Assembly District 59 – General Election 2014

ROXANNE PERSAUD  – DEM
Age: 48   Occupation: Registrar at Saint Francis College
Education: Pace University (MSE, BS)
Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign Website
Campaign Filings

 

Roxanne Persaud is a community activist in Canarsie who has been involved with the community board and local police precinct council.  She is running for election because she believes the issues plaguing her neighborhood, specifically those caused by Hurricane Sandy, need to be addressed in Albany. She states that aid resulting from Sandy is being distributed based on apparent need rather than actual need; for example, damage to single family homes is more apparent than the less-visible damage in apartment buildings. Persaud also advocates for the equitable programming and funding for community centers and parks in neighborhoods across her district, especially Canarsie. Persaud is unclear about the substance and intended goals of Citizens Union’s agenda, and opposes many items on Citizens Union’s questionnaire.  Regarding campaign finance, she has an ambivalent position that highlights her view that campaigns require money, but also a certain measure of oversight. She opposes pension forfeiture because she thinks it should only apply to officials who are convicted of felonies relating to their public office. Persaud is committed and passionate about her district, and has a commendable record as a community activist.  While she seems open to learning more about reform issues, she lacks specificity regarding how she would achieve her goals and advance Citizens Union’s agenda, focusing on identifying needed services rather than the legislative responsibilities of the position.

 

 

 

JEFFREY FERRETTI  – R,C
Age: 56
Occupation: Real Estate Broker
Education: St. John’s University (Degree not reported)

 

Jeffrey Ferretti is a realtor in Brooklyn, and is running for assembly because the seat has been vacant since January of 2014, and believes he can best fill the void since there has been a lack of representation for his community in Albany, and constituent services have not been provided. Ferretti emphasizes the need for job creation as one of his top priorities. Regarding Citizens Union’s reform issues, Ferretti has no specific knowledge of these items, though spoke generally about the need for representation in his community.  On his questionnaire, he opposes many issues related to voter registration and reducing barriers to voting.  Ferretti’s goal to ensure adequate representation for his community is admirable, but he does not fully grasp the responsibilities of the position, or the manner in which services are delivered through state government.