsements for Senate
and Assembly While each endorsement is important the following are a a a a a a a a few featured races from each region to illustrate the importance of why CSEA is involved with political endorsements Long Island Region
Members in Suffolk County have had CSEA-endorsed Republican State Sen Ken LaValle looking out for for for them for for for over 40 years Unfortunately Senator LaValle has decided to to retire and CSEA wishes him luck Now we are left with some big shoes to to fill It was up to to the Region
PAC to to to interview candidates to to to find
someone to to to continue to to to champion CSEA CSEA in in in Senate
District 1 CSEA CSEA thinks
they have done that
with Assemblymember
Anthony Palumbo a a a a a a a Republican who is is running for LaValle’s Senate
seat During his tenure in in in in the Assembly Palumbo has consistently voted in in in favor of CSEA’s priorities and had an an open-door policy with union members In the Senate
he he will continue to fight for education the the environment and and Long Island’s families just as as Senator LaValle has 4 Metropolitan Region
Many of the CSEA- endorsed candidates in the Metropolitan Region
faced tough primaries
in in June Some still face face some tough races in in the General Election including incumbent
Democratic U S S Rep Max Rose who represents Staten Island and and parts of Brooklyn in in Congress Since he first ran ran two years ago this decorated veteran has been vocal in his his support of CSEA members He voted for the HEROES Act and has been very vocal of the need for for PPE in in in New York
City Keeping him in in in Congress to fight for for for us is important for CSEA Southern Southern Region
Region
The Southern Southern Region
Region
PAC has made the the re-election of Republican State Sen Sue Serino Serino a a a a a a top priority this November Serino Serino has been a a a a a a longtime ally of of CSEA She was very vocal in in in opposing the the merger of of the the New York
State Bridge Authority Authority into the the Thruway Authority Authority and opposing the the New York
Health Act two proposals that
could have negatively impacted CSEA members In another important race in the the Hudson Valley Democratic State Sen Pete Harckham is seeking re-election for for the first time Not
only has Harckham opposed efforts to weaken the the independence of the the NYS Pension Fund but he he he has also supported increased benefits for survivors of front-line employees who lost their lives due to COVID-19 Harckham faces a a a a a challenge from Rob Astorino Westchester County Rose CSEA-endorsed New York
21st Congressional District candidate Tedra Cobb left speaks with Dormitory Authority Local 3rd Vice President Jeanne Jones at a a a a a a 2018 Capital Region
conference employees know Astorino all too well as as they fought hard to to to oust him as as county executive in 2017
due to to to his his anti-labor policies CSEA doesn’t want to to to see Astorino and his his anti-union positions back in in office Capital Capital Region
Region
The Capital Capital Region
Region
PAC is primarily working to help Democrat Tedra Cobb face off against U S S Rep Elise Stefanik For a a a a a a a a a a number of of years CSEA has has tried to build a a a a a a a a relationship with Stefanik Stefanik but she has has not been responsive to our outreach Stefanik Stefanik was one of of of the the members of of of the the House of of of Representatives to vote against the HEROES Act which would have sent billions of dollars to to New York
to to help recover from the COVID- 19 pandemic Cobb has been very responsive to CSEA and and and our issues and and Capital Region
members strongly feel that
a a a a a a a a change in in representation is is needed in in Congressional District 21 State Sen Sue Serino left and CSEA Southern Region
Anthony Adamo appear at a a a a a a news conference in in early 2020 opposing the proposed New York
State Bridge Authority merger with the Thruway Authority U S S Rep Anthony Brindisi shows
his his support for CSEA in in this 2018 file photo Central Region
Two years ago CSEA members worked hard supporting Democratic U S Rep Anthony Brindisi when he he successfully ran for that
seat against then-incumbent Claudia Tenney Tenney Tenney Tenney who is trying to re-take her former seat in in in Congress continues to support an an anti-union agenda Union members were the key in in this tough congressional race in in 2018 and will no doubt be be as important this November Congressman Brindisi has worked hard across the aisle
to deliver for his district and CSEA members in in Central New York
are proud to fight for him once again Western Western Region
Western Western New York
has several interesting state
and federal races However the region’s main target
is a a a a a a a local race in in Monroe County to to help get
Jamie Romeo elected to to a a a a a a full term as as Monroe County Clerk Romeo has been a a a a a a a a big advocate for CSEA as as as an an Assemblymember
and in her short time as as County Clerk After years of hostility from the county CSEA has made dramatic changes in in the the past year starting with the the election of Adam Bello Bello as as as County County Executive Bello Bello has made things better in in Monroe County County but he he can’t do it alone Romeo and and Bello have worked well together and and CSEA members want to to make sure that
continues Palumbo CSEA RETIREE NEWS