JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting today that local state Assemblyman Andrew Goodell is in hot water with the Jamestown branch of American Association of University Women for recent votes he cast in Albany.

The report says local members of the AAUW are upset that Goodell voted against three bills in the Assembly last month that calls for a state Fair Pay Act, which would make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate based on gender, race or national origin. Goodell defends his vote, however, saying the bills would allow workers in different fields to receive the same pay, effectively destroying the free-market system with a government-controlled wage scale. He also notes the current state and federal laws are already in place that prohibit employers from discriminating employees based on sex, age, and race. Goodell said the proposed bills, which still all passed in the Assembly, would require equal pay for different work. Last week, Goodell also sent the Jamestown AAUW a letter explaining his stance on the bills.