UES 73rd District Assembly Race 2022: Russell Squire Profile

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Voters in New York City's 73rd Assembly district, which includes parts of the Upper East Side and Midtown, will see five names on their ballots when they vote in the June 28 primary election.

One of those names will be Russell Squire, an attorney and chair of Community Board 8 who is among the Democrats seeking to replace retiring member Dan Quart. (One of the five names on the ballot will be May Malik, who has since dropped out of the race.)

Early voting runs from June 18-26. (Find your polling sites here.)

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles, asking for their positions on issues like affordable housing and public safety, and giving them the chance to describe their records in detail. Squire's responses are below.

Name

Russell Squire

Campaign website

https://squireforny.com

NYC neighborhood of residence

Upper East Side

Office sought

State Assembly

District, if applicable

73rd Assembly District

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

Princeton University (undergrad) Georgetown Law

Occupation

Practicing Attorney for 8 years

Family

Wife Aggie, 35 years old

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Age

37 years old

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Community Board 8 Chair

Why are you seeking this office?

As a lifelong East Sider, Democratic Leader, community activist, and attorney who has practiced complex cases and devoted myself to pro bono work, I have the experience and vision to work for the East Side. As Community Board chair, I’ve dedicated myself to improving our neighborhoods, championing policies that make the East Side safer, and enhancing our quality of life. I'll fight for improving public safety, increasing the number of East Side school seats, advocating for seniors and middle-class housing affordability.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Public Safety

How would you address ongoing concerns about public safety in New York City?

Improving our public safety and addressing the rise in crime is my top priority. I am proud to have the endorsement of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, the Lieutenants Benevolent Association and the Auxiliary Police Benevolent Association because of my commitment to reducing crime.

There are several immediate actions I will implement and advocate for, including giving judges discretion to not release repeat and dangerous offenders – discretion judges have historically had until only a few years ago.

As our Assembly Member, I will fight to strengthen gun laws by banning all assault weapons and certain types of ammunition, have stronger enforcement for existing laws banning ghost guns, and get out of state guns off of our streets with interstate interdiction teams. We also need to protect commuters by increasing subway patrols and upgrading MTA security cameras.

We must address the rise in hate crimes by strengthening the NYPD hate crimes task force, and placing strategic patrols outside houses of worship. We must increase funding for mental health and addiction treatment services for vulnerable populations and homeless individuals.

Finally, I will implement an anti-shoplifting task force to help small businesses which are already struggling and consumers who are already facing higher prices for goods and services.

Do you think the NYPD's response to the recent surge in crime will affect efforts at police reform and, if so, how?

Public safety and police accountability go hand-in-hand. I will always be committed to supporting our first responders and supporting positive police-community relations

What is one policy you would support to make housing more affordable in New York City?

This city cannot continue to only build housing for the wealthy. We need a more effective program than the 421a tax abatement program to ensure that we increase the number of affordable housing units and so we can lower the eligibility threshold so that the affordable units are actually affordable for the people and families who need them.

We also need direct investment from the state to create more affordable housing, including through a new Mitchell-Lama program which will help house middle-class New Yorkers.

Should officials do more to encourage New Yorkers to return to work in person? If so, how? If not, why not?

The pandemic has obviously upended the routines of millions of New Yorkers. From childcare and elder care to how people conduct their jobs, the pandemic has likely introduced changes that are here to stay. However, to breathe life back into the city’s commercial sector, which will help revitalize many commercial neighborhoods and help small businesses there, it is important to increase the level of in-person work activity. Enhancing subway safety and improving transit service are top priorities of mine, because we’ll never get New Yorkers back to the office without a safe and reliable transit system.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate in this race who actually lives in this district and the only one who lived here before redistricting, too. Candidates should live in the district they seek to represent.

My record of public service sets me apart in this race. I serve as the Chair of Manhattan Community Board 8, where I focus on improving the East Side, from working with the local police precincts on public safety matters, to working to improve sanitation and transit, fund our local parks and playgrounds, and push to increase the number of school seats.

Additionally, I am the only candidate with experience working in the New York State Legislature. And as an attorney, I have extensive experience analyzing legislation, which is critical for understanding the law, as well as working on investigations and cross-examining witnesses, which is critical for effective governmental oversight.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. It poses an existential threat to an island like Manhattan, and time is quickly running out to make the necessary changes to avoid damage. From environmental conservation to coastal resiliency to greening buildings, I have the strongest plan to tackle climate change and protect our environment. That’s why I am the only candidate to receive the endorsements of the New York League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club.

Also of importance is reining in the cost of healthcare, and specifically the cost of prescription medication. There are concrete legislative solutions at the state level we can take to reduce the cost of medication and I will introduce legislation to do that on day one.

It is vital that we pass a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to an abortion and reproductive health rights.

Additionally, as our Assembly Member, I will also prioritize funding for our schools to increase the number of school seats on the East Side and to reduce class sizes, so students receive the individual attention they need to succeed.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Serving as Chair of Community Board 8, as an attorney who has handled complex commercial litigation and criminal matters as well as pro bono work for New Yorkers in need of legal representation, as a Democratic District Leader working to strengthen the Democratic Party, and as a former staffer in the New York State Legislature, have all combined to give me the experience and leadership necessary to effectively represent our communities in Albany.

My dedication and commitment to our community, expertise with local concerns and with the state legislative process, and experience bringing together people with different positions and perspectives to achieve meaningful solutions are all clear examples of my ability to serve the residents of New York’s 73rd Assembly District.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Always do what is right, because even if short cuts exist, in the long run it is the only way to live with yourself.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Whether it is enhancing our safety and reducing crime, combating climate change or improving our quality of life, the organizations and leaders we trust the most have endorsed me as the best candidate to be our next Assembly Member.

That’s why I have received the endorsements of the official Democratic organization of the 73rd Assembly District which is also the East Side’s largest Democratic organization, the Lexington Democratic Club, as well as the citywide disability rights organization the 504 Democratic Club, the citywide LGBTQ+ rights organization the Stonewall Democrats, the New York League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, the Detectives’ Endowment Association, the Lieutenants Benevolent Association, the Auxiliary Police Benevolent Association and dozens of local community, civic, and political leaders.