Meet The Candidate: Galef For NY State Assembly

HUDSON VALLEY, NY - New Yorkers will choose their representatives to the State Assembly Nov. 3 in the 2020 general election.

In anticipation of the election, Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Sandra Galef is seeking another term representing District 95. The election is a rematch of 2018 when she fought off challenger Lawrence Chiulli.

The district covers Peekskill, Cortlandt, Ossining, and parts of Putnam County.

Galef, 80, has represented the district in Albany since 1993. She was on the Westchester County Board of Legislators from 1980-92. Before that, she was an educator for 5 years in Charlottesville, Virginia and Scarsdale, NY: She is a former volunteer president of Briarcliff/Ossining League of Women Voters, United Way of Northern Westchester, and former board member of the Ossining Public Library, Phelps Hospital, Day Care Council of Westchester, Visiting Nurse Services of Westchester, Bethel Nursing Homes, Westchester Medical Center Children's Hospital Foundation, Ossining Youth Employment Board, and more.

Campaign website: www.sandygalef.com

Check out Patch's full Q&A with Sandra Galef:

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have served my community and the county in many ways and as a volunteer with numerous worthy service organizations. I learned through those valuable experiences how important government is to our personal lives and those of our neighbors. I went to the Westchester County Board and the NYS Legislature to lobby on behalf of issues that I cared about and then I realized that I could have even more impact on decision making if I became a decision maker in the legislature. So that it why I ran for office and why I am running in 2020. As a lawmaker, I introduce and work to get bills adopted into law and I participate fully in developing compromises in the state legislature to help all New Yorkers. In my district office in Ossining, we work everyday to help constituents resolve their problems dealing with government. It is a most gratifying way to help people individually and broadly through legislation. Making a difference for all people is why I am running for re-election.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The COVID 19 pandemic and our health. Most of us have never experienced a virus like this before and we continue to make decisions both personally and legislatively as we learn more about COVID 19. I am a strong believer in what the scientists are telling us and that social distancing, mask wearing and banning large events will help to eliminate the virus spread until we have a wide-spread distribution of a vaccine that works for us. Several months ago, the NYS legislature went back into session by zoom and voted on bills to help with unemployment, expanding telehealth services with insurance coverage, expanding whistleblower protections for health care workers, preventing utility companies from terminating services, protecting consumers from price gouging, protecting renters and landlords from non-payments, etc.

Additionally, we have been strongly advocating for the federal government to pass another stimulus package to give more federal aid to our schools, our hospitals and health care agencies, child care centers, food distribution programs, and to finally recognize that state and local governments need to get federal aid to support emergency workers, police, and educational systems. At this time it is projected that we have a $12 billion deficit in the NYS budget due to the pandemic and the costs of protecting our residents. I continually ask my constituents , as I have, to reach out to our federal leaders and passionately indicate that New York needs their help financially.

I will continue to address the unemployment issues, the tenant and landlord concerns, the healthcare and insurance questions, and all the other problems that we receive in my district office everyday so that we can help as many people as possible who are dealing with this pandemic.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

During this time of a pandemic and all the economic and health uncertainties we are facing in the state, I feel that I would bring the most value to the position of member of the NYS Assembly. I believe that my experience in government during these critical times really does matter. I can bring important knowledge to the decision making process before us in the NYS Legislature.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Property taxes are a big issue in my district and as Chair of the NY Assembly Real Property Taxation Committee, I have worked hard to assure that STAR (School Property Tax Relief Program) and Enhanced STAR continue to get funded in the state budget. State education aid, particularly Foundation Aid that helps to provide more equity in school aid funding for districts with greater needs, is a priority for my district - particularly for the Ossining and Peekskill school districts.

Climate change and all the concerns surrounding our environment is the large and ever growing problem that needs immediate attention. I will continue to advocate for alternative energy sources as well as a referendum next November to support a bond issue to invest $3 billion in technology and jobs to reach our state goal of zero-net carbon emissions by 2050.

As a member of the Assembly Election Law committee I continually get bills passed to reform our election system. Given this year and our experiences with voting, there is much more to do - such as allowing no-excuse absentee ballots as other states do. That needs a constitutional change which will be on the November 2021 ballot for the public to vote on and hopefully support. Maybe it is time for a broad public discussion as to having a system for all ballots to be mailed out to voters as they have been done in other states like Washington State for years and resulting in higher rates of voter participation.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Working together with my constituents and understanding the issues important to the 95th Assembly District, I believe I have accomplished a great deal and done so in a responsible, responsive, and ethical way.

Property taxes are a large issue for many in my district and I have and will continue to make sure that STAR remains a state funded tax relief program. State aid to school districts needs to be changed to bring equity in funding to all our schools. I was able to secure record funding in foundation aid to the Ossining and Peekskill school districts over the past few years.

Indian Point Nuclear Plant is closing in April 2021 with a huge loss of funding to Buchanan, Cortlandt and the Hendrick Hudson School District. I am on the Indian Point Closure Tax Force and have worked to get millions of funding into the Cessation Fund in the state budget to assist the local taxpayers Additionally, I wrote bills to assist with PILOT tax agreements with the decommissioning company taking over the plant, requiring the new company to hire IP employees, and to allow the community to assess the spent fuel rod dry cask containers and spent fuel pools to bring tax benefits to residents of the area.

In Philipstown and Kent, we have many environmental issues, parks and recreational concerns, and transportation upgrades that I have worked on with local leaders to resolve.

Recently, I got bills enacted into law that; protected our children under 2 in the back seat of a car to be rear faced as a protection against an accident as well as all passengers to wear seat belts in the back seat of cars; banned tobacco sales in pharmacies; required a person leaving a hospital with serious medical conditions to be prescribed a nurse to train and facilitate the home care; implemented a ban on requiring a salary history for employment opportunities; allowed problem solving courts for veterans, domestic violence, and other areas to resolve problems and offer a second chance vs jail time in certain cases; extended the statute of limitations on child sex offender cases, and of course there are more examples of accomplishments.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

In my first year in office, I sat down with a very wise resident of Ossining who shared her approach to working with all people especially those who had different opinions. I have followed her advice throughout the years. It is about real communication with people who may be upset or may totally disagree with your stances on issues or votes. I learned from my friend to get on the phone or meet in person and discuss the various points of view. Listening is so important in the job of being an elected official to try to resolve differences or develop compromises to find common ground. It was the best advice I ever received and I follow it every day in my professional and personal life.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I strongly believe that our government is better when we are all involved together. I try very hard to be available to any constituent or community member to discuss issues, promote ideas for bettering our state programs, suggest new laws, and to speak about individual problems or concerns. As a former teacher, I still try to be an educator through my Town Hall meetings, my local forums, my television programs and my newsletters so we can have a good dialog on what is happening in our state. I reach out to my constituents with questionnaires to gather opinions on pending legislation and proposals. In other words. we are in this governing together and your voice matters to me and the decisions that our made in Albany. I hope you will consider voting for me on Election Day so that I can continue representing you in the NYS Assembly. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on the Ossining-Croton-On-Hudson Patch