I grew up in St. James and was raised by parents who ingrained in me a relentless work ethic. My mom immigrated to the United States from Italy when she was 15 and my dad is a first generation American. They both understood that privilege would not be the key to success for their children, but rather a commitment to character and excellence. This commitment allowed me to play baseball at the Division I level at Hofstra University and become a Certified Public Accountant.
While at Hofstra I underwent a personal transformation in my political thinking. Guided by an internal desire for the truth and a love of knowledge I began to ask the uncomfortable ‘why?’ questions. Why is the Government subservient to the wealthy and well connected if we live in democratic republic? Why is political power concentrated outside the public domain? Why is political corruption accepted?
The conclusion I arrived at based on research and reason was that every part of our society from education to government served an illegitimate power structure. Illegitimate because it derived it’s influence not from the will of the People, but from the power of accumulated wealth. The Ancient Greeks had a word for this and they called it oligarchy; rule by the wealthy.
I’m running for the New York State Senate to restore a representative government that serves the People of New York. We deserve better than rule by the wealthy and well connected. Justice is what we deserve. Justice in its most refined essence is simply giving each citizen what they are owed. It means adequately funding our public schools, preserving a safe and healthy environment, and ensuring equal opportunity for all. In short, justice is creating a society that allows each person an equal opportunity to fulfill their potential. It’s what we deserve as human beings and what I will fight for.