95th State Assembly District: Sandy Galef vs Kim Izzarelli

The race for the 95^th State Assembly District pits 20-year Democratic incumbent Sandy Galef against Republican challenger Kim Izzarelli.

Galef, 72, has served 10 consecutive terms in the Assembly. Prior to being elected to the state Legislature she was a Westchester County legislator for 13 years. A former elementary school teacher in Scarsdale, Galef resides in Ossining.

Izzarelli, 52, has never held elected office. Last year she ran for the Ossining Town Board, and in 2007 she sought a seat as a Village of Briarcliff trustee. Izzarelli is an independent pension and retirement consultant and resides in Briarcliff Manor.

The 95^th Assembly District stretches from Cortlandt to Ossining and includes portions of Putnam County. The annual salary for Assembly members is $79,500.

Sandy Galef

Galef said her experience and standing as a high ranking member of the Assembly majority was beneficial to her constituents.

“I’m a full-time legislator. I wake up every day to work on people’s problems in Albany,” she said. “I have really enjoyed the support of the people all these years. I work very hard to bring consensus and stand up for reform and change.”

One change during her last term that Galef pointed to as being positive was the passage of the two percent tax levy cap, which has restricted municipalities and school districts from exceeding a set level of spending.

“I think the tax cap has worked extremely well,” said Galef, noting 80% of local governments and 95% of school districts have stayed within the cap. “Without the tax cap I don’t think we would have everyone looking at the budget like they do now.”

On mandate relief, Galef said Tier 6 pension reform is “the biggest mandate relief ever,” resulting in savings of $80 billion over the next 30 years. “It is futuristic but it’s been on everyone’s list for a long time, and we did it. We deserve credit for that.”

She has a bill that would ban any additional unfunded mandates and supports states taking over Medicaid. She is also proud of changing the state constitution to make it gender neutral.

“Government doesn’t work overnight. There are a lot of people that have great needs,” she said. “A representative from this district should be in the majority. That’s very important.”

Galef voted for a moratorium on hydrofracking, has proposed the establishment of an independent redistricting commission and backs an increase in minimum wage. She is also proud of being an independent legislator.

“I don’t represent the Assembly speaker at all,” she said. “I listen to the people and I think I’ve served them well.”

Kim Izzarelli

Izzarelli said she is running for public office to try to change the direction of the state.

“I worry about the future and if our children will have the same opportunities for success,” said Izzarelli, a mother of two. “If we want to change Albany we have to start by who we send there. I have the political courage to make the tough decisions ahead.”

She said the tax cap is not effective without mandate relief. She stressed repealing the Triborough Amendment would help by freeing up $300 million to schools and $140 million to municipalities. Izzarelli also favors switching to binding interest arbitration.

“Her record shows she’s not pro business,” she said of Galef. “She doesn’t want to change anything in Albany. She’s entrenched there.”

Izzarelli said Galef “puts a lot of ideas out there that just don’t work” and accused the incumbent of being a staunch support of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

“I will represent the district. Mrs. Galef represents the speaker,” she asserted. “I’m acutely aware of how young families are struggling in this state. My campaign has been dedicated to representing my community.”

Izzarelli also criticized Galef for not being vocal enough when Ossining and Briarcliff were redistricted with a Senate district in Rockland. “I’m very disappointed in Mrs. Galef, who basically sat on her hands during the whole redistricting process and let her constituents down,” she said. “She’s been there 20 years and had no muscle to flex with this.”