Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Alex Bores for NY Assembly District 73

Candidate Name: Alex Bores

Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 73

Website: https://www.alexbores.nyc/

With the possibility of Donald J. Trump winning (stealing) the next Presidential election and ending democracy and civil rights in the United States, it is more important than ever that we elect progressive, dynamic leaders to the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly.

1. Based upon your life experiences and accomplishments why should we believe you would be a dynamic, progressive leader who would stand up for Civil Rights and Democracy?

I have spent my whole career finding innovative solutions to government problems. I am a lifelong East Sider who graduated from our neighborhood’s K-12 public schools, though the best education I received was on the picket line with my dad, when he and his union were locked out because they were fighting for better health insurance. Three years later, when my mom was diagnosed with MS, it was only the insurance won by her union that allowed my family to stay in the middle class. So, I learned the importance of standing up for our rights when I was young.

That activism continued throughout my career. In my first term, I passed six bills into law, and introduced others (detailed below) to protect Civil Rights and Democracy. I want to continue that work in my second term.

2. What is your involvement in the LGBTQ Civil Rights movement? What candidates have you or are you supporting who are openly LGBTQ? What legislation have you/do you support to further LGBTQ rights? Do you /will you have an LGBTQ liaison in your office? What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer or professional basis?

I have supported numerous LGBTQ candidates for office including Barry Weinberg for District Leader, Adrián Rivera-Reyes for Philadelphia City Council, Ben Chou for Harris County Commissioner, Tracy Mitrano for U.S. Congress. I volunteered for Haven (an LGBTQ organization) in college, and I have worked with Jim Owles, Stonewall, EQNY, and other groups since my election. I have had LGBTQ staff members on my campaign and government office and have supported a variety of LGBTQ rights legislation.

3. What demonstrations, rallies, and protests have you participated in support of LGBTQ issues, African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American Civil Rights, pro-choice legislation, criminal justice issues, and Resist Trump?

I have walked many picket lines and supported many union drives. I marched with Black Lives Matter and in the Women’s March. I have spoken at press conferences around numerous criminal justice bills and pro-choice bills. I also introduced two pieces of legislation reversing decades of discrimination for the AAPI Community.

4. Do you support reparations to compensate African Americans for the history of slavery, Jim Crow, and systemic racism in this country?

Yes, I voted for the bill to establish a commission about this.

5. What are your concrete proposals to address current systemic racism in terms of employment, housing, voting rights, and the criminal justice system in the U.S.?

All legislation needs to be read through a justice lens and crafted with the input of communities who have been marginalized. I support the criminal justice bills below and am also advocating for a Constitutional Amendment which would allow us to add more judges, therefore providing speedier trials. I support auditing systems that make decisions on employment or housing for bias, and advocate for many proposals to expand the ease of registering to vote and casting a ballot.

6. Will you advocate for elder parole where incarcerated individuals aged 55 and older who have serviced in excess of 15 years obtain parole hearings? Are you a sponsor of the Elder Parole Bill, Assembly 2035?

Yes, I’m a cosponsor of the bill and an advocate for it.

7. Do you sponsor the Earned Time Act, Assembly 01128 which strengthens and expands “good time” and “earned time” to support rehabilitation efforts?

Yes, I’m a cosponsor of the bill and an advocate for it.

8. Do you sponsor Eliminate Mandatory Minimum Bill Act, which reduces excessive sentences and enables Judges to look at individual factors and mitigating circumstances?

Yes, I’m a cosponsor of the bill and an advocate for it.

9. Do you sponsor the Second Look Act, which allows for reconsideration of prison sentences based on changes in law and circumstances?

Yes, I’m a cosponsor of the bill and an advocate for it.

10. Have you participated, and will you participate in demonstrations and protests in relation to the issues of clemency and parole?

Yes, and I’m proud that I was able to successfully advocate for one of my constituents to be granted clemency by Governor Hochul this year.

11. Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?

Yes.

12. Have you and will you visit incarcerated constituents to learn of their conditions?

Yes, I visited constituents in two different prisons this year. I also separately visited Rikers.

13. What are your proposals to have prisons focus more on rehabilitation and less on punishment?

Bills such as the Earned Time Act and Elder Parole will force prisons to think more about rehabilitation, since more of the population will be eligible for release sooner. We also need to fund and revamp prison education programs, which are not only the right thing to do but also directly reduce recidivism and keep people safer.

14. Do you support ending the cruel punishment of solitary confinement, such as was recently mandated by the New York City Council?

Yes.

15. What are your proposals to facilitate individuals who have recently entered the U.S. to be able to live decently with employment and housing?

We need to enable them to work. The federal government currently bans asylum seekers from working for six months, unless they are granted TPS. If the federal government does not take action to reverse that, we should implement one of the bills at the state level (both AM Cruz and AM Rajkumar have versions) that would allow migrants to work.

16. What proposals do you advocate to combat the cruel and inhumane immigration policies that the Trump Administration commenced and which, to some degree, are still in effect?

Along with advocating for his policies to be reversed at the federal level, state and local leaders should find ways to implement policies that help immigrants locally, such as the policy discussed in the answer above.

17. Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work?

Yes, I believe decriminalization is the best option.

18. Do you oppose legislation that promotes the Nordic model?

Sex workers face grave harm under the current system of criminalization. The Nordic model is widely opposed by sex workers who recognize that it will continue to leave workers stigmatized and vulnerable. Legalization in many European countries has continued to leave a large market in the shadows where the most vulnerable sex workers are least protected.

19. What concrete proposals do you support to lift up women after four years of Trump being President?

While Trump and MAGA Republicans attack rights federally and in other states, New York continues to protect the rights of all. We protect the right to reproductive healthcare (and protecting local providers from lawsuits if they provide services to those in other states), fight for pay transparency, fund childcare and universal pre-k, and legislate against discrimination.

20. Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Please elaborate.

Yes, I support single-payer universal health care and I cosponsor the New York Health Act, which has been languishing unnecessarily for decades. Health care is a human right.

21. What have you done to facilitate reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services?

My first speech on the floor of the Assembly was in support of the New York Equal Rights Amendment, and it told the story of my great grandmother Mary Gigi, who died because abortion was illegal. I also cosponsored and voted for several bills to expand and protect reproductive rights this session, including allowing telemedicine prescriptions for medication abortion, protecting local providers from out-of-state subpoenas and lawsuits, and other actions.

22. Will you refuse contributions from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the Real Estate industry, from police or correctional communities?

Yes.

23. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives or corporations complicit in the Trump anti-American agenda?

Yes.

24. How do you propose that we address the current surge of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism?

All public figures (including elected officials) need to call out Islamophobia and Antisemitism when we see it and reaffirm to all of our constituents that they are welcome here. I have also reached out to the New York State Hate and Bias Prevention Unit about holding more discussions to bring people from different groups together.

25. Did you or would you have voted for the censure of U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib?

No. While I disagree with the Congresswomen’s statements which were used as a pretext, the censure was a partisan hit job, as evidenced by the lack of any ramifications for Republicans such as Marjorie Taylor Greene's statements about Jewish space lasers.

26. Do you support an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East?

I support a sustainable ceasefire which can only begin with the return of the hostages. It should also include assurances that another attack like that on October 7th will not be the stated goal of whomever winds up ruling Gaza. At the same time, Israel should not move to reoccupy Gaza.

27. Should we condition further aid to Israel? What conditions should we stress that Israel abides by?

Despite some electeds’ rhetoric, the US does not give unconditional aid to any ally by our existing laws. We should be ensuring that those existing requirements are met on all aid to our allies in an evenhanded manner.

28. Will you refuse funds from Trump-supporting AIPAC?

N/A – AIPAC is a Congressional PAC and I’m running for state office.

29. What are your concrete proposals to prevent Trump and his cult from taking over this country and ending democracy?

I sponsor two bills that directly target this threat. The first is called the RIOT Act, which prohibits people with a conviction for felony insurrection from running for office or becoming judges. While I believe in second chances, we already realize that certain crimes directly related to government should prevent people from serving again; namely, those convicted of fraud against the government or of bribing an elected official are ineligible to serve. My bill with Senator Hoylman-Siegal adds insurrection to that list.

My second related bill is called the PAID Act, which requires disclosure of generative AI when used in campaign materials. We have already seen campaigns spread misinformation by using AI to fake voices, images, or video. This bill would clamp down on that activity.

30. How can we combat the movement in this country to ban books, prevent colleges from discussing issues and demonizing intelligence as “woke”?

We need to speak out against it! I am leading a rally against Moms For Liberty this week.

31. As Christopher Columbus caused the death/slavery of thousands, should we replace the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle, and if so, what should replace it? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose?

Yes. As a proud Italian-American, we have better representatives than Columbus.

32. As Edward I Koch caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people with AIDS and was blatantly racist, should we rename the former Queensboro Bridge? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose?

Yes.

33. What will you do to support nightlife in New York State? Do you commit to speaking with liquor license applicants and restaurant/nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on policies affecting their businesses?

Yes, and I already have spoken to multiple applicants in the district.

34. What is your opinion of Eric Adams as New York City Mayor? Are you involved in finding someone to run for Mayor of New York City?

LBJ used to say that on his worst days as President, he was thankful that he wasn’t a big city mayor. I am focused on my work in the Assembly and I might be the only New York elected official not thinking about the Mayoral race.

35. How can we mandate that every community do its share to have affordable housing and care for the recently arrived people?

We desperately need it. It is not just recently arrived people; we need much more affordable housing for everyone. This includes subsidies, regulation, and growing the existing housing supply.

36. Are you a sponsor of Good Cause Eviction legislation?

I am supportive of the concept of Good Cause Eviction. While the current version requires some technical improvements before I can cosponsor it, I supported the version that was presented as part of the housing compromise at the end of session, and support versions as implemented in other states.

37. Do you support allowing legal Immigrants to vote in local elections?

Yes, consistent with the City Council legislation that would allow permanent residents who meet residency requirements to vote.