Terry Gipson

The Honorable Terry Gipson
Member of the New York State Senate from the 41st district
In office January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2014
Preceded by	Stephen Saland
Succeeded by	Sue Serino
Personal details
Born	1963 Tyler, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Michelle Donner (Gipson)
Residence	Rhinebeck, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	BFA Texas Tech University MFA Penn State University
Website

Terry W. Gipson served as a Democratic member of the New York State Senate, representing District 41, which includes all but two towns of Dutchess County and three towns in Putnam County. He was elected to the Senate in 2012 after edging out longtime Republican Senator Stephen Saland by 2,100 votes. Conservative Party candidate, Neil Di Carlo, received 17,000 votes on that line.^[1] Terry Gipson is the first and only Democrat since Franklin Delano Roosevelt since 2013 to have held this seat.^[2]

Highlights of Gipson's service in the State Legislature:^[3]

Gipson successfully advocated for the inclusion of Dutchess and Putnam counties in the 0% manufacturing tax plan passed in the 2014-15 state budget.^[4] His Senate office helped secure millions of dollars in grants for new job-creating enterprises throughout the Hudson Valley. Gipson continues to advocate for more manufacturing jobs and lower utility costs by embracing alternative energy.

Gipson sponsored legislation that became law designating Wappinger Creek as an inland waterway. This act provides the opportunity for the 13 surrounding municipalities to apply for state and federal funding for waterfront revitalization, storm water treatment, and wastewater management, among other projects.^[5]

Senator Gipson’s office organized a strategic campaign to make the state Senate understand the urgency of helping victims with Lyme disease. During his term, the state began the long overdue process of providing funding for research and passing laws to help the victims of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.^[6]

Gipson supported a $9 million increase to the Environmental Protection Fund and a $90 million investment in NYS Parks funding in the 2014-15 state budget. In recognition of his commitment to environmental conservation, Terry received a perfect score from Environmental Advocates of New York for two consecutive years.^[7]

Gipson is a staunch supporter of public schools and understands their importance in inspiring a new generation of job creators. He continues to be a strong advocate for more individualization and less standardization in our public school curriculum. Gipson led the fight to ban Pearson, the foreign-for-profit testing company from New York State.^[8][9] Gipson believes our economy will be stronger when every child in every zip code has access to a high quality public school education.

Gipson's Senate office provided extensive support to Veterans and their families, and he hosted an annual Veterans Fair that connected them to a variety of support organizations.^[10]

Gipson remains an advocate for families and senior citizens, working with local organizations to support the prevention of elder abuse and to help those families that have been victimized by the startling increase in heroin and opiate addiction.^[11]

Terry Gipson is Pro-Choice, an advocate for equal rights and for raising the minimum wage. Gipson remains dedicated to helping families through the prevention of child abuse and domestic violence, and it was his advocacy and determination that led the state Senate to approve a new Family Court judge position for Dutchess County.^[12]

Gipson was born in Terrell, Texas raised in Tyler, Texas.^[13] He received a BFA from Texas Tech University in 1987, and an MFA from Penn State University in 1991.^[13] Gipson served as a volunteer firefighter and worked as a Design Director for MTV Networks and a designer for Rockwell Architecture, before opening his own business.^[13] In 2006, Gipson opened Gipson Design Group Inc., located in Rhinebeck, New York, where he was twice elected a Trustee to the Rhinebeck Village Board before winning election to the Senate. He closed his business in January, 2013, in order to work full time as Senator.

Former Senator Terry Gipson is a full-time lecturer in the Communications Department at SUNY New Paltz^[14] and recently taught as an Adjunct Professor at Marist College. In addition, he works as a consultant in the entertainment design and public relations fields.

References

External links

• Official State Senate Website
• Terry Gipson at Project Vote Smart