I Know Why I’m A Fiscal Conservative: But Can Someone Tell Me Why Assemblyman McKevitt Even Voted to Raise Taxes on Your Pets?

I’m running for State Assembly because our taxes really are too high.

And that’s not just some tagline. It’s the hard reality for a lot of us – and not just because of high-spending New York City Democrats who don’t understand our Island’s needs.

It’s also because of Republicans from our area who cave to their demands – nice and quietly.

Two bills stick out in the record of outgoing Garden City Assemblyman McKevitt, running as the pretend conservative to be our new Assemblyman this November.

Assemblyman McKevitt voted “YES” on Senate Bill 7722A – New & costly unfunded mandates on public schools to pay for private academies.

You might remember this as the "private school bailout" that would’ve raised school district costs so much, Governor Cuomo had to veto it to save the state budget and the property tax cap.

Assemblyman Dean Murray (Patchogue), who won election on the School Tax Relief ballot line, and Assemblywoman Michele Schimel (Great Neck), a champion of the Long Island public schools, both opposed this bill.

The Left and Right both opposed this bill for good reason: it spent too much and wouldn’t help the public school students either.

If tax-and-spenders like Assemblyman McKevitt had his way, the East Meadow, Levittown, Plainedge, Bethpage, Farmingdale and Massapequa Public Schools would have ended up on the hook for millions in new spending thanks to another unfunded Albany mandate. The kind he now claims to oppose.

But this time, it would be to pay Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other schools – as well as private academies – whenever parents wanted to take their children out of the public schools. The spending wouldn’t even be to help the vast majority of our kids.

God bless families that want a private or religious education for their children. I grew up alongside many. But they had the responsibility and decency to pay for it themselves - an American virtue.

They didn’t ask their neighbors for a handout. Assemblyman McKevitt tried to get them one by picking your pockets.

McKevitt voted “YES” on Assembly Bill 7140 – Raising local fees for animal licenses.

It was opposed by many local Republican Assemblymembers: Mike Monstesano (Hicksville), Brian Curran (Lynbrook), Andrew Raia (Huntington) and much of our area’s outgoing Assemblyman, Joe Saladino (Massapequa) – who I voted for in his last election.

Is nothing sacred anymore? Every time we raise fees, behind the scenes and without fanfare, that’s the same as raising taxes. It’s just less honest.

Even getting a new dog or cat, and doing the right thing by getting a license, isn’t above being nickel and dimed to death by Albany anymore.

No wonder people keep leaving for other states!

The last straw for me came in our first debate. Assemblyman McKevitt told the Newsday editorial board how he would help out Nassau County’s mess of a budget: letting them off the hook for the property tax rebates they owe back to so many of us.

Nassau County is in court right now trying to avoid being forced to pay back all the money it owes honest homeowners and businesses for the over-assessments last decade.

With state oversight of their finances, Assemblymembers like McKevitt are in a position to help them avoid paying what they already owe you.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Maybe he thought no one would notice because there were no cameras around? After all, a lot of people tell the media things in private they wouldn’t tell you and I in-person.

Assemblyman McKevitt’s has many loyalties - but not one to your wallet.

I am running as an outsider for State Assembly – not registered in either major party – to give you another choice this year.

Am I a younger candidate? Sure. Being younger means I don’t have a lot of money put away yet, and I still have a family to raise here in our community.

Just like you and your children – my future is on the line with every vote taken in Albany that doesn't think about how tight our budgets are here at home.

Insiders like Assemblyman McKevitt won’t stop until second-generation Islanders like myself won’t be able to live anywhere near where I grew up.

For State Assembly, please vote Brady this November 6th: Row D – Working Families. So that young men and women starting families just like me won't have to flee the Island just to save our wallets.

And, if you see Assemblyman McKevitt outside of his Garden City office, ask him why he thinks you should bail out private schools, why you should pay more to get a pet, and why you should pay even more to live in Nassau County. 

Maybe he hoped you wouldn’t notice what he does in Albany when you’re not looking.