Candidate Profile: Allison Fine For Congressional District 17

SLEEPY HOLLOW, NY — There are several contested races in this month's primary, including the Congressional District 17. Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as the primary day draws near.

Allison Fine, 56, of Sleepy Hollow, is running to be the Democratic candidate for the 17th Congressional District. Longtime Rep. Nita Lowey is retiring at the end of the term. The district covers Rockland County and most of Westchester.

Fine's opponents in the June 23 Democratic primary are Mondaire Jones, Evelyn Farkas, Adam P. Schleifer, Asha Castleberry-Hernandez, David Buchwald and David Carlucci.

Fine is the founder and CEO of the Network of Elected Women. She has a bachelor of arts degree from Vanderbilt University and a master of public administration degree from NYU.

She is married with three children.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I grew up in Sleepy Hollow and live here now. My husband and I raised our three boys in the Rivertowns. I am running for Congress to finally put an end to the Industrial Age and move us to the next chapter in our history. This requires a vision of where we need to go beyond simply checking off a list of standard policies.

The single most pressing issue facing our community, and what I intend to do about it.

The most pressing issue facing our nation is the collapse of the middle class. In Congress, I intend to champion policies that will rebuild our economy and return wealth to the middle class. This largely stems from entrepreneurship. There has been a decline in entrepreneurship in the US since the 1970s, but new businesses create more jobs than established businesses. I intend to provide mentorship opportunities for budding entrepreneurs and to make it easier to start new businesses. In addition, employment benefits should also be tied to individuals, not the businesses that employ them, which will support those in the growing gig economy and provide a safety net for entrepreneurs who want to start new businesses.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am different to the other candidates because my campaign is deeply community based. I grew up in this district, have spent most of my adult life here, and raised my family here. I understand what our communities need, and I am ready to fight to make that possible. Unlike other candidates, I am not running simply to get back to Washington or back into the government, and I am not spending millions of my own dollars on this campaign. Also, I will not just push for a tired laundry list of issues to make small incremental policy changes. Now is the time to make big changes, and I am the candidate who will stand up for this community and make our voices heard.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

The main other issues that define my platform are fighting the ongoing climate crisis and protecting women’s freedom. The federal government has taken insufficient action on the climate crisis for years, with the Republican Party even refusing to acknowledge its existence. It’s time the government realizes that we are in the midst of an existential crisis and passes the Green New Deal along with other aggressive climate protection policy. A woman’s right to choose is under attack. Even in states like New York, women are marched past protesters in often traumatizing settings to get an abortion, even though most women can have an abortion at home through medication. I plan to advocate for increased access to medication abortions and protect a woman’s right to choose wherever she may live.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As one of the of the nation’s leading thinkers and strategists on using technology to benefit people and society, I have written three books on the topic: Matterness: Fearless Leadership for a Social World, the award-winning Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age, and The Networked Nonprofit.

Recently, I completed a project with the Gates Foundation to harness automation and artificial intelligence for social good; our white paper will be published later this month.

I served as National Chair of NARAL: Pro Choice America Foundation, stepping down last fall to take up my candidacy for Congress.

Past president, Temple Beth Abraham, Tarrytown, NY

Founder/CEO of the Network Network of Elected Women to help women elected to local offices.

These positions have allowed me to fight for social good and represent the interests of others.

They have equipped me to be a strong advocate for my constituents in the House of Representatives

The best advice ever shared with me was …

Never try to make a happy baby happier.

Are you running for office? Contact Michael Woyton for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.