4 contend for 31st District STATE SENATE seat
Marisol Alcantara
What makes you qualified to be a senator?As a tenant organizer, I’ve helped families in our community fight back against landlord harassment and predatory evictions designed to push out rent-stabilized tenants and raise rents. I’ve organized buildings to hold their landlords accountable for unsafe conditions, and I’m ready to use this real-world experience to fight for stronger rent laws in Albany.
What are the three most pressing issues facing your district? From the Upper West Side to Inwood, affordable housing in this district is disappearing. Through loopholes like vacancy decontrol, rent-stabilized apartments are being legally and illegally converted to free market units. This especially hurts seniors, who have lived in our community for decades. I’ll strengthen the rent laws, repeal vacancy decontrol and crack down on predatory landlords.
As the mother of a young son, I know schools in our district are grappling with overcrowding, underinvestment in the arts and insufficient capacity for gifted and talented programs. I’ll fight to end Albany’s historic underinvestment in NYC schools and ensure our all of kids have the resources to succeed.
Conservative policies have inflicted pain and suffering on immigrants in this district, split families apart and kept hard-working immigrants living in the shadows. I’ll pass the Dream Act, so bright and ambitious young people can obtain an education. And I’ll work with local institutions like B’nai Jeshurun to pass the Farm Workers Bill of Rights and stop immigrant exploitation.
What’s your plan for dealing with gridlock in Albany?This year’s successful push for a $15 per hour minimum wage and groundbreaking paid family leave shows how much progress we’re capable of accomplishing when we focus on getting results instead of petty political feuds.
I’ll work with my all Senate colleagues, regardless of what conference they belong to – particularly my 11 female colleagues in the 63-member Senate – to pass legislation that will help tenants, seniors, immigrants, low- and middle-income families, and other vulnerable New Yorkers. I’ll never fail to support smart policy or new ideas, simply because of who proposed them and I won’t let ego or credit get in the way of results.
What book has influenced you the most?I’ll never forget the day I read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” — it didn’t just open my eyes to the forces of hatred and intolerance in this world, it gave me the roadmap to fight against injustice. Dr. King’s words inspired me to join the labor movement and help low-income workers fight for better wages.
Robert Jackson
What makes you qualified to be a senator?From my first elected position as school board president, where I launched the CFE lawsuit that won $16 billion for NYC public schools, to my 12 years on the City Council, where I sponsored the Small Business Survival Act, I’ve built a record of taking action and getting results.
What are the three most pressing issues facing your district? First, to create opportunity for residents through improving our publics schools by finally getting the CFE money owed and bringing good jobs with good benefits that enable workers to raise a family. Second, promoting affordability so people aren’t forced out of their neighborhoods, young people can start here and all have access to quality healthcare. And third, serving the people. This district has had an absent representative. I will provide real service that helps our people deal with their daily challenges.
What’s your plan for dealing with gridlock in Albany?It starts by electing a Democratic majority in the State Senate, and with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at the top of the ticket we have a great chance. However, it’s not enough just to have a Democratic majority. We need progressive Democrats committed to reform and getting results. In addition, it is also not about control of the State Senate. It’s about leadership and not simply punishing Republicans, but passing real reforms that bring transparency and ends three men in a room. The Senate also needs to have real hearings on issues, listening to the public we serve, like we did in the City Council. And finally it’s working together. I have good relations with a number of the city-elected Republicans. While we don’t agree on many issues, I intend to exploit these relationships to get results.
What book has influenced you the most?“Paper Son: One Man’s Story” by Tung Pok Chin, in which he tells his inspiring life story trying to make a life for himself in the United States, describes the mostly hidden practice of Chinese who immigrated to this country with false documents and highlights the challenges immigrants face and the promise of our country.
Micah Lasher
What makes you qualified to be a senator?My experience getting things done — from taking action against unscrupulous landlords to creating the “green taxis” serving Northern Manhattan — in a variety of government roles, as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Schneiderman, Director of State Legislative Affairs for New York City, and as an aide to Congressman Jerry Nadler.
What are the three most pressing issues facing your district? First, the enormous economic pressure facing residents and small businesses, which can be addressed in part by strengthening New York’s rent laws, eliminating vacancy deregulation and toughening penalties for tenant harassment. These and many other proposals are part of my detailed plan on affordable housing. Second, the challenges facing our public schools, including the state’s failure to provide adequate funding. I’ve put forth a specific plan on how I would generate revenue to close the gap and otherwise support our schools and educators. As a public school parent, I have an enormous personal stake in this work. Third, the chronic underinvestment in mass transit, which has left stations crumbling and passengers struggling. The city’s transit system deserves its fair share of existing funds and also badly needs new revenue; I support the MoveNY plan to generate $1.4 billion annually for transportation.
What’s your plan for dealing with gridlock in Albany?Behind every bad piece of public policy that comes out of Albany lies the corruption and dysfunction that grips the place. I learned this well advocating for city agencies in Albany—watching special interests that I didn’t know even existed kill perfectly good legislation in the shadows. I believe that a better government will lead to far better outcomes for the working families of this district. I support a complete ban on outside income for legislators; a campaign finance overhaul, including lower contribution limits and public matching funds; independent redistricting; and laws to make it easier for voters to register and cast their ballots. A Democratic majority—within reach this year, courtesy of national Republicans and Donald Trump—creates the opportunity, but by no means a guarantee, for these reforms to happen. To achieve them will require a truly progressive, reform-minded, effective Democratic conference. That is why I am running.
What book has influenced you the most?In recent years, I was struck by Elizabeth Kolbert’s “The Sixth Extinction,” on the risks facing our planet; by Chimamanda Adichie’s Americanah, an immigrant story of resiliency; and by Dr. Suess’s Horton Hears a Who, a favorite of my boys’ that is a call for social justice and collective action.
Luis Tejada
What makes you qualified to be a senator?I am running for Senate for following reasons: First, I am the founder of the Mirabal Sisters Cultural & Community Center, and everybody knows the history of this organization. I have proven to be a true tenant advocate against abusive landlords, preserving affordable housing and stop displacement, quality education, employee rights, immigrants and people of color. The Mirabal Center has played a key role in the rent freeze for two consecutive years in a row. The first rent freeze in 46 years benefiting more than 1.3 million low-income residents. My community is one of the most affected by greedy real estate developers. I know and I have the experience, the knowledge and the leadership to unite and create the bases to continue the fight for a better life for all in Albany. The voice of community will be heard in Albany electing me as its State Senate.
What are the three most pressing issues facing your district? Displacement and losses of affordable housing. The high level of unemployment. The very low quality public education for our children.
What’s your plan for dealing with gridlock in Albany?Because I am experienced organizing communities, for me it is important that the community get involved in the fight to defend their rights in order make changes in laws to improve the quality of life.
What book has influenced you the most?“The Element” and “Finding Your Element” of Ken Robinson.