ISSUES

 

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Too many representatives hang on to their seat for too long. It’s time for a change.

Why it matters:

Public office was never meant to be a career, and yet generational seats held for decades by the same officials permeate Congress. By remaining in office, these officials hinder fresh voices, ideas, and representation for their constituents, all for the sake of remaining in power. Members of Congress should be term limited, eliminating generational seats once and for all and opening up the legislative body to a new generation of leaders.

Solution(s):

• Create legislation to instate term limits for Congressional representatives
• Create legislation to instate 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices

Soaring cost of living has put a life of prosperity out of reach for many Americans. Putting hard-earned money back into Americans’ pockets is necessary to reaffirming the American Dream.

Why it matters:

Affordability has become a foreign word to far too much of this country. Costs associated with housing, childcare, energy, and everyday expenses have continued to increase while wages have remained stagnant. The result is the erosion of the middle class, and a lot of Americans living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to make ends meet.

Housing costs are one of the key drivers of a lack of affordability in America today. For example, in CD-12, co-op owners in particular carry a burden of maintenance costs and other related expenses, which can cost thousands of dollars per year. Public housing is under siege, especially the Fulton-Elliott, and Chelsea houses, who are scheduled to have 18 buildings demolished (and 300 trees cut down) against all housing residents’ wishes. Stanley-Isaac houses and Amsterdam houses need immediate review and repair from the federal government. Lowering housing costs and preserving access to affordable housing is necessary in addressing the affordability crisis.

 More must be done to lower these costs and ensure that every American has the right to flourish.

Solution(s):

• Help build coalition to support public housing, particularly the Fulton-Elliott, Chelsea Houses, Stanley-Isaacs Houses, and Amsterdam Houses
• Fight against co-op and condo maintenance increases
• Enhance tax benefits for working class families, such as expanding the EITC
• Establish new subcommittee in Congress called Food Subcommittee, which serves as watchdog for all 50 states regarding pricing and availability of food
• Support tax credits for childcare
• Provide a constituent service that helps navigate federal programs that reduce costs
• Support federal funding for affordable housing development

With a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East and Antisemitism on the rise at home, it has never been more important to affirm that America stands behind Israel and our Jewish brothers and sisters.

Why it matters:

The 2024 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent war have made the region a hot-button issue in recent campaigns and remains important to voters, especially those who are Jewish. The war resulted in a significant rise in Anti-Semitic hate crimes and attacks on Jewish individuals and places of worship, instilling fear into the Jewish population and painting many Palestinian supporters as supporters of terrorism. Two things can be true: Israel deserves the right to exist, and Palestine deserves the right to self-governance. Israel is not a genocidal country, and not an Apartheid country. At home, antisemitism should be met with zero tolerance; abroad, we must foster peace.

Solution(s):

• Fight Antisemitism by returning to the definition of Antisemitism created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
• Eliminate military funding for Israel that is used in relation to Palestine
• Enhance Jewish history and Jewish-related education in public schools
• Coalition-building with Jewish leaders in the district to support Jewish Manhattanites
• Ease restrictions on Palestinian commerce that both provide Palestine with more economic stability and assuage Israeli concerns
• Defang Hamas by eliminating their source of arms and strengthening sanctions

With a life of prosperity unattainable for many Americans today, the onerous tax code is a smart place to look for commonsense changes to put money back in peoples’ pockets.

Why it matters:

Most Americans work hard their entire adult lives, paying into social security as part of their taxation. The social security program is intended to ensure that these Americans, once retiring at age 65, have a supplemental income for the remainder of their lives.

However, social security is still subject to federal tax, reducing the amount of income retirees receive and effectively taxing the same hard-earned dollars twice.

Solution(s):

• Eliminate the tax on social security payments by continuing social security tax on W-2 earners making more than $180,000
• No capital gains taxes on stock trades or liquidations—the money used to buy stocks has already been taxed

Healthcare is a human right, not a privilege; Americans deserve access to quality, affordable care they can rely on to keep them healthy. The acquisition of good healthcare continues to be the bane of every American’s existence; we want to make the process as simple as possible.

Why it matters:

The GOP’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, passed in July 2025, included nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid over the next decade. Much of this will come through removing eligibility for Medicaid through “work requirements”, meaning eligibility will be based on if the individual can prove they are either employed or actively searching for work.

Work requirements have been proven to be ineffective, removing eligible Americans from healthcare access and doing nothing to improve employment rates. A real-world example can be found in Arkansas, where work requirements forced approximately 18,000 Americans to lose coverage over the course of seven months.

Now, subsidies that more than 20 million Americans rely on to help afford their health insurance have expired after the Republican-led Congress voted not to extend them. On average, this will mean Americans will see an increase of approximately 114% of their premium.

Solution(s):

• Expand Medicare to include dental/hearing/vision
• Universal healthcare for all (with the option to keep your private insurer)
• Full extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies
• Reduce administrative waste by streamlining processes and thereby producing savings
• Cap drug costs for life-saving drugs
• Reform prior authorization process

Patrick is a grandson of immigrants; his grandparents arrived from Ireland in the early 20^th century and moved into Hell’s Kitchen after passing through Ellis Island.

This country was founded on immigrants, and today, those coming to America seeking a better life must be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Why it matters:

President Trump campaigned on cracking down on illegal immigration—and he has gone above and beyond. Thousands upon thousands have been deported, invasions of privacy have been undertaken to identify illegal immigrants, and large numbers of federal immigration agents are flooding the streets of predominantly democratic cities across the country to sweep up immigrants.

The immediate effects of all of this have been chaos erupting across the country; in early January, an unarmed, American woman was fatally shot by an immigrations officer during a traffic stop; two weeks later, an American man was fatally shot during another altercation with federal agents. The longer-term effects of this immigration sweep have yet to be determined, but the economy will likely suffer as many of these immigrants, despite not residing in America legally, pay taxes and work difficult jobs.

Solution(s):

• Blue Card: Immigrants who have been in the U.S. for 10 years, with no criminal record and history of paying taxes, have new pathway to permanent residence and legal status
• Increase the number of immigration judges to reduce case backlogs
  • Create immediate bill to increase number of judges by 25%
• Reform ICE
  • Recall all ICE agents for retraining
  • No face masks
  • Body cameras
  • Stricter regulations on arrest warrants
  • A return to more rigorous training
  • Background checks

Moving people in, out of, and around New York City is a tremendous effort that requires, above all, sound infrastructure. Unfortunately, New York’s transportation infrastructure is woefully outdated and needs the resources to be ushered into the 21^st century.

Why it matters:

In October, President Trump announced that federal funding for the $16 billion Gateway project – as well as federal funding for the extension of the 2^nd Avenue subway – was “terminated”, leaving the project in limbo. Thankfully, a judge recently ordered the administration to continue funding for the project. Federal funding accounts for roughly 70% of the total project cost. This comes as NJ Transit, LIRR, and MetroNorth are all experiencing more delays and cancellations, severely inconveniencing commuters.

Solution(s):

• Fight the Trump Administration to keep funding for Gateway Tunnel project
• Secure federal funding for other infrastructure, including the 2^nd Avenue subway extension
• Present a bill to increase to increase federal government funding for more police in subway stations and on subway trains

Guns remain a blight on New York City, with illegal firearms accounting for a large number of shootings occurring in the five boroughs. Getting and keeping guns off the street is the surest way to reduce the number of shootings and improve public safety overall.

Why it matters:

There is an ongoing gun epidemic in New York City and not enough is being done to address it. Despite having some of the most stringent gun laws in the country, illegal firearms continue to flood our streets, putting everyone in danger.

By tightening federal laws that enable the free flow of trafficked firearms, implementing gun buyback programs, and through other means the epidemic can be alleviated as more and more guns are taken off the streets.

Solution(s):

• Transfer gun cases to federal courts from state and city courts to offset loaded dockets
• Fight illegal firearms by going after states where they are being trafficked from
• Secure federal funding and work with state and local authorities to increase and enhance gun buyback programs

New Yorkers shouldn’t be afraid to traverse the city they call home. Ensuring public safety is a priority will give the constituents of CD12 peace of mind and drastically improve the overall quality of life.

Why it matters:

In New York City, violent crime stubbornly continues to remain around pre-pandemic levels—statistically lower than in years prior, but still high. Subway crime – which is not being prosecuted – in particular is high, up 17% compared to last year. This isdespite the presence of some NYPD officers in limited stations and national guard troops at major train stations. Mental illness also plays a significant role, with much crime being committed by mentally ill individuals on the streets and in subways.

A recent survey of New Yorkers found that 54% would like to see more government action on public safety. The next mayor will have to address this, as will the governor. At the federal level, representing a Manhattan district will enable the ability to secure more federal funding for public safety as well as partner with state and local officials to address the problem.

Solution(s):

• Two police officers on every subway train, not on platforms
• Enhanced funding for counterterrorism and other public safety resources
  • Drug treatment programs
  • Mental health programs

It is an American promise to normalize an ex-convict after he serves his debt to society. Yet many convicted felons never see this promise fulfilled.

Why it matters:

Across the country, millions of convicted felons have served their sentences and returned to normal life. However, because of the persistence of criminal records, these Americans often can’t vote, have trouble securing jobs, and face other challenges. One of the points of criminal justice is to see Americans complete their sentences successfully; they should not be penalized further after that.

Solution(s):

• Introduce legislation that would expedite and broaden the expungement process for convicted felons for federal crimes

There is no sugarcoating it: the erosion of voting rights across the country is a direct assault on the democratic principles this country was founded on.

Why it matters:

With a government entirely under Republican control, voting rights are under attack. President Trump has decried early voting, absentee ballots, and mail in ballots, seeking to eliminate or update the laws pertaining to them. Further, there is strong support for implementing voter ID laws at the ballot box. All of this is a recipe for diminished opportunities to vote and an increasingly unfair democratic electoral process.

Solution(s):

• Same day and automatic voter registration
• Strengthen individuals’ rights to sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prevents racial discrimination
• Improve voting access for otherwise disenfranchised voters

For a cleaner, greener future, the time to invest in renewable and clean energies is now.

Why it matters:

Under the Trump Administration, clean energy is under attack. Climate change has been declared a hoax, and funding for renewable energy projects has dried up. With a renewed emphasis on oil and natural gas resources, utility costs are going up and the environment is suffering.

Solution(s):

• Convert waste into clean energy by converting first to methane
• Support rejoining the Paris Climate Accords and other international climate agreements
• Support wind, solar, and nuclear energy development

Major corporations are at it again—this time, trying to hinder the American people’s ability to sue for damages. We must stand up and fight against this to ensure Americans receive the justice they deserve.

Why it matters:

Tortious claims, involving the harm of a person by something or someone, are an essential part of our criminal justice system. Yet large corporations, insurance companies and others are seeking to reform the laws, limiting the ability for individuals to file a tort claim, and to shift the judgment from a jury of peers to the judge themselves.

The benefit of our civil court system is that people get compensated according to their injury. Valuation of damages is assessed by your peers—otherwise corporations and large insurance companies would pay as little as possible.

This violates the 7^th amendment, which grants individuals the right to a civil trial with a jury of their peers. Tort reform is being pushed to become a national workers compensation structure which must be defeated.

Solution(s):

• Fight back against tort reform to ensure individuals’ rights are protected