VOTE411 Voter Guide

My top priorities reflect what I’m hearing from constituents every day: affordability, climate, and protecting our communities. That means tackling rising housing, utility, and health care costs; fully implementing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act while investing more aggressively in clean energy infrastructure; and standing up to federal overreach, including protecting immigrant New Yorkers from ICE abuse. I’m also committed to safeguarding New York as a safe haven for reproductive freedom and ensuring access to care, especially in rural parts of the district. On day one, I will prioritize advancing unfinished work from this session, including the CLPA, the New York Health Act, New York for All/Dignity Not Detention, and legislation creating a civil right of action against federal agents who violate New Yorkers’ constitutional rights.

Transportation is New York’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, so meeting our climate goals requires decisive action. We need to invest in clean, reliable public transit in underfunded upstate and suburban areas—improving CDTA bus frequency, reliability, and electrification to cut emissions and expand access to jobs, healthcare, and education. I support accelerating zero-emission buses and building safe, connected bike and pedestrian networks to make low-carbon travel practical.

We must also lead by example by making state-owned buildings zero-emission by 2040, requiring new public construction to be fossil-fuel-free and investing in efficient technologies. Expanding renewable energy is critical, alongside streamlined permitting. I will fight to create good-paying green jobs (prioritizing union labor), expand workforce training, and build resilient infrastructure that protects our communities while ensuring sustainability is equitable and accessible for all.

As co-counsel to the New York State Poor People’s Campaign in 2017-2018, I learned first-hand the importance of interrupting and, when possible, reversing the impacts of systemic racism. From redlining to exclusionary zoning to the neglect of historically minoritized groups and the neighborhoods that they live in, it is critical that New York State step in where permissible to reverse the conditions that create economic inequality. From ensuring proper working conditions, to union construction of affordable housing to protections for working families in industries targeted by corporate greed (including healthcare), we need a holistic approach that is iterative and keeps making progress.

New York must act swiftly and decisively to safeguard voter protections. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Callais is a clarion call to states that care about proportional representation for historically disadvantaged and disenfranchised communities. Callais raised the bar for vote dilution claims to carry weight and, as such, it is important for New York to do what it can to ensure that our state flips this script and prevent dilution from occurring through other measures that fortify the provisions of the Voting Rights Act that the federal government is eviscerating. A State-level Voting Rights Act can go a long way to resist the voter dilution happening in other areas of the country. Additionally, New York must consider an amendment to its state constitution to make gerrymandering harder.

1. Make NYS More Affordable. The overriding issue in this state caused by the trifecta of the governor & senate & assembly majorities, who have total control of state government, is the population exodus from our state due to a lack of affordability. I’m sponsoring the largest tax cut in NYS history, seeking to double STAR property tax relief for families & seniors, & reduce job-killing mandates on our family farms & small businesses. 2. Reduce Utility Bills. We need to cut energy costs by repealing costly energy mandates to heat your home. I’m sponsoring the bi-partisan “Ratepayer Protection Act” to make elected officials accountable for out-of-control utility rates. I’m also sponsoring legislation to permanently cap & suspend the state gas tax to help lower gas prices. 3. Public Safety. I’m sponsoring a bipartisan bill to repeal the failed bail law to give judges reasonable discretion to keep our streets safe & “Joycelynn’s Law” to increase penalties for child abuse & neglect.

The goal of having several clean energy options is a good one, but it must be done with common sense and in a realistic way that’s reasonable and affordable for taxpayers, our local governments, and school districts -- and not add to NY's high tax burden. That’s why we need to fully rescind the electric school bus mandate that will cost school districts billions of dollars and replace it with a state-funded pilot program to enable school districts to test and evaluate how these electric buses perform. As Senator, I was proud to pass bills to forever protect Kinns Road Park in Clifton Park and Woods Hollow Nature Preserve in Ballston Spa and Milton and I secured a $250,000 state grant to help Clifton Park purchase the beautiful Town Center Park and saved about 38 acres of parkland from development. I passed a constitutional amendment in 2014 to protect forest lands & go digital at the state Capitol saving taxpayers $13 million annually.

Antisemitism, racism, intolerance, hatred and discrimination of any kind are the center of evil & must be opposed whenever they rear their ugly head. The rising tide of antisemitism seen in NY & across the U.S. following the barbaric October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel is deeply disturbing. I have refused to be silent in the face of this evil. I was proud to join many residents to stand-up, speak out & rally for Israel & the Jewish community on several occasions including at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs. I’m sponsoring several bills to fight antisemitism and racism including a bipartisan bill to add the antisemitic desecration of cemeteries as a hate crime & a bill to expel any SUNY/CUNY student convicted of any type of hate crime. These bills protect & heighten penalties for all cultures, religions & hate crimes law categories against actions of violence & discrimination.

Partisan gerrymandering when it comes to redistricting is wrong no matter what party is in power. It’s wrong for Texas to do it & wrong for NY. A few years ago, I joined the late Mayor Ed Koch to sign his Heroes of Reform Redistricting Reform Pledge. The Pledge, supported by the League of Women Voters, called for “an independent commission to propose & draw district boundaries for congressional & state legislative districts” & to “ensure the even-handed & non-partisan drawing of lines.” The legislature passed & voters approved an independent redistricting commission that largely lived up to that pledge. Unfortunately, the Majorities tried to bypass the will of the people in the name of brazen partisan politics. NY’s highest court rejected their partisan schemes & threw the lines out. Elected officials & partisan hacks shouldn’t rig the game by drawing district lines so they can choose our representatives. Only voters should choose. NY'ers deserve fair & equal legislative districts.