State Assemblyman Ed Ra, a Republican who is running for re-election, said he would not vote to legalize recreational marijuana in New York unless federal law was changed to make it legal.
In a sitdown interview with Blank Slate Media, Ra also said, “I think that some of the states that have legalized it have shown that the revenue has not been pouring in compared to expenditures.”
A Health Department task force put together by Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a 75-page report that detailed arguments for and against a recreational marijuana market in New York state, recommending that the state should have a market.
“I understand other states are doing it. I can’t see myself every voting for it without a change in federal law. That is a prerequisite,” Ra said.
A major issue Ra sees developing in regard to recreational marijuana is that of driving under the influence.
Ra, a resident of Garden City South first elected in 2010, is seeking re-election in District 19, which encompasses North New Hyde Park, Garden City, Mineola, Williston Park, Glen Head and Glenwood Landing, among others.
Ra won his last election against Democrat Gary Port in 2016, defeating him by 13,000 votes.
His new opponent is William Carr, a Williston Park village trustee.
Ra has been meeting with constituents, attending candidate debates and holding events.
“People have their local concerns,” Ra said. “But people also have a tendency to be motivated by national news.” Ra said that voters have approached him about everything from President Donald Trump’s time in office to the planned development at 615 Willis Ave. in Williston Park.
“I haven’t heard nearly as much about [Trump] as I thought I would while out campaigning,” Ra said, “but it’s definitely been discussed.”
“We’ve had very civil and respectful meetings to date,” Ra said about campaigning against Carr. “He’s run a very clean campaign and I love that we can talk about our views and it not be Ed Ra is this and Bill Carr is that.”
Ra is currently the assistant minority leader in the state Assembly, where the Republican Party holds 41 seats compared with 103 seats held by Democrats. Ra said that being a minority leader requires a willingness to work collaboratively across the aisle.
“There’s a willingness to work across party lines in a house that’s 2-to-1 against you, that’s essential,” Ra said. “I’ve found partners in people that want to work on issues with me on everything from education to quality of life.”
On disproportionate per pupil spending across several school districts in District 19, Ra recommended funding allocations and opposed consolidation of districts.
“It’s absolutely a problem,” Ra said. “I think there’s funding the district itself, but there’s also an equity issue itself that needs to be addressed.
“I don’t think [consolidation] works other than in very specific circumstances. When you combine two districts together, the property tax payers in one district are gonna be a big winner and the others aren’t.”
Ra also voted to pass the Child Victims Act, which passed the Assembly but not the state Senate. The legislation would make it easier for molestation victims to seek criminal charges or file lawsuits against their abusers.
“I don’t sit in the Senate conference, so I don’t know what conversations they have,” Ra said. “But I will say that I think the current version of the bill has come a long way from where it was previously.”
In light of the potential appointment of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, there is speculation that the ruling in Roe v. Wade will be curtailed, if not overturned. Ra has voted against New York state legislation, the Reproductive Health Act, that would offer similar protections.
“It is so much more than codifying Roe v. Wade,” Ra said. “Both on the abortion side, and what it does is it eliminates any and all references and protections for the unborn anywhere in the law.”
Ra said he is willing to work with legislators to pass the bill, provided that certain stipulations for protections for the unborn are kept in New York penal law.
Ultimately, Ra believes that his relationships and experience make him the most qualified candidate to represent District 19.
“I think over the last eight years, the experiences I’ve gained, I think, make me much more ready to do that job on January 1st,” Ra said.
Voting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
