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Current Issues and Actions

The League of Women Voters of Albany County works towards open and effective government and for issues that our membership supports.

This legislative year, the New York State League of Women Voters will continue to work to reform state government. We support the creation of an independent redistricting commission and an independent ethics commission, election reform including 'no-excuse' absentee balloting and election day registration, and campaign finance reform. Additional priorities include protecting reproductive rights, equity in school financing, and establishing a fair voting system that will count Americans' votes.

The legislative agenda of the League is arrived at through consensus after a thorough study of the issues. Our legislative priorities are reflected in the 2010 Legislative Agenda of the League of Women Voters of New York State.

How you can make a difference!

Become involved in making sure our election system counts every vote.  Help support electoral integrity for the upcoming elections:

•  Advocate for verified voting and paper ballots: Contact your elected officials or write a letter to the editor. The League of Women Voters of New York has a Citizen Action Toolkit available online  that helps you easily contact your elected officials, send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, or sign up for action alerts on important good government issues.

• Check your voter registration. If you are already registered, you can look up your voter registration and find your polling place on the New York State Board of Elections website.

• Become a poll worker or poll watcher to help monitor elections.

• Join the League of Women Voters.

• Become Informed about what’s going on with our election system

  •  League of Women Voters - National and New York State

  •  VOTE411.org - The League’s nonpartisan resource for election and voting information.

  •  Project VoteSmart - Nonpartisan citizens’ organization provides candidate's voting records, campaign finances, performance evaluations by more than 200 liberal and conservative special interest organizations, biographical backgrounds, issue positions and public comments. View the website or contact student researchers on their hotline (1-888-VOTE SMART).

  •  C-SPAN

  •  Factcheck.org - Nonpartisan site checks the accuracy of political ads and allegations.

  •  Federal Election Commission - Official site of the government agency that regulates campaign finance.

  •  The Center for Responsive Politics– Nonpartisan site on money in U.S. elections.

  • Polling Reports

Current positions of the Albany County League are:

1) Reaffirmation of a four-county position on Solid Waste Management. The 1991 position adopted by Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Leagues will be used to monitor the Albany landfill expansion and other issues related to solid waste. The position is:

Existing Four League Position on Solid Waste
Approved: October, 1991
Members of the League of Women Voters in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady Counties agree that the wise management of natural resources respects the interrelationship of land use, water resources, air quality, energy use and waste management.

We support waste and toxicity reduction and environmentally sound methods of recycling and reuse as the primary forms of solid waste management Programs supporting reduction, recycling and reuse should be given policy and funding priority.

Waste management policies and funding priorities should recognize that many materials which are usually discarded as solid waste are in actuality resources having value; should promote the conservation of primary resources and the extensive reuse, recycling and recovery of manufactured and processed materials; should reduce the toxicity of materials entering the waste stream; and should assure the safe containment of unusable or toxic residues that may remain.

Therefore, the four Leagues support solid waste policies that:
• protect human health and safety;
• promote the wise management of natural resources, including land, wildlife and habitat, water,
• air arid atmosphere, energy and materials;
• promote the conservation of primary materials such as timber, minerals, ores and energy;
• promote the extensive reuse and recycling of secondary materials;
• minimize the effects of hazardous materials in the waste stream;
• make it as easy as possible for people to use legal and responsible waste disposal methods; and
• encourage communities to take responsibility for recycling and waste disposal by locating needed facilities within their boundaries and by cooperating with other communities in the management of solid waste.

At every stage of reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery and disposal, the positive and negative impacts on the following must be considered:
• public health
• financing
• regulatory provisions
• air and water quality
• land arid water resources
• noise levels
• transportation and infrastructure
• economic factors
• energy use
• waste residue
• visual aesthetics
Solid waste management methods should be determined by town, city, or county governments, or by a regional or intermunicipal authority. Federal or State government standards should be considered minimal. The five Leagues support direct involvement by citizens and local governments at all stages of planning, development, operation and monitoring of all solid waste management plans and projects.

Construction of solid waste facilities may be financed by various methods, including bonding, grants, waste generator fees, and private funding. Operating costs should be funded primarily by waste generator fees, sale of recycled materials, fines arid penalties, and to a lesser degree by public monies. Standards for operation of solid waste management facilities should be established and enforced by the public sector, whether actual operations are conducted by private or public entities.

More information is available at www.capitalregionlandfill.com.

2) Continued work on Greening of Albany County.

3) Continue support of Public Access Cable TV for the City of Albany.

4) Continued support of the Civilian Police Review Board for the City of Albany.