Raymond Meier
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Raymond Meier | |
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47th District New York
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| In office January 3, 1997 to Present |
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| Preceded by | William Sears |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | October 23, 1952 Rome, New York |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kimberly Davis-Meier |
| Religion | Catholic |
Raymond A. "Ray" Meier was born on October 23, 1952, in Rome, New York to Alfred and Irene Meier. Mr. Meier is a Republican of the New York State Senate representing New York's 47th district in his fifth term. The 47th Senate district is comprised of Lewis County as well as portions of St. Lawrence County and Oneida County.
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[edit] Background
Senator Meier holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a Juris Doctor degree from Syracuse University. He is a graduate of Rome Free Academy. Senator Meier is married to Kimberly Davis-Meier. They have two children.
While serving in the state senate, unlike many elected officials, Meier held outside work as well. Heis of counsel with the Utica law firm of Saunders, Kahler, Amoroso, and Locke. He was a partner in the Rome law firm of McMahon and Grow from 1985 to 1991, and an associate in the law offices of Paul A. Worlock from 1977 to 1983. Meier was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserves in 1974 and served until 1985.
[edit] Political Career
Ray Meier’s political career began in 1977. From 1977 to 1978, he served as Deputy Onondaga County Attorney. In 1978 until 1980 Meier was a legislative counsel to his political mentor, the late Senator James H. Donovan. From 1980 to 1983 Meier served on the Corporation Counsel for the City of Rome. Meier went on to serve as Oneida County Legislator from 1986 to 1991. In 1991 to 1996, Meier was the Oneida County Executive.
[edit] Oneida County Executive
During his time as Oneida County Executive, from 1991 to 1996, he proposed six straight balanced budgets. Meier eliminated a $9 million deficit and built a $13 million fund balance.
[edit] 47th District, New York State Senate
In 1996, then Senator of the New York State’s 47th district, and fellow Republican, William Sears, announced his retirement. It was then Meier decided to pursue a higher office and campaign for the vacant seat. Meier was challenged by third-party candidate, Donald J. Thomas, who was endorsed by the New York State Right to Life Party. That November, Meier would win the general election. In January, Meier took office as Senator of the 47th district of New York State. Now ending his fifth and final term, Senator Meier began serving on committees immediately after assuming office.
In 1997, Senator Meier served on a joint Senate-Assembly Energy Conference Committee which developed the popular Power for Jobs program, an agreement to provide low-cost power to employers in New York State.
Maintaining his promise of tax relief, Senator Meier was a supporter of the STAR School Tax Relief program which became law in 1997, and was accelerated in 1998. Senator Meier also sponsored the landmark "innocent spouse" law, which took effect January 1, 1999, to protect honest citizens from liability for tax bills incurred by an unscrupulous spouse.
Also in 1997, a freshman in the Senate, Meier served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs. He worked to pass legislation giving Veterans groups more freedom to spend the money they raise, and sponsored a 1997 constitutional amendment to give active duty military personnel veterans’ credits on civil service exams. The amendment was approved by voters in a statewide referendum. Meier's work was essential in the passing of the veteran’s buyback bill, which permits public employees to obtain up to three years of service credit in the public retirement system for their military service during periods of conflict.
In October of 2001 Senator Meier was appointed to the position of Co-chairman of the National Conference of State Legislatures' TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) Reauthorization Task Force. He testified before Congress on TANF Reauthorization in April of 2002, and served as a Member At-large of NCSL's Executive Committee.
In 2003, he was appointed by Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno to serve as a Co-Chair of the Senate bipartisan Task Force on Medicaid Reform. The Task Force held roundtable discussions across New York State for more than six months. These discussions resulted in the enactment of a cap on the local cost of the Medicaid program as part of the 2005-06 New York State budget, saving localities and taxpayers millions of dollars.
Meier authored a law requiring the United States Department of Health and Human Services to apply for a Federal Medicaid waiver to create a pilot program to offer less costly, more appropriate care to Medicaid patients in need of long-term care.
In addition to his work in the areas of Medicaid and Welfare Reform, throughout his career, Meier has served as a leader in promoting economic development initiatives and job growth opportunities.
Meier was chosen as one of only two Republicans in New York State to serve on the Platform Committee for the 2004 Republican National Convention.
He chose not to run for a sixth term, instead running for an open Congressional seat being vacated by Sherwood Boehlert. Meier lost that race to Democrat D.A., Mike Arcuri.
[edit] Race For the 24th Congressional District, New York
In August of 2006 Senator Meier announced he would run for U.S. Congress in New York's 24th congressional district to succeed retiring Republican Congressman Sherwood Boehlert. Meier is facing Oneida County, New York District Attorney Michael Arcuri of the Democratic Party (United States) for the vacant seat in the 2006 midterm elections on November 7th 2006.
Most recently, Senator Meier has gained support from top ranking political leaders. Within a 75 day period, two major GOP figures rallied support for Meier. On July, 14th 2006, Vice President of the United States of America, Dick Cheney appeared at a fundraising political campaign for Meier, in Utica, New York. Just over two months later, on September 26th, 2006, First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush also appeared at a fundraising campaign event for Senator Meier.
After ten years in the state senate, and despite the CQ calling the race a tossup, Meier lost to Arcuri by nine percentage points.
