Marcellino Challenger Matt Meng to Hold Press Conference

On Thursday October 23, 2008, at 11:00 AM, State Senate candidate Matt Meng (East Norwich, D) will hold a press conference on the steps of the Mineola Supreme Court where he will discuss critical economic issues, lackluster Republican Majority performance and environmental issues facing the 5th District.

"The age of Bush, Cheney, Rove, Bruno and Marcellino good-old-boy self-serving insider politics is over!"

Incumbent Senator Carl Marcellino (Syosset, R) spends his days counting hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign cash so he can puff illusive accomplishments into what is lackluster service and mediocre performance. The paper-thin Republican Majority is still more interested in protecting their pork than delivering meat and potatoes in critical public and environmental services. Today we need a sharp pencil and firm grasp to efficiently deliver services the public deserves. Like a car's engine, the Senate will run better clean.

As Senate Environmental Chair, Marcellino does not have support from any pro-environment groups or organizations but he will take and cash checks from the bottlers he protects. Senator Marcellino has staunchly opposed passage of the Bigger Better Bottle Bill and since 2002 has kept the bill stuck in his Environmental Committee--away from a floor vote.

The focus of the speech will also include the local and regional effects the passage of the Bigger Better Bottle Bill would have; specifically, its effect on local economies and the New York state budget. New Yorkers are currently giving an estimated $180 million away each year to the big bottle industry. Passage of this bill would shift those millions back to the citizens of Long Island and all of New York State.

Beyond bringing millions of dollars per year to the local economies, expanding the original 1982 Bottling Bill to include non-carbonated beverages, such as bottled water, iced teas and sports drinks, would dramatically improve recycling on Long Island. Today, nearly 3 Billion non-carbonated beverage bottles and cans end up in the trash or polluting our state's rivers, beaches, and neighborhoods each year because they don't have a deposit. Less litter and broken glass in our streets, parks, playgrounds and beaches would make them safer, cleaner, and more attractive.

Passage of the bill would shift the recycling burden to large beverage companies and free up local government resources to attack other pressing concerns. Beverage companies are keeping an estimated $180 million a year in unclaimed deposits from bottles and cans that are not returned. The new bill would eradicate the current loophole that allows large beverage companies to retain the unclaimed funds and would instead require these large companies to transfer unclaimed bottle deposits to the State's Environmental Protection Fund to support clean air, water, parks and open space.

By changing the existing law so these large companies can no longer keep unclaimed deposits, millions of dollars per year will be generated. We have the opportunity to pass a bill which will add millions of dollars to the New York economy without increasing taxes and as an added benefit improving recycling dramatically throughout the state.

The Bill is supported by more than 600 groups, businesses, and local governments and on June 11th of this year, the Democrat controlled Assembly overwhelmingly passed the Bill.