League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua Counties, NY November 7, 2006 Election
	Joseph M. Giglio Answers Questions Candidate for Member of the State Assembly; District 149

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Chautauqua County and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. How can we make State government more open and accountable?

In the most recent legislative session, the New York State Assembly Republican Conference proposed a rules reform package that included the following measures:

Allowing each member to discharge one substantive piece of legislation out of committee and to the Assembly floor for a vote on the merits;

Requiring standing committees to consider bills having home rule messages within three days;

Require a two-thirds, or supermajority, vote for final passage of any bills that imposes, continues, or revives a tax or creates a debt;

Limiting bill introductions to 50 per member;

Allowing open sponsorship of all legislation;

Require all bills be accompanied by a fiscal impact statement;

Allow prime sponsors of bills to initiate the conference committee process to resolve differences in similar bills between the Assembly and the Senate.

I believe that the State Assembly should begin to institute many of these reforms to ensure that all constituents throughout the State have their voices heard. This will begin to make the State Legislature and State government more practical, efficient, and accountable to the people.

2. What should the next steps be in NY campaign finance reform?

I would be supportive of campaign finance reform legislation. However, at this time, I cannot lend my support to campaign finance reform that would call for campaigns to be funded by New York State taxpayers.

3. What can the Legislature do to reduce global warming?

New York is already a leader in promoting clean fuel technologies. The 2006-2007 enacted budget contains a bio-fuel production tax credit and additional sales tax exemptions for alternative fuels. We can continue to subsidize clean energy technologies such as wind and solar energy, as well as promote newer technologies such as bio-fuels.

4. What is your position on the death penalty?

The only vote in regards to the death penalty that I voted in favor of would have amended State law to allow the option of a death sentence for an individual convicted of killing a police, correction, or peace officer.

5. Where do you stand on funding for education?

In recent years, New York has increased State funding for education at record levels. Education is one of my top priorities as a State Assemblyman and I will continue to support education funding. I do believe, however, that we should continue to assist homeowners with their property taxes through programs such as STAR.

6. What should the Legislature do to provide health care for uninsured workers?

In order to begin to address the need for quality health care for vulnerable populations and the uninsured, I would support incremental increases to existing State subsidized health insurance programs such as Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus. I believe that these programs have been successful in attempting to reduce the uninsured population. Additionally, I believe that New York has the resources to expand eligibility levels for programs such as Child and Family Health Plus.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  None

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 12, 2006 18:14
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