Schwartz wants to bring new ideas to the table
As the Democratic primary for the state Senate seat currently held by Jack Martins heats up, Brad Schwartz says he has the answers to the challenges facing communities.
Armed with a wealth of policy knowledge and a passion for serving his community, Schwartz claims he is ready to tackle some of Long Island’s most pressing issues head-on. Assuming he ultimately ends up representing Democrats on the ticket in November following the June 25 primary.
He plans to do that by obtaining more state funding for public schools. Recognizing the burden of property taxes — especially on the North Shore — Schwartz proposes a legislative approach to cap the amount residents pay toward school budgets based on the New York state average.
This move, he argues, could reduce property taxes by about 15 percent in the region. By shifting the responsibility for subsidizing the difference to the state, Schwartz believes that school funding need not be compromised.
“That way, the state would be responsible for subsidizing the rest,” he told reporters during a recent Herald Roundtable session, highlighting the importance of ensuring adequate resources for education without burdening local homeowners.
Moreover, Schwartz said he is not afraid to confront discrimination and inequality. He pledged to combat rising homophobia by championing legislation that upholds LGBTQ+ rights.
Schwartz also said he would work to ensure historical education on sensitive topics like the Holocaust.
“To me, antisemitism is something that goes beyond just an immediate danger to Jews,” Schwartz said. “Usually, when you start to see antisemitism to this degree, it’s a red flag for the whole country.”
Beyond education, Schwartz’s public policy approach is grounded in a commitment to evidence-based decision-making and bipartisan collaboration. He said that, as a state senator, his focus would be on solving problems facing his district.
“I’m not interested in just ideas that come from the Democratic Party,” Schwartz said. “I think everything needs to be looked at on an issue-by-issue basis because no single party has all of the answers.”
Schwartz says his concerns extend beyond education and public policy to encompass pressing societal issues like health care, discrimination and hunger. Drawing from his personal experience battling Lyme disease and his involvement in community initiatives like the JCC Community Needs Bank, Schwartz underscored the need for comprehensive solutions that address the root causes of these challenges.
Schwartz said that he believes one of his greatest strengths is his sense of judgement.
“A good legislator is somebody who has good judgment,” he said. “Everything doesn’t have to be a decision. Everything doesn’t need to be acted on.”
Fundamentally, Schwartz said it was his love for his hometown of Roslyn and the entire North Shore community that pushed him to declare his candidacy. He added that he hopes to represent the area he grew up and spent so much of his life in, and felt prepared to do so.
“I really love where I live,” Schwartz said. “I’m a proud New Yorker, and I want to see our region and our state thrive.”
