BATAVIA CHAPTER
NYSTPBA Newsletter Updates from NYSTPBA President Tom Mungeer And in This Corner… As expected, Gov. Kathy Hochul became the Democratic gubernatorial nominee yesterday at the party’s convention, with 85.6 percent of the weighted vote. Coupled with a war chest of more than $21 million, she is a formidable opponent. The New York State Republican convention kicks off on Feb. 28. Meanwhile, Attorney General Letitia James was nominated for a second term. She began her remarks by saying that a Democrat should "believe that the rule of law should be applied to everyone equally, and you believe that no one, regardless of how powerful you are, that no one is above the law." That was before Attorney General James revealed who has been occupying numerous hours in her head as she began her rant about former President Donald Trump and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. My bet is that Cuomo will continue to use his $13 million in campaign funds to systematically beat the hell out of her until November. As for her comments that “the rule of law should be applied to everyone equally” – maybe she should start practicing what she preaches. Mayor Adams Goes to Albany Although New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that he believed his conversations with the Democratic leadership had gone well, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins threw cold water on that assertion. She stated that adding a "dangerousness" standard to bail reform would be too subjective and that major changes to the bail law that he is seeking would remain a non-starter for them. "The reality is there is a national spike in crime," Senator Stewart-Cousins said. "It's not just here." Translation - Nothing to see here, move along folks…unless you are a moderate Democrat who is in jeopardy of not being reelected in November because of the bail and crime surge issues that are now around your neck like an albatross. No State Taxes Politicians in Georgia, Kentucky and New Mexico have all proposed legislation in their respective states that would waive state taxes for police officers as a way to recruit more police. Says Kentucky Rep. Ryan Dotson, the sponsor of that state’s bill, "People have stopped ... becoming police officers… So, we're trying to incentivize people who go into and stay in that line of work by passing something that will appeal to them financially." I have an idea - why not pay your Troopers a livable wage? Salaries for Troopers with five years’ experience in those states range from $43,014 for a Kentucky Trooper to $57, 841 in Georgia to $66,560 for a New Mexico Trooper.
Speaking of State Taxes The amount for 2021 NYSTPBA dues that can be used for a deduction for New York state taxes are as follows: Trooper Unit - $1,116.18 Supervisor Unit - $1,297.14 Update - Acting Positions Members of the NYSTPBA had a very productive labor management meeting yesterday with Division regarding the Acting Positions and Seniority side letter that we signed on Aug. 26, 2021. That agreement stated, “When a uniformed Member, regardless of rank, is assigned to an acting position and receives acting pay, that member’s date of rank for seniority purposes will commence upon the start date of such payment. This date of rank is only applicable if, and when, that member is subsequently permanently promoted to the same rank with no separation in service or position.” Yesterday’s meeting was meant to clarify the start date for seniority purposes of the affected members who had to endure months and even years in an acting position because of the fiscal condition of the state and the rules set out by the Cuomo administration, more specifically those members promoted in July and October of last year. The NYSTPBA Supervisor Unit Delegates - Dan Charleson, Eric Terraferma and John Conboy - will be collecting and submitting to Division the acting starting dates for the affected Members on the aforementioned promotion lists. From there, we expect to have a final resolution in the form of an adjusted DOR for seniority purposes soon thereafter. I appreciate the support and willingness of Superintendent Kevin Bruen and his command staff in addressing this. Did You Know? AmazonSmile, which donates 0.5% from purchases to designated nonprofits, lists the Signal 30 Fund as one of their recognized charitable organizations. If you are purchasing something from Amazon, please use the following which will take you to the Signal 30 link - https://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-4062957 I am also proud to announce that the Signal 30 Fund will be offering more than 100 scholarships starting this year, a 100 percent increase! The NYSTPBA Scholarship Program applications will be available on the NYSTPBA website on April 1, 2022. You will be able to access the application and the criteria for applying for a NYSTPBA Scholarship through your member log in. The deadline to submit applications is June 15, 2022, and the scholarship will be disbursed in August 2022. If you have any questions, please email Ann Neeson at [email protected]. Survey We have been asked to distribute a survey to our active and retired membership by Dr. James C. Brown, an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in the School of Business & Justice Studies at Utica College, for use in a research project. Dr. Brown has also served with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and has also served as a Frankfort and Sherrill police officer. This survey is voluntary and anonymous. A summary of the project in addition to the link to the survey can be found in the members-only area of the NYSTPBA website at www.nystpba.org. NYSTPBA Store In addition to purchasing items through the NYSTPBA’s online store, you can also shop in-person at our store at the PBA’s 120 State Street office in Albany. The store is located on the first floor of the building, next to the legal department. The store hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and the online store is open 24/7. Our store has various items for you and your loved ones. All of the proceeds go right back to our members. Online store link: https://nystapparel.com/. This email is an automated notification, which is unable to receive replies. To send a comment to the NYSTPBA, please contact us at [email protected]. The Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers 120 State St. Albany, New York 12207 (518) 462-7448 http://www.nystpba.org
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