Remarks By Speaker Sheldon Silver

Campaign For Summer Jobs Annual Youth Action Day

Well Of The L.O.B., Albany, NY
Wednesday, January 23, 2008

{As Prepared For Delivery}

Speaker Silver praised Gov. Eliot Spitzer's Executive Budget proposal for including funds to support summer employment programs to benefit New York's teenagers.

Welcome, my friends, to the Empire State Plaza, here in our state capital of Albany, New York.

Let me give a special "shout out" to my neighbors from the Chinese American Planning Council, to my neighbors from the Henry Street Settlement, and to my neighbors from the Grand Street Settlement.

Let me tell you a little secret. I was born and raised on Henry Street. I was a "drop out" from the Henry Street Music School. My father owned a hardware store on Ludlow Street. And today, I live on Grand Street.

Everything important that I ever learned, I learned in those four blocks on the Lower East Side. So, I am thrilled to have people here in Albany with me, who can understand all of the challenges of my youth.

I know you did not come all this way to listen to a lot of long speeches, but I want you to understand something.

I attend the Campaign for Summer Jobs rally every year.

Why? Because I respect you;

Because I know how important it is to have a good summer job;

And, because I am grateful for the outstanding efforts of the United Neighborhood Houses and the Neighborhood Family Services Coalition.

Too many people think that government can provide for every need and solve every problem.

That's a mistake.

Real public service - the best and most effective public service - requires everyone's involvement: citizens, schools, community organizations, businesses, religious institutions and government.

Real public service means getting up before the sun rises, hopping on a bus, and traveling three hours to get to the state capital just for the chance to educate your government leaders on the importance of summer jobs.

So I thank you - each and every member of the Campaign for Summer Jobs - for coming here and speaking out on behalf of all of the young people who could not make this trip; all of the young people who would not have a voice today, were it not for you.

Those of you who are taking part in this rally for the first time will not remember the days when this state had a governor who withheld funding for summer jobs. So, I want you to know what good friends and good leaders that you have in the men and women of the Assembly Democratic Conference.

I want you to remember the names of those who stood up and who fought for summer-jobs funding through all of those difficult years; the leaders who are still standing up for you today.

• Assembly Member Susan John, the Chair of our Labor Committee;

• Assembly Member Keith Wright, the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Social Services;

• Assembly Member Darryl Towns, the new Chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus;

• Assembly Member Deborah Glick, the Chair of our Higher Education Committee;

• Assembly Member Adriano Espaillat, the former Chair of the Caucus and the current Chair of our Veteran's Committee;

• Assembly Member William Scarborough, the Chair of the Committee on Children and Families;

• And, Assembly Member Joan Christensen, the Chair of the Legislative Commission on Skills Development and Career Education.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was joined by New York City teenagers who visited Albany to participate in the annual Campaign for Summer Jobs rally. Silver noted the importance of summer jobs in the lives of young people.

As Speaker of the Assembly, I represent these extraordinary leaders. They deserve your support. They deserve your applause.

Let's not forget the local heroes, those wise and caring individuals who established the Campaign for Summer Jobs, and who have been leading this fight since 1999.

I'm referring, of course, to Michelle Yanche and the Neighborhood Family Services Coalition, and Anthony Ng and the United Neighborhood Houses.

What a terrific job they do.

Yesterday, Governor Spitzer unveiled his budget for the coming fiscal year.

He proposed no cut to the summer jobs program.

Isn't it good to have a partner in the Governor's Office who believes - as we do - that we must honor our commitment to educate our children, to provide health care to everyone who needs it, and to create the jobs that people need in strong economic times and in weaker economic times?

It is still important that you take the time to remind your state leaders that summer jobs are important to you and to your communities.

In return, I promise you that we will continue to speak up for you here in Albany, in the City of New York, and in every city, town and village from Brooklyn to Buffalo.

So, please, make the most of your time here in Albany and remember: GO GIANTS!