Letter To The Editor: Sen. Murphy Is Prolific Legislation Author

To the Editor:

I was bemused by the letter from Mr. Joel Gingold regarding Senator Terrence Murphy. Without citing a single example, he claims that Senator Murphy "takes credit for everything positive that happens in Albany" and the Senator's remark that he "brought Democrats and Republicans together" is "fantasy." Yet Mr. Gingold provides no evidence to substantiate his claim.

There is none. If we look at Senator Murphy based off results, he passed 39 bills this year, the most of any of his colleagues. He is known as a prolific author of legislation, consistently leading each year not only in bills passing his house, but in bills that passed both houses and are signed by the Governor into law.

Mr. Gingold claims that bills passed by the Assembly were "left to die" by Senate Republicans. But the buzzwords he uses omit the reasons why the bills died, like the bill to let non-doctors perform abortions, into the third trimester, and close any hospital that does not repeal its conscience clause, or enact 'AlbanyCare' socialized medicine with a $238 billion tax hike to pay for it (larger than the state budget). “Immigration” refers to the sanctuary state bill - where New York no longer collaborates with federal law enforcement - or the 'New York is Home Act' - the one where illegal immigrants receive welfare, driver's licenses and voting rights, all bills supported by Peter Harckham. Most people are relieved to hear that these bills died in the Senate!

Meanwhile, much like Pete Harckham, Mr. Gingold makes no mention of the countless Senate bills that died in the Assembly, showing his letter is politically, rather than altruistically motivated. Otherwise, he would equally chastise the Assembly for killing bills to let military voters have their ballots count, rebalance the school funding formula in favor of our region, create victim safety zones to keep victims away from their tormentors, put school resource officers in every school and require a life sentence without parole for cop killers. These are just a few of Senator Murphy's bills which died in the Assembly without so much as a committee debate.

Like Mr. Harckham, Mr. Gingold seems more concerned with illegal immigrants and scoring cheap political points than our military and first responders, school funding, abuse victims or school safety. Facts matter, not empty words. That's why two years ago, 5,000 more people voted for Senator Murphy than voted for Hillary Clinton, and I will be voting for him again in November.

— Helen Arnold, Yorktown Heights

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