With the new year upon us, the state Legislature will soon be back in Albany and in session. This will be the start of my sixth year representing a multi-county district.

For the past six months, I have enjoyed my time traveling all over the five counties that make up the 121st Assembly District. I wish I could remain close to home for the entire year, visiting with as many of you as possible.

Once back in Albany, I will begin the task of reading the thousands of bills that are introduced annually. Many will impact you and your family. I will have certain priorities that I will take with me as I head back to the Capitol.

My most important priority will be to guard our upstate values and improve the lives of New Yorkers. I anticipate I will be pushing back against radical legislation coming out of the one-party-ruled Albany. But, on the other hand, I will happily work with my colleagues across the aisle when feasible.

One of the biggest topics I hear about when speaking with constituents is the affordability crisis we are facing in New York. We have the worst tax burden in the country, and the state is doing nothing to make it better. The Majority Conference is pushing policies that might work in New York City but don’t fit with our rural lifestyle. Many of these policies deal with energy, such as the push toward all-electric buildings and heavy reliance on wind and solar power for electricity, while forsaking natural gas.

Nearly all of the regulations coming from Albany add costs or burdens on people and businesses. This gets passed down the line and makes life more expensive for everyone. That is why I will continue to push to reduce taxes and government spending and cut red tape for small businesses. I believe capitalism, not socialism, is the answer to our economic woes, and I will push back against the radical members in the Assembly.

Another topic is public safety; it seems that Albany cares about criminals more than law enforcement and law-abiding citizens. With pro-criminal legislation such as bail reform, raise the age and clean slate allowing violent criminals to roam our streets, you can see why.

Far too often, we hear stories about how someone is arrested, let go because of bail reform, and then immediately commits another crime. It isn’t right. It pains me the way the members of the Majority continue to demonize law enforcement, whether that be police officers or correctional officers.

Too often, legislation comes to the floor that only makes the job of law enforcement more difficult. I predict in the coming year there will be changes to how convicted criminals are sentenced by judges. It’s the only piece of the system left to change to make criminals’ lives easier.

There are 150 members of the New York State Assembly, representing every inch of our state. Our districts are based on population, with each member representing about the same number of people. Because of population density, most of the Assembly members are from downstate: New York City, Long Island and the southern portion of the Hudson Valley. That is why my district is so large, having portions of five counties. My colleagues from New York City often represent just blocks of a city neighborhood.

Finally, I count on you folks back home to tell me which bills will impact your lives. In 2025, there were more than 11,000 pieces of legislation introduced. Some contained only minor word changes, others were hundreds of pages of complex law. All can have an impact on our lives and prosperity. Last year, of those 11,000 bills, only a little more than 700 passed, and not all were signed into law by the governor. If you hear about legislation that will hurt you or maybe make your life better, I need to know about it. I need to know which bills you would like to see pass and which ones you wouldn’t. I never forget that as your assemblyman, you are my boss; I work for you. My staff and I are always here to assist you.

(Assemblyman Angelino(R,C-Norwich) represents the 121st  Assembly District, which includes parts of Broome County, Delaware County, Madison County, Chenango County and Otsego County. Follow Assemblyman Angelino on Facebook)

Column by Assemblyman Joseph Angelino