[Timothy's Team] Winning the battles and the war

[Bryan O'Malley]

Well, it's late Friday afternoon, and it is time to assess our week.
 
The phone-in was a huge success.  We have heard from multiple Senators
that they were bombarded with calls throughout the day.  A couple of
Senators even went so far as to call Senator Bruno and ask if they could
just forward the calls to his office, since they were supportive of the
bill.  FYI, Senator Bruno's staff reportedly said they were deluged with
calls, and instructed Senators to keep a tally and report back with a
total.
 
On the tails of this huge success, we are greatly looking forward to the
rally on Tuesday.  If you have not made plans to come to Albany, you may
want to make a last ditch effort.  We understand that many of you have
work, school, and other obligations interfering with your ability to
travel hundreds of miles for a rally in Albany, but I have heard there
is a nasty bug going around the state, and if you are starting to get
that itchy feeling in the back of your throat *cough, cough*...
 
Anyway, getting away from medical updates, we are expecting quite a
successful day next Tuesday.  With seven buses coming into town (they
are filling quickly, but there may still be space available on a couple
of them.  Again, they are coming from NYC (2), Long Island, Westchester,
Binghamton, Syracuse, and Buffalo), plus a large contingent from the
Capital District, the event should be yet another powerful day in our
state's Capital city.  Heck, it may even be sunny, but judging on the
most recent weather reports, an umbrella may be a wise choice when
packing in the morning.  However, like the postal service, Timothy's Law
supporters are out there come rain, or sleet, or snow, or wind - and we
will send a message to the Senate that we care about this issue, and
that they need to act to pass Timothy's Law now.
 
Speaking of our elected officals here in Albany...
 
There's an old saying, "What's good for the goose, is good for the
gander."  Did you know that the healthplan our Senators, Assemblymembers
and Governor receive HAS full mental health and chemcial dependency
parity.  That's right, the Empire Plan, run by New York State, provides
its members with full parity for mental health and substance abuse
services.  So, while hundreds or thousands of families throughout New
York are forced to relinquish custody of their children to the state,
place a second mortgage on their home, or bankrupt themselves to get the
mental health and chemical dependency coverage that they need, elected
officials only have to turn to their insurance plan.  
 
It is time that we let them know, WE WANT WHAT YOU HAVE.  Why is it that
they feel it is ok to provide their constituents with a second tier
insurance program?  If any one of your elected officials was put in the
situation that the O'Clairs were, we could guarantee this coverage
tomorrow.  However, since they have it, they can afford to stall
endlessly.  
 
What can you do about this?
 
Take a few minutes and write a Letter to the Editor.  Let them know that
we only want what our elected officials already have.  Remember, brevity
is the soul of wit, letters are best under 150 words, 250-300 is the
maximum.  Always include your name and phone number in letters, your
phone number will not be published, but the paper will want to call you
to confirm that you wrote the letter.  Finally, keep to one point.  Talk
about parity, include that our elected officials have it, and we want
it.  End the letter.  It is easy.  To make it easier, I have included
several newspapers' Letter to the Editor contact information below.  If
your local paper is not included, the information is often available in
two places, on the Editorial Page of the paper, as well as on the
paper's website.
 
Your tireless support on behalf of Timothy's Law continues to raise the
level of awareness on this issue.  It is one of the two or three most
talked about issues in Albany, and that is largely because YOU are
talking about it in your hometowns.  Legislators always hear from us in
Albany, it is when they go home to the district and are hearing the same
things from you that they know they need to do something.  In this case,
they are hearing about it MORE in the district than here in Albany
(which is an accomplishment on your part, because we don't stop
talking).  Keep up the pressure, together, we can do this.
 
If you have any questions or comments about this e-mail, please direct
them to  <mailto:bomalley at mhanys.org> bomalley at mhanys.org.  Replies to
this message get lost in cyberspace. 
 
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Directory of Letters to the Editor for NYS Papers

 

Albany Times Union

Letters to the Editor

Times Union

Box 15000

Albany, NY 12212

Fax: (518) 454-5628

Online: http://www.timesunion.com/forms/emaileditor.asp

 

Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin

Letters
c/o Press & Sun-Bulletin
P.O. Box 1270
Binghamton, NY 13902
Fax: (607) 798-1113

Online: http://www.pressconnects.com/services/editorial/editor.shtml

 

Buffalo News

Everybody's Column 

The Buffalo News 

One News Plaza 

P.O. Box 100 

Buffalo, NY, 14240

Fax: 716-856-5150

E-mail: LetterToEditor at buffnews.com

 

Elmira Star-Gazette

Opinion Page 

Star-Gazette 

P.O. Box 285 

Elmira, N.Y. 14902

Fax:  607-734-5614, Attention: Opinion Page, Star-Gazette

Online: http://www.stargazette.com/Services/lettertoeditor.html

 

Glens-Falls Post-Star

The Post-Star

Editorial Department
P.O. Box 2157
Glens Falls, NY 12801

Online: http://poststar.net/contact/elet_form.asp

 

Kingston Daily Freeman

Daily Freeman 

79 Hurley Ave. 

Kingston, N.Y. 12401

E-mail: letters at freemanonline.com

Middletown Times Herald-Record

Times Herald-Record

Attn: Letters to the Editor

P.O. Box 2046

40 Mulberry St.

Middletown, NY 10940


Online: http://www.recordonline.com/services/lettertoeditor.html


 

NY Daily News

Letters to the Editor

Daily News

450 W. 33 Street 

New York, NY 10001

E-mail: voicers at edit.nydailynews.com

 

New York Journal News

The Journal News
1 Gannett Drive
White Plains, NY 10604 

Fax: (914) 696-8396

Online: http://www.nyjnews.com/contact/letters.php3?address=letters

 

New York Post

The New York Post

Attn: Letters to the Editor

1211 6th Ave.

New York, NY 10036

E-mail: letters at nypost.com

Online: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/letters/letters_editor.htm

 

Newsday

Letters Editor 

Newsday 

235 Pinelawn Road 

Melville, NY 11747-4250

Fax: (718) 793-6422

E-mail: letters at newsday.com

 

The New York Times

Letters to the Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036

Fax: (212) 556-3622

E-mail: letters at nytimes.com

 

Plattsburgh Press-Republican

Plattsburgh Press-Republican

170 Margaret St.
P.O. Box 459
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

Online: http://www.pressrepublican.com/cust_serv/news_letter.htm

 

Poughkeepsie Journal

Letters to the Editor

Poughkeepsie Journal
PO Box 1231
Poughkeepsie, NY 12602

Online: http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/news/forms/letter_form.htm

 

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Letters to the Editor 

Democrat and Chronicle 

55 Exchange Blvd. 

Rochester, NY 14614F

Fax: (585) 258-2356

E-mail: dceditpage at DemocratandChronicle.com

 

Schenectady Daily-Gazette

Letters

Schenectady Daily-Gazette 

P.O. Box 1090

Schenectady, NY 12301

Fax: (518) 395-3175

 

Staten Island Advance

"Your opinion" 
Staten Island Advance 
950 Fingerboard Rd. 
Staten Island, New York 10305

E-Mail:  <mailto:editor at siadvance.com> editor at siadvance.com

 

Syracuse Post-Standard

Letters to the Editor

Post-Standard

P.O. Box 4915

Clinton Sq.

Syracuse, NY 13221

Fax: (315) 470-3081 

E-mail: letters at syracuse.com

 

Troy Record

Pulse of the People

Troy Record

c/o Lisa Lewis

501 Broadway

Troy, NY 12180

 

Utica Observer-Dispatch

Letter to the Editor

Observer -Dispatch

221 Oriskany Plaza

Utica, NY 13501

Online: http://www.uticaod.com/news/opinion/letters/letter_form.htm

 

 

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