Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Assemblyman Brian Curran is looking to extend his tenure as the representative for New York’s 21st Assembly District in next month’s election. A lifelong resident of Lynbrook, he took office in 2022, after narrowly defeating then-incumbent Judy Griffin by a margin of just 138 votes.
During his time in office, Curran has been active in negotiating a new inflation factor for foundation aid funding, which is essential for public school districts across the state. His efforts were particularly vital when Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal threatened to reduce aid and eliminate the “save harmless” program, potentially impacting schools in East Rockaway and Oceanside. Additionally, Curran has successfully advocated for funding to expand universal pre-K programs and enhance public safety and mental wellness initiatives.
At a roundtable discussion hosted by the Herald on Oct. 4, Curran identified his top priorities as taxes, crime, affordability, and quality-of-life issues. He highlighted concerns over rising utility costs, child care expenses, and inflation, which he believes have significantly impacted residents’ financial stability.
Curran pointed to recent utility rate hikes by National Grid, Liberty Water, and PSEG, attributing them to policies established in Albany, particularly the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. He criticized the act for its “unrealistic” timeline and expectations, stating, “Everybody wants clean water, air, and environment. I think it was a bad plan with the best of intentions, but it’s a bad plan.”
Addressing other local issues, Curran expressed concerns over increasing airplane noise and congestion pricing. He noted that air traffic over his district has surged, with the FAA reporting a fourfold increase in flights compared to the previous year. “They couldn’t explain why,” he said, emphasizing the frustration among residents. Curran has supported legislation for a health study on airplane noise, although he noted that findings have yet to be released.
On school safety, Curran advocates for increased funding for resource officers. “You should always have a presence at the school that can detect, alert, and respond to emergencies,” he asserted. He has collaborated with local mayors to secure grants for upgrading school security systems.
Curran has long opposed congestion pricing, which would impose a $15 fee on drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street, calling it an unfair burden on middle-class workers. He criticized the law for its lack of exemptions for firefighters, police and teachers, saying, “That’s going to cost them close to $3,500 a year.” He also expressed his disappointment over the fact that Hochul’s decision to pause the implementation of the pricing plan came after the expenditure of $200 million in taxpayer funds. “That really is a spit in the face of the taxpayer,” he said.
He acknowledged that property taxes on Long Island have always been high, but noted that in the last decade, New York has lost more than a million residents to outward migration.
“We’ve led every state in that category for three out of the last four years,” he said, “to the point where even Governor Hochul said we can’t ignore this anymore.” He said he plans to continue to advocate for expanding STAR exemptions, which help reduce school taxes for homeowners, particularly seniors.
Curran also addressed bail reform, which he opposed in 2018, citing concerns raised by police and district attorney organizations. “I never questioned the intent of the people trying to pass that bill,” he said. “If you look at it, bail, in and of itself, is a rich-poor issue.”
He said that he understands that it is fundamentally unfair if a person who can pay bail gets out, while a poorer individual arrested on the same charges cannot. “But what they did in 2019 … took the entire bail system and just threw it out.” He said that after four attempts at fixing the legislation, Albany should provide judges more discretion to determine whether to set bail for offenders deemed a danger to the community.
“Public safety has to come first,” he said.
In addition to these issues, Curran discussed mental health initiatives and infrastructure funding. He also opposed Hochul’s 2023 proposal to require the construction of 2,500 housing units around LIRR stations within three years, arguing that local zoning regulations should guide such projects instead of state mandates.
