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Lower East Side

GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS
Take a look at all the latest results for the November 5, 2002 general
election.
x-Sheldon Silver (Dem) 13,085 - 94 percent
Tara L. Meadows (Gre) 888 - 6 percent
Candidates:
- James Chue
- Tara Meadows (Gre)
- Sheldon Silver (Dem) Incumbent
BIOGRAPHIES
Tara Meadows (Gre) is a body paint specialist and make-up artist who does
work for magazines and photographers.
Assemblyman Sheldon Silver (Dem), first elected to the Assembly
in 1976 and chosen as Speaker in February of1994, is a
graduate of Yeshiva University and Brooklyn Law School.
Prior to his election to the Assembly, Silver had a private
law practice and served as a law secretary to Civil Court
Judge Francis N. Pecora.

7 BILLS IMPORTANT TO NEW YORK CITY RESIDENTS THAT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IS LIKELY TO VOTE ON IN THE NEXT TERM:
1. Rent Regulation: The current rent regulation laws expire in June 2003. Supporters of rent regulation hope that the current provisions will be extended for another five years and that the legislature will repeal the provision which deregulates apartments that rent for $2,000 or more a month. The State Assembly passed such a bill this year, but it died in the Senate in the face of opposition from Majority Leader Joseph Bruno. If the Legislature does not take concerted action in June, rent regulation in New York City will end.
In 2002 Assemblymember Silver voted in favor of repealing vacancy decontrol, the law that permits landlords to increase rent 18 percent automatically whenever a tenant moves out.
2. Commuter Tax: In 1999, when the State Legislature repealed the Commuter Tax, the city's economy was good. Reinstatement of the Commuter Tax is likely to come up again this Spring as the City's economy takes a turn for the worse.
In 1999 Assemblymember Silver voted in favor of repealing the commuter tax .
3. School Funding: Even with mayoral control of the school system, more than 40 percent of New York City's school funding comes from Albany. Next year's budget will determine how much money New York City's schools will get from the state.
4. Rockefeller drug laws: New York's drug laws, passed in 1973 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller, are among the harshest in the nation. The Democratic-controlled Assembly, Republican-controlled Senate, and the Governor have not been able to agree on how to reform these laws, look for renewed negotiations and new legislation in the next term.
5. Minimum Wage: Currently set at $5.15 an hour, Democrats will likely propose raising the minimum wage to $6.75 an hour, a proposal that passed the Assembly, but failed to ever get to the floor of the Senate last year.
Raising Minimum Wage - vote on A5132 In 2002 Assemblymember Silver voted in favor of raising the minimum wage.
6. Sexual Orientation Non Discrimination Act: This has been floating around the New York State Legislature for 30 years, with the Governor's support, it is likely to come up for a vote again next Spring.
7. Campaign Finance Reform: Some 80 organizations have proposed a "Clean Money, Clean Elections" bill for the New York State Legislature. Like the New York City law, it would establish a system under which candidates who comply with limits on campaign spending and contributions Last year, Speaker Sheldon Silver introduced a bill to provide two-to-one public matching of campaign contributions. The bill passed the Assembly, but it died in the Senate in the face of opposition from Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.
In 2002 Assemblymember Silver voted in favor of two-to-one public matching of campaign contributions.
HOW SOME ORGANIZATIONS RANKED ASSEMBLYMEMBER SHELDON SILVER:
EMPIRE STATE PRIDE AGENDA
Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act
The Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act adds actual or
perceived sexual orientation to the state's existing laws
which prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, public
accommodations, education, and credit on the basis of age,
race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability or
marital status.
Pride Agenda's Position: SUPPORT
Sheldon Silver's Position: NO VOTE
Hate Crimes Act
The Hate Crimes Act enhances criminal penalties for a long
list of crimes in which perpetrators intentionally select a
target based on the victim's actual or perceived race,
color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion,
religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation.
The Hate Crimes Act also requires the state to collect,
analyze and annually report on data regarding hate crimes
throughout the state.
Pride Agenda's Position: SUPPORT
Sheldon Silver's Position: SUPPORT
THE BUSINESS COUNCIL OF NEW YORK STATE
Comparable Worth Bill
This bill enacts the "New York State Fair Pay Act" which
declares it unlawful to discriminate between employees of
different sexes for work that is of comparable worth.
BC of NYS Position: OPPOSITION
Sheldon Silver's Position: NO VOTE
Act to Increase State Minimum Wage
This act amends the labor law, raising state minimum wage
from $5.15 to $6.75 an hour as of January 1, 2003.
BC of NYS Position: OPPOSITION
Sheldon Silver's Position:NO VOTE
NEW YORK STATE AFL-CIO
Act to Amend the Retirement and Social Security Law
regarding Age of Retirees
This act decreases the age at which public retirees may
re-enter public employment without losing any of their
benefits from 70 to 65.
AFL-CIO's Position: SUPPORT
Sheldon Silver's Position: NO VOTE
Act to Amend the Labor Law regarding Employer Responsibilities
This act stipulates that the failure to post a statement of
wage rates and supplements at any job site shall be regarded
as a misdemeanor and subject to a civil penalty. It
requires maintenance of "sign-in" and "sign-out" sheets upon
the request of the fiscal officer.
AFL-CIO's Position: SUPPORT
Sheldon Silver's Position: NO VOTE
FAMILY PLANNING ADVOCATES OF NEW YORK STATE
Emergency Contraception for Rape Survivors Act
This act requires hospitals to provide information on
emergency contraception and, upon request of a rape
survivor, to distribute emergency contraception to rape
survivors during emergency treatment.
Family Planning Association of New York's Position: SUPPORT
Sheldon Silver's Position: SUPPORT
Contraceptive Coverage Equality Act
This act requires health and accident insurance policies
that provide coverage for prescription drugs to cover the
costs of contraceptives prescribed by a healthcare provider
authorized to prescribe drugs according to the education
laws.
Family Planning Association of New York's Position: SUPPORT
Sheldon Silver's Position: SUPPORT
Immigrant Healthcare Act
This measure allows aliens to receive medical assistance
with less difficulty and calls for state reimbursement of
certain medical assistance and family health plus costs
incurred on behalf of certain aliens.
Family Planning Association of New York's Position: SUPPORT
Sheldon Silver's Position: SUPPORT

July
15, 2002
New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver accused Governor George E. Pataki Friday of damaging
downtown recovery efforts by planning to send jobs out of
the area. Silver, whose district includes the World Trade
Center area, sent Pataki a toughly worded letter urging
Pataki to rescind his plan to relocate 271 state workers
from offices in Lower Manhattan to Harlem.
(New York Post)
July
3, 2002
Yesterday, the New York State Assembly came
up with $37 million in extra school aid to help every New
York City classroom connect to the Internet. The money,
which came out of a construction fund controlled by Speaker
Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), was an addition to the $163
million state-budget increase allocated for city schools.
(New York Post)
July
1, 2002
New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver took exception yesterday to Governor George E.
Pataki's plan to build a memorial at the World Trade Center
site, saying that Pataki was too quick to make plans for a
memorial. Silver says any plans for the site should be
subject to public hearings and discussion.
(New York Post)
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