Assemblyman Ari Brown, who is seeking re-election in the 20th Assembly District, says he remains focused on the safety, health and quality of life of district residents.
Brown, 51, a construction business owner and a Franklin Square native who moved to Cedarhurst 35 years ago, serves as deputy mayor, and has been a village board member for 27 years.
In Albany, he is the ranking minority member of the Local Governments Committee.
Public safety, he said, remains his top local concern, and he has effusive praise for the Nassau County Police Department. “By far, the best police force anywhere in the country,” Brown said of the NCPD. “It's not even a close second.”
As the first Orthodox Jewish Republican assemblyman, Brown said he plans to keep combating antisemitism, which is at the forefront of his platform, with nine bills he introduced. “I think we see a rise in antisemitism,” he said. “We're the smallest minority in the world, of 15 million people.”
He has worked to address antisemitism in Albany, he said, and intends to continue pushing legislation to combat it.
His concern goes beyond protecting one community, however, Brown said. “My obligation is to keep my friends, neighbors and people safe,” he said. “That's the point.”
Affordability and health care are two other concerns Brown said he regularly hears from constituents. “Health care is always a big concern,” he said. “It's expensive for everybody.”
Rising household costs, he added, have become particularly difficult for families and seniors. “I have constituents calling me — $1,000, $1,200 a month,” he said, referring to the electric bills they report. “It's hard for the young people, but certainly for senior citizens. How are they supposed to afford that?”
Brown said he wants to see the state address what he considers excessive costs while also ensuring that residents can afford to remain on Long Island. “If we don't get a handle on this affordability issue, people are leaving by the droves,” he said. “It's just not manageable.”
He is not opposed to development, including transit-oriented development, Brown said, but believes projects need to be carefully planned. “I am in favor of TODs,” he said. “They have to be done correctly. You have to do the right studies. They have to be designed right.”
Brown said that his decades of experience in local government have shaped how he approaches development and other community issues. “I think what I can bring is my experience of Long Island,” he said. “Put the politics aside, get the D and the R, go together for your community first.”
As he campaigns for another term, Brown said, he continues to speak with residents across the political spectrum. “I don't walk just to the Republican doors,” he said. “I walk to every single house on a block. Why do I care if you're a Democrat or Republican?”
Looking ahead, Brown said, he wants to continue bringing that philosophy to Albany. “This isn't about getting elected,” he said. “If I can keep my friends, neighbors, children and grandchildren safe, if we’ve got nothing else, we've got someone in office.”
The 20th District 20 encompasses Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Hewlett, Woodmere, Inwood, Island Park, Lawrence, Oceanside and the barrier island, from Atlantic Beach to Point Lookout.
