Education:
UB 2020- Voted in favor of UB 2020 and supports an amended proposal, to include worker's protections and assurances that higher education is kept affordable and accessible for students from all socio-economic backgrounds.

After School Progamming- Supports significantly increasing state funding for after school programs, tutoring, and keeping school buildings open longer to provide a safe alternative and structured environment for students to being home without supervision.

Drop Out Prevention- Advocates for more parental involvement, more truancy officers, and the development of a drop out taskforce. Statistics show that currently 50% of New York students don't graduate from high school.

Literacy Awareness- Sponsored spelling bees for the last five years, reads weekly to elementary students, and has partnered with Literacy Volunteers, Buffalo Read to Succeed and other literacy advocacy groups to promote awareness and improve literacy.

Campaign for Fiscal Equity- Supported providing additional resources to needy, low-performing school districts.

JSCB- Voted in favor of funding Phase V of Buffalo's $1 billion Joint School Reconstruction Project for Buffalo's Public School System.

Race To The Top-Supported an Increased charter-school cap, added innovations to boost student achievement and unlock $700 million in federal funding for all of New York's public schools. New federal funding this fall to prevent teacher layoffs and keep local schools strong.

Smaller Class Sizes- Supports smaller class sizes which means teachers can provide more attention to individual students, including at-risk, special needs, and the developmentally disabled.

Creating Opportunity- Continues to sponsor an annual scholarship in memory of Iraq veteran and former intern, David Evans, Jr., for college-bound high school seniors. Sponsored legislation to establish a school uniform tax credit for working families not to exceed $200 for the purchase of school uniforms required by a school's dress code policy.

Healthcare:
Family & Child Health Plus- Voted to expand health coverage for working families and needy New Yorkers. Also voted for the School Meals Enrollment Act which allows access to nutritious meals for children eligible for the Child Health Plus and Medicaid.

Bisphenol-A (BPA)- Sponsored the Bisphenol-A Free Children and Babies Act which bans the manufacture, distribution, and sale of baby bottles and other products containing the harmful chemical BPA, which has been linked to breast and prostate cancer, early-onset puberty, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Health Insurance Reform- Supported reforms to control health insurance rates for consumers by requiring HMO's to receive state approval before being able to increase rates. Imposed tough standards to make HMOs more responsive and accountable to patients and health care providers, including faster approval of services, quick payment of claims and more effective appeal procedures for consumers.

Economic Development/Jobs:
IDA Reform- Sponsored legislation to reform the Industrial Development Agency process to ensure that taxpayer dollars are going toward the creation of living wage jobs.

Green Jobs/Green NY- Co-sponsored legislation in which applicants can request sliding scale home energy audits to learn which retrofits will lower bills and provide environmental benefits. The legislation also provides funding for job training for this and supplemental emerging industries.

Business Gets Green Series- Hosts a monthly series providing local businesses an opportunity to network and learn about the latest developments in the green economy.

Green Markets- Voted in favor of legislation to create economic relations between New York's agriculture industry and urban centers.

Historic Preservation Tax Credit- Co-sponsored legislation to strengthen an existing state program to allow banks and the state to target reinvestment to distressed communities.

MWBE- Sponsored regional advocates legislation that advocates for municipal agencies to comply with the provisions of law relating to minority and women-owned business enterprises. Also holds quarterly forums to provide opportunities for small businesses to interface with government agencies regarding procurement opportunities.

Entrepreneurs- Secured an accumulated $90,000 to fund a School of Entrepreneurship in Niagara Falls for 3 years, which has produced more than 100 graduates.

Job Fairs- Hosted bi-annual job fairs since 2001 providing constituents and job seekers with with free resume-writing workshops and opportunities to interview with hiring companies.

Revolving Loan Fund- Reformed and expanded the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund to provide $50 million in new credit for small businesses to create jobs all over the state.

Environment:
Bigger Better Bottle Bill- Sponsored the passage of legislation that expands state recycling law to include the return of water bottles for a 5 cent deposit.

E-Waste- Sponsored the passage of legislation calling for electronic industry product stewardship. All parties involved in producing, selling or using electronic products take responsibility for the full environmental and economic impact of the respective products.

Hydro-Fracking- Sponsored legislation that introduces a one year moratorium on vertical hydraulic drilling of Marcellus Shale. Environmental impacts have included affected drinking water, gas well explosions, contaminated farmland and more.

Safe Playing Fields Act- Co-sponsored legislation prohibiting the use of certain toxic chemicals and pesticides on school lawns and athletic fields.

Energy Challenge- Providing weatherization to homeowners in the MLK Park neighborhood.

Wetlands Mapping-Sponsored the passage of legislation that provides for the electronic mapping of NYS wetlands.

Kept State Parks Open- Targeted funding to maintain operations at 79 State Parks, zoos, botanic gardens, aquaria, and DEC campgrounds, supporting recreation options for families in tough economic times.

Taxes:
Fair Taxation- Supported making Wall Street pay their share through taxing bonuses and Hedge funds so that we do not force working families to shoulder the burden.

Circuit Breaker- Supported putting an end to the regressive and oppressive property taxes for middle class homeowners by capping local property tax levies; reduced mandates on schools and local governments to save money and reduce taxes.

Fair Share Tax Reform- Voted in favor of giving relief to working families through a more equitable income tax structure, as the wealthy are taxed at a higher rate.

Tier VI Retirement- Saved money by creating a new government-worker pension tier for the first time in 27 years, reducing costs for state and local governments and saving over $48 billion for taxpayers.

Social Justice:
SNUG- Allocated $500,000 for a new anti-violence initiative to make our neighborhoods safer.

Rockefeller Drug Law Reform- Worked with families, county District Attorneys and police to pass historic sentencing reforms to reduce recidivism, increase access to treatment for addiction, prevent crime and save money for taxpayers.

LGBT Community- Co-sponsored the marriage equality bill and supported the Dignity For All Students Act and GENDA.

Access to Courts- Sponsored legislation to establish an alternative youth criminal court for the city of Buffalo, creating an additional presiding city court judge to be elected in November 2010 and taking office January 1, 2011. New reforms to fractured and inefficient indigent defense and civil legal services systems will ensure that all New Yorkers can access our courts without putting additional burdens on taxpayers.

Sex Offenders- Sponsored legislation imposing longer prison sentences upon a person convicted of a sex offense, with prior child sex offenses. Supported additional bill that protects children and families through new law providing for automatic email/text/phone notification when dangerous sex offenders move into the neighborhood.

Women's Reproductive Rights- Supports a woman's right to choose. Protected women's access to reproductive health services by increasing penalties for clinic violence. Improved maternal health care with more access to midwives, solid coverage of childbirth expenses and prenatal vitamins. Protected and enhanced medical rights and services, including breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomy, sexual assault services, rights to breastfeed children.

Operation Protect Your Home- Continues to hold an annual workshop to provide homeowners with an opportunity to meet face to face with their lenders to renegotiate mortgage terms, local community-based housing agencies educating them against predatory lending, and neighborhood legal services. To date, has assisted over 100 households in staying out of foreclosure and obtaining favorable new mortgage terms.

Transportation:
Grand Island Tolls- Sponsored legislation directing the Thruway Authority to discontinue the collection of tolls at the Grand Island bridges and the removal of toll barriers.

Traffic Adjudication- Sponsored legislation to direct the city of Buffalo to adjudicate traffic infractions and moving violations. Would ultimately allow the city of Buffalo to keep a percentage of ticket revenue proceeds.

Red Light Cameras- Sponsored legislation that implemented red light cameras in the city of Buffalo to lower traffic accidents and increase public safety by deterring crime.

Leandra's Law- Supported stiffer penalties on drunk drivers who endanger children, making DUI while transporting a child a felony offense; supported by the family of Leandra Rosado, an 11-year old girl who was killed in an SUV operated by a drunk driver while riding with 7 other children.