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 Elected
to the N.Y. State Senate in 1985 at the age of 31, State Senate Minority
Leader David A. Paterson has repeatedly broken barriers, demanded
change, and passed legislation on behalf of disenfranchised and
disadvantaged New Yorkers throughout his career. Representing the 30th
State Senate District, which encompasses Harlem, East Harlem, and the
Upper West Side, Senator Paterson has worked with every party, every
race, and every religious faith to bring social and economic justice to
all New Yorkers. Proud to represent New York State in Albany, Senator
Paterson recognizes that only by balancing the requirements of business
with the needs of individual communities can New York fulfill its true
potential.
In November 2002, Senator Paterson was elected N.Y. Senate Minority
Leader. He currently serves as the highest-ranking, African-American
elected official in New York State and is the first nonwhite legislative
leader in Albany's history. His invitation to address the 2004 National
Democratic Convention, as well as his selection to address the US
Conference of Mayors that same year, is a recognition of the scope of
his work. As Minority Leader, Senator Paterson directs all policy and
budget initiatives for the Senate Democratic Conference. The centerpiece
of Senator Paterson's agenda is meaningful reform of Albany's
legislative process, as he recognizes that when government falls short,
it affects the vulnerable most of all. That is why Senator Paterson is
committed to ending decades of late state budgets, unfunded mandates and
legislative log-jams in order to cut New York's tax levels (the highest
in the nation) and lighten New York's public debt burden (the second
highest in the country after California). In an unprecedented effort in
2004, Senator Paterson released a complete alternative state budget to
offer an example of open and transparent policymaking. Dedicated to
fundamentally changing the way New York State conducts public business,
Senator Paterson is committed to substantive campaign finance, lobbying,
and public authority reform. These are the cornerstones of Senator
Paterson's quest to transform state government to make it truly
responsive to the needs of all New Yorkers, those both successful and
struggling.
The Senator, who is legally blind, is also a leading advocate for the
rights of the visually and physically challenged people of New York, and
was elected to serve as a member of the American Foundation for the
Blind. Senator Paterson is a board member of the Achilles Track Club and
completed the New York City Marathon in 1999. A graduate of Columbia
University and Hofstra Law School, Senator Paterson lives in
Harlem with his wife and two children.
As Senate Minority Leader, Senator Paterson is an ex officio member of
all Senate standing committees and the ranking
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jbrc@jbrc.org
