Political Newcomer Makes Assembly Run Against Paulin

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale) has represented the 88^th Assembly District) since 2001. She chairs the Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions and serves on the Rules, Education and Health committees.

Challenging Paulin is Thomas Fix Jr., making his first foray into the political arena and running on the Republican and Conservative lines. He is a lifelong Eastchester resident and lives with his wife and two teenage children. Fix earned a business degree from Iona College. He recently retired running a True Value hardware store in Eastchester.

Paulin warned the state’s $220 billion budget for 2023 could be impacted by a recession.

“The economy is faltering and that impacts everyone,” she said. “On the one hand our constituents need resources, but on the other hand the state may not have them. We have to be fiscally prudent and it’s a balancing act we have to get through.”

Fix said the current budget increases taxes, causing middle class residents to move from New York.

“Government has become too big and takes on too many things that should be handled by the private sector,” Fix said. “Spending on programs like Medicare concerns me where there seems to be a track record of waste and potential fraud.”

On the ballot is New York’s $4.2 billion environmental bond act to improve and restore natural resources and reduce climate change impacts.

“This bond is very much needed,” said Paulin, who chaired the Energy Committee from 2013 to 2017 and encouraged renewable energy. Paulin has long opposed nuclear power.

“This region is so dense which is why Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant closed,” she added. “People believed and feared an accident could happen. That doesn’t change by having smaller nuclear plants. We have to look at other options.”

Fix favors small modular nuclear reactors while developing renewable energy sources.

“We have to back up wind and solar, especially if there’s a torrential hurricane and wind mills and solar panels are ripped up,” he said.

Fix said the Environmental Bond Act shows positive stewardship of the planet, but he is skeptical.

“My concern is the approved bond will become a power grab by some (renewable) businesses who will use it for their own personal and financial gain,” Fix said.

Affordable housing requires local involvement, according to Paulin. She voted against the proposed Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) law, which would have allowed affordable accessory rental units in a house or on residential properties.

“Bypassing or eliminating local involvement, you’re not going to see real affordable housing built,” Paulin pointed out. “For instance, Pelham, (a) community I represent, doesn’t allow on-street parking during the evening. How can you build affordable housing units with no driving and no place to park your car?”

Fix opposes state overreach into local zoning laws.

“If a community wants to keep a certain neighborhood as single-family units, that should be allowed without the state interfering,” he said. “Builders in my hardware store thought it fair that 10 percent of new development units had to be affordable housing. I believe that’s reasonable.”

The intent of the cashless bail reform was a good idea, but Fix doubts the law’s impact.

“They took a broad sword to the bail laws where they should have used a scalpel,” Fix mentioned. “Some smaller crimes might (appear) innocent and shouldn’t require bail. The system is overloaded with those accused of petty crimes who are kept incarcerated because they can’t afford bail. But we can’t tolerate repeat offenders. There’s got to be a compromise.”    

The original bail law was discriminatory, requiring reforms, Paulin noted.

“You don’t want to go back to that,” she said. “I am open-minded to adjusting the current bail law.”

Paulin, who authored most New York State gun control laws, said removing guns from the streets has been imperative. Regarding the new concealed gun carry law being challenged in court, Paulin said, “I don’t want someone sitting next to me in synagogue who has a gun. I hope we can adjust to what the courts say in a way people still feel protected.”

“We need to focus on illegal gun owners who are the criminals, not the legal gun owners who are safe and civic-minded people,” Fix countered. “It should be up to a private institution or restaurant if they want their patrons carrying guns.”

Fix strongly supports term limits for state representatives.

“It’s good to have different people work in the government,” he said. “Assembly seats should be four terms, or eight years.”

Of his first political campaign, Fix said he liked walking door to door and meeting residents.

“I’m just an everyday citizen trying to break into the political arena and be of service,” Fix said. “I’d like to bring things back more towards the center and move our state and country ahead.”

For Paulin, term limits would produce infective representation.

“The legislature is a cumbersome, complicated system,” Paulin said. “Once you learn to navigate it you are much stronger. I am much better today and a far better advocate for the communities I represent.”