Issues

Energy Costs

Utility bills are out of control. Families shouldn’t have to choose between putting food on the table and keeping the lights on. Mike supports a temporary moratorium on energy rate hikes while the state conducts a full regulatory review. At the same time, New York must invest in diverse energy sources to reduce reliance on volatile markets that drive price spikes.

Insurance Costs

Rising health and auto insurance premiums are placing unnecessary strain on working families. Health care is a basic human right and should not be driven by corporate profit motives. Auto insurance rates should be based on driving history—safe drivers should pay less—not factors like credit scores.

Tier 6 Pension Reform

Public workers deserve dignity and respect. Most public employees hired in or after April 2012 fall under Tier 6, which requires pension contributions of up to 6 percent of their pay and delays full retirement benefits until age 63. To restore fairness and parity with earlier tiers, contribution rates should be standardized at 3 percent, and workers should be able to retire at age 55 with 30 years of service.

Supporting Small Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, yet too many struggle under overly burdensome regulations. In the Assembly, Mike will work to cut red tape and simplify compliance so small business owners can focus on growing, hiring, and serving our communities.

“Fix­ing Tier 6 is about ensuring the people who hold our community together can one day retire with dignity.”

“Fix Tier 6” Op-Ed by Mike Scala in The Wave

Standing Against Pipeline Development

Our communities understand the importance of environmental protection. The Williams NESE pipeline would lock New York into decades of additional fossil fuel dependence while exposing our waters to unnecessary risk. At a time when we should be investing in renewables, efficiency, and resilient infrastructure, expanding new gas pipelines moves us in the wrong direction. New York can meet its energy needs without sacrificing our environment or climate commitments.

Coastal Protections

Protecting the Rockaway Peninsula requires sustained state investment in coastal resilience. New York must fund beach nourishment, dune restoration, and resilient infrastructure—including seawalls and reinforced bulkheads—while coordinating with city and federal partners. The state should also prioritize upgrades to drainage, roads, and flood-mitigation systems to help coastal communities withstand stronger storms and rising seas.

Clean Building Incentives

New York should make it easier for homeowners to invest in cleaner, more sustainable homes. State-funded incentives and subsidies should help offset the cost of installing alternative energy systems such as solar panels, heat pumps, and energy-efficient retrofits. These investments reduce emissions, lower long-term household energy use, and improve resilience to rising energy costs.

Housing Law Consult

As an attorney, Mike has represented tenants facing housing issues. In the Assembly, he will make a housing attorney available to provide constituents with legal information and guidance. The office will also serve as a platform to hold neglectful and abusive landlords accountable.

Protecting Small Landlords

Small landlords should not be forced to shoulder the burden of squatters, chronic nonpayment, or property destruction. The current system often leaves these owners—who rely on rent to pay their own bills—without timely relief. The state should dedicate resources to fast-track cases involving chronic nonpayment with ability to pay, repeated lease violations, and property damage, while preserving protections for tenants who genuinely need assistance.

Smarter Public Safety Funding

Keeping communities safe requires more than just enforcement—it requires the right resources. New York State should continue to fund police departments while expanding programs that pair officers with trained mental health professionals and crisis responders. These models improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary confrontations, and allow police to focus on serious crime while ensuring people in crisis get the help they need.

Investing in Prevention

The most effective public safety strategies prevent harm before it happens. The state should invest in violence interruption programs, youth engagement initiatives, and neighborhood-based prevention efforts that have proven records of reducing crime. Public safety isn’t just about responding to emergencies—it’s about building stable, supported communities where fewer emergencies occur in the first place.

A Trauma Center for Rockaway

Rockaway deserves timely, lifesaving emergency care. The state should invest in establishing a trauma center on the Rockaway Peninsula so residents and beachgoers can receive critical treatment without dangerous delays. Too many lives have been lost during long transports to Jamaica Hospital. This is a public safety failure that Albany can and must help fix through funding, planning, and partnerships.

QueensLink

Smart infrastructure investments like QueensLink will better connect our communities and drive economic growth. By creating the only north–south subway line in Queens, residents will no longer be cut off from the rest of the borough and city. This rails-plus-trails project would also add acres of new parkland along the right-of-way. Now is the perfect time to move forward with this plan as Resorts World continues to expand.

Eliminating the Cross Bay Bridge Toll

No one should have to pay a toll to travel between neighborhoods within Queens. While toll rebates have provided temporary relief, it’s time to eliminate the Cross Bay Bridge toll altogether so traveling to and from Rockaway is not a financial burden on anyone.

Redirecting Revenues

Because public transit options remain inadequate, many residents rely on driving and are now taxed through congestion pricing when traveling into Manhattan. Revenues generated from these fees should not be diverted to the General Fund—they should be reinvested directly into transportation improvements for the communities that pay into the system.

“We need better transportation in the Rockaways and around New York City. Rockaway suffers from the worst commute times in all of NYC and we’ve been fighting for this asset.”

“Scala’s Rap: Crossing the Lines” Op-Ed by Mike Scala in The Wave

Animal cruelty is a known predictor of violence against humans, making animal protection a public safety issue. New York should establish a publicly accessible animal abuse registry, and anyone working with animals should be screened against it. Vacated properties should also be inspected to ensure animals are not abandoned and left to suffer.

“How we treat the most vulnerable among us, after all, says everything about who we are as a society.“

Read more about Mike’s proposals to protect animals.

“Looking Out For Our Best Friends” Op-Ed by Mike Scala in The Wave