VOTE411 Voter Guide

1. Improve the economy in New York by reducing taxes (including taxes on gasoline), rolling back regulations on small businesses and cutting payroll taxes. 2. Make our neighborhoods safer for families by a) Repealing cashless bail laws that put criminals back on the streets hours after being arrested. b) Ending sanctuary policies that have been a magnet to illegal migrants, among them, violent felons --most recently gang members. all of this has cost taxpayers $5 billion for hotels, cell phones and debit cards for those illegal migrants. 3. Protect the rights of women and girls to have safe spaces without the presence of biological males, and save girls sports from being infiltrated by biological males.

I love nature and wish to leave my daughter and future generations a clean, safe planet. I am ready to listen to what experts on all sides of the issue say are necessary. I will not vote for measures that put undue burden on small businesses or Westchester taxpayers who already pay the highest taxes in America.

Voter ID is smart, practical and universally available to all. I reject the racist implications by democrats that people of color cannot acquire photo identification. That is offensive and insulting.

I believe education is the great equalizer. Our schools should not be ground zero for social engineering. By mandating the state department of education once and for all to compel our schools to focus on challenging learners of all abilities with academically excellent curriculum at every level we will produce more high school graduates, which is where the opportunity to succeed really takes off. It is also crucial to offer as much vocational training to students who wish to pursue a solid, well-paying career in a trade such as carpentry or electrical.

INFRASTRUCTURE/ENVIRONMENT: Greater funding for roads/bridges, mass transit (inc. Hudson Line climate resilience), and flood mitigation. Pass the NY HEAT Act, Bigger Better Bottle Bill, and Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Bill. AFFORDABILITY: Focus on utility rates, housing, childcare, insulin costs, school funding, and aid to municipalities. In Unincorporated Greenburgh, build on progress to discourage a likely costly Edgemont village incorporation. FIGHTING BACK AGAINST A SCOTUS RUN AMOK: Expand patient and provider protections for abortion, contraception, maternal healthcare, and gender-affirming healthcare. Gun laws to ensure our right not to die from gun violence. [See a fuller response at shimsky4assembly.com/issues.]

Last year, we enacted the Build Public Renewables Act and the transition to all-electric new buildings. This year, we passed Climate Change Superfund legislation—now awaiting the Governor’s signature—which will require the biggest greenhouse gas contributors to help pay for more resilient infrastructure. Going forward, I will be working to pass the NY HEAT Act, which includes a cap on utility rate hikes, the Bigger Better Bottle Bill and Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, as well as initiatives of significance to our region, such as stopping the expansion of the Algonquin Gas Pipeline and ensuring a full cleanup of PCBs in the Hudson River.

Technology has made voting in New York State much easier, perhaps most especially for people with disabilities, but it has also brought new risks. I support the concept of ensuring that New Yorkers can vote as conveniently as voters in many other states. At the same time, continual oversight and investment are required to ensure that the machines we use are secure and backed up by paper ballots, and that our cybersecurity measures are kept up to date. I am a co-sponsor of the Voting Integrity and Verification Act of New York (VIVA NY), which would require that every voter is provided with a verifiable, hand-marked paper ballot.

In the 2024 budget, we allocated funds to study the public school Foundation Aid formula. I am keenly interested in seeing that we address inequities in education funding. The number of elderly individuals behind bars has more than doubled in the past 20 years, many of them people or color. I support the Fair & Timely and Elder Parole initiatives—commonsense legislation my opponent/predecessor also supported during his time in the Assembly. Lastly, we must continue to help our climate justice communities. New York’s Environmental Bond Act directs 35-40% of funding to disadvantaged communities. This must remain a top consideration as we implement future environmental and infrastructure programs.