Ian Phillips

Ian Phillips earned a high school diploma from Auburn High School, a bachelor's degree from Alfred University, and a graduate degree from the University of Michigan. His career experience includes working as a teacher.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Ian Phillips, a former teacher born and raised in Auburn, is a proud graduate of our local public schools. After college, Ian organized to fight the foreclosure crisis and with parent for additional school funding. It was here that he saw just how much help our schools needed and he joined Teach for America to help in the neediest and most hard-to-serve areas. After teaching middle school in Detroit, he returned to Central New York in 2012 and worked for former US Representative Dan Maffei, where he fought to bring grant money to first responders to stave off cuts and advocated for naming the Harriet Tubman Home a National Park.

Since 2015, Ian has worked with educators across CNY as an organizer with the New York State United Teachers, the state's largest union. He's worked on issues to advance working and learning conditions in our schools, colleges, and teaching hospitals - including the largest ever union action at the NYS State Fair against then Gov. Cuomo who had proposed massive cuts to CNY's public schools. He served two terms on the Auburn School Board, with three years as its Board President. In that time, class sizes were lowered, free before school and after school programs have been added, 4th grade music programs were restored and STEM specialized teachers have been added to all grade levels to promote the skills of tomorrow - all while lowering the district tax rate by 14%.

Ian lives in Auburn, with his wife Tracy and rescue pup, Lincoln.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Affordability & the Cost of Living:

Rising costs are killing the American Dream. Young people struggle to afford a home, pay off their student loans, hire childcare, or deal with unexpected healthcare costs. Seniors are forced to cut back on their groceries or prescriptions. Healthcare and utility costs are out of control and are a key reason behind rising taxes and stagnant wages.

As School Board President, Ian fought to add free before and after school programs. Ian will work to provide opportunities for first-time homebuyers, fight data centers jacking up our utility rates, increase free and low-cost access to childcare, and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to quality healthcare and affordable prescription drugs.Protecting the Finger Lakes & CNY's Environment:

Data Centers are just the latest threat to our water and environment. Pollution, including industrial overuse and runoff, threaten our clean drinking water and our way of life in Central NY.

Ian will fight harmful algal blooms (HABs) by delivering resources to experts and the lake associations doing the work to protect our lakes. Our current Assemblyman has been absent in this fight and worse, opposed updating Owasco Lake Watershed rules that are 40 years out of date.

Ian Phillips will be a champion for the Finger Lakes.Stopping Corruption:

Term Limits: I will fight for a maximum of 12 years in the Assembly; co-sponsor all meaningful term limit legislation; not serve more than than 12 years.

Stop Big $ From Buying Our Elections: Ban public financing recipients from taking corporate $, ban NY corporations from making political donations, require all independent expenditures to list their donors in full in every ad.

Stop Self-Dealing: 10 year ban on lobbying by former elected officials, all investments must be in a blind trust, criminalize officials from participation in prediction markets.

Put Up or Shut Up Act: Require all candidates/elected officials that claim election fraud or deny the results of an election to prove it in a court of law.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Ian has dedicated his career to ensuring that our kids get the best education and that our teachers and administrators have the resources they need to succeed. From his time organizing parents to demand increased school funding, to teaching in inner-city public schools, to being a union organizer for New York State United Teachers, Ian is always fighting to increase access to educational opportunities.

Ian was a member of the Auburn School Board for six years, serving as President for three years. In that time, class sizes have been lowered, free before-school and after-school programs have been added, 4th-grade music programs have been restored, and STEM specialized teachers were added to all grade levels.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

1199SEIU, AFSCME, Planned Parenthood, CWA with several others pending as of the writing of this questionnaire

Ian Phillips did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.