New York State Senator Jack Martins, R-Mineola, was among 10 senators appointed to the New York State Senate Bi-Partisan Task Force on Hurricane Sandy Recovery. The task force was announced during a press conference held on December 10 at a warming center in Rockaway Beach after the senators toured a neighborhood ravaged by the hurricane.
Martins and Sen. Charles Fuschillo were the only two senators from Nassau County. Sen. Lee Zeldin rounds out the three appointees from Long Island. The task force also includes co-chairs, Sen. Andrew Lanza, R-Staten Island, Sen. Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, as well as Sen. Diane Savino, D-Staten Island/Brooklyn, Sen.-Elect James Sanders, Jr., D-Queens, Sen. David Carlucci, D-Rockland, Sen. Martin J. Golden, R-Brooklyn, and Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., D-Queens.
Each task force member represents one of New York State’s hardest hit areas.
“This task force will clear the way to get our disaster response streamlined and working so our neighbors and local businesses can rebuild. We're going to listen, figure out what needs to be done and then make sure our communities have the resources they need to rebuild better than ever,” Sen. Martins said in a statement.
The task force was created to play a pivotal role in developing the short and long-term plans that will help these communities get back on their feet.
The task force will tour and hold hearings in hard hit communities across the New York metropolitan region and will be charged with:
- Identifying areas most in need of recovery assistance.
- Reviewing rebuilding and storm planning policies to remove roadblocks and ensure better storm-preparedness.
- Developing legislative solutions that will implement the forthcoming recommendations made by the NYS 2100 Commission, the NYS Respond Commission and the NYS Ready Commission – all established by Governor Cuomo in November.
