Avella Focuses on Albany Reform, Environmental Issues During First 100 Days

State Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, said he has sponsored 22 bills during his first 100 days in office that cover everything from Albany reform to environmental initiatives.

The senator, who replaced long-time Sen. Frank Padavan in January, said his first few months in the state Legislature have been eye opening.

“It’s been a totally different experience from the City Council,” said Avella, who served as the councilman for northeast Queens from 2002 to 2009. “There have been some frustrations in dealing with Albany. It’s a much more convoluted process.”

Avella sits on the Senate’s committees for cities, environmental conservation, aging and agriculture as well as veterans, military and homeland security.

The senator has sponsored 22 bills since taking office, several of which take aim at reforming the state’s Legislature.

One bill would impose term limits of four consecutive terms or 16 years for legislators, while another prohibits elected officials from collecting retirement from a former career while serving in office.

Avella also said he believes a proposal to change the length of terms in office from two to four years would force legislators to take firmer stands on issues facing the state.

“In Albany, part of the problem is that you are constantly running for office,” he said. “Members want to be in their districts to campaign and don’t want to vote on controversial issues.”

The senator has also pushed legislation tackling environmental issues, such as a bill that would protect sea grass and another that would reduce the amount of mercury used in lamps. One bill would prohibit the use of hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and natural gas.

“This is a process by which oil and natural gas companies drill, pumping very toxic chemicals into the ground and contaminating the water,” he said. “People can turn on their water and light it on fire. I think it’s crazy to save a few jobs in this industry at the expense of our water supply.”

He said he has also proposed closing city schools on primary election day and ripped up a placard issued by the state that would have allowed him to park at unpaid meters and in no-parking zones.

Avella said he would juggle state issues with traditional constituent concerns at the city level, such as getting involved in land use issues, in the months ahead.

“All politics is local,” he said. “If someone complains about a pothole, you still have to help them. Anything that is a concern for constituents of mine should be a concern for me.”

On May 12, Avella will hold his first town hall meeting as a state senator at Bellerose’s M.S. 172, located at 81-14 257th St.

Avella’s district covers Douglaston, Little Neck, Bayside, Whitestone, Queens Village, Floral Park, Jamaica Estates, Bellerose, Hollis, Flushing, College Point and Glen Oaks.