MARCH 2008

RECENT ACTIONS BY ERIE COUNTY LEGISLATURE WORKING FOR FAMILIES BEST INTERESTS

The coming year is sure to be a busy one as my colleagues and I in the Legislature work to enact positive changes in Erie County that directly affect the residents we serve. Several recent actions by the Erie County Legislature show our commitment to the families in our community.

At our February 21, 2008 session, the Erie County Legislature sent a strong message to Albany to protect our families. I co-sponsored a resolution requesting that our New York State representatives pass legislation that would protect children from exploitation on the Internet. There is an alarming trend of sexual predators seeking their prey via the Internet. The Internet has made it much easier for people to obtain child pornography, and it is reported that forty percent of people possessing child pornography have also preyed upon our children. We need to decrease the access that convicted child molesters have to child pornography and online contact with children. Further, we need to make it easier to monitor these offenders to ensure compliance. The resolution that I co-sponsored asks that our leaders in the New York State Senate and Assembly act quickly to pass the bills that are currently before them. Though Erie County will not be passing this legislation, it is important that we show our support to our State representatives on this critical issue to ensure the safety of our children and families.

Also, at a recent session of the Erie County Legislature, we approved a local law to restructure the Office of Veterans Services and established the position of Veterans Services Director to better serve our veterans and their families. Our veterans have served our country, and I am proud to have the opportunity to work with them. I am a firm believer that it's extremely important for veterans and their dependents to be aware of the benefits to which they are entitled and deserve. I am pleased to welcome Patrick W. Welch, Ph.D. as Erie County's new Veterans Services Director. Dr. Welch is a retired Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and served in Vietnam. He comes to this position well qualified as both a decorated veteran and a successful businessman. I will be working with the new Director in the very near future to sponsor a Veteran's Outreach in the 4th District. Outreaches are an extremely valuable resource for Erie County veterans because they provide information and answer questions about the various veteran services and benefits. More information will follow as we approach the event.

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