James W. Wright,
Republican, Conservative, Independent,
is serving his seventh term in the New York
State Senate, representing the state's 48th Senate District. The Senator was
first elected in 1992, and has been reelected by large margins ever since.
Senator Wright has dedicated his career to public
service, having started out as a child protective services caseworker in
Oswego County. The Senator quickly ascended through the ranks of county
government, and in 1979 was appointed as the first County Administrator of
Oswego County. He served in that capacity until 1987, when he was then
appointed as the first County Administrator of Jefferson County. He was
successful in implementing various safety, environmental, economic
development and infrastructure projects in both counties, receiving several
honors for his achievements on behalf of the counties.
During his tenure in the Senate, Mr. Wright has
developed a reputation as a legislator who fights for his constituents
and makes a concerted effort to answer each request personally.
The Senator has worked diligently to improve
economic development throughout the state by sponsoring legislation to
extend the Economic Development Zone program. As the current Chairman of the
Senate Task Force on Small Business, he has been a leading advocate for
improving the state's business climate. He has accomplished this by working
for legislation which cuts taxes and red tape for New York's small business
community.
In his district the Senator has been recognized
for his work with small businesses, and has received awards such as the
Economic Developer Merit Award. He has also been instrumental in
negotiations to keep large manufacturers in his district, and to attract new
employers to existing facilities. The Senator has also been honored by the
New York State Farm Bureau as a member of their "Circle of Friends."
In recognition of his work on local energy
issues, Senator Wright has been named the Chairman of the Senate's
Committee on Energy and Telecommunication.
During the Senator's tenure as Chairman, he has been
a key player in the energy arena and will continue to help navigate New
York's progression during the transition to deregulation and addressing the
need to increase generating capacity. Senator Wright has been a leading
advocate for the reduction of energy taxes, specifically the Gross Receipt
Tax and repeal of the Gas Importation Privilege Tax. He has a clear
understanding that having access to affordable and reliable energy is key to
economic growth in New York state. He was an important member of the
conference committee that created Power for Jobs and last year worked with
members of the Legislature and Administration to expand the program for an
additional years. In his first year as Chair, he successfully ushered
Article X legislation into law that is streamlining the siting of power
plants.
In 2006, Senator Wright
was a leading advocate for capping the state sales tax on gasoline at 8
cents per gallon.
The Senator has successfully advocated for the
expansion of fiber optics into rural areas, improving telecommunications
capabilities. He supported new tax cuts that will induce web hosting
facilities to establish businesses in New York.
Senator Wright sponsored
several telecommunications and consumer protection bills in 2006, including
two laws that protect online users from computer fraud and identity theft.
He also sponsored legislation that permits telephone companies to offer
discount packages and promotions, which enables the companies to better
compete with cellular and cable phone services.
Prior to being appointed to head the Energy and
Telecommunication committee, Senator Wright served as the Chairman of the
Senate's Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, where he worked to sponsor
zero tolerance legislation, and other measures designed to keep children
from using drugs and alcohol.
Mr. Wright graduated from the State University of
New York at Oswego in 1971, and attended the Maxwell School of Public
Administration at Syracuse University. He was selected for participation in
the Local Government Public Administration Internship, Harvard University,
Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives, and the United
States Army War College, National Security Seminar. He has also served as an
adjunct faculty member and a private consultant. He was honored in 2000 by
Oswego State with the Lifetime Award of Merit.
Standing Committee Assignments: Energy
and Telecommunications (Chair); Finance; Commerce, Economic Development and
Small Business; Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections; Labor; Tourism,
Recreation and Sports Development; Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs, Housing and Community Development.
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