The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
‘ LEADING THE WAY’
Gov. Cuomo delivers part one of his 2021 State of the State address
ALBANY, N. Y. » Gov. Andrew Cuomo presented the first part of his annual State of the State address on Monday, saying goodbye to 2020 and hello to moving forward.
In light of the COVID- 19 pandemic, the governor spoke to a virtual crowd from thewar Room on the second floor of the Capitol.
In addition to the different setting, the initial address is a four- part series in which Cuomo will outline his priorities for the state moving forward.
New York has been at war for almost a year, Cuomo remarked— at war with COVID- 19, an “invisible enemy.” Going into the New Year, the battles continue.
This coronavirus has transformed society, the governor commented, while also bringing out the flaws in New York’s systems.
New Yorkers, who are tough, he said, rose to the challenges. The economy was pummeled. And most importantly and tragically of all, valuable lives were lost
Newyork is facing a $ 15 billion deficit, the greatest in history, Cuomo reported. Many businesses have shut down, and many people’s savings have been drained.
On top of all of this, glaring issues in social justice, voting systems, and federal accountability have been made more apparent over the past year, he added.
He outlined seven general targets for New York to tackle.
1. Defeat COVID
2. Vaccinate New York
“COVID revealed a grave vulnerability in our medical supply chain.”
— Gov. Andrew Cuomo
3. Manage short term economic crisis
4. Invest in the future
5. Transition to green energy
6. Understand long term effects of COVID
7. Address systemic injustices
Proposals focusing on reopening the state, becoming a leader in the growing green energy economy, and rebuilding and strengthening New York’s infrastructure will be highlighted in later presentations.
The governor’s office also released his more precise 2021 agenda with proposed legislation and action to meet the goals highlighted in the governor’s speech. Some highlights from his “Reimagine, Rebuild, Renew” agenda are as follows:
Passing themedical Supplies Act
“COVID revealed a grave vulnerability in our medical supply chain,” Cuomo stated. Manufacturing, largely set overseas, left Newyork grasping formedical supplies that were not easily and readily attainable, he said, and left front line workers floundering.
To promote domestic manufacturing of critical medical equipment and to reduce dependency on overseas products, Cuomo is proposing that New York pass the Medical Supplies Act to prioritize buying American- made PPE and medical supplies. The governor says this new policy will help create and retain local jobs while ensuring the health and dependability of a crucial sector for years to come.
Comprehensive Telehealth Legislation
Cuomo highlighted that while the pandemic was a crisis, it was also an opportunity. The switch to telehealth services expanded access and lowered costs to health care for those in lower- income communities, especially for behavioral health support. New York will capitalize on this newwave ofmedicine to increase access for all by taking advantage of telehealth tools, addressing existing roadblocks, adjusting reimbursement incentives to encourage telehealth, eliminating outdated regulatory prohibitions on the delivery of telehealth, removing outdated location requirements, addressing technical unease among both patients and providers through training programs, and establishing other programs to incentivize innovative uses of telehealth, according to his agenda highlights.
Ensuring Social and Racial Justice for the Vaccination Effort
In order to ensure the vaccine is distributed equitably, especially in communities of color, Cuomo created the New York Vaccine Equity Task Force, according to his office.
Chaired by Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, Attorney General Letitia James, National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial, and Healthfirst President & CEO Pat Wang, the Governor’s Equity Task Force will assist in overcoming existing barriers to vaccination and increase access to vaccines in Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, rural, poor, and public housing communities, as well as other health care deserts.
Building trust and supporting these communities’ access to vaccines will be facilitated through breaking down language barriers, ensuring protections of privacy and confidentiality, and developing outreach efforts and community engagements that are regionally placed, culturally responsive, and representative of all communities, according to state office reports.
As vaccine availability increases from the federal government, officials say the state will partner with private entities and localities to establish public clinics to reach vulnerable and underserved communities.
New York State Public Health Corps
To support New York’s massive effort to vaccinate nearly 20 million New Yorkers and support other public health emergency responses, Cuomo says the state will hire 1,000Health Corps Fellows who agree to serve for one year. “They will be trained to facilitate a statewide coordinated vaccination operation and do it safely, quickly, and fairly in every part of the state,” he remarked.
These fellows will include students in undergraduate and graduate public health programs, nursing schools and medical schools, recent graduates, retired medical professionals, and laypeople who will receive an intensive public health training curriculum developed by Cornell University. Bloomberg Philanthropies, Northwell, and the NYS Department of Health will manage and coordinate the Corps.
After the vaccination program is completed, New York will build on this Public Health Corps model by continuing to recruit and train public health professionals to staff State and county health agencies, and this Corps will be available and prepared to serve the state in any future crisis, according to state officials.
Free Citizen Public Health Training
“Too many New Yorkers felt anxious because they were uninformed and untrained to handle this new emergency,” the governor commented. To help, the State will develop a free citizen public health training program with Cornell, offered online, to educate and certify thousands of New Yorkers to be prepared to volunteer to help their communities the next time there is a health emergency.
Fight for Overdue Federal Support to States Fighting COVID- 19
The federal government’s in- action and mistakes have left New Yorkers to unfairly pay for their COVID wounds, Cuomo said, making it his mission to hold the federal government accountable.
“New Yorkers were called on to flatten the curve created by the Federal failure. New Yorkers cannot now be asked to pay the financial bill for Federal incompetence. New Yorkers already paid too high a cost,” he stated.
He continued, “the Federal government has failed to realize that this is a national crisis, not a state crisis. They delegated responsibility to the Governors, and then failed to provide the resources.”
He shared his confidence in the new changes in government, from the President, to the Senate and the House, that will help repay New York for what it is owed.
“Washington should not force any state to bear the cost alone, especially New York. Washington has savaged us for four years. No state pays more to Washington and receives less in return,” he said.
Pass a Comprehensive Adult- Use Cannabis Program
To continue moving forward in the state’s marijuana decriminalization/ legalization efforts, the governor is proposing the creation of a new Office of Cannabis Management to oversee a new adult- use cannabis program, as well as the State’s existing medical and cannabinoid hemp programs.
Additionally, an equitable structure for the adult-use market will be created by offering licensing opportunities and assistance to entrepreneurs in communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.
According to reports from the governor’s office, cannabis legalization will create more than 60,000 new jobs, spurring $ 3.5 billion in economic activity and generating more than $ 300 million in tax revenue when fully implemented.
Enabling Online Sports Betting
New York is missing out on this activity’s tax revenue, according to the governor.
Under Cuomo’s proposal, the New York State Gaming Commission will issue a request for proposals to select one or more providers to offer mobile sports wagering in New York. This platform must have a part
“Rapid testing not only saves lives, but it is a key to our economic reopening plan. We will open a network of new rapid testing sites across the state.” — Gov. Andrew Cuomo
nership with at least one of the existing licensed commercial casinos. The Commission will also reportedly require any entity operating mobile wagering apps include safeguards against abuses and addiction.
Create a Rapid Testing Network as a Tool to Help Businesses Reopen
“Rapid testing not only saves lives, but it is a key to our economic reopening plan. Wewill open a network of new rapid testing sites across the state,” Cuomo stated. With an increase in rapid testing, residents can stop into a new rapid testing facility, get tested, and 15 minutes later be cleared for dinner or a movie, officials say.
Facilitating the Creation of Statewide Childcare Options
Tomake child care more affordable and equitable for the most vulnerable children and their parents, Cuomo said he will:
• invest $ 40 million to reduce the burden of parent subsidy copays to help approximately 32,000 working families. This will ensure that no New York family pays more than 20 percent of their income above the federal poverty level for a child care subsidy co- pay, with the rest of the cost of care being covered by the subsidy. • invest $ 6 million for start- up grants to create programs in child care deserts
• increase the value of the New York State Employer-Provided Child Care Credit by expanding the amount a business can claim for qualified child care expenditures to up to $ 500,000 per year
• create a new toolkit to provide guidance and assistance to businesses looking to subsidize and facilitate access to child care for their employees
• establish permanent child care sector workgroups within the Regional Economic Development Councils REDCS to guide and inform council decisions
• establish a new Excelsior Child Care Investment Tax Credit available to recipients of the Excelsior Tax Credit as a bonus incentive to create and provide child care services for employees and their families
• adopt the Child Care Availability Task Force recommendations to standardize and modernize the child care subsidy system to eliminate waste, duplication, and confusing rules for families
Streamlining and Enhancing Work to Address Gender- Based Violence:
The governor is proposing a comprehensive package of initiatives to combat domestic violence and gender- based violence, including:
• a proposal allowing courts to require abusers to pay for damages to housing units, moving expenses, and other housing costs related to domestic violence
• a proposals to create a domestic violence misdemeanor label to close the domestic violence gunpurchasing loophole to ensure abusers cannot obtain weapons who are convicted of misdemeanor assaults on a domestic partner
Additionally, the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence will be transformed into a reimagined agency, the Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, and will be tasked with addressing the intersection of the many forms of intimate partner violence, including domestic violence and sexual violence, in a survivor- centered and comprehensive manner, according to state reports.
Providing Rent and Mortgage Relief for Tenants and Small Business Owners
The governor’s office reported that Cuomo will codify his Executive Order banning fees for late and missed rent payments during the pandemic and allowing tenants to use their security deposit as immediate payment and repay the deposit over time, keeping those protections in place through May 1. It is reported he will also codify his Executive Order to establish a statewide moratorium on commercial evictions until May 1 for commercial tenants who have endured COVID- related hardship.
Other highlights of his 2021 agenda include:
• strengthening and expanding access to elections
• creatively repurposing underutilized commercial space for additional housing
• eliminating health care premiums for low- income New Yorkers
• ensuring safe shelters and providing sustained care for homeless on the street
• continuing New York’s Liberty Defense Project
• facilitating police reform
Cuomo ended his State of the State address by saying, “New York will lead the way.”