Paul Tonko

Infobox State Representative
name = Paul Tonko


imagesize =
caption =
state_assembly = New York
district =105th
term_start = April 1983
term_end = June 29 2007
predecessor =
successor = George Amedore
constituency = 105th
party = Democratic
date of birth=birth year and age|1949|6|18
place of birth = Amsterdam, New York
date of death=
place of death=
alma_mater = Clarkson University
profession = engineer
spouse = single
residence = Amsterdam, New York
religion = Roman Catholic

Paul David Tonko, born June 18, 1949, is an American politician. He is the Democratic nominee for New York's 21st congressional district seat, currently being vacated by retiring Michael McNulty. Tonko served in the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 2007, representing the 105th Assembly District. He was the president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority,The New York Red Book. Albany: New York Legal Publishing. (2007) p. 965. See [http://www.nylp.com New York Legal Publishing website] ] from 2007 until his resignation on April 25, 2008. [http://www.nyserda.org/Press_Releases/2008/PressRelease20082504.asp NYSERDFA press release] . Accessed August 26, 2008.]

Education and early career

Tonko holds a degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from Clarkson University.

Tonko was a member, and subsequently Chair, of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. At 26, he was the youngest individual ever to be elected to that legislative body until 2003, when Brian S. Cechnicki was elected at the age of 21.Fact|date=September 2008 Tonko remained the youngest elected Supervisor from the City of Amsterdam, until 2007 when Karl Baia was elected at the age of 25.Fact|date=September 2008

Assembly

Tonko was elected to the New York State Assembly in April 1983 as a Democrat. He represented the 105th District, comprising the City of Amsterdam in addition to Rotterdam, Princetown, Mohawk and Glen, among other communities located in Upstate New York, including portions of the City of Schenectady.

While in the Assembly, Tonko served as the Chairman of the Energy Committee, a position he held since 1992. Tonko was also a member of standing committees on Agriculture, Transportation and Education, where he was the original sponsor and a chief proponent of the College Tuition Savings Program that was signed into law in 1997. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E5D81F3BF935A35751C1A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all New Yorkers Rush to Invest In College Plan] Leslie Eaton, "The New York Times", December 6, 1998] Tonko was also the major advocate of "Timothy's Law" to require health insurers to cover mental illness. [ [http://www.senate.state.ny.us/pressreleases.nsf/6d7ac8927bea79d085256b76006cc004/8fd916340beb347c852571ea00738456?OpenDocument Senate Passes "Timothy's Law" to Provide Mental Health Parity] "New York State Senate", September 15, 2006]

Assemblyman Tonko was a chief sponsor of the Northeast Dairy Compact, the Chairman of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, and was appointed by Speaker Sheldon Silver to serve as Commissioner for the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission.Fact|date=September 2008

Tonko vacated his seat on June 29, 2007, after Gov. Eliot Spitzer tapped Tonko as president of NYSERDA, an authority or public benefit corporation created in 1975 by the New York State Legislature.

NYSERDA

Tonko was President and CEO of [http://www.nyserda.org/ NYSERDA] (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) from 2007 to 2008, resigning to run for U.S. Representative.

Congress

Tonko entered the 2008 Democratic Primary for New York State's 21st Congressional District, representing Albany County, Schenectady County, and parts of Rensselaer County, Schoharie County, Saratoga County, Fulton County, and Montgomery County. [ [http://www.elections.state.ny.us:8080/reports/rwservlet?cmdkey=candidate_32_statewide_cgs New York State Board of Elections website list of candidates] . Retrieved September 11, 2008.] With less money than two of his rivals, Tonko won the primary on September 9, 2008.Lauren Stanforth, "It's Tonko in 21st: Democrat will face Buhrmaster," September 10, 2008, found at [http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=719257&category=REGION Times Union website] . Retrieved September 11, 2008.] He will face Republican James Buhrmaster, a Schenectady County legislator in the general election.

Because of the heavy Democratic enrollment, [There are 174,054 enrolled Democrats to 119,493 enrolled Republicans and 101,219 not enrolled in any party, with a total of 428,655 Voters Registered as of March 1, 2008, in the district; see [http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/enrollment/congress/congress_mar08.pdf New York State Board of Eelections website] . Retrieved September 15, 2008.] Tonko is favored to win election to Congress.

References

ee also

*United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 2008
*Energy law

External links

* [http://paultonkoforcongress2008.com/ Paul Tonko for Congress] official campaign website
* [http://opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?ID=NY21&Cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] at OpenSecrets.org
* [http://www.neny.org/ContentManager/index.cfm?Step=Display&ContentID=40 Biography] from "New Energy New York"