The Conservative Party of New York State

 

Founded 1962   www.cpnys.org

 

State Headquarters: 8829 Ft. Hamilton Pkwy, D1, Brooklyn, NY 11209 • 718-921-2158 • E-mail: nyscp@aol.com

 

Newburgh Office:  394 Quaker Street, Wallkill, NY 12589 • 845-564-7413 • andrew@cpnys.org

 

Gerard Kassar, State Chairman

 

Ralph C. Lorigo, Executive Vice Chairman • Howard Lim, Jr., Secretary • Frances T. Vella-Marrone, Treasurer

 

 Andrew Davis, Director of Operations • Eileen Johnson, Executive Assistant

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2025 Legislative Program

PREAMBLE

The Conservative Party, through the years, has offered fiscally sound economic policies to change New York’s course of wasteful government spending. New York was once the beacon of economic success; today New York has become an entity that over-regulates small business, stifles proven energy expansion and increases taxes on its citizens forcing them to seek states that will encourage them to unleash their entrepreneurial spirit thereby ensuring a future for generations to come.

In the last four gubernatorial elections, voters reaffirmed the Conservative Party’s position on Row C and in doing so, made the statement that the Conservative Party has been a positive influence in attempting to restore fiscal sanity to New York.  Despite the states shrinking population, the Conservative Party has consistently increased the number of its enrollees and votes on its Party line, regularly garnering more than twice its enrollment. Voters support our philosophy and want it to become law. New York’s spending and taxes are ranked among the highest in the nation; despite the promises of the Executive Chamber to make New York a better place to live and work. Legislators must end their reckless spending which contributes to the budget deficits and cut the over-regulations preventing small businesses from thriving.

Regrettably, the state, by relying on excessive taxes, surcharges, fees, and fines on business and on promises of federal government funding, New York government believes it is unnecessary to cut spending. This has been enhanced by one-party rule that has been aggravated by a radical liberal majority in the state Senate and Assembly.

Governor Hochul must cut the budget across the board. The legislature must respond to the need for fiscal sanity, by not adding to it. Every agency and program must have significant spending cuts and not depend only on attrition to attain the goal. Every outdated, underutilized program must be eliminated. Neither Medicaid nor School Aid can be excluded from realistic cuts. The Executive Chamber and the Legislature must end their dependency on overtaxing New York’s citizens which has produced a mass exodus of individuals and businesses. The Legislature must enact real change in every aspect of government and begin by eliminating unfunded mandates constraining the counties. The Legislature must adopt term limits and a viable Initiative, Referendum, and Recall for all elected officials. New York State must stop masking the true nature of its growing debt through obtusely worded bonding that offers no insight into true costs to the taxpayers.

The NYS Department of Education must root out excessive administrative levels and spending as ways to restore public trust and continue to support more Charter Schools. The years of government programs designed to alleviate economic disparity have only widened the gap; these programs must end. The free competitive market is the judicious way to achieve higher standards of living for everyone. Our Legislative Program seeks to restore a common-sense approach to a legislature that has looked for ways to benefit itself rather than the people it represents. These proposals are concise and must be adopted to reverse New York’s deficit spending and bleak fiscal outlook.

The 2025 Legislative Priorities on page 10 (Adopted January 11, 2025)

TAXES AND SPENDING

New York for many years has been one of the leading states for out-migration.  In order to keep residents and attract new residents and businesses focused on economic opportunity, New York’s government needs to focus on affordability.  We must lower government debt, provide mandate relief, end regulations that strangle business, end wasteful government programs and cut spending across the board.  To this end, we recommend:

• • Requirement of a 2/3 majority vote for any tax increase.

 

• • Adoption of a constitutional amendment that requires the NYS Budget be strictly limited to budget items and not programs that should stand alone for a legislative vote.

 

• • Every effort must be made to eliminate Medicaid fraud and to recover the monies paid on fraudulent claims.

 

• • Repeal the New York Health Act.

 

• • End to State Effort to adopt a cap and invest program.

 

• • End the restricted practice of increasing fees and tolls which are “hidden” taxes.

 

• • Medicaid must be reformed to decrease spending and not used for any non-health programs.

 

• • Rejection of extending and/or increasing the personal income tax (PIT) on higher-income New Yorkers.

 

• • Opposition to the MTA Congestion Pricing.

 

• • We oppose the adoption of any revenue stream that does not include a sunset clause.

 

• • End and repeal all unfunded mandates.

 

• • Adoption of a constitutional amendment limiting any increase of state spending to the rate of inflation or the rate that governs the property taxes, whichever is lower.

 

• • We support a constitutional amendment to reform NYS Bonding.  The amendment should include an end to back-door borrowing, require listing the total debt expected from the bonding and allow the voters of New York to have more than one bond issue on the ballot.

 

• • Prohibit public authorities from issuing new debt except for capital improvements backed by a stable revenue stream paid directly by the project’s beneficiaries – for example: bridge tolls.

 

• • Further reduction in the state corporate income tax on all businesses in New York, to stimulate more investment and job creation. No adoption of a “circuit-breaker” property tax program.

 

• • Elimination of state income tax on dividend earnings.

 

• • We oppose any effort to reinstate New York’s stock transfer tax.

 

• • 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 encouraged to consolidate services and where possible, to eliminate duplication of services.

 

• • Eliminate the New York State estate tax.

 

• • Pension Reform: While it is understood that the New York State Constitution does not allow pension benefits to be “diminished or impaired,” the current defined-benefit pension entitlement must be changed by a Constitutional Amendment to a defined-contribution retirement savings plan when new government employees are hired. Tier VI, did not include “defined-contribution,” which is necessary to curb the future costs to taxpayers.

 

• • Continue job creation through tax reduction by elimination of the Gross Receipts Tax.

 

• • New York State needs to address the out-of-control costs of health care going forward for employees and retirees of public employment agencies.

 

• • Common retirement funds must use free-market principles and not be mandated by government to utilize ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

The primary role of government is to protect the people In order to keep our citizens safe and businesses secure.  The Conservative Party recommends:

• • We reject any effort to defund law enforcement.

 

• • All criminals should be subject to prosecution ending a trend which allows those accused of lesser felonies, such as shoplifting and looting, unprosecuted.

 

• • Cashless Bail must end. Bail decisions should allow for the input of the Judge and Prosecutor.

 

• • District Attorneys who fail to prosecute crimes based on the criminal indictment or who issue formal instructions inconsistent with the law should be subject to removal.

 

• • Rejection of all efforts to create “safe havens” for illegal drug use. Opposition to the decriminalization of gateway drugs.

 

• • Local and State law enforcement agencies must follow federal laws concerning the detention of illegal aliens, in turn rejecting sanctuary city status.

 

• • Parole Boards should require unanimous agreement before a release is ordered.

 

• • We oppose law fare and the weaponization of the legal system.

 

• • We support law enforcement agencies utilizing all generally accepted law enforcement techniques including stop, question, and frisk; profiling and judicially approved surveillance.

 

• • We support highest criminal charges for offenses perpetrated against public servants including the military who are targets of violence.

 

• • The New York Safe Act must be repealed. SCOTUS limitations on concealed carry must not be subject to New York State workarounds.

 

• • The Second Amendment to the US Constitution rejects all unreasonable efforts to restrict the possession of firearms. Additionally, the right to self-defense is a basic tenet of society. New York State needs to respect both.

 

• • Repeal the expanded Red Flag law which results in government overreach.

 

• • Repeal legislation that allows convicted felons to serve on jury duty.

 

• • Repeal the sealing of criminal records law.

 

• • We support the restoration of the “Three Strikes Law” that mandates a criminal sentence for repeat felons.

 

• • Opposition to parole simply based on the age of the criminal.

 

• • Restoration of the Death Penalty as an option for 1^st Degree murder.

FAMILY RIGHTS

Legislation must be adopted to protect religious institutions from being required to recognize/perform marriages that are not within their traditional definition of marriage.  We do not support legislation that seeks to expand the Human Rights Law to include “transgender” as a protected class. We oppose the medical field, schools and/or other government-funded entities from enforcing gender identity in opposition to parent’s wishes.

PRESERVATION OF LIFE

We believe that New York’s expanded abortion law should be repealed and the legislature should re-adopt the prior statute permitting therapeutic abortions only under the most clearly defined conditions hazardous to the life of the mother. Tax dollars should not be used to prevent or end a pregnancy, nor should they be used for non-residents to travel to NY and pay for their abortion. We oppose the creation of grant programs for abortion providers and non-profits to increase access to abortion care. Elderly, terminally ill, and patients who cannot advocate for themselves should have the full protection of the law to prevent attempts to end their lives prematurely. Terminally ill patients should be provided all palliative care to ease their pain; efforts to have physicians assist their suicide must be rejected. The Conservative Party staunchly believes that all human cloning must be banned and that stem-cell research specifically prohibits the use of progenitor cells and/or pluripotent cells and must be limited to adult stem cells, amniotic fluid, and fetal cord blood research. Unborn victims of violence should be given the full protection of our laws. Efforts must be made to ease adoption laws in New York State so that traditional families can provide a loving home to unwanted or abandoned children. We support the expansion of the Safe Haven Law.

HEALTH

The Conservative Party believes high medical and drug costs are inflated by government policies. We question the current role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM).  To provide medical care for all, New York State has participated in raising Hospital costs with no balancing benefit for middle income New Yorkers who are becoming increasingly dependent on government programs.

The Party urges Medicaid policy makers to look closely at models adopted in most every state that provide solid benefits for financially needy individuals at much lower cost.

We reject legislation and/or Executive or Agency Orders that require the detention of individuals and their contacts in a government and/or private facility upon the detection of a communicable disease.

We oppose mandated vaccines for COVID and believe that all vaccinations for minors be done with parental consent.

ENVIRONMENT

Conceptually the Party places greater emphasis on conservation vs environment.  To this end we oppose the “taking” by state and local governments of private lands often directly violating property rights and personal freedoms. We support sportsmen, hunting and fishing and the protection of second amendment rights that ensue.

The Party opposes government efforts to incentivize the alternative energy industry using government grants and/or the establishment of special regulations and permitting focused on impeding traditional energy sources from being competitive. We support a return of nuclear energy production as an energy source in New York State. We also support ending the ban on fracking in the Southern Tier.

In an effort to protect wetlands and tidal estuaries with new, expanded or redefined regulations, New York needs to balance the needs of surrounding communities with the needs of environmentalists.

We oppose the Green New Deal Agenda, Climate Superfund, the Climate Leadership & Community Act, bans on the use of gas for heating & cooking.  Furthermore, we oppose efforts to mandate the government and private sector use of alternative energy vehicles including hydrogen and electric vehicles.

We oppose the Cap and Invest Tax Plan.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

New York’s economy is in crisis. Although some areas such as the chip industry have seen important gains, in general New York State has for many years been providing a poor economic climate resulting in the loss of jobs and people migrating to other states. Of equal concern is the state business climate making the state unattractive for business start-ups, expansions, or relocations. It comes down to the cost of doing business and the lack of desirability of New York as a place to live and raise a family. This factor is heavily influenced by high taxes, energy costs and over regulation.  An aging transportation infrastructure, public safety concerns, costly mandates such as the Wick’s law and Scaffold law and countless out-of-touch government policies further deepen New York State’s failure to attract private capital.

The Conservative Party opposes high minimum wage laws that fail to accomplish the original intent of the program. We believe New York lacks an energy policy with nonsensical mandates such as banning the use of natural gas in new homes, businesses and as an energy source. We support the repeal of a statewide ban on fracking arguing that the Southern Tier’s economy has been damaged by the states’ fracking policy.   Alternative energy proposals, although seemingly attractive, often do no more than litter the landscape as they fail to meet our energy needs. The Party advocates regulatory changes on a national and state level encouraging the development of small nuclear reactors.

We oppose hiring quotas and DEI programs.

We support tort reform with emphasis on expanding the sanctions for frivolous lawsuits. Workman’s Compensation Reform has failed to provide the protections sought after while increasing costs strangling small business. We continue to support a constitutional amendment that would limit the use of “eminent domain” for economic development purposes. We do not support the recently signed Transportation Climate Initiative that will pass increased costs to consumers while adding another nail into New York State’s anti-business climate.

HOUSING

The free market, not government controls, is the only way to have quality affordable housing. The enacted expansion of rent regulations throughout New York State only exacerbates the housing shortages and forces landlords to abandon and/or not do necessary repairs due to the inability to recoup the funds to provide the necessary repairs.  Government policies that interfered with the ability of real estate to generate income must not result in the socialist seizure of private property. We oppose any state efforts to eliminate local zoning. We oppose government mandating how new and existing construction will be, over time, forced to replace fossil fuel heating devices with electricity.  The state and local governments should be prohibited from interference in contracts between property owners and tenants.  We are opposed to New York State or local effort to adopt “good cause” eviction measure.  We oppose the “City of Yes” law in New York City which significantly reduces community input in zoning decisions.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

The Conservative Party supports a safety net for the neediest members of society due to infirmity, disability, incapacity, or minor status in one parent household. In general, all other able-bodied individuals receiving public assistance should be subject to workfare for a short-designated period. Benefit fraud should be subject to full restitution and prosecution when appropriate.  Only individuals in the United States legally should be eligible for benefits. Additionally, we support the requirement of drug testing and fingerprinting of all those who apply for government benefits while rejecting the use of taxpayer funding for new recipient outreach programs.

PRISONS

New York State continues to systematically release prisoners to balance their budgets and close prisons. We believe that is not in the best interest of keeping our citizens safe. The government’s role is to protect its citizens from those who have harmed or continue to harm individuals. Prisoners should have to work toward reentry into society. Every reasonable effort must be made to ensure that people who are held in jail are given a speedy trial to determine their guilt or innocence and that discovery must include all the legally obtained information and be provided within a reasonable amount of time. Currently 20 days if in custody and 35 days when not in custody is too short and must be adjusted. Prisons and correction officers should be used to prepare the inmate for release by encouraging them to work and learn how to manage their lives while incarcerated.

LABOR RELATIONS

Union members’ First Amendment right of freedom of speech and assembly should be reaffirmed and be protected against arbitrary disciplinary actions. New York State should be a right-to-work state. We support strengthening the Taylor Law and the repeal of the Triborough Amendment, and are strongly opposed to attempts to allow mediators to declare that officials are bargaining in bad faith.  (We support limiting pay raises from binding arbitration to 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is higher.) Since the US Supreme Court struck down Agency Shop, government unions should not be able to prevent public employees from opting out. Efforts to regulate Gig workers must be rejected. Efforts to expand the public works subjected to prevailing wage laws must be rejected and/or repealed. We support the agricultural community’s efforts to protect small farm-operated agro-businesses from state efforts to increase labor costs to the point where they would be put out of business.

EDUCATION

The Conservative Party supports parental control of their children’s educational choices and classroom experience. We propose that our state’s voters be offered a state constitutional amendment protecting parent’s rights by stating: “The parents and guardians of students in primary and secondary schools shall have full access to their school’s curriculum and source materials before they are presented to students and shall have the right to participate in their children’s classroom experience. State and local governments may not restrict the formation of charter schools. Crimes committed by students, faculty, or staff, when known by school administrators, must be reported to the local police.”

The Conservative Party supports the expansion of homeschooling opportunities and charter schools and opposes any restrictions on homeschooling or the formation of charter schools. Programs, materials, and people that distort the history of our country and the meaning of our Constitution should not be allowed in our schools. State, local and municipal government authorities and districts should be prohibited from infringing on parental rights to oversee their children’s personal and/or sexual identity or other development, including but not limited to, encouraging or acknowledging alternate identification of a minor’s gender, name or other identification. We are opposed to the elimination of the state Regents exams. We firmly support the merit testing of students for admission into specialized high schools. Educational vouchers should be available to all parents. We oppose the imposition of Common Core mandates, and judicial interference in our state’s system of educational financing and support. English should be taught as the official language. Disruptive violent students should be removed and placed in alternative programs. Teachers and school administrators who act in a seriously inappropriate and/or unprofessional manner must not be protected by tenure and be subjected to revocation of tenure or dismissal upon review.  School districts that decide to permit school personnel to have access to firearms should be provided training and support by state and local law enforcement. We support a temporary State Commission to recommend school mergers wherever the population of school-age children appears to be in permanent decline.

HIGHER EDUCATION

We believe Colleges and Universities have failed to balance the right of free speech against the desires of those focused on hate and anti-American rhetoric.  Furthermore, we remain convinced that conservative youth-oriented organizations such as Young Americans Foundation and Turning Point are unwelcome in higher education institutions whose leadership and academic community is often dominated by liberals.

Professors, lecturers, administrators, and students who engage in illegal, racist, and/or violent acts on campus should be removed and/or suspended.  And if they are here on VISAS, they should be deported. If the institution refuses to comply, they should be subject to a loss of local, state, or federal funding.

We believe the rising expense of a quality private or public education has become a barrier often addressed by so called “free education” which is a taxpayer funded burden. Higher Education costs can be reduced through a greater focus on slimmed down curriculum and programing to meet the needs of student’s interests. Students, employers, and government entities desiring a broader approach should shoulder the financial burden through: sponsored programs, scholarships, loans, and employment.

We do not support replacing in-person education with online classes, as this approach has proven to put students at a disadvantage academically, socially, and emotionally.

We oppose state and federal efforts to eliminate student debt as it shifts the responsibility to the taxpayers. We believe the “State Dream Act” must be repealed, as it provides a special benefit to the children of those here illegally not enjoyed by legal residents of New York.

We believe academic standards will be elevated by rejecting quotas and open enrollment policies.

GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Efficient, transparent, and available to all is a short summary of the Conservative Party’s view of government services. To that point all government employees must return to the workplace for a full workweek. Remote working locations negatively impact the public. We remain strong advocates for English as the primary language of the government at all levels. We oppose any division of government, establishing sanctuary laws for illegal aliens thus prohibiting cooperation with the federal government.  In overall terms of government services on a local and national level we adhere to the philosophy that the primary role of government is to protect the people.

GOVERNMENT AND ETHICS

The many attempts at creating a workable Joint Committee on Public Ethics (JCOPE) have met with failure. At its heart is the inability of the Governor and Legislature to establish a true “independent” review committee.

It may be impossible for politically elected members of government to create an ethics commission devoid of political considerations.

The judicial branch may need to be brought into the discussion. A constitutional amendment establishing a commission voted upon by the citizens of New York is also worth considering

ELECTIONS

In 2024 we won a partial judicial victory against an ill-advised state law that requires local elections, outside of cities, to be held in even years. The Conservative Party supports the repeal of the law and, at a minimal, the judicial process upholding the judicially ordered partial repeal. We oppose non-citizen voting. We support term limits, with no more than 4 two-year terms for members of the Assembly and State Senate, and 2 four-year terms for all statewide offices.  We support State Constitutional changes allowing for Initiative and Referendum, as well as a mechanism to provide the public with the opportunity to recall elected officials.  We oppose same day voter registration and no excuse mail-in voting on grounds that they increase the likelihood of fraud. We note that the voters overwhelmingly rejected these proposals only to discover the State Legislature, working against their desires, was able to do a “work around.”  We support secure photo identification prior to being allowed to vote. We oppose the public financing of elections that has proven to be a costly system providing no benefit to the voter and in several cases led to documented fraud.  We are advocates for professional apolitical boards of elections. Convicted felons should be disqualified from voting prior to the completion of their full sentence. Confusion concerning a voter’s domicile must be remedied by requiring that you may only register and, as such, vote from your full-time residence.

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE IN PUBLIC LIFE

Legislation in New York State must be adopted to statutorily clarify and protect our constitutionally provided right as private citizens and faith-based entities from being forced to participate in activities that violate their religious convictions. Such legislation and application of the principles laid out by the nation’s founders should provide that any entity that enters a contract with New York State, or any government division, shall not, during the contract period, have their contract suspended because of issues raised concerning an entity or individual’s practice of their religious beliefs. We support efforts to protect the practice of one’s religious beliefs in all schools including the right of school prayer in public schools.  We strongly oppose efforts to impose non-religious values on religious people and institutions.

LEGISLATURE

The Members of the Assembly and State Senate shall not abdicate their constitutional authority as an equal branch of government to the Executive Chamber through the issuance of Executive Orders by the Governor.  The practice of allowing members to vote remotely must end. Debates should provide all members with ample time to present all points of view. If a budget is not enacted by March 31^st no action shall be taken on any other bills with the only exception being a single continuing resolution not to exceed a short-term period. The State Budget should limit itself to fiscal matters. The passage of the final budget should represent the beginning of the shut-down phase of the legislative session. We oppose a full-time legislature believing outside employment gives the “people’s house” closer contact with the effects of the matters the Legislature takes up. Taxpayer funds should not be allowed in the defense of any activity deemed in the defense criminal including sexual harassment or misconduct. The Conservative Party continues to oppose the placement of “member items” benefiting limited constituencies in the State Budget.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

The Conservative Party believes that just as the Legislative Branch of government should eliminate all legislative member items, the Executive Branch must eliminate “executive” items also. The disbursement of economic development council grants and tax credits to localities creates unjust favoritism with taxpayers’ funds to businesses that are vulnerable to competing on a level playing field. We oppose efforts by the Governor and Legislature to create Commissions that possess the authority to make state law.

JUDICIARY

The Conservative Party supports the principle that “the true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government.” Partisan prosecutors and judges who abuse their office should be appropriately disciplined or removed from office.  Elected judges should be assigned to the court for which they were elected and in the jurisdiction from which they were elected.

2025 Legislative Priorities

• • We oppose NYS and local jurisdictions’ support of open illegal immigration policies and sanctuary city status.

 

• • We oppose non-citizen voting.

 

• • The criminal justice reforms which included bail reform, discovery changes and raise the age must be repealed and replaced with more realistic, achievable goals.

 

• • We reject extending and/or increasing the personal income tax on higher earners.

 

• • District attorneys who establish internal procedures that create obstacles to fully prosecuting felony-charged individuals must be removed from office.

 

• • The legislature must repeal same day voter registration, and mail-in early voting that were rejected by voters in 2021’s statewide ballot proposals.

 

• • We must adopt an ID requirement for voting.

 

• • Congestion pricing is a regressive tax assessment and must be repealed.

 

• • We oppose any minor, as defined by law, being encouraged or allowed to seek a chemical or physical sex change procedure, and object to tax money being used for chemical/physical alterations.

 

• • Tax dollars should not be used to prevent or end a pregnancy, nor should they be used to establish an abortion travel industry in NYS for non-residents.

 

• • We support term limits of two consecutive four- year terms for all statewide offices. We support term limits of four consecutive two- year terms for members of the Assembly and state Senate.

 

• • The reparations commission should be abolished.

 

• • We support constitutional amendments providing New Yorkers with the right to initiative and referendum as well as the recall of elected officials.

 

• • We reject any effort to defund law enforcement.

 

• • We oppose all efforts by the state to interfere with local zoning laws.

 

• • We oppose efforts by NYS to chip away at the Scotus decision allowing concealed carry.

 

• • NYS government should require all law enforcement agencies to hold, for federal law enforcement, any person in our state illegally.

 

• • We support a constitutional amendment limiting the state budget to fiscal matters.

 

• • We reject assisted suicide.

 

• • We reject efforts to create safe injection sites and remain opposed to the state legalizing the recreational use of historically illegal drugs.

 

• • We oppose efforts by the Governor and Legislature to create commissions that possess the authority to make laws.

 

• • We support law enforcement agencies utilizing well established public safety tools such as stop, question and frisk; surveillance and profiling.

 

• • We propose a state constitutional amendment protecting parental rights.

 

• • We oppose any effort to provide college education, and the forgiveness of student loans.

 

• • We oppose state efforts to allow men and women to participate in officially sanctioned sports events of the sex other than their birth gender.

 

• • We support making emergency medical service an essential service.

 

• • We oppose “back door” tax increases in the form of increased fees, tolls and fares.

Download the PDF version here: 2025 Legislative Platform Final 1.28.25 (1)