By Hector Flores
³I starting voting on bills within a few hours after I was sworn in,² McKevitt said. ³Fortunately, we have an outstanding staff that gives briefings and memos on all the bills.²
McKevitt explained that the work was made manageable by the Assembly¹s Republican conference, which has a staff of 10 attorneys who analyze every bill and write detailed reports.
So far, the busiest day of the week for McKevitt has usually been Tuesday, which is commonly referred to by Assembly members as ³Lobby Day.² ³On Lobby Day groups and citizens throughout the state come to the capital to address their elected officials on issues that are important to them,² he explained. ³The first groups that came to meet me were from many of the schools in my district. The reason they came first was because the budget was due and they wanted more state aid. Before schools set their budgets, they must first know how much they¹re getting from the state. I have to work for them as hard as I can, and it doesn¹t matter if I¹ve been working here [in Albany] for one day or 20 years.²
McKevitt said that schools were very fortunate to receive the extra assistance this year, because there was a state surplus of $2 billion to $3 billion, which translated into increased school aid and property tax relief. ³That is where the money came from,² McKevitt said. However, he added, property tax relief would not have been possible without the support of the Democratic majority.
³I would say at first, it was the Republican conference pushing for property tax relief,² McKevitt said. ³But we were able to convince the majority to go along. For the majority of the month of March, the Republican conference held frequent press conferences to bring the issue to greater public exposure. By doing that, we were able to convince the majority to adopt our ideas.²
As an Assembly member, McKevitt spends half his week in Albany and the other half in his district. ³Monday through Wednesday is spent in Albany, but the busiest day for me is Tuesday,² he said. ³On an average Tuesday, my first meeting starts at 8 a.m. and we won¹t finish until 10 at night. Thursday through Sunday, I¹m attending events throughout my district. This is a seven-day-a-week job, and often times I have very late nights.²
In the last couple of months, McKevitt held mobile office hours at the libraries throughout his district, in addition to his schedule appearances. ³I touch 17 communities in the four days that I spend in my district,² he said. ³I attend community meetings, hearings and I talk with constituent groups.²
McKevitt remembers Thursday, May 18, as one of his busiest days. It began with a Senior Recognition Day at North Hempstead, and then he held mobile office hours in Merrick, presented a ³Keep Merrick Beautiful Award² in North Merrick, met with the Bellmore/Merrick Wellness Council, and attended a meeting with the New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce.
Despite the hectic schedule, McKevitt is proud of what the Assembly was able to accomplish this session. ³It was very encouraging,² he said. ³In addition to the property tax relief, were able to expand the DNA database for criminals and eliminate the statute of limitations on rape.²
McKevitt considered the last month of the session one of the most interesting periods of time. ³It is amazing the amount of work you do at the end of the session,² he said. ³We were working at times until 1 a.m., and spending 12 straight hours in the Assembly chamber.²
McKevitt remembers leaving his Albany office at noon one Monday and returning at 11:30 p.m. ³I didn¹t get a bite to eat,² he said. ³But that is what you have to do.²
McKevitt credits his experience as deputy attorney for the Town of Hempstead with helping him prepare for the work load he faces in the Assembly. ³My work with the town helped because it gave me the ability to work with the constituents to help them out,² he said.
Fellow Assemblyman David McDonough, a Republican of Merrick, graded McKevitt's performance as excellent. "He has great government experience," McDonough said. "His experience with the Town of Hempstead familiarized him with local and state issues. It was probably an easier transition. I'm pleased to have him as a colleague, and his experience makes him an asset to our conference."
In November, McKevitt will run for re-election, and he is preparing to immerse himself in the hectic schedule all over again. ³There aren¹t enough hours in a day to do everything you want to accomplish,² he said. ³My constituents are mainly concerned about their taxes, and see it as their No. 1 issue. But soon people will start receiving their rebate checks in October, and I think that¹s a good start in the right direction.²
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
