Of the four Republican candidates, for example, one would avoid possible support from former President Donald J. Trump. The three Democrats strongly disagree on how to approach the New York financial crisis. And the bun preferences of the candidates? Across the map. With early voting already under way in the run-up to the June 28 New York City primary, Democrats and Republicans are embroiled in intense ideology, experience and taste contests that will help determine the future of New York State as it seeks to. to overcome the coronavirus pandemic. The winners are likely to head to the most competitive general election the state has seen in two decades, in which voters will decide whether to extend the Democrats’ 16-year stay at the governor’s mansion or make a roadmap in Albany. On the Democrat side, Gov. Kathy Hochul has the upper hand over both Jumaane D. Williams, the progressive New York City attorney general, and Thomas R. Suozzi, the representative of a Long Island center. But all three have expressed conflicting visions of the Democratic Party on how to rectify the housing crisis, fight crime and win back out-of-party voters. Who will be the Republican candidate remains everyone’s guess. Representative Lee Zeldin, who hails from Suffolk County, has the official support of Republicans and Conservatives, but has faced strong challenges from Harry Wilson, Rob Astorino and Andrew Giuliani, the son of the former New York mayor. . All four Republicans want to end New York’s cashless bail law, but they strongly disagree on the issues of abortion rights of the 45th president and where the “upper state” actually begins. Our political reporters asked each of the candidates in the last weeks of the race to get an idea of their positions. The following are excerpts from the interviews.
The Democrats
Kathy Hotsul, 63, served as deputy governor for almost six years before taking over as governor last August when Andrew M. Cuomo resigned. It has the official approval of the Democratic Party of the state. Thomas R. Suozzi, 59, is a former Nassau County executive in his third term representing a Long Island swing district in Congress. Jumaane D. Williams, 46, has been the New York City attorney general since 2019 and 2018, nearly defeating Ms Hochul in the Democratic primary for deputy governor.
What will you do to speed up the transition from fossil fuels and guarantee New York a clean future from renewable energy sources?
Suozzi: I will incentivize homeowners, car owners, homeowners, businesses and utilities to incentivize renewable energy and efficiency. Williams: Unfortunately, this previous legislative session was probably the worst for the climate – just abysmal. As ombudsman, I supported funding for the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, including efforts to encourage the state to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, including support for the Build Public Renewables Act. We also need an immediate moratorium on mining “proof of work” cryptocurrencies. Hochul: I’m really proud that in my first month at work, I was able to make a significant commitment of $ 4.2 billion through a bond transaction, which we will have on the ballot this November. We hope that the voters will support it to give us the resources to build climate resilience and protect our environment. It also concerns job creation for green energy. Also, we have just authorized two transmission lines to bring clean energy to New York City that will wean us from fossil fuels. These are equivalent to two more principles of Niagara’s power. This is transformative. They will be operational by 2027. Kathy Hochul asks questions about the budget negotiations at the Capitol at Albany.Credit … Cindy Schultz for the New York Times
As governor, how would you deal with the rising crime rate in New York City?
Suozzi: I have a 15-point intervention and crime prevention plan to rectify bail reform and give judges the discretion to consider the dangers of defendants coming before them. I will focus on mental health not only for the homeless but for over a million people suffering from serious mental health challenges. I will support community policing and the cessation of violence, and I will dramatically reform our schools to include the provision of health and human services. Williams: I’m proud to have been a leader in this area, helping New York State get from where we were in 2012 to where we were in 2018. The attitudes of young black men have fallen. The use of force has decreased. Arrests were reduced. Complaints of violence were reduced. Both the shootings and the killings fell. So, in terms of supply, we definitely need to see if we can spend more that prevents these weapons from coming in first, but I think where we do not always build and fund properly is on the demand side to prevent them. people to use these weapons in the first place. That’s why we asked for $ 1 billion in this budget specifically to prevent gun violence and victim services. And we could not get it. Hochul: We just passed the top 10 gun safety bills, focusing not only on mass shootings but on daily street shootings. We need some time to start having the desired result. But it is also to ensure that our subways are safe so that people can return to work and let people know that, you know, there is no tolerance for these crimes. We can have justice and we can have security. They can really go hand in hand. We are not backing down from criminal justice reforms, but we have also taken care to address the fact that it is very easy to get a gun.
How would you revive the New York subway: Increase government funding, increase fares, or reduce services?
Suozzi: I think it is a wrong choice. The most important thing is to increase passenger traffic, which requires making the subway safer. People can not afford a fare increase right now. The reduction in services is at odds with both our economic recovery and our goals for climate change. And we already have the highest taxes in the United States. So we have to use the existing funds, including the funds from the $ 1.2 trillion federal infrastructure deal that I helped negotiate. Tom Suozzi speaking at a dinner in Queens. Credit … Andrew Seng for the New York Times Williams: I’m very surprised to hear some of Albany’s opposition to congestion pricing. This is one way to try to slow down car use and really increase revenue for the MTA. Everyone will benefit from a cleaner, more timely subway system and, frankly, a bus system as well. Hochul: MTA is the soul. We will focus on ways to generate revenue through congestion pricing. This is back on track after some problems with the federal government. We have not planned fare increases, because we want people to return to work. But also, people need to feel safe on the subway. We work with Mayor Adams and the NYPD, who are responsible for policing subways.
Under what conditions would you support a mask or vaccine order for students?
Suozzi: I do not support any orders for students in the near future. The only conditions I would think of would be if there was the appearance of a deadly new variant. Williams: I think we need to keep looking at numbers and being guided by science. We know that we can not just look at the numbers of Covid cases, but we have to look at deaths and hospitalizations – all of these numbers together. We really waited as a state until it was too late before, and I think it cost people lives. Hochul: We had an order. It was one of the most difficult decisions I had to make from an early age. It is my job to protect the students and to ensure that we do not close schools again. Mask commands? Only if we feel they will make a difference.
Do you support eviction legislation for a good cause that will limit rent increases and make it difficult to evict tenants?
Suozzi: No, we already have the most protective tenant protections in America. Williams: Good reason is actually the basic line of what we should do. Just to clarify, if you own and live in a four-family home, this does not affect you at all. If you do not own or have more than four families, you can still evict people, you just have to give a reason: non-payment of rent, breach of rent, destruction of property or if you just need it for your own family. All of this is to prevent the eviction crisis from escalating and to protect people. Hochul: No, I do not support that. I am very concerned about smallholders. Many of them have not been paid rent for a long time.
With the end of 421a, a long-term tax relief to promote the construction of affordable housing, what else should the state do to tackle the housing crisis here?
Suozzi: The most important thing the state has to do is save New York City housing. Second, we must have a new 421a immediately that will limit the rate of return for developers to less than 10 percent and require all tax incentives to be done through union work. Williams: This is another place where there is a key distinction between our campaign and the current administration, which wants to build and maintain 100,000 units over the next five years. We want to build and maintain one million units over the next 10 years. And no one pays 30 percent or more of their rental income. 421a was abysmal. If we are going to use taxpayers’ money, we really need to use it for the type of housing that the public needs. Of course you need extra money and better management for NYCHA and public housing across the state. Jumaane Williams in Buffalo, the week after the mass shooting at a supermarket there. Credit … Libby March for the New York Times Hochul: …
