BRONSON WINS; THANKS HIS SUPPORTERS

Rochester Democrat Harry Bronson has won the 131 District seat that was vacated by the retiring Susan John, D-Rochester, who served our community for 20 years.  Susan John is a huge friend to working families, chairing the Assembly Labor Committee and serves on the Judiciary, Education, Energy, and Libraries and Education Technology Commitees as well. CSEA wishes her the best in her future endeavors.  (Photos by Ove Overmyer)

Rochester, N.Y.-- Democrat and labor advocate Harry Bronson beat political newcomer Ken Kraus in a tough battle for the New York State Assembly seat that includes portions of the City of Rochester, and the towns of Riga, Rush, Wheatland and Chili.

"I'm just very pleased that the voters of the 131st were receptive to my message," said Bronson, a lawyer and small business owner who also ran on the Working Families Party line.

Bronson was elected to the Monroe County Legislature in 2005 and has served as its Minority Leader since 2007. He was strongly supported by CSEA.

In an email sent to supporters, Bronson thanked the community for the win.


"I cannot thank you enough for all you've done to support my candidacy over the past nine months. It has been a long and hard campaign, but because of you, I now have the honor and privilege to represent the citizens of the 131st Assembly District.

Whatever your part --perhaps carrying petitions, walking door to door, making phone calls, making a donation or a kind word of encouragement, this victory is because of you.

These are difficult, challenging times. I see, however, the possibilities and want, with your help to be part of the solution to the myriad of issues we face. I am eager to roll up my sleeves and fight for you, the hard working families of New York.

Thank you for this opportunity."

Sincerely,

Harry Bronson

To view YNN's Seth Vorhees election night interview with the Assemblyman-Elect Harry Bronson, you can go here.

LABOR INSTRUMENTAL IN DINAPOLI WIN; VOWS TO PROTECT PENSIONS

NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli surrounded by his WNY CSEA supporters on October 16th.  DiNapoli beat Harry Wilson and will serve a four year term ending 2014. (photo by Courtney Brunelle)

New York--  Thomas P. DiNapoli was elected state Comptroller Tuesday November 2, with strong support from CSEA and the labor community. This election is a victory for working families, as DiNapoli will fight hard to protect our pensions against corporate interests that would jeopardize them.

The race was not declared until shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday, which marked DiNapoli’s first statewide victory as political candidate.

Although Mr. Wilson refused to concede, saying the race was too close to call, DiNapoli took the stage at a victory celebration in Manhattan.  He told a sparse but extremely vocal crowd that his victory was an affirmation of his years of public service.  Some of the revelers and party faithful already went home-- Governor-Elect Andrew Cuomo and Lt. Governor-Elect Robert Duffy took the stage some three hours earlier.  “You don’t always need a famous name and you don’t always need to be rich to make it in politics,” DiNapoli said at the podium.  He also thanked the labor community for "putting him over the top."

Mr. DiNapoli, 56, a former assemblyman from Long Island, made ethics reform a key plank of his campaign, and he vowed to press forward with changes he has put in place to make state government more transparent.

DiNapoli had two major hurdles to overcome: his status as an Albany lawmaker in a year when anti-incumbency feelings ran high, and the financial advantage of Mr. Wilson, a Republican who poured in roughly $4 million of his own money into a campaign that outspent Mr. DiNapoli’s nearly two to one.

The comptroller is the sole trustee of the state’s $125 billion public pension fund.  Tom DiNapoli framed the race as a choice between “Main Street values and Wall Street values,” aiming to take advantage of voters’ lingering anger at the bank bailout and the financial crash.

Since taking over the comptroller’s post in 2007, DiNapoli has prohibited paid intermediaries from doing business with the pension fund and created a Web site, Open Book New York, that lists every state contract and all state agency spending.

In his victory speech, DiNapoli said, “It’s not always about the polls or the pundits or the papers. It is about the people and the working families of this great state.”

HARRY BRONSON FOR NYS ASSEMBLY

Rochester, N.Y.--  CSEA enthusiastically endorses the Honorable Harry Bronson for NYS Assembly in the 131st District.  The district includes portions of the City of Rochester, Riga, Chili, Wheatland and Rush.  Please take a look at this testimonial posted on WXXI's Voice of the Voter website and youtube.

For voter information or to check out your polling place, you can click here or call the Monroe County Board of Elections at 585.753.1550.

THE MESSAGE COULD NOT BE MORE CLEAR

Albany, N.Y.--  If you want to preserve your job, your pension, and your families well being, I suggest you take a look at this testimonial by our NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

-A message from your Local 828 Executive Board and Political Action Committee

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU CAST YOUR BALLOT

Rochester, N.Y.-- Tomorrow, millions of Americans will head to their local polling places to cast ballots for local, state and federal candidiates. We hope you’ll be among them. There is no action you can take this year more important than voting for fair-minded officials.

Elections have consequences. We've seen it time and again. Our work to elect more fair-minded members at all levels of government allow us to expect fairness, opportunity and equality for all working families. And fair-minded legislators have been the key to passing healthcare reform, consumer protections in banking, and passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 that helps level the playing field for women at work.

Our detractors want to roll back the clock-- that means rehashed fights about posting of the Ten Commandments, citizenship, and voting standards, enforcement of anti-civil rights and anti-gay legislation, regulating Wall Street and big banks, access to contraception, the legality of the clean-water and emissions standards, the minimum wage, and of course, the dismantling of Social Security.

It means a diminished state of our democracy and the elimination of vital public services in your community.  Tea Partiers and uber-conservative voters want to move the political fulcrum rightward and backward. Independents and political moderates need to take notice and vote for sanity and decency.  And if this doesn't motivate us to get out and vote, I don't know what will.

Polls will be open in New York tomorrow from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.

If you vote in Monroe County, you can find your polling place by clicking here.

If you have questions about voting or if you face any difficulties in casting your ballot, contact the Election Protection hotline by calling 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).