Walczyk joined Assembly colleagues and North Country veterans and

successfully advocated for essential budget funding for state-run veterans’ programs.

Walczyk worked across the aisle to build bipartisan

coalitions, calling for an audit of the state Department of Labor after it failed to provide New Yorkers with timely follow up

for their unemployment claims. Mark and his staff fielded

hundreds of calls and emails from St. Lawrence and Jefferson

county residents who shared their struggles about getting their

claims processed.

Walczyk joined with members of his conference to propose multiple initiatives

to help get New Yorkers back to work and get our small businesses back up on their feet. His proposals would repurpose troublesome state programs like START-

UP NY or the Regional Economic Development Councils, and use the money as direct stimulus for small businesses to

recover. Further, he would extend waiving certain red tape and licensing hurdles to

allow businesses to rebound more quickly. For example, allowing restaurants to serve patrons in expanded outdoor settings would

be crucial for our local establishments.

Constituents have contacted our offices daily to express their frustration with the

Department of Labor’s inability to process and effectively communicate with them.

Constituents have also informed us about a breach of their personal information, which

has been corroborated by various news reports, and may be more widespread than

has been acknowledged. These are individuals who accepted the governor’s shutdown of the state’s economy with the tacit understanding

that their government would assist them during what was going to be a difficult time.

Walczyk received the highest ranking in his conference

from EPL/Environmental Advocates for his voting record

on environmental issues, including the Renewable Energy

Retention Act (A4294), Child Safe Products Act (A6296-A) and

Cleaner Air for Kids (A6358).

Walczyk worked across party lines to call on the Governor to repeal a tax that stops the expansion of

broadband in Upstate

Nickel and diming local governments, who are already stretching their budgets to meet the needs of their residents, simply cannot afford yet another

tax for running fiberoptic lines. In today’s day and age, broadband is just as essential as electricity. Often times, there are no alternative routes for

fiberoptic lines, which is why many municipalities rely on the ability to run lines along state-owned roadways.

Senator Patty Ritchie and Assemblyman Mark Walczyk

worked together to successfully protect taxpayers from an Albany-imposed unfunded mandate that would have

cost Watertown taxpayers $3 million! Together, they passed a bill to stop an unnecessary

and expensive courtroom from being built so that your hard-

earned tax dollars weren’t wasted on this Albany-imposed

project (A.10514).

Walczyk has been vigilant on rising lake and river levels. He hosted an informational presentation with the Army Corp of Engineers. Walczyk also built multi-national coalitions

to hold the International Joint Commission (IJC) accountable

for management of Plan 2014 and hosted IJC Chair Jane Corwin for a discussion on water levels and their impact with North Country leaders.

Walczyk visited every school in the Front Yard of America and met with school officials to discuss ways to

address the issues faced by local districts.