I’m a public school teacher, not a career politician. I grew up in Midland Beach, my brother serves with the FDNY, and I teach fourth grade in a New York City public school. I’m running because the problems Staten Island families live with every day, the commute, the E-ZPass, the bills that only go up, have gone unfixed for decades. Somebody has to fix them.

My parents grew up in Brooklyn, met in gym class at FDR High School, and raised my brother and me here.

I studied economics at St. John’s University and worked on Wall Street. Then I earned a master’s in childhood math education at Brooklyn College and moved to the classroom. I learned how money works downtown. Now I see what happens to families when it doesn’t work for them.

What this campaign has taught me

I grew up here. I thought I knew Staten Island. This campaign keeps showing me sides of it I’d never seen.

I went door to door collecting petition signatures to get on the ballot. I sat with veterans at the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 421 and the Harlem Hellfighters’ anniversary luncheon. At O’Hara’s, I listened to retired detectives who worked the pile after 9/11. I rode with my dad, retired law enforcement, at the motorcycle blessing for police. I raised money for Eden II, celebrated at the Albanian picnic and the Sri Lankan festival, and handed out groceries at a food drive alongside fellow Cubans.

And everywhere I went, I heard the same things:

• “E-ZPass and gas are outrageous.” This hits every family, every week.
• I’m Tier 6 myself. Albany finally lowered the retirement age for Tier 6 teachers this year. But we still pay more and retire later than teachers hired before 2012. The job isn’t finished.
• Utilities, property taxes, and insurance keep going up.
• Parents of kids with special needs are fighting for every service, and school buses need proper supervision.

Staten Island isn’t forgotten. We’re different, and too often our needs get overlooked.

Why I’m running as a Democrat

I’m a moderate. Common sense over politics. I’m running as a Democrat for one reason: that’s where the votes are in Albany. Democrats have run the State Senate since 2019, and Staten Island hasn’t had a seat at that table. Being in the majority is how we bring money, services, and attention home.

What I’ll fight for

• Pension parity. Everyone who keeps this city running should be able to retire with dignity, whatever tier they were hired under.
• Lower costs. Fight every toll hike and protect the Staten Island resident discount. Stop property tax increases, and take on rising utility bills and insurance premiums. Waive the mortgage recording tax for first-time buyers, and require an independent audit before any utility rate hike.
• Safer streets and better schools. Fix our roads and intersections, staff our precincts, and make sure every school bus is supervised.
• Get traffic moving. Expand yellow-bus eligibility so fewer parents have to drive their kids to school, and give Staten Island a seat on the MTA Board.
• Seniors and health care. Help seniors afford to stay in their homes, and keep our hospitals funded and safely staffed.
• Honor our veterans. Bring a state veterans cemetery to Staten Island, and help every eligible veteran claim the property tax break they’ve earned.
• Show up. Saturday office hours once a month, me or my staff at civic and community board meetings, and a public list of what’s been fixed and what hasn’t.

My parents and grandparents came here with nothing, and New York gave them opportunity and freedom. I’m running to pay it back.

The American Dream isn’t something I read about in a history book. I was raised on it.

Early voting is underway through Sunday, November 1. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.

Make your voting plan Follow @alexisfornewyork

Follow along on Instagram, where I post from the doors, the parades and the kitchen tables.