Kenny Guido
Well-known member
Suozzi to lobby for red-light cameras, cigarette tax
Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi is headed to Albany Tuesday to lobby state legislators for his proposals to enact a county cigarette tax and install red-light cameras, even though some lawmakers have expressed mixed reactions.
"I think this is a normal process you've got to go through," Suozzi said. "State legislators want to hear what our concerns are, and we want to hear what their concerns are. It's part of the process."
Suozzi made splashes last month with his proposals for a $2-per-pack county cigarette tax and the red-light camera program. But both ideas require the approval of the state Assembly and Senate.
Tom Dunham, spokesman for Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), said Monday that he doesn't expect the deputy majority leader to have a direct conversation with Suozzi on the cigarette tax, which Senate Republicans have said is dead in the water. "That's really a staff-to-staff level conversation," Dunham said.
Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), one of Suozzi's close allies in Albany, said there has not been much progress on the red-light camera proposal since Suozzi announced it April 9. "I still have to meet with the chairman of the committee," Lavine said.
Suozzi said he does not expect any groundbreaking agreements to come directly from Tuesday's meetings.
"It's just part of the one-on-one contact," he said. "We'll try to answer any questions they may have and see if there are any other ideas we can pursue."
Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi is headed to Albany Tuesday to lobby state legislators for his proposals to enact a county cigarette tax and install red-light cameras, even though some lawmakers have expressed mixed reactions.
"I think this is a normal process you've got to go through," Suozzi said. "State legislators want to hear what our concerns are, and we want to hear what their concerns are. It's part of the process."
Suozzi made splashes last month with his proposals for a $2-per-pack county cigarette tax and the red-light camera program. But both ideas require the approval of the state Assembly and Senate.
Tom Dunham, spokesman for Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), said Monday that he doesn't expect the deputy majority leader to have a direct conversation with Suozzi on the cigarette tax, which Senate Republicans have said is dead in the water. "That's really a staff-to-staff level conversation," Dunham said.
Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), one of Suozzi's close allies in Albany, said there has not been much progress on the red-light camera proposal since Suozzi announced it April 9. "I still have to meet with the chairman of the committee," Lavine said.
Suozzi said he does not expect any groundbreaking agreements to come directly from Tuesday's meetings.
"It's just part of the one-on-one contact," he said. "We'll try to answer any questions they may have and see if there are any other ideas we can pursue."