With seven more session days until New York state lawmakers return to their districts for the summer, state Assemblyman John McDonald, of Cohoes, shared several of his priorities with Capital Tonight. 

One bill (A3469) would require legislators to post their financial disclosure forms in an electronic format on their official websites for greater transparency. 

McDonald is also carrying legislation dealing with distressed properties (A5337) that would protect tenants through receivership. 

“I, as a person who represents cities, deal with a lot of blight issues. Therefore, I have some bills that will prevent blight,” McDonald said. “One deals with this concept of receivership which New York City, Buffalo and Rockland County have had for years.  We know some properties are going to be upside down because of the pandemic. Yet we know those properties house tenants.”

McDonald’s legislation would allow a local government to designate an entity to manage the property. 

“That way we can keep tenants in those units and prevent those properties from deteriorating,” he explained.