The Issues

It is clear that the New York City economy is in the worst shape it has been in since the 1970s, many small businesses have closed and many are heading down the same path with no relief in sight. Small businesses need tax breaks and the elimination of red tape regulations to get their businesses back on track.

“Bail “Reform” is an absolute failure. Our streets are more dangerous because of the refusal by progressive politicians to confront the reality that is crime stricken New York. Violent crime rates are up, activist judges are letting criminals run free without reprisal, and police departments budgets are being slashed. We must take a stand against these destructive policies that make our streets unsafe. “Bail Reform” has to go. It’s the source of continued lawlessness and disregard of our once orderly society.

The New York City Council and State Legislature are leading us down a bad path that will only get worse unless we fix this now. Crime is on the rise throughout the city and we cannot allow policy makers to let us backslide into a time when criminals had more rights than working everyday-citizens. This city doesn’t need a defunded and demoralized NYPD. As a result of astronomical increases in crime, we need to restore safety in NYC and stand behind the NYPD by ensuring they are fully funded and empowered to do their jobs. We must reverse the failed bail reform legislation, restore the plainclothes anti-crime unit, and legally crack down hard on lawbreakers. Once again, we must implement the broken windows theory of policing that worked for decades. Our fine officers need an advocate who will have their back in the State Legislature, and I will be that voice.

As a member of Community Education Council 24, I will continue to fight to keep the SHSAT in place and have it be the sole admission criteria for admittance into a Specialized High School. We must preserve the gifted and talented program, honors classes, and advanced classes, eliminating these programs and classes would only hurt our students. I will fight to preserve these programs and classes.

Out-of-touch progressive Democrats have been slowly demolishing our merit-based education system. It is readily apparent that the Department of Education constructed a fancy lottery masquerading as a screen designed to mislead parents into thinking merit remains the guiding standard. They are dropping education standards and claiming diversity – when in reality – they are implementing racist, defeatist, policies that refuse to face the real issues facing students.

Classrooms have been stripped of teaching methods that have worked for generations of New Yorkers. It is my imperative to repeal regressive Common Core teaching standards and give educators more control of their classrooms. We should not be teaching students what to think – but how to think for themselves as responsible, educated, citizens.

As a proud board member of The Bridge to Life and a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, state policy should provide life-affirming options to anyone experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, empowering them to choose life for their child and to provide practical support and education to moms, dads, and families. We must promote a culture of life in our community –  one in which the life of every man, woman and child is valued and cherished.

Take a walk down any major avenue in our neighborhood and look as the empty storefronts fill the streets. We don’t have to think back too far to remember the days when  our Mom & Pop shops were the forefront of our local economy. Remember the shops on Metropolitan Avenue? Austin Street?  Queens Boulevard? How about Fresh Pond Road? These community staples are struggling to stay open as City and State legislators hammer down high tax burdens and put overhead costs through the roof.  The Main Street Tax Credit will give our local shops in New York State an income tax break for keeping our communities together. We must preserve our local shops across the neighborhood because they represent who we are – New Yorkers making an honest living in the city we love.

I am vehemently opposed to the jail in Kew Gardens, or in any local-residential neighborhood. Our residents did not want this jail from the start. I put the question out for all the other candidates – are you going to side with the current representative that sold everyone out, or are you going to pick someone who will fight to close these jails and open Rikers Island?

Every New Yorker deserves a good quality of life. This is a joint city and state issue, and I’ve been on both sides of it. Litter, graffiti, and waste are once again becoming the defining factors on our streets. We must work to tighten our laws regarding the defacing of property and our parks. Street poles and public utilities desperately need a new paint job. We can’t keep convincing ourselves that it is normal to let our city slip into a state of decay. I will work with our city and state officials to ensure that our streets aren’t taken over by defaced properties and overflowing garbage.

Taxes are reaching record levels and are hurting New York City residents and business owners. New Yorkers pay some of the highest taxes in the country, yet our Democratic-controlled city council and state government has demanded record level government spending.State and city property taxes,corporate taxes, red tape regulations, and the city’s new“hidden tax”collected by inappropriate speed cameras,all have to be reformed. Rising tax rates are a burden and have become the catalyst for people to flee our city in record numbers.

Democratic politicians will tell you that warehousing the homeless in local shelters is the answer –  when in reality –  it’s the problem. Let me be clear, I will not permit any new shelters to be opened in our district and will actively work to close the shelters in our community that have done nothing towards our city’s homelessness crisis. I’m talking about revisiting the inappropriately placed shelters in Maspeth in Glendale.