Explore Open Positions at the Office of the Public Advocate

"Entering a new session, state government has a responsibility to be responsive to the greatest concerns of New Yorkers – affordability and safety chief among them. At the same time, we can compromise in policy making without compromising our values.  Shift approaches without shifting the core convictions that form them. We can fully embrace strategies we know will work, instead of abandoning them halfway. With the coming federal administration, we must act without overreaction to political concerns. 

"There were proposals – pathways to proposals – to appreciate in the governor’s state of the state, which struck an important tone, including on free community college programs and childcare access. We have to see where those pathways lead. Similarly, tax cuts for working and middle class families are important. Whatever cuts in revenue are made, though, cannot be offset by cuts in services that New Yorkers rely on, especially when they are not paired with increased revenue raising from the wealthiest in our state. 

"Unfortunately, I'm concerned the governor may send us down the same path we have been down before on public safety, without rationale or results we've been seeking. How many more surges of law enforcement, including National Guard, will be sent into the subways? After each, we are told it worked, then told we need more because it didn’t. Increased officer presence may indeed make some feel more comfortable, it also won’t address the underlying issues like mental healthcare. We must focus critical resources on building out the infrastructure to extend care – not criminalization – to individuals in highest need. The greatest concern comes after they leave hospitalization -- or in worst cases, jail. Regardless of what some say, recidivism and mental health are not new, we've just continued to fail. I urge a focus on housing and wraparound services, not a cycle of commitment without compassion.

"Justice, health, and safety are not measured solely in conviction rates, and the state of our state is not reflected solely in polls. In the coming session, I hope the governor and legislature will use the seemingly endless headlines to make real, meaningful progress for all New Yorkers."