Stec 'excited' for new state chapter as senator

ALBANY | While newly elected as a state senator, Dan Stec (R) comes into office with plenty of state experience. "We are getting excited to make the move over to the senate," Stec, the former state assemblyman who won in the November election to replace the retiring Betty Little, said. "Issues and legislation are similar. I need to focus on the 25 percent on the job that is new."Stec said he has been getting to know the senate district, introducing himself to government and business leaders as well as taking lessons from Little. "Everyone would say she was driven by solving problems and helping everyone and doing the right thing," Stec said of Little. "She will be on the ORDA board with all of that knowledge and passion she has. I had the benefit and privilege to be her assemblyman and work on a lot of things closely together. We are working more closely together as we gear up for the transition and some of her staffers are coming over to work for me." "Get through the next couple of months" Stec said there will still be COVID-19 related challenges over the first months of the new session, including having to do some work remotely, but those do not compare to the challenges that face the state financially. "We are looking at the budget over the first three months," he said. "Right now, We have a $15 billion shortfall and with COVID, what it looks like now is probably going to get worse, so it could be $20 billion." Stec said a big factor in the budget process will be finding out what funding will come from the federal government, which throughout the pandemic has remained a question that needs to be answered. "We are going to be doing very specific legislation focused on COVID needs and these will all be very targeted bills and we are waiting for Washington to say here is what your aid looks like and here are the rules for it." Along with the budget, Stec said he will be focused on policy aimed at helping small businesses remain solvent until things return to "normal.""If the recovery goes poorly, that puts even more strain on our state finances. We have to find a balance so we do not needlessly make COVID worse." Stec added he felt more control over the COVID response should go back to the legislature, which he said has been left out of some of the decision-making via the state of emergency laws. "I think the need for urgent day to day decisions is over," he said. "I think we were elected to do a job and what we need to do now, most of it should have the legislature involved." New face, old challenges While Stec will be a new face in a senate where the Republican Party lost control in 2018 and will still be in a minority, Stec said his time in the assembly will be an asset in serving as a minority member. "I have been in the minority for eight years and I know how to navigate through the issues that come with it," Stec said. "We know how to debate bills and work to get stuff through. I think everyone who is here, their heart is in the right place and they are motivated to do the right thing, whether or not I agree with them. I just need to show them my problems in my district and show them why I feel this is the right thing to do for everyone." He added it working with others from across the aisle or within his party comes down to work ethic. "If you are a worker and you pick up the phone and build a relationship with the departments you can get a lot done," he said. "We have been very successful in working with the administration. He (Gov. Andrew Cuomo) was elected by the votes of the state and we may not always agree, but when I do I do it respectfully and I try to be a reasonable person."

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Stec 'excited' for new state chapter as senator

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