Know your District: Redistricting process took place in 2012 after the census.
The congressional candidates in districts near NYU:
7th District:
Nydia Velázquez (Democrat)
Velázquez, the incumbent, has been re-elected as a congressional representative since she was first voted into Congress in 1992. She is currently a member of the Small Business Committee. Velázquez’s platform includes:
– Reform the education system
– Pro-choice
– Provide more rights to immigrants
– Improve health care quality
– Create jobs in the renewable energy sector
– Keep the federal estate tax
– Support worker’s rights
James Murray (Conservative)
-Hold total state spending growth at or (preferably) below the inflation rate
-Further reduction in the personal income tax on all New Yorkers
-Reduce the corporate income tax on all businesses in New York, to stimulate more investment and job
creation
-Amend the school property tax and real property tax cap to allow district wide vote by residents to
override the budget with a two-thirds majority vote
-No increase in fees or “hidden” taxes
-End and repeal unfunded mandates
-A “flat tax” where every household in New York State pays the same
percentage of their income thereby making it possible to eliminate nuisance taxes
-Support collection of cigarette taxes sold to non-Indians by Indian Reservations.
-Rejection of a “congestion pricing plan”; Full repeal the MTA tax and no reinstatement of the “Commuter Tax”
-Elimination of state income tax on dividend earnings
-Eliminate the New York State estate tax
-Private business pensions should have the same tax exemption as state pensions
-Local government entities, such as Fire Districts, Libraries, School Districts, should have voter approval
of budgets, prior to contracts becoming effective
-Local governments should be required to consolidate services and where possible, to
eliminate duplication of services
-Opposition to the unconstitutional levy of state and local sales taxes on out-of-state
internet purchases.
10th District:
Jerrold Nadler (Democrat)
Nadler is an incumbent who was first elected to Congress in 2002. Currently, Nadler is a member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit and Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. Nadler’s platform includes:
– Support same-sex marriage
– Pro-choice
– Advocate increased funding for the New York transit system
– Preserve affordable housing projects
– Reduce hazardous waste and protect the environment
– Assist Israeli-Palestinean relations
Michael Chan (Republican)
Chan is the former bank regulator for the New York Department of Banking. He was a professor of economics for NYU. Chan’s platform includes:
– Lower taxes to increase disposable income
– Cut taxes as an incentive for large and small businesses
– Amend the Constitution to include a set debt ceiling
– Increase the number of free-trade zones
– Reduce banker and entrepreneur restrictions
12th District:
Carolyn Maloney (Democrat)
Maloney is an incumbent candidate who was a chair on the Joint Economic Committee, Committee on Financial Services and Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform. Her platform includes:
– Pro-choice
– Strengthen Social Security over the long term
– Invest in jobs in the renewable energy sector
– Improve employment conditions for American workers
– Cut the trade deficit
– Ensure domestic control over U.S. exports
– Invest in renewable energy and increase energy independence
– Provide Medicare and affordable housing for senior citizens
Christopher Wight (Republican)
Wight is a former employee for J.P. Morgan and Goldman and Sachs. Over the last 10 years he has volunteered for the Repulican party during presidential, senatorial and congressional elections. His platform includes:
– Lower taxes on individuals and corporations
– Pro-choice
– increase military aid for Israel by $3 billion and eliminating Palestinian aid
– Ensure benefits for seniors complement their incomes
– Support the Syrian National Council
– Establish a balanced and profitable relationship with China
– Offer permanent citizenship to those who serve in the U.S. military
– Allow residency and citizenship to foreign students with advanced degrees/tech. grads
– Become independent from neighboring countries and the Middle East for resources
– Allow states to opt out of No Child Left Behind
2012 Senator Election:
Two Dartmouth alumnae face-off in the 2012 Senate Election. Despite having the same alma mater, the candidates are almost polar opposites.
Kirsten Gillibrand (Democrat)
Gillibrand won her position in the U.S. Senate in 2009 when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left her post to join the Obama cabinet. Gillibrand won the special election in 2010 and now is up for re-election.
– Promote clean energy
– Pro-choice
– Upstate Works Act
– Support small businesses
– Advance the Undergraduate Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Act Act
– Proponent of the Patient and Affordable Health Care Act,
– Enact stricter gun control policies
– Ensure tax relief, especially for middle class
– Strengthen foreign ally relationships
– Address the issue of global warming and counteract its effects
– Ensure the Proving Real Outreach to Our Veterans initiative continue to benefit war veterans
Wendy Long (Republican)
Long was a lawyer for the firm Kirkland & Ellis, LLP. She is currently a member of Romney’s Justice Advisory Committee. Her platform includes:
– Support the Defense of Marriage Act
– Pro-life
– Enforce the Paul Ryan Plan
– Support tax deductions for small and big businesses
– Increase job creation with less government intervention
– Repeal and replace Obamacare
– Recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
Note: Charles Schumer, a Democrat, will be up for re-election in the 2016 Senator Election.
Jordan Melendrez is copy chief. Email her at [email protected].