"I come from a proud family and community! The Bronx is filled with amazing people who are diverse, strong, and resilient. We have seen difficult times, but we are not defined by our past. Our future is bright and we have the opportunity to take back our community, restore common sense in politics and reform our future. I stand with you in striving to reform our education system, grow our local, small businesses, revitalize our housing system, bring much needed reform to our healthcare system, and improve our quality of life. I am also passionate and committed to defending the dignity of our American heroes - our veterans . " -Gene DeFrancis
CAMPAIGN PLATFORM
Education
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Provide all resources and tools needed for K-8; such as adequate after school and sport programs, free breakfast and lunch & school supplies for all students.
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Restore Zone Schooling. Children who go to school within the community build longstanding relationships with teachers and other students within their community. Which, in turn, help them to develop and thrive educationally.
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Convert all middle schools into K-8 schools. Teachers are at a far greater advantage to provide better service and education when working with students they know.
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Schools should be a safe haven and protected. We must establish it as an act of domestic terrorism if a gun is brought within its zone. Only trained and authorized individuals (ie: Police) should be allowed to carry weapons within a school zone.
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Provide an adequate number of class sizes within schools, and establish a reasonably proportionate counselor to student ratio within each school. In doing this, student's education will be able to maintain a healthy course, and the school will be able to sustain an open communication with parents if signs of trouble arise.
Jobs & Small Business
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Our team will empower our residents and encourage entrepreneurship within our community.
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Create an effective skills training and vocational jobs program for all of our constituents.
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Placing intense focus on supporting local small business and make doing business in our state fair and equitable.
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Tax relief for Small Businesses and grants for landmark establishments. Businesses that are staples in our community will receive every effort to keep them thriving.
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Introduce Anti-Saturation Bill; in order to define neighborhood/township borders and limit the number of businesses that compete in the defined area.
Housing
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NYCHA REFORM
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Abolish the practice of selling liens to private investors/banks. Especially if homeowner is a veteran, disabled, or a senior.
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Abolish government programs that price out residents.
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End housing harassment, and stop the revolving door within apartment units.
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Introduce landlord insurance to safeguard owners from tenants who fail to pay rent.
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Support the Fair Share Initiative - where each county is responsible for the housing of individuals in need so that each county can properly support each individual/family.
Healthcare
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Introduce Community Compassion Bill - residents that are a danger to themselves can not refuse medical attention. Individuals clearly incoherent and incapacitated will not be abandoned, and will be safely sent for treatment (not jail) to receive professional care and treatment.
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Advocate for alternative methods to OPIOIDS, and curb the excessive amount of legal prescriptions for pain killers. Expose the lethal dangers of fentanyl and synthetic drugs.
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Supply all local business with OVERDOSE EQUIPMENT KITS and training on how to use it.
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Fund local Psychiatric Facilities with enough State Police so they have adequate manpower to detain and process perpetrators.
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Support and empower victims of domestic violence. Abusers will be sent to MANDATORY anger management and self control workshops at their own expense.
Quality of Life
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Rebuild our broken and continuously deteriorating infrastructure.
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Clean up our streets, and institute a safe streets program.
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Relieve traffic congestion, and stop reckless drivers (including bicycles/mopeds)
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Ensure that the MTA is safe, clean, and affordable.