Charles Lavine has been a strong consistent voice for Long Island during his 14 years in the state Legislature, and he offers a welcome program for reform going forward.
Lavine, 71, of Glen Cove, is poised to move forward with that program in a leadership role that will allow him to bring legislators of both parties together to address shared concerns on Long Island.
He is a vocal proponent of ethics reforms, advocating for a full-time legislature, returning investigative power on contracts to the state comptroller and eliminating the LLC loophole, which permits virtually unlimited campaign contributions to state campaigns by businesses.
Lavine also backs needed reforms to the state’s voting system, including easier voter registration, consolidation of election days and easy-to-read ballots.
He is also a strong proponent of school district consolidation to reduce the high cost of public education on Long Island – and the taxes that go along with it.
He voted for gun reform bills that have not made it through the state Legislature, including a “red flag” bill that would disqualify people with domestic violence convictions or protection abuse orders from owning guns.
Lavine has also not been afraid to identify Republican obstruction in the state Senate to needed reforms and said he supports legalization of recreational marijuana.
Lavine is opposed by Andrew A. Monteleone, 45, a criminal defense attorney from Syosset.
Monteleone presents himself as a reasonable person, hoping to bring “conservative blood” to the Democratic-controlled state Assembly.
Like many other Republicans running for the state Legislature, Monteleone said he does not support the Reproductive Health Act, which Democrats say would codify Roe v. Wade protections in state law.
He said he supported legislation to allow abortions past 24 weeks of pregnancy if the mother’s life was threatened – not if the mother’s health was threatened or if the fetus in unviable.
He also said he does not want nondoctors to perform abortions. The Reproductive Health Act would permit licensed medical practitioners to perform them.
Monteleone said he likes the Child Victims Act, but not that it expands the civil statute of limitations to age 50.
He said he opposed the consolidation of school districts, the legalization of medical marijuana and congestion pricing in New York City to raise money for MTA capital projects.
Blank Slate Media endorses Lavine.
