Carlucci's 1st Priorities: Lower Taxes, School Aid, TZB Tolls

OSSINING, NY — State Senator David Carlucci faces a challenge - again - from former Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef to represent the people of the 38th NY Senate District.

Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) has been in office since 2010. Since taking office, he has passed more than 100 pieces of legislation, including making Naloxone available over the counter to help save lives and fight the Opioid epidemic.

Carlucci has worked with the Governor each year to promote fiscal discipline by passing on-time budgets, passing tax breaks for the middle class, implementing a property tax cap, and fighting for millions for public schools.

He's played an instrumental role in standing up for progressive issues and helped pass: same-sex marriage, the SAFE Act, Raise the Age of criminal responsibility, a $15 minimum wage plan, and the nation’s strongest Paid Family Leave policy.

Carlucci currently resides with his wife and two children in New City, New York, which is in Rockland County.

The 38th is a strangely-shaped district encompassing the Towns of Ramapo, Clarkstown and Orangetown in Rockland County plus the Town of Ossining across the Hudson River in Westchester County.

Patch sent the same questions to all candidates asking them to respond.

PATCH: What are the biggest issues facing the Hudson River and Hudson Valley that affect your communities?

CARLUCCI: The biggest issues facing the Hudson Valley are affordability and school funding. We need to do more to make Rockland and Westchester affordable, which means lowering property taxes for hardworking middle-class families. While in office, I have worked with the Governor to promote fiscal discipline, passing on-time budgets. I have also helped to protect taxpayers by holding the line on property taxes with 2% spending cap, saving taxpayers nearly $52 billion. I protected and expanded STAR and Enhanced STAR, allowing homeowners to save money on their taxes. There is still more to do. We are currently under attack by President Trump who capped property tax deductions at $10,000.This year, I supported a record $1 billion in education funding, and secured millions for the schools in our district. I worked to make full day kindergarten a reality for all schools in the state and secured funding for universal pre-K. However, we know the school funding formula is not equitable as we have seen in school districts, like Ossining and East Ramapo. Increased enrollment must equate to more funding. This is why I am supporting legislation that will increase funding for schools that see more students, more poverty, and more English Language learners, and I am calling for lawmakers to fully fund Foundation Aid.

PATCH: How would you apply the adage ‘think globally, act locally’?

CARLUCCI: We see the Opioid Epidemic ravaging communities across the country. On average 115 people die every day from an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rockland and Westchester Counties have not been immune. In 2017, both counties saw death tolls more than triple since 2008.To be at the forefront of this problem locally, I passed legislation, which is now law, requiring chain pharmacies, sell naloxone over the counter. Naloxone, which is also known as narcan is a drug used to counter the effects of an opioid overdose. The drug is lifesaving, but people must know how to use it to help combat the problem. This is why I continually hold naloxone trainings because this epidemic takes our entire community working together.

PATCH: Property taxes are an issue for all our communities. What’s your position on the Shared Services projects? How would you bring school districts into that discussion?

CARLUCCI: We must reduce property taxes to reduce the burden on hard working middle class families in the Hudson Valley. I fully support Shared Service projects to consolidate services and lower people's taxes. However, we need to stop pinning schools against taxpayers and the best thing we can do is fully fund state aid for our schools so the burden is not on our tax payers.

PATCH: What would your first priorities be if elected?

CARLUCCI: My priorities are lowering taxes, fighting for more school funding, supporting common-sense gun laws, making sure Westchester and Rockland residents receive a resident discount over the Tappan Zee, protecting Roe V. Wade, and fighting over development.

PATCH: It’s a divisive election season - how would you serve all your constituents?

CARLUCCI: In every election you have people who disagree. My strength has always been my ability to work with lawmakers on either side of the aisle to pass legislation that helps my constituents and all New Yorkers. Regardless of party politics, residents should know my focus has never been on Democrat or Republican, but on delivering real results for the real people I serve. I've helped deliver record education funding increases, marriage equality, the SAFE Act, paid family leave, a $15 minimum wage plan, and raise the age of criminal responsibility.

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Editor's Note: Information furnished to Patch was incorrect in the original version of this report. Patch regrets the error.