State Senate District 37: Killian Looking to Reform Albany
Julie Killian’s initiation into the political world began innocently enough. In 2009, she helped support a school board candidate in Rye during the time of a controversial teacher’s contract squabble.
Killian, a mother of five children, later started helping local political campaigns, assisting candidates in both major parties that were in line with her philosophy of limited government, including current County Legislator Virginia Perez (D-Yonkers). Her involvement led to her appointment to a vacancy on the Rye City Council in 2012, before winning the seat on her own the following year.
During her time in local politics, Killian realized how much of what was decided in Albany affects municipalities and residents, yet because of a lack of transparency, only a few know what is going on upstate.
Killian, 56, who has an MBA and has worked in finance, decided she wanted to try and reform state government. She made her decision to run for the state Senate on the day former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was arrested.
Next Tuesday, she’s taking on two-term Democratic incumbent George Latimer in the 37th state Senate District race.
“I got really fed up with the corruption and what was going on and really the inaction on the part of the legislature to do things that, in my opinion, really make a difference in our lives and to be able to improve them,” said Killian, who is running on the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Reform party lines.
One of the first tasks to meaningful ethics reform, Killian said, is term limits, not only for the legislature’s leadership but for all officeholders. Killian, who would explore lengthening a senator’s term to four state officeholders, said a maximum of 12 years in office is sufficient time.
She would also press to phase out a defined pension plan for legislators and replace it with something similar to a 401k. However, Killian opposes public financing of political campaigns, even if there were matching funds. She said public money should not be used to help finance campaigns.
She said she would work to get rid of “transactional politics” that keeps incumbents of both parties in office.
“I cannot fundamentally accept the idea of having the taxpayers pay for the expenses of politicians,” Killian said.
To help ease part of the burden on local taxpayers, Killian said she would press to change the education aid formula for lower Hudson Valley districts to have it more in line with Long Island.
“To me, that’s literally taking money out of our wallets and giving it to New York City and Long Island,” Killian said of the current funding formula. “That is one of the first things I’ll take on. That’s been out of whack for 10 years. My opponent hasn’t been able to get it fixed.”
She opposes the growing number of high-stakes tests in Common Core, saying it might be contributing to drug and alcohol abuse by youngsters. While there needs to be some standardized testing, that should be decided at the state and local levels.
“I’m not in favor of federal education control,” Killian said.
Killian pledged to fight to repeal burdensome mandates, not only for the schools but to help small businesses compete. Among them are the nearly century-old Wicks Law that requires separate contracts for different aspects of construction jobs over $50,000, and the Scaffold Law, which imposes “absolute liability” on the property owner or contractor. Both laws severely drive up construction costs, she said.
There are also thousands of little-known regulations on the books that are obsolete and serve no purpose and must be repealed, Killian added.
Killian said she would support having the state assume Medicaid costs, instead of sharing it with the counties. She also would like for the state to tackle medical malpractice, which costs doctors about three times as much as their colleagues in California.
Killian, the daughter of two Democrats, said she rejects partisan party labels and plans to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle that share her ideals.
“I don’t agree with everything the Republican Party says or does, but I’m in it, and I plan to stay in it and fight for the things that I believe in,” she said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/