Marcus Molinaro

Marcus Molinaro has lived in Red Hook, New York. Molinaro earned an A.S. in humanities and social sciences from Dutchess Community College in 1995. His career experience includes working as a real estate salesperson. Molinaro has served as the county executive of Dutchess County and the second vice president of the New York State Association of Counties.[1][2]

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Campaign ads

August 13, 2024

January 12, 2024

Special election

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Regular election

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Campaign advertisements

August 29, 2022

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What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

Property tax reduction & job growth Sweeping ethics & transparency reforms, including state term limits Transportation, infrastructure and accessibility improvements[48][49]

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

As a kid who grew up on food stamps, I care deeply about maintaining a social safety net for New Yorkers genuinely in need. I abhor the massive waste in government that is breaking the backs of middle- and working-class taxpayers. Too often the priority is government itself rather than the people it is supposed to serve. The result in New York is the highest tax burden in America, the highest out-migration of citizens from any state in the U.S., one of the worst business climates in the country, among the most difficult to retire in and a state with the least individual freedom for citizens nationwide.I also have a deep personal interest in helping those living with developmental disabilities. As the father of a child on the Autism Spectrum living with developmental disabilities, my greatest concern is ensuring greater acceptance, inclusion & respect for her and those like her. Tens of thousands of New York families face this same uncertainty, yet New York has failed to prioritize what should be seen as a genuine priority for any caring society. Meanwhile, New York hands out billions of dollars in cash grants and tax credits to corporations that don’t need it - that would remain in New York without public dollars. Our priorities have gotten totally out of line. I am also passionate about bringing term limits and other ethics reforms to Albany. I’ve personally pledged -- on camera -- to limit myself to two terms as governor, if the people of New York would so honor me. Banning cash grants to corporations and pay-to-play donations are also essential steps toward taking Albany back and returning this government to the people.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[49]

[the profile publisher] also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Marc Molinaro answered the following:

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?

I look up to anyone who does the right thing when nobody’s looking. I look up to parents who work multiple jobs to put food on the table; to children with disabilities who spend two hours dressing for school each morning, and to single parents, like my mom, who teach their children to believe in themselves, their country, and in one another - especially when the chips are down. I looked under not my grandparents who inspired us to serve. To my wife who keeps me humble. To my kids who remind me why life is about and that tomorrow must be better. And I look up to our nation’s founders who understood the fallibility of human nature, and who designed a system of government that, when followed, protects against it.[49]

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Making government work. That may sound obvious, but too many executives seem to forget it. To them, the first responsibility of public office is to be re-elected. The second is they seek to think public service is about making a point. I’ve always taken the opposite approach: If I make government work for the people, the people will appreciate it. To me, public service is about making a difference.[49]

What do you love most about your state?

Its natural beauty. New Yorkers are blessed with a state abundant with wildlife, waterways, forests, beaches, mountains, and valleys. There is a reason so many families settled and raised families here over the centuries. There’s a reason so many businesses located and thrived throughout New York State. Those attributes remain; it’s the short-sighted and counterproductive policies in Albany that are now chasing families and businesses away. New York is a gem obscured by red tape, corruption, and over-taxation. Get rid of those things and it will gleam again, I promise.[49]

[the profile publisher] biographical submission form

The candidate completed [the profile publisher]'s biographical information submission form:

What is your political philosophy?

As a kid who grew up on food stamps, I care deeply about maintaining a social safety net for New Yorkers genuinely in need. I abhor the massive waste in government that is breaking the backs of middle- and working-class taxpayers. Too often the priority is government itself rather than the people it is supposed to serve. The result in New York is the highest tax burden in America, the highest out-migration of citizens from any state in the U.S., one of the worst business climates in the country, among the most difficult to retire in and a state with the least individual freedom for citizens nationwide.

I also have a deep personal interest in helping those living with developmental disabilities. As the father of a child on the Autism Spectrum living with developmental disabilities, my greatest concern is ensuring greater acceptance, inclusion & respect for her and those like her. Tens of thousands of New York families face this same uncertainty, yet New York has failed to prioritize what should be seen as a genuine priority for any caring society. Meanwhile, New York hands out billions of dollars in cash grants and tax credits to corporations that don’t need it - that would remain in New York without public dollars. Our priorities have gotten totally out of line.

I am also passionate about bringing term limits and other ethics reforms to Albany. I’ve personally pledged -- on camera -- to limit myself to two terms as governor, if the people of New York would so honor me. Banning cash grants to corporations and pay-to-play donations are also essential steps toward taking Albany back and returning this government to the people.[49]

—Marcus Molinaro[1]

Campaign website

Molinaro’s campaign website stated the following:

Revitalizing the MTA

Introduction

Every day, millions of New Yorkers step onto subway cars, commuter trains, paratransit vehicles, and buses headed to their jobs, their

schools, to visit loved ones, or to see the sights. They rely on this vast public transit system to connect them with the myriad opportunities offered by the New York City metro area. For them, the roar of the trains, the screech of the rails, and the hum of the crowd of fellow riders is how they begin and end each day — it is part of their routine; part of their lives. For too many, this daily pattern has become anything but routine, with daily delays, gridlock, and broken escalators and elevators turning their typical travels into an odyssey. They stand shoulder-to-shoulder, crammed on overcrowded platforms or stuffed into broken-down subway cars watching the time tick by as they run later and later for meetings or job interviews, or they sit sullenly as they realize they are going to miss their college graduation or a promising first date. There is a human toll to the crisis faced by the Metropolitan TransportationAuthority (MTA); for some, it is a missed opportunity and for others, it is a lost job or derailed train. “The future of a city, a region, and the people that live within it are at stake - we must work together, put aside our differences, own the problem, and fix the MTA.”

The viability and livability of a region the size and density of the New York City metro area are contingent upon a reliable, safe, fast, and well

organized public-transit system. Such a system is a key component of the dynamism that breathes life into the metropolis and draws in travelers, dreamers, fortune-seekers, skilled professionals, artists, and immigrants. The economic and social well-being of New York City and the surrounding suburbs depends on the transit system. The future of a city, a region, and the people that live within it are at stake — we must work together, put aside our differences, own the problem, and fix the MTA. The content of this document relies heavily on the independent work of the Regional Plan Association, the Manhattan Institute, the Citizens Budget Commission, and many others. It is clear we do not suffer from a lack of expert analysis and good ideas, but rather the political will and leadership to turn good ideas into real solutions.

VIEW FULL PDF HERE

Restoring Public Trust in Government

Introduction

It is neither unfair nor inappropriate to suggest that New York is one of the most corrupt states in the nation. In 2015, FiveThirtyEight ranked states using various metrics for corruption (total number of convictions, convictions per capita,

reporter ranking, and lack of stringent laws), New York ranked in the top 15 for most corrupt

in every category. That same year the Center for Public Integrity gave New York a “D-minus” on an assessment of state government accountability and transparency earning it the rank of 31st in the nation. Also in 2015, Politico named New York the most corrupt state in the country. These rankings are not surprising to anyone who watches the local news or reads the daily papers, as it is hard to recall a time in recent memory when Albany wasn’t being “rocked” by the latest corruption trial or newest scandal.

The three most recent governors were either personally embroiled or directly connected to a scandal. Add to this tally, five recent Senate Majority Leaders and the man once thought to be the true power in Albany, former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. When 2018 is finished, five high-profile corruption trials will have been completed including the retrials of Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver as well as the trials of Governor Cuomo’s close friend and former aide Joe Percoco, key economic development figure Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, and former Erie County Democratic Chairman Steve Pigeon. At some level, corruption is not a problem that can be legislated away. There will always be bad actors willing to distort, twist, and break the law to utilize the levers of government to serve themselves. However, there are systemic and structural failures that allow bad actors to thrive and too often perversely incentivize corrupt behavior. These failures must be addressed. Consider the contribution limit loophole enjoyed by limited liability companies, political careerism, the lack of transparency and independent oversight, and the overall transactional nature of the State’s economic development policy - these are all failures that can only be addressed by changing the law, policy approach, and culture of New York State Government. Corruption for many often seems abstract and people often, rightfully, wonder how it impacts their daily lives - my answer to them is there is an insidious cost to corruption that every taxpayer, voter, and resident pays.

VIEW FULL PDF HERE

[49]

—Marc Molinaro’s campaign website (2018)[50]

Campaign advertisements

The following is an example of an ad from Molinaro's 2018 election campaign.

"Join Me" Molinaro campaign ad released August 13, 2018