Incumbent Fred Akshar is the Republican candidate for New York’s 52nd district in the New York State Senate. Akshar was elected in 2015 and previously spent 15 years with local law enforcement. He earned his associate’s degree in criminal justice from Broome Community College and graduated from the FBI National Academy with a degree in law enforcement administration.
1. What do you see as the biggest concerns of people in this district? How do you propose to address those concerns?
“My goal is to continue fighting hard for the constituents in my district. The top three issues I’m focusing on are, [first] helping businesses and their employees get back on their feet after the devastation caused by COVID-19-related revenue losses and employee layoffs. In addition to handling over 1,000 constituent unemployment cases this year, my team partnered with [The Binghamton Rotary Club] to provide 11,000 much-needed face masks for essential workers and deliver over 225 gallons of hand sanitizer to restaurants, nonprofits and houses of worship. [Second,] workforce development, job placement, including addressing the childcare shortage. I’m a member of the Greater Binghamton Chamber [of Commerce’s Economic Response, Recovery and Resiliency] Task Force made up of community leaders that are actively working to address issues like these and preparing viable solutions. [Third,] making New York more affordable for everyone and reducing the tax burden on hardworking New Yorkers. New York’s budget deficit was $6 billion dollars before the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why we need to make smarter choices on how we spend taxpayer’s hard-earned money. We must reevaluate speculative spending on failed economic development projects, public-funded campaigns, tax credits for multimillion-dollar TV and film production and focus our attention on health care and education.”
2. What is your plan to address the high rates of unemployment and homelessness in this district?
“Workforce training and investments in education are good places to start regarding unemployment. My team and I recently met with [International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers] leadership and learned of their training needs. We’ve connected them to our contact at the Workforce Development Initiative for assistance. We’re also keeping an eye out for labor opportunities, like a potential new solar farm in Broome County as well as delivering status updates on projects at Binghamton University. I wholeheartedly support efforts that facilitate apprenticeship and workforce development training. Developing our next generation of skilled labor is incredibly important to the well-being of our community, job market and the local economy. I voted for the $100 million rent relief program, which has helped tenants stay in their homes and allow landlords to keep making their payments and paying taxes. For those in our community who are chronically homeless, we’ve long been supportive both financially and with advocacy [for] our nonprofits that help those less fortunate, including the YWCA, YMCA, United Way and Boys & Girls Club.”
3. Across the nation, people are having conversations about systemic racism, especially in the criminal justice system. Broome County has received attention for its high incarceration rate, which disproportionately affects Black people. How would you address this as well as reported mistreatment and medical malpractice at the Broome County Jail?
“It’s a simple, but painful fact that racial injustice and discrimination exists in our society, but I don’t believe either is borne in police departments. Stamping out racial injustice and supporting our law enforcement officers are not mutually exclusive concepts. Crime is now at an all-time high due to the short-sighted, ill-conceived and outright reckless legislation signed into law by those who favor criminals over law-abiding citizens. Now is precisely the time we should focus on improving the police, not defunding the police. As a former member of law enforcement, I strongly support investing in community policing, increasing transparency and crisis intervention training to help eliminate racial discrimination and better help those with mental health and substance abuse disorders. We can do all of this without diverting resources away from the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe.”
4. Given the issues Broome County has faced with COVID-19, how do you plan to keep the people of the district safe while addressing the economic hardships the pandemic has caused?
“The COVID-19 pandemic has left a trail of devastation across local communities throughout New York state and beyond upending our economies, families and our everyday way of life. While we continue grappling with this virus, our Southern Tier communities have, at least for now, largely been spared the level of tragedy seen in other regions of the state. We all need to work together to stop the further spread of the virus by listening to the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, wearing masks and socially distancing. If our local businesses are responsibly complying with state and local guidelines, they should be allowed to stay open. Sadly, [New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s] confusing, inconsistent and often contradictory guidance combined with his extensive and exhaustive executive powers has made it difficult for businesses, schools and communities to work together to reopen safely. I’d urge our state legislative leaders to join my conference’s efforts to remove the governor’s executive powers granted at the beginning of the pandemic and allow legislators across New York state to have a seat at the table while these important decisions are being made.”
5. How do you plan to communicate with the people in your district?
“From the start, my priority has been to remain open and accessible to the people I represent. Since being elected, we’ve held over 40 in-person and virtual town halls across our district. Even before COVID-19, we’ve taken advantage of a wide range of communication tools to keep constituents updated with our efforts and informed of new developments. We’ve relied on social media platforms, online surveys, telephone town halls, emails and Zoom to communicate and listen to our constituents, all while using more traditional tools, like mailings, newsletters and personal phone calls. The only way for me to successfully fight for the needs of the people I represent is by maintaining an open dialogue with my constituents throughout the year, not just during election season. Moving forward, we will continue to be as accessible as possible while prioritizing the health and safety of our constituents and staff.”
6. Why should students and young people across New York vote for you?
“In my short tenure, I’ve learned how incredibly important it is to listen to all of my constituents no matter their age, education, occupation or personal politics. Constituent feedback on issues is helpful, and we’ve taken many meetings with students that have helped me make better, more informed decisions on the [State Senate] floor. Our doors are always open, and we pride ourselves in responding to concerns and helping solve problems in a timely fashion. Students and young professionals are the future of our community and great state. You will all play an important role in getting our global economy back on track in the wake of this pandemic. We’ve partnered with [BU] and experienced many successful internships. In fact, our staff is mainly comprised of SUNY alumni and one current BU student. I look forward to continuing a great working relationship with [BU].”