Education: Approximately 1/3 of 4th and 8th grade students are performing at grade-level proficiency in Math and Reading. This is unacceptable, and as a NYC Councilman, I will collaborate with the Council and Mayor to fund the promotion of initiatives to attract and retain quality educators, enhance the accountability of the Department of Education, and work to pursue curriculums in accordance with parent’s voices and concerns through partnerships with the Community Education Councils.

Enforcement: There is no doubt that property crimes have been an issue in our community, as well as growing fears of violence with children on the streets and in our schools. There is no greater deterrence than through the effective enforcement, prosecution, and rehabilitation of those persons. As your NYC Councilman, I will work towards funding New York’s Finest with resources and overtime pay and working with the local commanders to understand the patterns and organized criminal activities for effective deployment. Additionally, I will collaborate with the District Attorney’s Office to prosecute those violent offenders while promoting initiatives to prevent crime by enhancing youth engagement.

Emotional Health - Did you know that one in five people experience a mental health challenge every year? Staten Islanders are no different. That's why we must continue to address this for many reasons. In addition to the connection to crime and violence, the personal and social impact and effect on families and communities relating to drug abuse, overdoses, suicide, and personal struggles inhibit us from living a good quality of life. As your NYC Councilman, I will work to obtain funding to promote awareness in areas like teen use of vaping by utilizing school programs along with social media campaigns identifying the harm to our children’s mental health. In our very own community, District 51, we do not have adequate community resources for these challenges. It is imperative to work on funding for more Mobile Response Teams and community-based therapeutic resources.

Enterprise: We look around and see the effects this economy and City have had on the backbone of our communities, the small businesses with increased operating costs, loan accessibility, and burdensome regulations. As your NYC Councilman, I will address these issues by advocating tax breaks and reducing the “Red Tape” in government. I will partner with non-profit organizations, like the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC), that support these businesses with resources, mentorship, and training programs. I also believe the investment in Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in communities like Tottenville and Charleston can significantly impact the enhancement of shopping in areas. I would be open to exploring a partnership with those communities that are interested.