Assemblyman plans run for fourth term
COHOES, N.Y. » Assemblyman John McDonald III, D- Cohoes, recently announced that he will seek reelection this coming November.
McDonald, 56, is currently finishing his third two-year term representing the 108th Assembly District. The 108th Assembly District consists of parts of Albany, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. It includes Cohoes, which is McDonald’s hometown where he previously served as mayor for 13 years, sections of Albany, Troy and the communities of Green Island, North Greenbush, Rensselaer, Waterford and Watervliet.
A life-long resident of Cohoes, McDonald is a graduate of Keveny Memorial Academy and the Albany College of Pharmacy where he received a bachelor of science degree in pharmaceutical sciences in 1985 and was awarded an honorary doctorate of mumanities as well. McDonald is a practicing pharmacist and the president of Marra’s Pharmacy.
Marra’s Pharmacy has been a resource for thousands over its 87 years, which McDonald has carried into his time in government as well.
“I think my involvement as mayor, which led me to not only work collaboratively with the communities I represent now, but also to work statewide because I was President of the Conference of Mayors and I worked with many different state agencies in my role as mayor, [so] it was just a natural [transition],” McDonald said Friday afternoon.
McDonald said that he thinks he is a strong voice for things like managing property taxes and making sure that local governments can continue its services and he feels that being a health- care professional also gives him an advantage with certain health related legislation.
“I think the fact that I’m the only practicing healthcare professional in the [state] Senate and Assembly has been critical, not only as our healthcare system continues to evolve and change, but just as important as the opioid and heroin crisis has continued to escalate,” McDonald said. “....Many times staff and [legislators] turn to me first to ask what’s the right approach to addressing this epidemic.”
McDonald has also been an
active member of the New York State Conference of Mayors where he served as president of the statewide organization. He has also chaired the Capital District Transportation Committee, RiverSpark, the Cohoes Industrial Development Agency and the Cohoes Local Development
Corporation. In addition, he has served on the boards of the New York State Heritage Areas Advisory Board, New York State Workforce Investment Board, State Comptroller’s Local Advisory Team, the NYS Local Government Records Management Council and the Board of Governors for the New York State Municipal Insurance Reciprocal as well as many other regional councils and commissions.
As an assemblyman, Mc-
Donald currently serves on the board of the Albany Convention Center Authority. As a member of the state Assembly, he serves on the Aging, Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Cities, Higher Education, Real Property Taxation and Ways and Means committees. His focus is on his strengths in local government, health care and small business.
McDonald said he has worked on legislation pertaining to reducing un-
funded mandates to local governments, containing property taxes, job growth and creation, sensible health care, public education funding and an aggressive and complete attack on the heroin and opioid crisis that is ravaging the state and local communities.
McDonald said he has some current goals to finish out his third term and also some goals for his next term if re-elected in November.
“Right now I am cur-
rently trying to shepard legislation through the legislature to address a new drug of abuse on the streets, the drug is called gabapentin, which combined with opioids leads to an increased euphoria and I’m trying to provide tools to physicians to educate them that their patients may be taking this drug,” explained McDonald. “..... And my long time ambition is to address what I think is a huge disservice to Albany, Rensselaer andSara-
toga counties, which is the state mandate of $3 million of the Hudson River, Black River regulating district.”
McDonald said he enjoys serving and representing his constituents even though it leaves him working longdays and is hopeful that he will be re-elected to another term after this year.
McDonald was re-elected in 2016 with no opposition. No one has yet announced plans to run against him this year.