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<h2>HOME RULE</h2>Every election candidates for City Council and Mayor run with ideas on how to improve our city. All too often the response is “will Albany go along with that?” But upstate politicians are funded by the same wealthy interests as New York politicians, they just don’t have to deal with the consequences of bad policy. New York City lacks the power to even try solving some of its most pressing issues, it’s time Albany got out of New York City’s business starting with: <ul><li>Home rule for taxes<ul><li>If New Yorkers vote for programs that will improve their lives, and the taxes to support them, we should be able to follow through without begging Albany. </li></ul></li><li>Home rule for housing<ul><li>Rent stabilization programs, eviction laws, vacancy rules and more — New York City is a unique housing market with a unique housing crisis that isn’t felt by the rest of the State. It should be empowered to develop and try solutions without Albany’s say-so. </li></ul></li><li>Home rule over Court Administration<ul><li>There is a severe judge shortage in New York, and NYC in particular. This creates huge problems like an inability to provide constitutionally mandated access to a speedy trial, long detainments for unconvicted persons that create life-long or life-threatening situations, a justice system incapable of serving legal and justice needs of New Yorkers. New York deserves the right to serve its residents by expanding the corps of civil servants dedicated to justice.</li></ul></li></ul>

Home Rule

<h2>DEMOCRATIC EMPOWERMENT</h2>Our democracy is only as resilient as the people in it. Trust in our system and our politicians has eroded to the point that millions are voting for any change they can get because they no longer believe that their voices are heard. No matter what policies are enacted in City Hall, Albany, or Washington, we are at a point where elected leaders need to be more than representatives in government; they need to be ambassadors of government and democratic decision-making to the people of their districts. As Assemblymember, I plan to fight for legislative changes to empower voters, and launch new forms of district programming — the most successful of which I will work to institutionalize in district offices across the State.<ul><li>Empowerment Hotline<ul><li>In teaching civic workshops across NYC, I have personally taught and heard from almost 8 thousand New Yorkers who lament how they never learned how government works, the incentives that politicians face, or how institutional players affect policy. Without knowing the system, it’s impossible to know how to make a change. My office will provide a hotline to serve as a one-stop shop about how our system works and how to make an impact. </li></ul></li><li>Empowerment workshops<ul><li>The way we build power for change is to get people involved, and to get people involved, you have to offer them something. A minority of people show up to community boards, town halls, and long-winded government functions that they feel are designed to give politicians a win. My office will run empowerment workshops, built on the incredibly popular Real Politics 101 curriculum I developed, to create programming around the district and in schools that offers more than just a way to shout into the void — but rather a concrete service with lessons on how to build power in our democracy.</li></ul></li><li>In-house data science<ul><li>Effective policy is only as good as the data. My office will employ an in-house data scientist to cut through politics and produce reports for the public on key issues facing the State and District, where misinformation or confusion poses a threat to good policy. </li></ul></li><li>Matching funds with a cap for State Races </li><li>Ranked choice voting for State elections </li><li>Expanded Vote By Mail and Mobile Voting with paper ballot validation </li><li>Same-day voter registration</li></ul>

Democratic Empowerment

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<h2>COMBATING RAPE &amp; SEXUAL VIOLENCE</h2>Sexual violence is one of the most widespread and under-addressed crimes in our society. An estimated 39% of women and 17% of men experience sexual violence in their lifetime, with rates even higher in marginalized communities. Yet, when these crimes are reported, over 60% do not receive a meaningful investigation. Despite its prevalence and severity, sexual violence is often treated as inevitable—normalized to the point that a life-altering crime affecting nearly half the population is written off as a fact of life.Public debate routinely focuses on highly visible crimes like retail theft, while offering few concrete proposals for preventing sexual violence itself. Calls for more policing do not address the reality that nearly 80% of sexual violence occurs before age 25, often long before workplace or college interventions ever reach people. In fact, research has shown that many college and workplace trainings are statistically ineffective or even counterproductive, sometimes reinforcing already-learned behaviors rather than changing them. The result is a reactive system that accepts harm instead of preventing it.Ben rejects this resignation. Sexual violence is not inevitable. It is preventable—and the evidence is clear about what works.<ul><li>K-12 Age-appropriate consent education<ul><li>For the last decade, Australia piloted K-12 consent education in various States, finally releasing a mandatory, nationwide curriculum in 2020. These programs, as well as various studies in the US, have shown consent education can reduce sexual violence &amp; gender based bullying by 25%-50% </li></ul></li><li>Legal support for people reporting crimes (see <a href="/75f80a2d-9aa5-485f-b075-e33a537a50e0#block-9c22c5c0-bef2-4fd9-8a36-1423474a2e53">Public Safety</a>)<ul><li>It is difficult to report a crime, and sexual violence has the highest rate of “prosecutorial attrition” — reports that go nowhere — of any category. A large part of this is because reporters have no legal support unless the DA decides to get involved, which is dependent on a successful report. NYC recently started a program to supply any person facing housing court with an attorney; it is a civic imperative to provide this for people reporting crimes.</li></ul></li></ul>

Combating Rape & Sexual Violen

<h2>FUNDING GOVERNMENT</h2><ul><li>Restoring Corporate Responsibility: Realign New York’s corporate tax rate—which has been cut in half since the 90s—to match regional standards like New Jersey’s, ensuring corporations contribute fairly to the state’s infrastructure. </li><li>Fair Share Income Tax: Preserve the critical tax brackets for income over $1M set to sunset in 2027 and implement an additional 2% "Fair Share" surcharge on high earners to fund essential public services. </li><li>Speculation &amp; Vacancy Taxes: Enact a statewide Vacancy Tax on long-term empty storefronts and a Pied-à-Terre Tax on luxury secondary residences to discourage real estate speculation and put housing back on the market for New Yorkers. </li><li>Taxpayer Sovereignty: Support Home Rule for local taxation so that New York City can fund its own progressive programs without being blocked by special interests in Albany. </li><li>Closing the Wealth Gap: Use progressive tax revenue to directly fund the "3 Pillars" of the campaign—making government more effective, more empowering, and more visionary for the working class.</li></ul>

Funding Government

I am working to ensure a for fast, frequent, and free bus service alongside integrated regional rail to ensure that job access and economic opportunity are no longer gated by geography or car ownership.

Transportation

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<h2>ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT</h2><ul><li>Funding the Green Transition: Implement a first-of-its-kind "Data Center Tax," ensuring that the high-energy demands of the AI and tech boom directly fund the expansion of renewable energy across New York. </li><li>Smart Grid Innovation: Invest in intelligent grid improvements to reduce overall energy waste and create a more resilient, 21st-century power network capable of handling increased demand. </li><li>Stopping Fossil Fuel Expansion: Enact a strict ban on new oil and gas pipelines through urban neighborhoods and environmentally protected lands, prioritizing public health over fossil fuel interests. </li><li>Regional Energy Resiliency: Update and champion the NY HEAT Act with specific provisions for upstate resiliency, bridging regional divides to finally pass this critical legislation and lower utility costs for all New Yorkers. </li><li>Renewable Incentives: Expand tax incentives for renewable energy adoption, making it easier and more affordable for homeowners and businesses to transition away from carbon-intensive power.</li></ul>

Energy and Environment

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<h2>TRANSPORTATION</h2>Huge swathes of New York City and the metro area lack fast, reliable mass transit, effectively forcing car ownership in places where it should not be necessary. This is not just an inconvenience—it is a cost-of-living failure. Fragmented regional planning and underinvestment mean that housing demand is artificially concentrated in a few neighborhoods of NYC, driving up rents, while more broadly, job access and opportunity remain gated by geography.Global peers like Tokyo and Singapore show what is possible when an entire metro region is planned as a single, integrated transportation system: lower housing pressure, broader labor markets, and far lower household transportation costs. New York has the density, ridership, and need—but not yet the execution.<ul><li>Make buses fast, frequent, and affordable<ul><li>Fund and expand Bus Rapid Transit, including protected lanes, transit signal priority, and camera enforcement.</li><li>Support fast and free bus service on high-ridership corridors.</li><li>Treat buses as core infrastructure, not a fallback—especially for lower-income riders and outer-borough communities. </li></ul></li><li>Integrate the region’s rail systems with through-running<ul><li>Execute long-delayed plans to integrate Metro-North, LIRR, PATH, and the subway with through-running, coordinated schedules, and unified fares.</li><li>Shift from siloed commuter railroads to a true regional rail network that makes longer-distance living viable without car dependence.</li><li>Use regional integration as a housing pressure valve, expanding where people can realistically live and work.</li></ul></li><li>Fund frequent service beyond rush hour<ul><li>Increase night, weekend, and off-peak service on commuter rail lines and buses.</li><li>Align transit schedules with how New Yorkers actually work—especially healthcare workers, service workers, and others outside the 9-to-5 economy.</li><li>Treat reliability and frequency as equity issues, not luxuries. </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Plan for future intercity and highway corridors responsibly<ul><li>Explore high-speed highway corridors that leverage emerging safety and speed technologies where they deliver benefits at far lower cost than traditional high-speed rail.</li><li>Ensure any such investments complement mass transit, climate, and safety goals. </li></ul></li><li>Encourage alternative modes with smart regulation<ul><li>Create a licensing structure for alternative transportation modes (e-bikes, scooters, shared mobility) for vehicles that move at motor-vehicle speeds</li><li>License delivery app drivers and hold corporations accountable for incentivizing unsafe driving practices with fines and insurance requirements. </li></ul></li><li>Improve Congestion Pricing<ul><li>Explore additional pricing windows to create incentives for drivers to further spread commuting density during rush hours</li><li>Explore exemptions or discounts for vulnerable residents in the CP zone</li></ul></li></ul>

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Artificial intelligence has already begun making decisions that shape people’s lives — who gets hired, who gets housing, who receives healthcare, credit, or public benefits, and who is flagged for investigation by law enforcement. When these systems are opaque, untested, or unaccountable, they can replicate bias, magnify harm at scale, and strip people of meaningful recourse. AI systems trained on flawed data or deployed without safeguards have already exacerbated harm to immigrants, low-income residents, seniors, and marginalized communities. Our government has seriously lagged behind technological innovation and must set clear, enforceable rules that ensure AI strengthens human judgment, protects civil liberties, and serves the public interest.Strong Data Protection<ul><li>Limit data collection and retention by government agencies and contractors to what is strictly necessary for a defined public purpose</li><li>Require baseline cybersecurity and privacy safeguards for any entity handling state or municipal data</li><li>Impose statutory penalties for negligent data misuse, unauthorized sharing, or preventable breaches</li><li>Classify sensitive personal data held by the state as protected civic infrastructure</li><li>Require equity impact assessments for data systems that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities</li><li>Create a legal “right to be forgotten” similar to the EU</li></ul>Regulate AI in High-Risk Decisions<ul><li>Require human review of AI assisted decision-making in high-stakes areas like lay-offs, housing, loan approval, court sentencing, etc.</li><li>Require transparency disclosures when AI is used in hiring, housing, credit, healthcare, or public benefits decisions</li><li>Mandate bias testing and performance audits for AI systems used in consequential determinations</li><li>Require clear documentation of decision logic and system limitations</li><li>Guarantee a right to explanation and appeal for individuals affected by automated decisions</li></ul>Risk-Based AI Regulation<ul><li>Establish a tiered regulatory framework that applies stricter oversight to higher-risk AI uses and exempt low-risk uses from unnecessary regulatory burden to spur innovation</li><li>Regularly update risk classifications to reflect evolving technology and evidence</li></ul>AI Governance Inside Government<ul><li>Require pre-deployment risk assessments for AI tools procured by state or local agencies</li><li>Mandate audit trails for automated or algorithm-assisted government decisions</li><li>Require public reporting when AI meaningfully affects eligibility for rights, benefits, or enforcement actions</li><li>Prohibit agencies from delegating final decision-making authority to vendors or black-box systems</li><li>Establish uniform statewide standards for government AI procurement and oversight</li></ul>Consumer Protection in Digital Markets<ul><li>Expand enforcement authority against online fraud and deceptive digital practices</li><li>Ban manipulative interface designs like hidden fees and opt-ins that attempt to circumvent informed consent</li><li>Increase penalties for digital exploitation targeting seniors, children, or vulnerable consumers</li><li>Clarify that consumer protection laws apply fully to digital and AI-driven services</li><li>Ban dynamic pricing in stores </li></ul>Competition, Repairability, and User Choice<ul><li>Strengthen and enforce right-to-repair laws for digital devices and connected products</li><li>Require interoperability standards (e.g., uniform charging ports)</li><li>Promote repair access to lower costs and reduce electronic waste</li></ul>

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<h2>PUBLIC SAFETY &amp; WELFARE</h2>New York City’s crime rate has remained at relatively low levels even as the size of the police force has fluctuated. This reflects a basic reality that decades of evidence have made clear: police and incarceration have diminishing returns as tools of public safety. There is only so much that police arriving after a crime has occurred can do, and there is a hard limit to how much public safety can be improved by incarcerating low-level offenders. Both strategies carry enormous social and fiscal costs, often without delivering lasting reductions in harm.Truly improving public safety means investing in the strategies that are actually proven to reduce dangerous situations before they escalate—approaches that address instability, untreated illness, and systemic failure rather than managing the consequences after the fact.<ul><li>Legal support for people reporting crimes (see <a href="/75f80a2d-9aa5-485f-b075-e33a537a50e0#block-9c22c5c0-bef2-4fd9-8a36-1423474a2e53">Public Safety</a>)<ul><li>It is incredibly difficult to report a crime. A large part of this is because reporters have no legal support unless the DA decides to get involved, which is dependent on a successful report. NYC recently started a program to supply any person facing housing court with an attorney; it is a civic imperative to provide this for people reporting crimes. </li></ul></li><li>Universal mental health and addiction services as public safety infrastructure<ul><li>Untreated mental illness and addiction are major drivers of homelessness, public disorder, and repeat interactions with police. Much of what people experience as “disorder” on the street—erratic behavior, public distress, and visible crisis—is rooted in the absence of accessible treatment, not criminal intent.</li><li>States that expand access to treatment see reductions in emergency room use, incarceration, and repeat offending. The alternative—cycling people through jails, shelters, and emergency departments—is vastly more expensive and less humane. </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Housing security (see <a href="/75f80a2d-9aa5-485f-b075-e33a537a50e0#block-d71ec099-08ff-4d6b-bdeb-413946007bf5">Affordable Housing</a>)<ul><li>Housing instability is one of the strongest predictors of crime victimization and contact with the justice system. Housing policy is therefore inseparable from public safety. Preventing eviction and homelessness does more to reduce crime than expanding jails or increasing patrols.</li><li>Fair housing — not discrimination for a felony </li></ul></li><li>Funding for more shelters and better shelter design<ul><li>Shelters are often treated as a last resort and funded accordingly, producing environments that feel unsafe for residents and surrounding communities alike. SRO-style units with secure storage, lockers, and appropriate staffing reduce conflict, improve outcomes, encourage shelter seeking, and cost less than policing street homelessness or building and operating jails.</li><li>Warming locations to draw folks off the street </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Consent and Emotional Regulation education (see Curriculum Reform)<ul><li>Ben supports K–12 consent education and emotional regulation instruction as part of a broader public safety strategy. Research shows that early, age-appropriate education reduces sexual violence, bullying, and later violent behavior far more effectively than downstream interventions, reducing incidents by 25-50%. Preventing harm is both more humane and more cost-effective than responding after lives have already been disrupted. </li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Expand the court system and make it more flexible to permanently end the shortage of judges (see <a href="/75f80a2d-9aa5-485f-b075-e33a537a50e0#block-06d0a565-453c-4fdf-9017-b6c8da65e53a">Home Rule</a>)<ul><li>New York’s chronic shortage of judges, especially in New York City, brings the wheels of justice to a slow grind. Long waits for trial create a cascade of serious problems, from violation of constitution, to life-altering holding of unconvicted detainees, to a justice system that fails to bring people to justice. </li></ul></li></ul>

Public Safety & Welfare

Call to Action

<h2>HEALTHCARE &amp; MENTAL HEALTH</h2>In New York, rising costs, hospital closures, and unchecked consolidation have left too many communities without access to necessary care. Healthcare is an essential service and must ensure it serves patients, not just balance sheets; and reduces emergencies, not manages them more expensively.<ul><li>Universal healthcare with mental health<ul><li>Hospitals are required to serve all emergency patients regardless of ability to pay; as a result, hospitals cry poverty. Losses for these services, often due to the uninsured using the emergency room for preventable illnesses, would be eliminated with universal coverage.</li><li>Universal healthcare with addiction and mental health services improves public safety, prevents hospital visits from unhoused New Yorkers, and reduces high-cost policing and incarcerations </li></ul></li><li>Prevent hospital closures<ul><li>Requirements to prove systemic unprofitability to hospital chains looking to close locations, a losing location is not enough</li><li>Require Tier 1 trauma services within x travel time based on regional geography</li><li>Subsidize hospitals that could cause a network operator to collapse </li></ul></li></ul>

Healthcare and Mental Health

I will ensure a fair and sustainable future for New York by closing corporate tax loopholes and asking the wealthiest residents and speculators to pay their fair share for the public services we all rely on.

Do you want to know more about Ben's policies on issues ranging from affordable housing to healthcare reform to e-bikes? Drop us a line and get information on Ben's events, speaking engagements, and how to get more involved in the campaign as a volunteer.

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"Real change doesn't come from the top down—it comes from our neighbors and the organizers standing right beside you."<h4>-Ben Yee</h4>

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Affordable Housing

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I am fighting to transform New York into a sanctuary for democracy, using the power of our state government to shield our residents, our funding, and our elections from federal overreach and fascist aggression.

Sanctuary NY

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<h2>Privacy Policy</h2>Ben Yee for Assembly is committed to protecting your privacy online. This 10DLC &amp; Toll-Free Privacy Policy is in addition to and supplements all other privacy and data security obligations of "Ben Yee for Assembly", including our operations, employment and website privacy policies (collectively, our “Privacy Policy”). It describes our obligations and practices of how we collect and use customer consent and opt-ins for our texting and/or email services and programs.This 10DLC &amp; Toll-Free Privacy Policy applies to SMS and MMS texts from Ben Yee for Assembly.CATEGORIES OF INFORMATION COLLECTED:We will collect your name, phone number and indication of consent to receive text (SMS and MMS).HOW WE USE THE INFORMATION COLLECTED:In addition to providing the services and complying with our Privacy Policy, we use the information to confirm consent to receive text (SMS and MMS).TO WHOM DO WE SHARE THE INFORMATION COLLECTED:Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties, provided that the foregoing does not apply to sharing (1) with vendors, consultants and other service providers who need access to such information to carry out work on our behalf (and who will not use such information for their own purposes); (2) if we believe disclosure is required by any applicable law, rule, or regulation or to comply with law enforcement or legal process.Mobile information will not be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes.This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our information practices and applicable law. We suggest that you periodically review the Privacy Policy for amendments.

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<h2>SANCTUARY NY</h2>For the past 10 years, New York has taken action to be a sanctuary for immigrants from the Trump administration. Today, New York must do even more; it must be a sanctuary for democracy against growing fascism in the Federal government. <ul><li>Tax withholding to compensate for funds illegally stolen by Donald Trump to force compliance </li><li>Special election protection for voters from federal agents during voting (see <a href="https://x.com/yben/status/1941572742488236526">here</a>)<ul><li>Idea was introduced by Sen Harckman based on my suggestion </li></ul></li><li>Prevent NY law enforcement from working with ICE and empower them to arrest agents of the federal government if observed violation of the rights of NY residents </li><li>Bar ICE activities from State premises and using State buildings as staging locations </li></ul>

<h3>A Record of Reform</h3><img src="https://run.imgix.net/0b319868-cd65-4bba-b8e7-94842f3be66a/d9b50fee-9c0e-46c6-bdbc-4a1231bba961/d9b50fee-9c0e-46c6-bdbc-4a1231bba961.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C389%2C389&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="47" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">For over a decade, Ben has led efforts to open New York’s Democratic Party to anyone interested in getting involved in our democracy. As Secretary of the Manhattan Democratic Party, he pushed it to become the most transparent County Party in the State of New York.Elected in 2016 to represent Lower Manhattan on the New York State Democratic Committee, Ben has become a key leader in the party’s Reform Coalition. He has built strong alliances with Committee Members and County Chairs statewide and is known for helping guide new members through the party process and parliamentary procedure.As one of the State Committee’s most active and effective members, Ben has helped to pass more reforms than any other member in over a decade. His wins include: requiring the public disclosure of Committee Member attendance, ensuring all adopted proposals are published on the Democratic Party’s website, pushing the Party to call for an end to the cooperation between law enforcement and ICE, and winning support for age-appropriate consent education in every public school.

A Record of Real Reform

<h2>AFFORDABLE HOUSING</h2>Housing is the single largest expense for most New Yorkers—and when it fails, everything else starts to buckle. Families stretched thin disengage from civic life. Young people and working families leave the city and state. Homelessness rises. Entire neighborhoods hollow out as homes become investment vehicles instead of places to live. This unaffordability is a result of systemic policy that over-incentivizes large units for the luxury market so that our city builds massive structures, but few homes. This has turned New Yorkers against each other in piecemeal battles over plots of land when the real problem is our government’s approach to creating homes for New Yorkers.Ben will fight for: <ul><li>Vacancy Tax<ul><li>Eliminate the advantage of warehousing residential or commercial units and incentivize release into the market. </li></ul></li><li>Pied-a-terre Tax<ul><li>Ensure landowners who pay taxes elsewhere give their fair share to NYC</li><li>Penalize empty towers that lead to empty streets and monoculture communities</li><li>Rebalance the housing market, which incentivizes luxury market development </li></ul></li><li>State Land for Affordable Housing<ul><li>Any state land, or land in which the State has an interest through an Authority, should be required to be a minimum of 50% affordable. </li></ul></li><li>Affordable Housing Fund<ul><li>A new, dedicated lockbox for funding high-density, affordable housing in New York State in areas within commuter distance of economic hubs funded by vacancy and pied-a-terre taxes</li></ul></li><li>Replace AMI with Cost of Living<ul><li>AMI is relative to local incomes, not affordability, distorting the market. </li></ul></li><li>Restore Home Rule (see <a href="/75f80a2d-9aa5-485f-b075-e33a537a50e0#block-06d0a565-453c-4fdf-9017-b6c8da65e53a">Home Rule</a>)<ul><li>Allow NYC to set its own housing and tax policies, currently blocked by Albany. </li></ul></li><li>Require the Dept of Transportation, MTA, and Port Authority to develop regional plans (see <a href="/75f80a2d-9aa5-485f-b075-e33a537a50e0#block-0c06687d-34d1-4b75-a043-7bf3fdd898a3">Transportation</a>) to drastically reduce rent pressure on the urban core<ul><li>More deeply integrating the metro-area means NY State can expand access to housing, development opportunities and economic opportunity. </li></ul></li><li>Increase mandatory affordable housing for tax breaks to 35% </li><li>Provide grants to municipal governments that create comprehensive development plans <ul><li>Create reliable plans to enable long-term investment in housing and other city services.</li><li>Force local legislators to do their jobs and address city planning instead of endlessly blocking critical projects piecemeal for political points. </li></ul></li><li>Tenant Protections<ul><li>Get rid of the housing court black list</li><li>Housing access vouchers</li><li>Reform the housing court</li><li>Fund true right-to-counsel for tenants</li></ul></li></ul>

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Ben joined the Senate CIO’s unit to modernize the chamber’s digital infrastructure, helping turn one of the nation’s most opaque legislative bodies into an award-winning model of open government.• Fiscal Stewardship and Taxpayer Savings: Implemented innovative technology solutions that saved the Senate $1.3 million in its first year alone.• Expanding Public Access to Power: Directed the adoption of live-streaming for Senate sessions and social media integration, ensuring that legislative proceedings were accessible to every New Yorker in real-time.• Modernizing Legislative Tools: Led the design and rollout of the Senate’s modern website, the first individual Senator websites, and digital CRM systems to streamline communication between elected officials and their constituents.

Digital Strategy Director, NY State Senate

Ben was recruited to lead the digital strategy for the general election in New York, where he pioneered tech-driven grassroots organizing.• Digital Infrastructure &amp; Team Leadership: Built and managed a dedicated team responsible for the campaign’s data analysis, social media, and web presence.• Grassroots Training: Designed and led digital organizing workshops at "Camp Obama" events, empowering local volunteers with the tools to mobilize their communities online.• A New Model for Power: Honed a lifelong approach to grassroots power by using technology to scale personal engagement and bridge the gap between digital activism and traditional organizing.

Digital Director, Obama '08

Priorities Grid

I am fighting for universal healthcare to ensure that the survival of our community hospitals depends on patient needs and public safety, not the profit margins of corporate chains

Healthcare & Mental Health

<h2>ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY</h2><ul><li>Integrate economic centers with regional transportation (See <a href="/75f80a2d-9aa5-485f-b075-e33a537a50e0#block-0c06687d-34d1-4b75-a043-7bf3fdd898a3">transportation</a>)<ul><li>Mandated regional planning</li><li>Through-running trains</li><li>Increased commuter service</li><li>High-speed highway corridors </li></ul></li><li>Incentives for high-tech and AI-first businesses that generate direct and secondary employment<ul><li>Biotech/life sciences</li><li>Manufacturing/robotics</li><li>Healthcare/diagnostics</li></ul></li></ul>

Economic Opportunity

<h2>TECHNOLOGY, DATA PRIVACY, &amp; AI</h2>Artificial intelligence has already begun making decisions that shape people’s lives — who gets hired, who gets housing, who receives healthcare, credit, or public benefits, and who is flagged for investigation by law enforcement. When these systems are opaque, untested, or unaccountable, they can replicate bias, magnify harm at scale, and strip people of meaningful recourse. AI systems trained on flawed data or deployed without safeguards have already exacerbated harm to immigrants, low-income residents, seniors, and marginalized communities. Our government has seriously lagged behind technological innovation and must set clear, enforceable rules that ensure AI strengthens human judgment, protects civil liberties, and serves the public interest.Strong Data Protection<ul><li>Limit data collection and retention by government agencies and contractors to what is strictly necessary for a defined public purpose</li><li>Require baseline cybersecurity and privacy safeguards for any entity handling state or municipal data</li><li>Impose statutory penalties for negligent data misuse, unauthorized sharing, or preventable breaches</li><li>Classify sensitive personal data held by the state as protected civic infrastructure</li><li>Require equity impact assessments for data systems that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities</li><li>Create a legal “right to be forgotten” similar to the EU </li></ul>Regulate AI in High-Risk Decisions<ul><li>Require human review of AI assisted decision-making in high-stakes areas like lay-offs, housing, loan approval, court sentencing, etc.</li><li>Require transparency disclosures when AI is used in hiring, housing, credit, healthcare, or public benefits decisions</li><li>Mandate bias testing and performance audits for AI systems used in consequential determinations</li><li>Require clear documentation of decision logic and system limitations</li><li>Guarantee a right to explanation and appeal for individuals affected by automated decisions </li></ul>Risk-Based AI Regulation<ul><li>Establish a tiered regulatory framework that applies stricter oversight to higher-risk AI uses and exempt low-risk uses from unnecessary regulatory burden to spur innovation</li><li>Regularly update risk classifications to reflect evolving technology and evidence </li></ul>AI Governance Inside Government<ul><li>Require pre-deployment risk assessments for AI tools procured by state or local agencies</li><li>Mandate audit trails for automated or algorithm-assisted government decisions</li><li>Require public reporting when AI meaningfully affects eligibility for rights, benefits, or enforcement actions</li><li>Prohibit agencies from delegating final decision-making authority to vendors or black-box systems</li><li>Establish uniform statewide standards for government AI procurement and oversight</li></ul>Consumer Protection in Digital Markets<ul><li>Expand enforcement authority against online fraud and deceptive digital practices</li><li>Ban manipulative interface designs like hidden fees and opt-ins that attempt to circumvent informed consent</li><li>Increase penalties for digital exploitation targeting seniors, children, or vulnerable consumers</li><li>Clarify that consumer protection laws apply fully to digital and AI-driven services</li><li>Ban dynamic pricing in stores </li></ul>Competition, Repairability, and User Choice<ul><li>Strengthen and enforce right-to-repair laws for digital devices and connected products</li><li>Require interoperability standards (e.g., uniform charging ports)</li><li>Promote repair access to lower costs and reduce electronic waste</li></ul>

Technology, Data Privacy, & AI

For the past 10 years, New York has taken action to be a sanctuary for immigrants from the Trump administration. Today, New York must do even more; it must be a sanctuary for democracy against growing fascism in the Federal government.<ul><li>Tax Withholding to Compensate for funds illegally stolen by Donald Trump to force compliance </li><li>Special Election Protection for voters from federal agents during voting (see <a href="https://x.com/yben/status/1941572742488236526" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>)<ul><li>Idea was introduced by Sen Harckman based on my suggestion</li></ul></li><li>Prevent NY Law Enforcement from Working with ICE and empower them to arrest agents of the federal government if observed violation of the rights of NY residents </li><li>Bar ICE Activities from State Premises and using State buildings as staging locations</li></ul>

Your Name for Political Office

Elected Officials

Organizations

Lists

PARTY REFORM LEADERSHIP

Ben has built and led the largest coalition of reform-minded State Committee members, forging unprecedented alliances between downstate activists and upstate County Chairs.• Proactive Upstate Engagement: Established a culture of trust with rural leaders by organizing the first annual downstate delegation to the Democratic Rural Conference, bridging the regional divide for six consecutive years.• Champion of Transparency: Authored and passed the most significant updates to Party Rules in a decade, mandating that meetings be live-streamed and that all resolutions, attendance, and voting records be made public for the first time.• Setting the Progressive Agenda: Passed more policy resolutions than any other member in over ten years, successfully putting the State Party on record for defeating the IDC (Independent Democratic Conference) and supporting their challengers, designating New York as a Sanctuary State for immigrants, and mandating consent and bodily autonomy education in New York schools.

Democratic State Committee Member

After running the Open Seat Project and getting new members elected to New York’s County Committee, Ben was elected Secretary of the County Democratic Party where he continued his commitment to grassroots organizing and good government. • Modernizing Party Communication: Built and launched the first website and social media channels for the Manhattan Democratic Party, establishing a digital standard that other county organizations across NYC eventually followed.• Radical Transparency in Leadership: Pioneered the live-streaming of all County Party and Executive Board proceedings, ending the era of closed-door meetings and opening the party's internal functions to the public for the first time.• Democratic Education &amp; Empowerment: Designed and led comprehensive training programs for County Committee members and local Democratic Clubs to demystify party structures and provide activists with the tools to navigate and influence the political system.

Secretary, Manhattan Democratic Party

I am building a modern public safety infrastructure that replaces reactive policing with proven investments in mental health, housing stability, and preventative education to stop harm before it starts.

Public Safety and Welfare

Who Is Ben Yee

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<h2>Announcement</h2>This is a momentous electionFor the first time in 35 years, Assembly District 66 will have an open seat. It’s an opportunity not just to elect a new generation of leadership, but to decide how we want to shape our politics, our government, and our democracy with this seat.Some might say that this is a safe blue seat in Lower Manhattan. Or that a local assembly race can’t really impact the big picture. I think that is a dangerous perspective. Every single elected official is critical, especially now. Trump and the MAGA Republicans are a symptom of a deeper problem, the loss of faith in our democratic system and its ability to deliver for regular people. We are beset by an affordability crisis, mega-corporations trying to squeeze every penny from working people, and tech giants using our personal data against us.Our best leaders — people like Barack Obama, AOC, Zohran Mamdani — are those who have big ideas, big policies, on how to change things for the better. And, focus equally on engaging and empowering people, inspiring hope through the promise of participation.This requires someone who’s lived that philosophyI got my start on the Obama campaign in 2008, as Digital Director for New York State, doing grassroots organizing online. From there, I went to State government, using tech to improve the transparency and accessibility of the NY State Senate — turning what was ranked the single most corrupt legislative body in the country into one that was winning awards for transparency and openness. When Donald Trump was elected in 2016, I started a nonprofit to demystify politics and government, giving people the tools they needed to become leaders in their own community. I spoke to over 8,000 people personally, and my proudest accomplishment is helping hundreds of them to become activists, start political groups, and run for office. People you may not know, but have made a huge difference — District Leaders, County Committee Members, and Presidents of local Democratic Clubs, including three in my local Assembly District — and folks you might have heard of, like Luba Gretchen Shirley, who ran for Congress in Long Island and founded Vote Mama. Even AOC joined a workshop.For the last 5 years, I’ve been in education technology, criss-crossing the world, helping to define how remote classes and AI are reshaping how we teach, learn, and work; and how governments are responding. And I’ve had a front-row seat to the culture that people like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk are building in Silicon Valley.And, for the last eight years, I’ve been representing our community in Albany to Democratic Party leadership, passing more reforms than any other State Committee Member in the last decade, consistently winning against a leadership hostile to change by building coalitions that span every part of NY State.These are the skills, abilities, and knowledge I hope to bring to the assembly seat.I still believe in the “Hope and Change” that got me involved, because that’s the story of my familyMy father‘s parents came here from China at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act barred them from becoming citizens. My mother‘s parents were Jews who survived the holocaust; she was born a refugee in Poland. Both of these families came here looking for a better life, and they found it. My father became a civil engineer who worked for the MTA and the Port Authority for his whole life. My mother became a lawyer in a male-dominated field, and when one of America’s largest law firms made it clear that they were not promoting women to partner, she quit and took two of their top women attorneys to start what is possibly the first women-founded, owned, and run trademark law firm in the country.My parents had amazing opportunities, but they faced many challenges. An interracial couple, they got married just 10 years after the Supreme Court affirmed that interracial marriage is a civil right. They fought for those civil rights, and the civil rights of others, and they taught me that everybody has a place in this country and this democracy — but we still have to fight for that fundamental truth.That’s why I’m running Today, the dark threads of our history — racism, sexism, bigotry, predation, and corruption — are at the center of our politics and government. And we have to fight that with everything that we have.I’m running to bring all of my knowledge, my skills, my abilities — all of who I am — to fight to make New York a sanctuary for our values, our people, and our democracy.And that’s the problem today, the dark threads of our history — racism, sexism, bigotry, predation, corruption — are at the center of our politics and government. And must fight that with everything that we have. That’s why I’m running for the seat, to bring all of my knowledge, my skills, my abilities — all of who I am — to fight to make this district, this city, this state a sanctuary for our values, our people, and our democracy. My campaign is built on three pillars to do just that by making government:One, more Empowering — doing exactly what I’ve been doing for 20 years and turning this seat into a hub for civic engagement, reaching out beyond the self-selecting club members and community boards to engage people who think government is intimidating or politics is not for them. And by fighting for reforms that give power to voters, like statewide ranked-choice voting and a stronger matching funds program.Two, more Effective — truly addressing our problems by rewriting the rules of the housing market for affordability, providing healthcare to New Yorkers, improving our quality of life in the only way the works, with humanity, by housing the unhoused, providing mental health and addiction services and investing in proven urban design and educational programs that stop violent crime before it starts, and addressing wealth inequality by finally making the most fortunate pay their fair share.Three, more Visionary — by looking to the future and the society we want to build. By making civics education mandatory; by passing consent education to combat sexual violence; by teaching media and financial literacy; by being proactive in regulating AI and ensuring humans, not algorithms, are in charge of our lives; and by using state power to safeguard our elections and our democracy from those who are trying to tear them down.I am so grateful for your support over the yearsThank you all again for your support, your involvement and your activism. Our task in this moment of history is daunting, but together we can give Albany an upgrade to what it must become. -Ben Yee Candidate for NY Assembly, District 66

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New York City’s crime rate has remained at relatively low levels even as the size of the police force has fluctuated. This reflects a basic reality that decades of evidence have made clear: police and incarceration have diminishing returns as tools of public safety. There is only so much that police arriving after a crime has occurred can do, and there is a hard limit to how much public safety can be improved by incarcerating low-level offenders. Both strategies carry enormous social and fiscal costs, often without delivering lasting reductions in harm.Truly improving public safety means investing in the strategies that are actually proven to reduce dangerous situations before they escalate—approaches that address instability, untreated illness, and systemic failure rather than managing the consequences after the fact.<ul><li>Legal Support for People Reporting Crimes (see <a href="https://www.votebenyee.nyc/public-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Public Safety</a>)<ul><li>It is incredibly difficult to report a crime. A large part of this is because reporters have no legal support unless the DA decides to get involved, which is dependent on a successful report. NYC recently started a program to supply any person facing housing court with an attorney; it is a civic imperative to provide this for people reporting crimes.</li></ul></li><li>Universal mental health and addiction services as public safety infrastructure<ul><li>Untreated mental illness and addiction are major drivers of homelessness, public disorder, and repeat interactions with police. Much of what people experience as “disorder” on the street—erratic behavior, public distress, and visible crisis—is rooted in the absence of accessible treatment, not criminal intent.</li><li>States that expand access to treatment see reductions in emergency room use, incarceration, and repeat offending. The alternative—cycling people through jails, shelters, and emergency departments—is vastly more expensive and less humane.</li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Housing security (see <a href="https://votebenyee.nyc/affordable-housing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Affordable Housing</a>)<ul><li>Housing instability is one of the strongest predictors of crime victimization and contact with the justice system. Housing policy is therefore inseparable from public safety. Preventing eviction and homelessness does more to reduce crime than expanding jails or increasing patrols.</li><li>Fair housing — not discrimination for a felony</li></ul></li><li>Funding for more shelters and better shelter design<ul><li>Shelters are often treated as a last resort and funded accordingly, producing environments that feel unsafe for residents and surrounding communities alike. SRO-style units with secure storage, lockers, and appropriate staffing reduce conflict, improve outcomes, encourage shelter seeking, and cost less than policing street homelessness or building and operating jails.</li><li>Warming locations to draw folks off the street</li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Consent and Emotional Regulation education (see <a href="https://votebenyee.nyc/sa-prevention" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Consent Education</a>)<ul><li>Ben supports K–12 consent education and emotional regulation instruction as part of a broader public safety strategy. Research shows that early, age-appropriate education reduces sexual violence, bullying, and later violent behavior far more effectively than downstream interventions, reducing incidents by 25-50%. Preventing harm is both more humane and more cost-effective than responding after lives have already been disrupted.</li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Expand the court system and make it more flexible to permanently end the shortage of judges (see <a href="https://www.votebenyee.nyc/home-rule/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Home Rule</a>)<ul><li>New York’s chronic shortage of judges, especially in New York City, brings the wheels of justice to a slow grind. Long waits for trial create a cascade of serious problems, from violation of constitution, to life-altering holding of unconvicted detainees, to a justice system that fails to bring people to justice.</li></ul></li></ul>

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<img src="https://run.imgix.net/0b319868-cd65-4bba-b8e7-94842f3be66a/027aed46-bed4-4f36-8ae2-5113b245ac8e/027aed46-bed4-4f36-8ae2-5113b245ac8e.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C4369%2C3448&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed"><h3>A Vision for a Modern Democracy</h3>I believe that the current crisis in our democracy is a symptom of a government that has become detached from everyday reality. Whether it's housing, healthcare, or the quality of life on our streets, New Yorkers are losing faith that their voices matter. Ben is running for the State Assembly because he has the innovation, experience, and the fight to bring government back to the people.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Assembly District 66</h2>Assembly District 66 covers Lower Manhattan — covering Tribeca, Civic Center, SoHo, NoHo, NoLIta, Greenwich Village, the West Village, and half of the East Village.

District 66

I am fighting to break New York City’s dependency on Albany, ensuring that our city has the autonomous power to tax, house, and deliver justice for its own residents without state-level interference.

We don't just need your email; we need your voice. Albany is full of "insider" politics and "market logic" that has left our neighbors behind. We are building a plan that actually delivers.

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Meet Ben Yee</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/0b319868-cd65-4bba-b8e7-94842f3be66a/967aa77b-389d-4e2c-8365-21f684478f0f/967aa77b-389d-4e2c-8365-21f684478f0f.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C3448%2C5168&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">Ben Yee is a lifelong New Yorker, political reformer, and candidate for State Assembly in Lower Manhattan. Ben is a product of New York’s public schools, attending P.S. 234, East Side Middle, and Bronx Science High School.His commitment to protecting democracy is deeply personal: he is the son of a first-generation Chinese-American father and a Jewish immigrant mother whose family survived the Holocaust and moved to the US as refugees after WWII.<h3>Modernizing Government</h3>Ben has spent his career at the intersection of politics, government, and technology, working to make systems work better for people. He got his start as the New York State Digital Director for the 2008 Obama Campaign. Afterward, he moved to the New York State Senate where he helped pull our state government into the digital era.Since then, Ben has worked with both local &amp; national nonprofits and startups to help strengthen our democracy. Recently, he's focused on the education crisis by joining an EdTech startup during the Pandemic. Ben helped to build virtual classrooms and AI tools that help to close the post-COVID learning gap.

Modernizing Gov't

Our democracy is only as resilient as the people in it. Trust in our system and our politicians has eroded to the point that millions are voting for any change they can get because they no longer believe that their voices are heard. No matter what policies are enacted in City Hall, Albany, or Washington, we are at a point where elected leaders need to be more than representatives in government; they need to be ambassadors of government and democratic decision-making to the people of their districts. As Assemblymember, I plan to fight for legislative changes to empower voters, and launch new forms of district programming — the most successful of which I will work to institutionalize in district offices across the State.<ul><li>Empowerment Hotline<ul><li>In teaching civic workshops across NYC, I have personally taught and heard from almost 8 thousand New Yorkers who lament how they never learned how government works, the incentives that politicians face, or how institutional players affect policy. Without knowing the system, it’s impossible to know how to make a change. My office will provide a hotline to serve as a one-stop shop about how our system works and how to make an impact.</li></ul></li><li>Empowerment Workshops<ul><li>The way we build power for change is to get people involved, and to get people involved, you have to offer them something. A minority of people show up to community boards, town halls, and long-winded government functions that they feel are designed to give politicians a win. My office will run empowerment workshops, built on the incredibly popular Real Politics 101 curriculum I developed, to create programming around the district and in schools that offers more than just a way to shout into the void — but rather a concrete service with lessons on how to build power in our democracy.</li></ul></li><li>In-house Data Science<ul><li>Effective policy is only as good as the data. My office will employ an in-house data scientist to cut through politics and produce reports for the public on key issues facing the State and District, where misinformation or confusion poses a threat to good policy.</li></ul></li><li>Matching funds with a cap for State Races</li><li>Ranked choice voting for State elections</li><li>Expanded Vote By Mail and Mobile Voting with paper ballot validation</li><li>Same-day voter registration</li></ul>

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<ul><li>Funding the Green Transition: Implement a first-of-its-kind "Data Center Tax," ensuring that the high-energy demands of the AI and tech boom directly fund the expansion of renewable energy across New York. </li><li>Smart Grid Innovation: Invest in intelligent grid improvements to reduce overall energy waste and create a more resilient, 21st-century power network capable of handling increased demand. </li><li>Stopping Fossil Fuel Expansion: Enact a strict ban on new oil and gas pipelines through urban neighborhoods and environmentally protected lands, prioritizing public health over fossil fuel interests. </li><li>Regional Energy Resiliency: Update and champion the NY HEAT Act with specific provisions for upstate resiliency, bridging regional divides to finally pass this critical legislation and lower utility costs for all New Yorkers. </li><li>Renewable Incentives: Expand tax incentives for renewable energy adoption, making it easier and more affordable for homeowners and businesses to transition away from carbon-intensive power.</li></ul>

PRIVATE SECTOR CAREER

Recruited to lead operations for a VC-backed education technology startup, where he spearheaded the development of AI-driven tools and remote learning platforms designed to close the educational gaps worsened by the pandemic.

Chief of Staff, Pencil Spaces

Founded and consulted for startups like Shift Spark, dedicated to building digital tools that lower the barrier to civic participation and modernize the way residents interact with their local government.Advised numerous political campaigns and mission-driven organizations on technology infrastructure, helping them scale their grassroots power and digital outreach to reach a 21st-century electorate.

Civic Tech Entrepreneur

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We’re so glad you’re here.&nbsp;This campaign is powered by people who believe a better Albany is possible — and we’re building it together.With Gratitude, Ben Yee

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I will transform the Assembly office into a Civic Laboratory, moving beyond traditional representation to provide every resident with the tools, data, and education needed to build real power in our democracy.

Democratic Empowerment

Terms and Conditions

Some might say that this is a safe blue seat in Lower Manhattan. Or that a local assembly race can’t really impact the big picture. That is a short-sighted perspective. Every single elected official is critical, especially now. Trump and the MAGA Republicans are a symptom of a deeper problem, the loss of faith in our democratic system and its ability to deliver for regular people. Our most effective leaders — people like Barack Obama, AOC, Zohran Mamdani — are those who have big ideas, big policies, on how to change lives for the better. And, focus equally on the importance of engaging and empowering people to inspire hope through the promise of direct participation.<h2>My Organizing Origins</h2><img src="https://run.imgix.net/0b319868-cd65-4bba-b8e7-94842f3be66a/f16d3f94-72cb-45c8-8ddc-e653d19f4cdf/f16d3f94-72cb-45c8-8ddc-e653d19f4cdf.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=0%2C0%2C1080%2C1080&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">I got my start on the Obama campaign in 2008, as Digital Director for New York State, doing grassroots organizing online. From there, I went to the New York State Senate, using technology to improve the transparency and accessibility of the State government — helping to turn what was ranked the single most corrupt legislative body in the country into one that was winning awards for transparency and openness.&nbsp; When Donald Trump was elected for the first time, I started a nonprofit to demystify politics and government, giving people the tools they need to create change. I spoke to over 8,000 people personally, and hundreds of them became leaders in their own communities — like Luba Gretchen Shirley, who ran for Congress in Long Island. Even AOC came through one of our workshops. For the last eight years, I’ve been representing our community in Albany to Democratic Party leadership, building coalitions with leaders from all around the state to pass more reforms than any other State Committee member in the last decade, and through a leadership hostile to change.<h3>Where I Came From</h3><img src="https://run.imgix.net/0b319868-cd65-4bba-b8e7-94842f3be66a/e0634934-b0b1-4920-8e86-9ae1f3f12027/e0634934-b0b1-4920-8e86-9ae1f3f12027.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=509%2C0%2C1231%2C1186&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="right" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed">My father‘s family came to New York from China. My mother‘s family were Jews who survived the holocaust, she was born a refugee in Poland. Both of these families came here looking for a better life, and they found it.&nbsp; My father became a civil engineer who worked for the MTA and the Port Authority his entire life. My mother became a litigator in a male-dominated field. And, when Proskauer Rose, one of America’s largest law firms, made it clear that they were not promoting women to partner, she said FU and took two of their top women attorneys to start what is possibly the first trademark law firm owned, run, and founded by women. But they also faced challenges.<img src="https://run.imgix.net/0b319868-cd65-4bba-b8e7-94842f3be66a/8513483b-08d8-4440-9bae-2c9dbc9b9627/8513483b-08d8-4440-9bae-2c9dbc9b9627.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;bri=0&amp;con=0&amp;sat=0&amp;high=0&amp;shad=0&amp;usm=0&amp;rect=195%2C0%2C922%2C1035&amp;w=1500" alt="" caption="" align="left" alignwidth="40" tiltdirection="left" variant="framed"><h4>Civil Rights Leadership</h4>As an interracial couple, they got married just 10 years after the Supreme Court ruled that interracial marriage is a civil right. They fought for those civil rights, and the civil rights of others, and protested unjust wars. My parents taught me that everybody has a place in our country and in our democracy, but we have to fight for that fundamental truth. And that’s the problem today, the dark threads of our history — racism, sexism, bigotry, predation, corruption — are at the center of our politics and government. And must fight that with everything that we have.&nbsp;That’s why I’m running for the seat, to bring all of my knowledge, my skills, my abilities — all of who I am — to fight to make this district, this city, this state a sanctuary for our values, our people and our democracy.&nbsp;

I will end the era of 'backroom Albany' by banning non-fiscal budget riders and restoring true Home Rule, ensuring that our laws are debated in the light of day and our city has the power to govern itself.

Government Transparency

<h2>ANIMAL WELFARE</h2><ul><li>Accessible Veterinary Care: Expand public funding for low-cost spay, neuter, and wellness clinics across the state, ensuring that every New Yorker can afford to keep their pets healthy and safe. </li><li>Humane Entertainment Standards: Champion legislation to end the use of wild animals in circuses statewide, aligning New York with modern standards of animal protection and public safety. </li><li>Prioritizing Schools Over Subsidies: End the "hidden" subsidies for horse racing provided by slot machine revenue, redirecting those hundreds of millions of dollars to fund New York’s public schools and early childhood education. </li><li>Strengthening Animal Rights: Advocate for stricter enforcement against animal cruelty and neglect, treating the safety of our companion animals as a matter of community well-being. </li><li>Smart Resource Reallocation: Leverage the transition from outdated subsidies to create a permanent, dedicated funding stream for local animal shelters and rescue organizations.</li></ul>

Animal Welfare

Ben Yee for Assembly

<h2>GOOD GOVERNMENT &amp; TRANSPARENCY</h2><ul><li>Ban Policy in the Budget and limit the budget to appropriations. Banning non-fiscal riders will restore transparency and ensure major policy changes receive a standalone debate rather than being forced through behind closed doors.</li><li>Strengthen NYC Home Rule and grant NYC constitutionally protected authority over local taxation, land use, and elections. The City should not need Albany’s permission for routine self-governance.</li><li>Streamline the Courts to simplify the NYS court structure, increase the number of judges, and reduce delays.</li><li>Expand Voting Rights by enabling "no-excuse" mail-in voting and same-day voter registration.</li><li>Institute Ranked-Choice voting for general elections to give voters more choice and reduce party gatekeeping in districts where the primary effectively decides the outcome.</li><li>Allow multi-member Assembly districts to improve representation, reduce gerrymandering, and better reflect our diverse electorate.</li><li>Create a truly Independent ethics body in the State Constitution to prevent the Executive from constantly challenging ethics enforcement.</li><li>Make legislative results more transparent, allowing voters to easily search all the bills passed, vetoed, or killed in committee each year.</li></ul>

Good Government & Transparency

LEADERSHIP IN GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM

In response to Donald Trump’s devastating win in 2016, Ben founded You Matter Nation.• He organized the first large-scale resistance event in NYC. 800+ people showed up after the election to learn about what happened and what they could do. • Ben spent four years giving talks around NYC to schools, universities, and grassroots groups about government, organizing, and local politics, reaching over 8,000 future leaders. • He inspired hundreds of people to join or found local political groups and run for office.

Founder &amp; Director, You Matter Nation

• VP, Young Democrats of America: Recruited and led a volunteer tech team to rebuild the organization’s digital infrastructure, successfully saving the national body from bankruptcy.• President, Manhattan Young Democrats: Created the award-winning Learning Labs, providing young activists with specialized training in data science, graphic design, and political Spanish.• VP, Manhattan Young Dems: Launched the first Open Seat Project, a landmark initiative that successfully recruited and elected 68 young leaders to the New York County Committee.• VP, Manhattan Young Dems: ran the first online petition in support of Marriage Equality after the bill was initially voted down, mobilizing thousands of New Yorkers and generating the national pressure needed to pass the historic bill.

Elected Leader, Young Democrats

Ben worked to bring the energy of Occupy Wall Street into the political mainstream by convincing Democratic Party leadership to engage directly with activists at Zuccotti Park.• Organizing Against Inequality: Led voter registration drives and mass petitioning efforts against hydrofracking and the billionaire-class tax cuts of the Cuomo administration.• Empowering the Electorate: Founded the OWS Electoral Politics Working Group, creating a framework to transform economic grief into sustained political action through candidate recruitment and voter education.

Organizer /Activist, Occupy Wall Street

With Reinvent Albany, Ben championed government reforms and transparency.• National Technology Research: Authored comprehensive white papers analyzing nationwide best practices for state-level technology use, providing a roadmap for New York to modernize its digital infrastructure.• Improving Service Delivery: Developed strategic frameworks for deploying technology to bridge the gap between bureaucracy and residents, focusing on making government services more transparent, accessible, and efficient.

Open Government Advocate, Reinvent Albany

Want to learn about where Ben stands on the issues that matter most to you?

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<h2>Make Government Work</h2>Together, we can leverage technology to make government work smarter.<ul><li>End Budget Overruns: Establish an Independent Capital Oversight Board for the MTA and state projects, mandating real-time "Earned Value" tracking to catch waste and stop cost overruns early.</li><li>Ethics with Teeth: Make the state ethics commission truly independent, with appointments made by non-political experts rather than the politicians they are tasked with overseeing.</li><li>Modernize the Architecture of Power: Mandate 48-hour digital disclosure for all lobbying meetings and state contract negotiations, putting an end to back-room deals and opening the daily functions of Albany to public view.</li></ul>

<h2>Put Power in People’s Hands</h2>Together, we can work towards turning the Assembly Seat into a civic hub for engagement and leadership.<ul><li>Beyond the Town Hall: Transform the district office into a civic laboratory with regular programming—including workshops on civics, organizing, history, and constitutional law.</li><li>Voter Empowerment: Fight for a truly accessible democracy by championing universal mail-in ballots, same-day registration, and statewide Ranked Choice Voting.</li><li>Democratizing Campaign Finance: Deliver stronger campaign finance reforms that close loopholes and amplify the voices of regular New Yorkers over corporate interests.</li></ul>

<h2>Build for the Future</h2>Together, we can push for systemic progress that solves today’s crises and secures our future.<ul><li>Rewriting the Housing Market: Move beyond marginal tweaks to address the core of the affordability crisis by rewriting the rules of the market to prioritize 2- and 3-bedroom family units and non-speculative housing.</li><li>Holistic Public Safety: Create safer streets by shifting investment toward mental health services, addiction support, and housing-first solutions for the unhoused.</li><li>Education as a Civic Foundation: Modernize our curriculum to cultivate informed citizens through mandatory civics, consent education, media literacy, and financial fluency.</li></ul>

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I will leverage regional transportation and strategic investment in high-tech industries to turn New York into a global hub for innovation, ensuring that the jobs of the future are built right here by our own residents.

I am working to end the affordability crisis by taxing luxury speculation to fund local community planning and the renovation of rent-controlled apartments for New York families.

Housing is the single largest expense for most New Yorkers—and when it fails, everything else starts to buckle. Families stretched thin disengage from civic life. Young people and working families leave the city and state. Homelessness rises. Entire neighborhoods hollow out as homes become investment vehicles instead of places to live.This unaffordability is a result of systemic policy that over-incentivizes large units for the luxury market so that our city builds massive structures, but few homes. This has turned New Yorkers against each other in piecemeal battles over plots of land when the real problem is our government’s approach to creating homes for New Yorkers.I will fight for:<ul><li>Vacancy Tax<ul><li>Eliminate the advantage of warehousing residential or commercial units and incentivize release into the market.</li></ul></li><li>Pied-a-terre Tax<ul><li>Ensure landowners who pay taxes elsewhere give their fair share to NYC</li><li>Penalize empty towers that lead to empty streets and monoculture communities</li><li>Rebalance the housing market, which incentivizes luxury market development</li></ul></li><li>State Land for Affordable Housing<ul><li>Any state land, or land in which the State has an interest through an Authority, should be required to be a minimum of 50% affordable.</li></ul></li><li>Affordable Housing Fund<ul><li>A new, dedicated lockbox for funding high-density, affordable housing in New York State in areas within commuter distance of economic hubs funded by vacancy and pied-a-terre taxes</li></ul></li><li>Replace AMI with Cost of Living<ul><li>AMI is relative to local incomes, not affordability, distorting the market.</li></ul></li><li>Restore Home Rule (see <a href="https://www.votebenyee.nyc/home-rule/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Home Rule</a>)<ul><li>Allow NYC to set its own housing and tax policies, currently blocked by Albany.</li></ul></li><li>Require the Dept of Transportation, MTA, and Port Authority to develop regional plans (see <a href="https://votebenyee.nyc/transportation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Transportation</a>) to drastically reduce rent pressure on the urban core<ul><li>More deeply integrating the metro-area means NY State can expand access to housing, development opportunities and economic opportunity.</li></ul></li><li>Increase mandatory affordable housing for tax breaks to 35% </li><li>Provide grants to municipal governments that create comprehensive development plans<ul><li>Create reliable plans to enable long-term investment in housing and other city services.</li><li>Force local legislators to do their jobs and address city planning instead of endlessly blocking critical projects piecemeal for political points.</li></ul></li><li>Tenant Protections<ul><li>Get rid of the housing court black list</li><li>Housing access vouchers</li><li>Reform the housing court</li><li>Fund true right-to-counsel for tenants</li></ul></li></ul>

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Ben has the most comprehensive policy proposals of anyone in this race. Find out more about his positions below.

Ben Yee's Policy Positions

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<ul><li>Restoring Corporate Responsibility: Realign New York’s corporate tax rate—which has been cut in half since the 90s—to match regional standards like New Jersey’s, ensuring corporations contribute fairly to the state’s infrastructure. </li><li>Fair Share Income Tax: Preserve the critical tax brackets for income over $1M set to sunset in 2027 and implement an additional 2% "Fair Share" surcharge on high earners to fund essential public services. </li><li>Speculation &amp; Vacancy Taxes: Enact a statewide Vacancy Tax on long-term empty storefronts and a Pied-à-Terre Tax on luxury secondary residences to discourage real estate speculation and put housing back on the market for New Yorkers. </li><li>Taxpayer Sovereignty: Support Home Rule for local taxation so that New York City can fund its own progressive programs without being blocked by special interests in Albany. </li><li>Closing the Wealth Gap: Use progressive tax revenue to directly fund the "3 Pillars" of the campaign—making government more effective, more empowering, and more visionary for the working class.</li></ul>

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I am fighting to treat sexual violence as a preventable crisis by mandating K-12 consent education and providing every survivor a right to counsel to end the cycle of normalization and prosecutorial neglect.

Sexual Violence &amp; Assault

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<ul><li>Accessible Veterinary Care: Expand public funding for low-cost spay, neuter, and wellness clinics across the state, ensuring that every New Yorker can afford to keep their pets healthy and safe. </li><li>Humane Entertainment Standards: Champion legislation to end the use of wild animals in circuses statewide, aligning New York with modern standards of animal protection and public safety. </li><li>Prioritizing Schools Over Subsidies: End the "hidden" subsidies for horse racing provided by slot machine revenue, redirecting those hundreds of millions of dollars to fund New York’s public schools and early childhood education. </li><li>Strengthening Animal Rights: Advocate for stricter enforcement against animal cruelty and neglect, treating the safety of our companion animals as a matter of community well-being. </li><li>Smart Resource Reallocation: Leverage the transition from outdated subsidies to create a permanent, dedicated funding stream for local animal shelters and rescue organizations.</li></ul>

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<ul><li>Ban Policy in the Budget and limit the budget to appropriations. Banning non-fiscal riders will restore transparency and ensure major policy changes receive a standalone debate rather than being forced through behind closed doors.</li></ul><ul><li>Strengthen NYC Home Rule and grant NYC constitutionally protected authority over local taxation, land use, and elections. The City should not need Albany’s permission for routine self-governance.</li></ul><ul><li>Streamline the Courts to simplify the NYS court structure, increase the number of judges, and reduce delays.</li></ul><ul><li>Expand Voting Rights by enabling "no-excuse" mail-in voting and same-day voter registration.</li></ul><ul><li>Institute Ranked-Choice Voting for General Elections to give voters more choice and reduce party gatekeeping in districts where the primary effectively decides the outcome.</li></ul><ul><li>Allow Multi-Member Assembly Districts to improve representation, reduce gerrymandering, and better reflect our diverse electorate.</li></ul><ul><li>Create a Truly Independent Ethics Body in the State Constitution to prevent the Executive from constantly challenging ethics enforcement.</li></ul><ul><li>Make Legislative Results More Transparent, allowing voters to easily search all the bills passed, vetoed, or killed in committee each year.</li></ul>

Huge swathes of New York City and the metro area lack fast, reliable mass transit, effectively forcing car ownership in places where it should not be necessary. This is not just an inconvenience—it is a cost-of-living failure. Fragmented regional planning and underinvestment mean that housing demand is artificially concentrated in a few neighborhoods of NYC, driving up rents, while more broadly, job access and opportunity remain gated by geography.Global peers like Tokyo and Singapore show what is possible when an entire metro region is planned as a single, integrated transportation system: lower housing pressure, broader labor markets, and far lower household transportation costs. New York has the density, ridership, and need—but not yet the execution.<ul><li>Make buses fast, frequent, and affordable<ul><li>Fund and expand Bus Rapid Transit, including protected lanes, transit signal priority, and camera enforcement.</li><li>Support fast and free bus service on high-ridership corridors.</li><li>Treat buses as core infrastructure, not a fallback—especially for lower-income riders and outer-borough communities.</li></ul></li><li>Integrate the region’s rail systems with through-running<ul><li>Execute long-delayed plans to integrate Metro-North, LIRR, PATH, and the subway with through-running, coordinated schedules, and unified fares.</li><li>Shift from siloed commuter railroads to a true regional rail network that makes longer-distance living viable without car dependence.</li><li>Use regional integration as a housing pressure valve, expanding where people can realistically live and work.</li></ul></li><li>Fund frequent service beyond rush hour<ul><li>Increase night, weekend, and off-peak service on commuter rail lines and buses.</li><li>Align transit schedules with how New Yorkers actually work—especially healthcare workers, service workers, and others outside the 9-to-5 economy.</li><li>Treat reliability and frequency as equity issues, not luxuries.</li></ul></li></ul><ul><li>Plan for future intercity and highway corridors responsibly<ul><li>Explore high-speed highway corridors that leverage emerging safety and speed technologies where they deliver benefits at far lower cost than traditional high-speed rail.</li><li>Ensure any such investments complement mass transit, climate, and safety goals.</li></ul></li><li>Encourage alternative modes with smart regulation<ul><li>Create a licensing structure for alternative transportation modes (e-bikes, scooters, shared mobility) for vehicles that move at motor-vehicle speeds</li><li>License delivery app drivers and hold corporations accountable for incentivizing unsafe driving practices with fines and insurance requirements.</li></ul></li><li>Improve Congestion Pricing<ul><li>Explore additional pricing windows to create incentives for drivers to further spread commuting density during rush hours</li><li>Explore exemptions or discounts for vulnerable residents in the CP zone</li></ul></li></ul>

17 Years of Activism

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Timeline

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Sexual violence is one of the most widespread and under-addressed crimes in our society. An estimated 39% of women and 17% of men experience sexual violence in their lifetime, with rates even higher in marginalized communities. Yet, when these crimes are reported, over 60% do not receive a meaningful investigation. Despite its prevalence and severity, sexual violence is often treated as inevitable—normalized to the point that a life-altering crime affecting nearly half the population is written off as a fact of life.Public debate routinely focuses on highly visible crimes like retail theft, while offering few concrete proposals for preventing sexual violence itself. Calls for more policing do not address the reality that nearly 80% of sexual violence occurs before age 25, often long before workplace or college interventions ever reach people. In fact, research has shown that many college and workplace trainings are statistically ineffective or even counterproductive, sometimes reinforcing already-learned behaviors rather than changing them. The result is a reactive system that accepts harm instead of preventing it.Ben rejects this resignation. Sexual violence is not inevitable. It is preventable—and the evidence is clear about what works.<ul><li>K-12 Age-Appropriate Consent Education<ul><li>For the last decade, Australia piloted K-12 consent education in various States, finally releasing a mandatory, nationwide curriculum in 2020. These programs, as well as various studies in the US, have shown consent education can reduce sexual violence &amp; gender based bullying by 25%-50%</li></ul></li><li>Legal Support for People Reporting Crimes (see <a href="https://www.votebenyee.nyc/public-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Public Safety</a>)<ul><li>It is difficult to report a crime, and sexual violence has the highest rate of “prosecutorial attrition” — reports that go nowhere — of any category. A large part of this is because reporters have no legal support unless the DA decides to get involved, which is dependent on a successful report. NYC recently started a program to supply any person facing housing court with an attorney; it is a civic imperative to provide this for people reporting crimes.</li></ul></li></ul>

Every election candidates for City Council and Mayor run with ideas on how to improve our city. All too often the response is “will Albany go along with that?” But upstate politicians are funded by the same wealthy interests as New York politicians, they just don’t have to deal with the consequences of bad policy. New York City lacks the power to even try solving some of its most pressing issues, it’s time Albany got out of New York City’s business starting with:<ul><li>Home Rule for Taxes<ul><li>If New Yorkers vote for programs that will improve their lives, and the taxes to support them, we should be able to follow through without begging Albany.</li></ul></li><li>Home Rule for Housing<ul><li>Rent stabilization programs, eviction laws, vacancy rules and more — New York City is a unique housing market with a unique housing crisis that isn’t felt by the rest of the State. It should be empowered to develop and try solutions without Albany’s say-so.</li></ul></li><li>Home Rule Over Court Administration<ul><li>There is a severe judge shortage in New York, and NYC in particular. This creates huge problems like an inability to provide constitutionally mandated access to a speedy trial, long detainments for unconvicted persons that create life-long or life-threatening situations, a justice system incapable of serving legal and justice needs of New Yorkers. New York deserves the right to serve its residents by expanding the corps of civil servants dedicated to justice.</li></ul></li></ul>

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Ben Yee is an educator, innovator, and a firm believer that democracy should work for the many, not the few.

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