Community Corner
Local Assemblyman Appointed to New Leadership Team
The assemblyman was elected to the team by Assemblyman Carl Heastie.
Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced recently that he has been appointed by Assemblyman Carl Heastie to be the Secretary to the Assembly Majority Conference and as the Chairman of the Assembly Small Business Committee.
Thiele had previously served as the Chair of the Assembly Libraries and Educational Technology Committee. He is the only elected Independent in the New York State Legislature.
“I am honored to be selected as part of the new leadership team by Speaker Heastie. More than that, it is an opportunity,” Thiele said. “We have the chance to enact much needed and long overdue reform that will bring openness and transparency to State government in Albany.”
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Thiele had previously stated his support for decentralization of authority in the State Assembly, limits on outside income and full disclosure of outside income by legislators, as well as the need for campaign finance reform.
In addition, Thiele has also been asked to Chair the Assembly Small Business Committee and has previously chaired the Assembly Task Force on University/Industry Cooperation.
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According to Thiele, over 400,000 enterprises qualify as small businesses under New York State Law (100 or fewer employees), representing 97% of all business in New York State.
“As New York continues to recover from the recession, government needs to foster both new innovative start-up businesses and long established successful small businesses to create good paying jobs,“ he said. “I am mindful that on the East End of Long Island nearly every business from agriculture, fishing, retail, and real estate to construction and health care is a small business.”
“I welcome these new responsibilities, but as always, the 1st Assembly District comes first. I see these leadership roles not only from a statewide perspective but as a way to improve the lives of the people who elected me to office.”
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