In the News

According to Assemblyman Mark Schroeder, the impending retirement of University of Buffalo President John Simpson, and the state’s failure to approve UB2020, can be blamed on one person – Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

“Speaker Silver did everything in his power to kill UB2020, and along with it, any chance to resurrect our economy,” said Schroeder. “I am sick of my constituents being treated as second-class citizens.”

The UB2020 expansion plan would mean thousands of new jobs, $5 billion of investment in Buffalo, as well as a strategy to help the rust-belt city recover from decades of economic decline by building a new economy based on education, innovation and technology.

“I thank John Simpson for his valiant efforts to make UB a world class university, invest in downtown Buffalo, and help give our struggling city a chance at a brighter future,” said Schroeder. “I don’t blame him for being frustrated – I have been frustrated with the Speaker since the first day I arrived in Albany.”

Schroeder said that the real reason Silver opposes the plan is because it would take away power from the long-time speaker.

“The speaker wants to be the one to set tuition prices,” said Schroeder. “That is so he can raise it whenever he wants to a close a budget gap. He doesn’t want the proceeds from tuition increases to help the schools – he wants to decide how to spend the extra revenue.”

Back in April, Schroeder publicly slammed Silver for “killing” UB2020, and vowed not to support the Manhattan Assemblyman for speaker next year if the plan was not approved. Now, Schroeder said, simply not voting for the speaker, like he did in 2005, may not be enough.

“Maybe it is time someone challenged the speaker for his gavel,” said Schroeder. “Since no one else seems to be stepping forward, perhaps it is time I considered a run for speaker.”

“Right now, it is obvious Upstate has no voice in state government,” he continued. “We are treated as a colony of New York City, with no say in how we are governed and no power to save our cities. If there is any hope for the millions of us who live north of New York City, we need a change in leadership, and we need it now.”

Schroeder admits that his odds of becoming Speaker are a long-shot, primarily because the overwhelming majority of Assembly Democrats hail from downstate. The real objective, he said, is to draw attention to the disenfranchised citizens living in Upstate New York.

“This is not about me becoming speaker – this is about standing up for the millions of people that currently have no voice in the Capitol.”

Schroeder points to proposed Walmart as sign of Seneca Street's rebirth

Straddling the border between South Buffalo and West Seneca, an empty parking lot in front of a massive vacant shopping center stands as a symbol of the decline and abandonment that plagued the once mighty Seneca Street. With Walmart announcing plans for a new store on that property, Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder points to the site a sign of Seneca Street’s rebirth.

“This project is a game changer for Seneca Street,” said Schroeder after Walmart Stores, Inc. announced today that it will construct a new 115,000 square foot store at the site, located at 2400 Seneca Street. “There has been a great deal of momentum on this business strip, and a new Walmart will take Seneca Street to the next level.”

The store will create approximately 300 jobs for area residents and will feature general merchandise and a full-service grocery store under one roof. The location, which had previously been an Ames, Hills, Gold Circle, and Twin Fair, has been vacant for nearly a decade.

“The location is a perfect fit, and the store will inject new life into a property that has been vacant for far too long,” said Schroeder, who has been courting Walmart to locate a store on the site for the past several years. “There is definitely a need in the community for affordable retail options, as well as the 300 jobs that will be created.”

Since his first day in public office, one of Schroeder’s top priorities has been the revitalization of Seneca Street, once known as “Downtown South Buffalo.” In 2002, he founded the Greater South Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, with a preliminary mission of filling up the vacant storefronts that had once been filled with bakeries, butcher shops, clothing stores, and other thriving businesses. Then Schroeder teamed up with Congressman Brian Higgins, and Mayor Byron Brown to secure nearly $2 million in funding for physical improvements to Seneca Street.

The street is now adorned with top-of-the-line, custom made spun concrete street lights, with two historic designs unique to Seneca Street. The Botanical Gardens designed an urban garden for the corner of Seneca and Cazenovia Streets, which is complemented by a wooden carving of 18th Century Seneca leader and orator, Red Jacket. Around the corner, a brand new LED message board sign welcomes passersby to the business strip, as well as informing them about upcoming community events.

There are 25 sandstone benches, handcrafted by Roycroft artisan Tom Bojanowski, currently being installed on Seneca Street. Custom garbage receptacles, concrete planters, ADA compliant handicap sidewalk ramps, stamped brick crosswalks, new trees, and paving are all set to be completed in 2010.

As a result of this progress, private investment on Seneca Street is on the rise. Tops Markets, Tim Horton’s, WNY AmeriCorps, the Communication Workers of America, and DePaul have all opened new locations on the street, and private restaurants and other businesses are popping up as well.

But Walmart, said Schroeder, symbolizes the biggest step forward in reviving retail on the once bustling business strip.

“Historically, Seneca Street was always the place to shop,” said Schroeder. “A new Walmart will help bring the shoppers back.”

Speaker is killing UB2020, says Schroeder

Statement from Assemblyman Mark Schroeder:

“UB2020 – the ambitious plan to revitalize Buffalo’s economy, create thousands of jobs, and expand educational opportunities – is being killed in Albany by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The Manhattan Assemblyman is standing in the way of the innovative reforms that will not only transform the University of Buffalo, but the entire SUNY system.”

“The Governor, the SUNY Board of Trustees, Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, and the state Senate majority are all behind this ground-breaking plan, known as the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act. However, it will go nowhere unless the Speaker stops blocking it.”

“Upstate New York is trying to recover from decades of economic decline by building a new economy based on education, innovation and technology. In order to achieve that goal, our higher education system must be given the tools to be a driving force behind the cultivation of a cutting-edge economy.”

“Unfortunately, the desperate needs of Buffalo and Upstate New York take a backseat in Albany. Speaker Silver and the Assembly’s higher education committee chair, Manhattan’s Deborah Glick, think that they know what is best for us.”

“Unless the Speaker stops the obstruction of this absolutely essential plan, our region stands to lose thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in economic impact, and any chance at resurrecting our economy.”

“That is why, if UB2020 dies in the Assembly this year, I will not vote for Sheldon Silver for speaker next year.”

Legislation aimed at preventing more nursing homes from closing

State Legislators, health care providers unveil plan to address crisis

The Western New York delegation of state legislators joined Kaleida Health, Catholic Health System, Erie County Medical Center, and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center today in unveiling legislation aimed at preventing additional nursing homes in the area from being shut down.

“Nursing homes are an endangered species in Western New York,” said Assemblyman Mark Schroeder, sponsor of Assembly Bill #A10138, “Unless we act now, many more will shut down in the near future, spurring massive layoffs.”

The announcement was made at Kaleida’s Waterfront Health Care Center in Buffalo, the latest nursing home slated to be shut down. Eight nursing homes have closed in Western New York in recent years, and three facilities have closed in Buffalo in the past two years, resulting in the loss of over 700 jobs. Several more nursing homes are on the brink of bankruptcy.

Western New York nursing homes are at a disadvantage because the rate at which Medicaid reimburses them is far lower than the rates for nursing homes in other parts of the state. The Medicaid reimbursement rate for the region is significantly below the cost to provide care. In many cases, the reimbursement has been $35 to $50 below cost, per Medicaid patient, per day, resulting in losses that have exceeded $1 million a year for some nursing homes.

“The high proportion of Medicaid patients living in the city, combined with the outdated Medicaid reimbursement rates for our region, have left Buffalo disproportionately affected by nursing home closures over the past several years,” said co-sponsor Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, whose district includes the Waterfront nursing home. “This bill will help to balance those inequalities so that we can keep important neighborhood resources like the Waterfront Health Care Center open.”

Nursing homes, like Waterfront, that have a high percentage of patients on Medicaid are not economically viable under the current rate structure. The new legislation would increase the Medicaid reimbursement rates to a level where local nursing homes would be able to survive.

“We welcome and thank the state legislative delegation for their support,” said Michael Hughes, vice president of Kaleida Health. “This is not just a Kaleida Health and Waterfront nursing home issue; this is about nursing homes across upstate New York. Together, with the Catholic Health System, ECMC, and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, we are trying to salvage urban long term care in our community. Clearly it is a crisis.”

The legislation is supported by both sides of the aisle, including Democrat Assemblymembers Francine DelMonte, Dennis Gabryszak, Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Robin Schimminger, and Republican lawmakers Jim Hayes, Jack Quinn, Jane Corwin, and Dan Burling. State Senator William Stachowski has introduced the bill in the state Senate, where it is co-sponsored by Senator Antoine Thompson.

Kaleida Health, Catholic Health System, ECMC, and Niagara Falls Memorial Hospital were instrumental in drafting the language in the bill, and are in agreement that the legislation is the best way to address the crisis.

“The situation is critical and immediate action must be taken before it is too late,” said Christine Kluckhohn, CEO of Catholic Health System. “This legislation is desperately needed to preserve the future of long term care in Western New York. That is why health care providers, state legislators, patients, and employees are united in the plan to fix this problem, and prevent more nursing homes from shutting their doors.”

Without the speedy passage of this legislation, nursing homes like Waterfront, which lost $2 million in the past two years, would be forced shut their doors for good.

“The community is united behind this bill, because Waterfront is so crucial to the quality of life in this neighborhood,” said Casimiro Rodriguez, chairman of the Coalition to Save Waterfront Health Care Center, a group of community organizations, chuches, and health care workers focused on keeping the nursing home open. Rodriguez thanked legislators for answering the call of the community.

“Nursing homes are so important to the fabric of a community,” he said. “We all need to work together to save them from extinction.”

Schroeder wants to strengthen texting law

Assemblyman working on legislation to make texting while driving a primary offense

The new state ban on texting while driving needs to be strengthened, said Assemblyman Mark Schroeder, because as a secondary offense, police can only enforce the ban if another violation is being committed.

“Simply making texting while driving against the law is not good enough,” said Schroeder. “We have to give the police the ability to enforce the ban.”

That’s why Schroeder is drafting legislation that would make texting while driving a primary offense, which would allow police to pull a motorist over for texting without an additional offense.

“Our work is not done until we fix this law,” said Kelly Cline, who has been working with Schroeder on a texting ban for nearly two years.

In December of 2007, Cline’s twenty year-old son, A.J. Larsen, was struck and killed by a garbage truck on Clinton Street in West Seneca. Police determined that texting while driving had distracted A.J. from seeing a stop sign, resulting in the accident.

After the accident, Schroeder began working with Cline on a bill that would ban texting while driving. Earlier this year, at the invitation of Schroeder and Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, who has also pushed for a ban on texting while driving, Kelly Cline and A.J.’s brother Kyle Larsen traveled 300 miles to Albany in order to speak in support of this common-sense measure.

Thanks in part to their efforts, the Assembly passed a different bill that was amended to include a ban on texting while driving.

“Kelly was a major force behind the texting ban,” said Schroeder. “Her efforts were instrumental in making it happen.”

But the law, Schroeder and Cline both agreed, did not go far enough.

“The law needs to be strengthened in order to send a clear message to all motorists - texting and driving don't mix,” said Schroeder.

Espada should step down, says Schroeder

State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada is “an embarrassment to New York State” and should step down as Senate majority leader, according to Assemblyman Mark Schroeder, a fellow democrat.

“It defies all logic that scandal after scandal, no matter how corrupt, shameless, or illegal it may be, Pedro Espada is still one of the most powerful men in New York State,” said Schroeder. “I don’t understand how a man who has such a blatant disrespect for the taxpayer, coupled with an insatiable greed for money and power, is in such a high ranking position.”

Schroeder said that his constituents are fed up with Espada’s antics and do not trust him with their tax dollars.

“He is the personification of everything that is wrong with New York State government,” said Schroeder. “The way he paralyzed the Senate for his own personal gain during the Senate stalemate, the way he uses his sham medical clinic to fund his campaign with taxpayer dollars, the way he created a $120,000 a year state job for his son, the fact that he doesn’t even live in his district. The list goes on and on, but nobody except the Attorney General is doing anything about it.”

“Are New Yorkers supposed to just look the other way – turn a blind eye to what Espada has done and what he is doing,” said Schroeder. “I refuse to.”

Schroeder also objected to New York State Senate majority’s Western New York regional office, which he said takes its marching orders from Espada.

“This is supposed to be a regional office, yet it is being run by New York City,” said Schroeder. “That seems to be a common trend nowadays.”
Schroeder said the Senate ideally should be led by a Senator from upstate New York.

“Every statewide leadership position in state government is filled by downstaters,” said Schroeder. “Upstate deserves its fair representation in Albany.”

Schroeder introduces independent redistricting legislation

New York State Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder has introduced legislation that that puts the task of redistricting in the hands of an independent panel, emulating Iowa’s redistricting process, which has been widely hailed as being fair and non-political.

The four criteria used, in descending order of importance, are population equality, contiguity, unity of counties and cities, and compactness. It specifically forbids the use of political affiliation, previous election results, the addresses of incumbents, or any demographic information other than population in creating the redistricting proposals.

“We need comprehensive reform that will take the politics out of the redistricting process once and for all,” said Schroeder. “An independent panel should be drawing up these district lines, not the state Legislature.”

At the beginning of each decade, it is required that the state Assembly, Senate, and Congressional districts be redrawn to reflect changes in population in the previous ten years. The districts must be equal in population, based on the statistics from the United States Census Bureau.

“Taking the job of drawing the boundaries out of the hands of the officials that will run for re-election in those districts is an effective way to make races more competitive and strike a blow to the culture of self-preservation in Albany,” said Schroeder. “We need to make this change now. We cannot risk putting this off another ten years.”

Schroeder pointed out certain districts that pay less attention to geography and communities, and instead focus on party affiliation and demographics.

“It is preposterous that you can live in one part of the City of Buffalo and your congressman is from Buffalo, but your neighbor across the street is represented by someone from Rochester. Yet, at the same time, if you live in Angola on the shore of Lake Erie, you are in the same state Senate district as someone from the City of Canandaigua, a two-hour drive away.”

“The appointees must have an understanding of the natural boundaries of the state and ignore party enrollment statistics,” said Schroeder. “An independent panel will provide a better environment for redistricting than the politically charged state Legislature.”

In the Iowa process, enacted in 1980, the non-partisan Legislative Services Bureau develops up to three plans that can be accepted or rejected by the legislature. The Iowa Legislature has been generally quick to enact the Bureau’s plans.

“Iowa’s redistricting policy is a great example for New York to follow, and we need the same non-partisan, non-political redistricting in our state as well,” Schroeder said.

Amanda's Law passes

Assemblyman Schroeder’s legislation requires carbon monoxide detectors in all homes statewide

When carbon monoxide poisoning took 16 year-old Amanda Hansen’s life, her parents sat down with New York State Assemblyman Mark Schroeder to try to prevent a similar tragedy from ever happening again.

“We wanted something positive to result from what happened to Amanda,” said the West Seneca teenager’s father, Ken Hansen.

Amanda’s Law, the legislation Schroeder introduced that requires carbon monoxide detectors in all homes in New York State, passed the Assembly and Senate before being signed by Governor Paterson in late August.

“This is a major step in protecting all New Yorkers from the dangers of carbon monoxide,” said Schroeder. “This silent killer can’t be seen or smelled – that is why it is so important that all homes in New York have a carbon monoxide detector.”

In January, Amanda Hansen died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a defective boiler while at a sleepover at her friend's house. In addition to the legislation, Amanda’s parents have also started a scholarship in her honor and are asking the town to name Briarhill Park, one of Amanda’s favorite hangouts, after her.

“Ken and Kim Hansen have dedicated themselves to honoring Amanda’s memory and protecting others from carbon monoxide,” said Schroeder. “They deserve a great deal of credit for their courageous efforts in such extremely difficult circumstances.”

The law takes effect on February 21, 2010, the 180th day after Aug 26, the day it was signed into law by the governor.

“Now that carbon monoxide detectors will be required by law, the next step is to raise awareness and educate people on why they need them," said Schroeder. "The goal is to get a carbon monoxide detector in every single home, so we can prevent a similar tragedy from ever happening again. Amanda's Law is a major step in achieving that goal.”

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