David Koon
Encyclopedia
David R. Koon is an American Democratic
politician who represents District 135 in the New York State Assembly
, which includes the towns and villages of East Rochester
, Penfield
and Webster
, and Fairport
, neighboring communities located in upstate New York
in the eastern suburbs of Rochester
.
, West Virginia
, earning a BS
in 1969. He worked at Kelly Springfield
in Cumberland, MD
from 1970–82, and joined Bausch & Lomb
in 1982 as an Industrial Engineer
. He was transferred and moved to Fairport in 1989.
, who had been elected to the state senate). He was elected to a full term in November of that year. Koon serves as a member of the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry; Local Governments; Small Business; and Library and Education Technology Committees. He is also Vice Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources and Vice Chair of the Legislative Commission on Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste.
In 1998, through Saint John Fisher College
, Koon and his wife Suzanne were instrumental in creating and managing the Jennifer Patterson Koon Peacemaking Foundation, in honor of their daughter. The Foundation "recognize(s) and honor persons who have made a significant contribution to peacemaking and who foster and stimulate a commitment to peacemaking in our society." One of Koon's legislative priorities has been full funding for E911
, a system of automatically locating those who've called 911, in New York State. His daughter had called 911 during her abduction ordeal, but although the call lasted 20 minutes, 911 dispatchers were not able to locate her. Although E911 had received some funding in the state since 1991, it had not been fully implemented as late as 2003. Koon pressed his case in 2003, against opposition from then-governor George Pataki
.
Koon has sponsored various pieces of legislation.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who represents District 135 in the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, which includes the towns and villages of East Rochester
East Rochester, New York
East Rochester is a coterminous town and village located southeast of the City of Rochester in Monroe County, New York. The village, home to about 6,587 people, is bounded by Pittsford to the west and south and Perinton to the north and east. The southern boundary is delimited by New York State...
, Penfield
Penfield, New York
Penfield is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 36,242 at the 2010 census.The town was incorporated in 1810 by the proprietor, Daniel Penfield, who purchased the town lands in 1795 and moved to the area in 1809. Penfield is a suburb of Rochester, New York...
and Webster
Webster (town), New York
Webster is a town in the northeast corner of Monroe County, New York, United States. The town is named after orator and statesman Daniel Webster. The population was 42,641 at the 2010 census....
, and Fairport
Fairport, New York
Fairport is a village located in the town of Perinton which is part of Monroe County, New York. Fairport is a suburb east of Rochester. It is also known as the "Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal"...
, neighboring communities located in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
in the eastern suburbs of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
Professional
Koon studied at Fairmont State CollegeFairmont State University
Fairmont State University is a public university located in Fairmont, West Virginia, USA. Enrollment of the university is about 7,700 and offers masters degrees in business, education, teaching, criminal justice and nursing in addition to 90 baccalaureate and 50 associate degrees...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, earning a BS
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in 1969. He worked at Kelly Springfield
The Kelly Springfield Tire Company
The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company was founded in Springfield, Ohio by Edwin Kelly and Arthur Grant in 1894.-Formation:Edwin Kelly originally called the company The Rubber Tire Wheel Company because it made rubber carriage wheels. Arthur Grant was issued for his solid rubber tire in a rim channel...
in Cumberland, MD
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
from 1970–82, and joined Bausch & Lomb
Bausch & Lomb
Bausch & Lomb, an American company based in Rochester, New York, is one of the world's leading suppliers of eye health products, such as contact lenses and lens care products today. In addition to this main activity, in recent years the area of medical technology has been developed...
in 1982 as an Industrial Engineer
Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering dealing with the optimization of complex processes or systems. It is concerned with the development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, materials, analysis...
. He was transferred and moved to Fairport in 1989.
Family
Koon and his wife, Suzanne, have had two children, East Rochester, NY Mayor Jason Koon and Jennifer Patterson Koon. In 1993, the couple's 18-year-old daughter, Jennifer Patterson Koon, was abducted from a suburban mall parking lot and murdered. (The assailant was convicted and is serving a sentence of 37½ years to life.) He asked a local official to have security cameras installed in such parking lots, but received no response. Thus began his political activism. He ran against the county legislator, losing a close election.Election and E911 Activism
Koon successfully ran for the 135th Assembly District seat in a special election held in February 1996 (to replace James AlesiJames Alesi
James S. "Jim" Alesi is a New York State Senator, representing parts of Monroe County, and a member of the Republican Party.-Early life:Before entering office, Alesi ran a firm that operates washers and dryers in apartment complexes and colleges....
, who had been elected to the state senate). He was elected to a full term in November of that year. Koon serves as a member of the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry; Local Governments; Small Business; and Library and Education Technology Committees. He is also Vice Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources and Vice Chair of the Legislative Commission on Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste.
In 1998, through Saint John Fisher College
Saint John Fisher College
St. John Fisher College is a private liberal arts college located in Pittsford, New York, United States, an eastern suburb of Rochester. Fisher is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the "Tier 1" Northern Master's Universities, while U.S News rates admissions to the College as...
, Koon and his wife Suzanne were instrumental in creating and managing the Jennifer Patterson Koon Peacemaking Foundation, in honor of their daughter. The Foundation "recognize(s) and honor persons who have made a significant contribution to peacemaking and who foster and stimulate a commitment to peacemaking in our society." One of Koon's legislative priorities has been full funding for E911
Enhanced 911
Enhanced 911, E-911 or E911 in North America is one example of the modern evolution of telecommunications based system meant as an easy way to link people experiencing an emergency with the public resources that can help. The dial-three-digits concept first originated in the United Kingdom in 1937....
, a system of automatically locating those who've called 911, in New York State. His daughter had called 911 during her abduction ordeal, but although the call lasted 20 minutes, 911 dispatchers were not able to locate her. Although E911 had received some funding in the state since 1991, it had not been fully implemented as late as 2003. Koon pressed his case in 2003, against opposition from then-governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
.
Issues
Koon is in favor of state presence in providing child care and job training for displaced workers, national standards for education and state-funded vouchers for private school education, and increased penalties for violent crime (including capital punishment and elimination of the statute of limitation for criminal sex cases).Legislation
On March 28, 2008, Assemblyman Koon announced the passage of a bill he authored which allows for the New York State Thruway Authority to issue annual short-distance commuter permits on the Thruway in the Rochester area at no charge between interchanges and barriers in the permit area. This bill would allow those citizens who travel for work in the Rochester area to use the Thruway at reduced rates or free of charge (A7094).Koon has sponsored various pieces of legislation.