2022-present: Ulster County Executive
Supervising and directing every executive department of County government; preparing and submitting the annual budget, capital program, and accompanying message; appointing all department heads and other officers and employees; conducting collective bargaining negotiations with county employees; approving or vetoing every proposed local law and resolution.
2021-2022: Member, New York State Cannabis Control Board
Authority over regulation and licensing of New York’s cannabis programs, creating a legal, regulated cannabis industry grounded on principles of equity, public health, and sustainability, as well as expanding New York’s existing medical cannabis and hemp programs.
2021-2022: NYSERDA Agricultural Technical Working Group
Developing criteria for responsible siting of renewable projects in relation to agriculture and advising on development of a new State agrivoltaic program.
2019-2020: New York State Senator, 42nd District
Chair: Agriculture Committee. Successful legislation includes: a nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the Comprehensive Broadband Coverage Act, requiring the Public Service Commission to accurately assess and map internet access, reliability, and affordability in communities across the state, the “Boss Law” safeguarding New Yorkers against workplace discrimination on the basis of their reproductive health decisions, and creating the first-in-the-nation “Seeding Opportunity Initiative” that led with farmers–not big corporations–in adult-use cannabis cultivation, and prioritized equity.
2004: PhD in Political Science, Rutgers University
1994-2000: Instructor, Rutgers University
1994: Instructor, Walt Whitman Center for Culture and Politics of Democracy
1988-1993: Public Affairs Coordinator, United Nations Association
1987: BA in Government with High Honors, Oberlin College
I remember feeling shame and embarrassment for myself and my family as a child when my father was laid off. The rug was pulled out from under us. We went from living a comfortable, middle-class life, to being poor within a few short weeks. I felt as if I had done something wrong.
But I worked hard in school, took full advantage of a good public education, and went to college with a full financial aid package. Having access to these opportunities changed the course of my life, and inspired me to go on to get my Ph.D. in political science. Opportunities like this should be available to every one of us, because everyone deserves the chance to live with dignity.
When my kids were young, I finished my doctorate, and though my concentration was in international relations, I have long been a big believer in ‘thinking globally, acting locally.’ I served for more than a decade in local government in Rosendale, where I chaired the Town Environmental Commission for many years, served as Deputy Town Supervisor, and was elected to the Town Council for two terms.
In 2012, I became involved with a group of local residents to fight the takeover of our local utility, Central Hudson, by a multinational corporation. We were concerned (and rightly so!) that the takeover would lead to increased profit-taking and decreased reliability. The takeover did happen in 2013, but out of that effort, we founded the non-profit Citizens for Local Power (CLP). As its Executive Director, I took on the utility in Public Service Commission proceedings and won the first-ever reduction in Central Hudson’s fixed charges—all while building a non-profit organization from scratch. It was challenging but gratifying work with an extraordinary team of women, and CLP (now renamed Communities for Local Power) continues to play an important role in Ulster County in efforts to build a fair, just, and equitable clean energy economy.
I loved working for change in our communities, but I decided to run for State Senate in 2018 because the federal government at the time was taking us backward in every realm— climate, public education, public health, our democratic rights and protections. These were issues I knew our State could lead on, and I wanted to fight for the positive change we needed. I ran a successful grass-roots campaign, refusing to take any corporate money, and served in the State Senate beholden only to the people who elected me.
In my first year in office, we passed legislation to protect people’s private rights over their own reproductive health decisions, protect our LGBTQ neighbors from discrimination, reform our broken election system, enact common-sense gun laws, and help protect the our children’s future through the most forward-looking climate law in the nation.
My time in the Senate gave me the chance to combine my background in policy with my passion to directly help communities. I chaired the Agriculture Committee, prioritizing solutions to support our small farms, new and young farmers, and a sustainable, local food economy. In my broader legislative work, I introduced legislation on a range of challenges, from affordable broadband access to mental health support for youth to ending new fossil fuel infrastructure and accelerating clean energy investments. Some 30 of my bills have been signed into law with broad bipartisan support.
In my second year in the Senate, we were hit with a global pandemic, and I shifted my office’s focus to crisis management in a district that spanned 2,400 square miles and four rural counties. I had a staff of 12, and we worked to get needed information to local governments and the public at a time of great uncertainty, aided hospitals and frontline workers in securing desperately needed supplies, connected small businesses with resources to stay afloat during the shut-down, and assisted thousands of constituents navigate job loss and unemployment assistance. It was a time of fear, severe stress, hardship, and loss for so many, and we tried to help wherever we could.
Shortly after my time in the State Senate, I was appointed to serve on the new five-member New York State Cannabis Control Board, charged with developing and overseeing New York’s cannabis programs. This is work that involves many partners— State health and addiction services offices, local governments, law enforcement, community-based organizations, community colleges, and farmers and businesses, to name a few. The Board’s mission is to build a new regulated industry grounded on principles of public health, equity, and sustainability.
During that time, I also served as Policy Director for the non-profit New Yorkers for Clean Power, working to ensure that our state government implements the ambitious climate law I worked to pass when I was in the Senate, and that it does so in partnership with our communities.
Hard work, a collaborative spirit, and a patient, solutions-oriented approach have been key to getting positive outcomes over the years— whether in Rosendale Town Board meetings trying to keep taxes affordable, employee wages fair, and government services responsive to community needs; pulling all-nighters in the State Budget process to secure resources for local needs and priorities; in hundreds of hours fighting Central Hudson in rate cases; or in organizing dozens of communities to stop the proposed Pilgrim crude oil pipeline. While we continue to face challenges that are not easy, I continue to be optimistic about our future.
Ulster County is my home, I’ve raised my children here, and I’ve served our County and its residents and businesses in a variety of roles over these many years–always with a focus on working collaboratively and honoring the experience and insights of partners in and outside of government.
We face many challenges here, but we also have a solid foundation upon which to create truly innovative solutions to developing sustainably, solving the affordable housing crisis, bolstering our family farms and local food security, and creating green jobs and educational opportunities — these are all challenges that we can only address if we work together and always remember what’s important to us. Every one of us deserves the opportunity to realize our full potential, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to serve the county I love.
Friends of Jen Metzger
PO Box 224, Rosendale NY 12472
Campaign contact only:
contact@jenmetzger.com
Official Ulster County Executive contact:
ulstercountyny.gov/executive
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