Hamilton (D)

On the Issues

Endorsements

Currently: Director, State Senate 20th District Office; Attorney, NYC Department of Finance; District Leader (D-43); President, Lincoln Civic Block Association; President of the Rosa Parks Independent Democratic Organization

Previous Work: Legal Counsel, State Senate District 20 Office; Vice President of Community Board 8, Crown Heights

Education: BS, Ithaca College; JD, Seton Hall University; MBA, Long Island University

On the Issues

Source for Jesse Hamilton's issue stances, unless marked otherwise: Gotham Gazette Questionnaire

• Top 5 Legislative Priorities↓

  In his Hamilton's own words:

   

  1. Raise the minimum wage to $15/hour in New York City and at least $10.10/hour statewide.
  2. Pass the DREAM Act so all our children have an opportunity to pursue higher education.
  3. Pass the Women's Equality Act, because women deserve equal pay for equal work, discrimination-free workplaces, and the opportunity to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions
  4. More funding for our schools which have been chronically underfunded by a biased education funding formula. We need at least $2 Billion more annually for New York City schools.
  5. Affordable Housing. We must leverage every resource at our disposal to make sure development projects include housing that is truly affordable for low income residents.

   

• Budget↓

   

  In addressing how to utilize NYS' multibillion dollar surplus by, stated: "We need to fully fund our schools and infrastructure projects across the state. Infrastructure improvements to transit can create jobs and get our people and our economy moving again."

   

• Civil Rights↓

   

  Would vote yes on the full, ten-point Women's Equality Agenda.

   

  Opposes the strategy of removing the 10th point in the WEA, which deals with abortion access, in order to push for passage of the other 9 points with less controversy.

   

• Economy↓

  Supports a statewide minimum wage at $10.10.

  Stated that municipalities such as NYC should be able to set their own minimum wage.

  In addressing developing an NYS jobs program, stated: "Our labor unions have tremendous apprenticeship programs that can serve as a great pipeline to jobs that can help build and maintain the middle class. We should work with our brothers and sisters in labor to examine ways to expand these programs and create living wage jobs."

  Supports "encouraging collective bargaining, increased unionization, and shared employee ownership." Website

• Education↓

  Opposes implementing Common Core state standards.

  Supports maintaining the cap on charter schools.

  Stated that government should not pay for location of charter schools in private space or for co-locations of charter schools in public school buildings.

  Supports statewide universal pre-kindergarten.

  In addressing how the legislature can ensure that adequate funding is distributed to all school districts to comply with the Campaign for Fiscal Equity decisions, stated: "We must correct the funding formula so that low-income school districts receive the aid they need for our children to succeed."

• Environment↓

  Opposes hydrofracking in NYS.

  Stated that municipalities should decide, via zoning processes, whether hydrofracking occurs in their jurisdiction.

• Good Government↓

  Supports reducing individual campaign contribution limits, only if public financing of campaigns is implemented.

  Supports instituting a public-matching campaign-financing systems statewide.

  Stated that Governor Cuomo should not have dissolved the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption.

  Supports implementing the following reform measures to increase voter participation and reduce barriers to voting:

  • Same day voter registration,
  • Early voting,
  • No-excuse absentee ballots,
  • Reforming special elections,
  • Instant runoff voting,
  • Granting voting rights to parolees,
  • Consolidating state and federal primaries,
  • Lowering the voting age.

  In addressing how to properly monitor and enforce ethics laws and appropriate conduct of legislators, stated: "There must be a strict procedure in place to determine is [sic] misconduct has occurred, and if so, it should be dealt with in the most serious manner possible."

  In addressing legislative oversight of public authorities such as the MTA and Port Authority, stated: "We must make sure that state authorities answer to those they are supposed to serve. The MTA must do a better job of providing service and we must never see a repeat of what happened with the public utilities post Superstorm Sandy."

• Health↓

  In addressing challenges with the NYS Health Exchange rollout and the high cost of Medicare, stated: "The initial creation of the healthcare exchanges took entirely too long, but overall, compared to other states, New York's rollout was relatively successful."

• Housing and Development↓

  Supports mandatory inclusionary zoning at the 50-50 ratio.

  Opposes reforming the Scaffold Law from absolute liability to comparative negligence.

  Supports reforming the Urstadt Law.

  In addressing the affordable housing needs in the state and city, stated: "We must examine mandatory inclusion zoning and make sure that anytime state dollars, via tax cuts or subsidies, are provided to a project, that the project is providing a tangible public good in the form a truly affordable housing."

  In addressing the rising cost of commercial rents and the loss of local retail businesses, stated: "We should consider a program similar to the rent regulations on residential tenants. We cannot have our small businesses, who are the economic engine of our economy, continue to be pushed out by skyrocketing commercial rents."

  Advocates for investments in public housing, increasing "services for NYCHA residents, making sure our senior centers and community centers are fully funded and more money is allocated for repairs. ...I will work to end the cycle of displacement of residents from their homes and fight to protect the affordable units in our community." Website

  Supports "offering tax abatements & exemption to property owners" in order to develop and maintain an "accessible, affordable and integrated housing stock." 504 Democratic Club

  Stated that he worries about "downsizing" longtime tenants of Tivoli Towers, and "agressive tactics in housing and development." DNA Info

• Immigration↓

  Would vote yes on the DREAM Act.

  Supports non-citizen voting.

  Supports drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants.

  Supports creation of a "universal ID for all New Yorkers." Website

• Infrastructure↓

  Stated that the biggest infrastructure needs in the district are: "We need more classroom seats and more affordable housing. We must work to leverage state resources so development projects create affordable housing units."

• Policing and Criminal Justice↓

  Supports broken windows policing.

  Supports the legalization of marijuana.

  In addressing whether there is a role for state government in overseeing the conduct of municipal police forces, stated: "Yes. If the localities prove themselves incapable of oversight, then the state should step in."

• Transportation↓

  In addressing road safety, and the appropriate approach to balancing the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, stated: "We must lower the speed limit, create more pedestrian plazas and walkways and make our streets more bicycle friendly."

Endorsements

Organizations: Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats; 32BJ SEIU; New York Communities for Change; Tenants PAC; Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 1180; Bridge and Tunnel Officers Benevolent Association; the Heat and Frost Insulators Local 12; District Council 37 (DC 37); United Federation of Teachers (UFT); New York State United Teachers (NYSUT); Transportation Workers Union (TWU); AFL-CIO; Uniformed Fire Officers Association; Metal Lathers and Reinforcing Ironworkers Local 46; Local 14 Operating Engineers; Local 94 Operating Engineers; Independent Neighborhood Democrats; Stars and Stripes Democrats; Prospect Heights Democrats for Reform

Individuals: Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President; Velmanette Montgomery, NYS Senate (D-25); former Congress member Ed Towns (D-11, D-10); former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz; Brad Lander, NYC Council (D-39); Steve Levin, NYC Council (D-33); Darlene Mealy, NYC Council (D-41); Vincent Gentile, NYC Council (D-43); Alan Maisel, NYS Assembly (D-59); Karim Camara, NYS Assembly (D-43); Nick Perry, NYS Assembly (D-58); Felix Ortiz, NYS Assembly (D-51); Joan Millman, NYS Assembly (D-52); Rhoda Jacobs, NYS Assembly (D-42); Annette Robinson, NYS Assembly (D-56); Maritza Davila, NYS Assembly (D-53); Steve Cymbrowitz, NYS Assembly (D-45); Bill Colton, NYS Assembly (D-47); Peter Abate, NYS Assembly (D-49); Alec Brook-Krasny, NYS Assembly (D-46); Jo Ann Simon, Candidate for NYS Assembly (D-52); John Liu, Former NYC Council Member and Comptroller, Candidate for NYS Assembly (SD-11); Bill Thompson, Former City Comptroller and Mayoral Candidate

Philpotts (D)

Currently: 

Previous Work: 

Education: 

On the Issues

• *Research Ongoing↓

  *Research ongoing

Endorsements

Organizations:

Individuals: