Jennifer Figueroa
RepublicanQ1 Data centers are a controversial part of America’s growing AI industry, supporting cutting-edge innovation and potential job creation, but raising issues of resource use and utility costs. New York now has a moratorium on data center construction. At the same time, state tax law grants tax exemptions to equipment and services used by data centers, which some proposed legislation would repeal. What do you see as the right balance of costs and benefits for new data center construction in New York, and how would your policies accomplish that balance?
I support building new data centers and I wouldn’t support any legislation that gets in the way. I’d also support legislation that lets data centers build their own power plants — coal or whatever — so they don’t put the burden on regular people.
Q2 New York currently generates about 47% of its energy from low carbon sources including nuclear, hydropower, and wind and solar, with the remainder coming from combustion sources (natural gas, oil, biofuel, and solid waste). While New York committed to shifting to low-carbon energy sources and emissions reductions in passing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), Governor Hochul recently moved to delay implementation of several components of the state’s climate law to December 31, 2028. As concerns about energy costs, reliability, and emissions grow, what energy sources would you prioritize, under what timeline, and what evidence would guide that decision?
i would prioritize nuclear and cola and and only move to any other way if and when there is a way to make any other way affordable
Q3 Young adults say that social media is their top source of science information, but acknowledge that it is less trustworthy compared to other sources. In addition, the widespread usage of social media and other sources of scientific information has resulted in the spread of misinformation that has spurred public education policies to curb it, such as a NYC vaccine misinformation legislation. What role should public education play in combatting misinformation and disseminating trustworthy, up to date scientific information to students and their families?
both are vary important and the people have lost trust in the institutions so what we need is to rebuild trust so we can educate the people with true unbiased science
Q4 Pesticides are widely used in food production to help manage pests and support crop yields, but ongoing debates over their safety have raised questions about their long-term use and led to proposals to restrict certain pesticides. What data and evidence will you use to weigh the role of these products in food security against safety concerns when shaping policy on their use in New York agriculture?
i will listen to every one and make my own informed Decision
Q5 New York has the second largest international student population of any U.S. state, the majority of which study in STEM fields. The federal government is pursuing largescale changes to student visa approval, including increased visa denials, revoking existing visas, restricting travel from certain countries, and decreasing student visa durations. How, if at all, should New York respond to federal visa changes affecting international STEM students and researchers, and the resulting projected changes in the scientific workforce supply?
New York shouldn’t fight the federal government on visa rules.
We need to focus on training our own STEM workforce so we’re not so dependent on foreign students. Grow local talent through better programs and apprenticeships, keep the skilled people we already have, and put New York workers first.
Q6 Extreme weather events are increasingly impacting farmland and food supplies across NY, including up to 30 million dollars in damages to farmer livelihoods. This has prompted the USDA to designate 30 counties in New York as Natural Disaster Areas. What policies, if any, would you support to help farmers adapt to and prepare for increasingly erratic weather?
Farmers need practical help, not more mandates.
I’d support cutting red tape so they can adapt faster—things like easier permitting for drainage, irrigation, or crop insurance improvements—and targeted tax relief or grants that don’t pile new costs onto taxpayers. Let farmers make the decisions that work for their land instead of Albany dictating solutions.
Q7 Law enforcement agencies across New York have contracted with Flock to install Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras as a public safety tool. The technology is receiving pushback over concerns over privacy and data sharing, resulting in city councilors in Syracuse voting to remove Flock cameras. What are your views on accessibility and utilization of ALPR data by local and federal law enforcement, and what legislation, if any, would you propose governing how ALPR data is collected, stored, shared and retained?
ALPR cameras can help catch criminals, but they can’t turn into a surveillance system.
Access should be limited to a small number of authorized officers, and they should only be allowed to check the data for a specific crime investigation—not for general monitoring or fishing expeditions. Clear rules on how long the data is kept and who can share it would keep it useful without invading people’s privacy.
Q8 Smoke from Canadian wildfires in recent summers has pushed New York air quality to unhealthy levels. The long-term consequences, if any, of these wildfires are unknown: Short-term data show a rise in asthma-related emergency department visits during smoke events, though some studies suggest the increase is comparable to that seen on high-pollen days. With extreme wildfire seasons projected to become more frequent as global temperatures rise, what measures, if any, do you think New York should invest in to prepare for future smoke events?
Start raking up the leaves before every winter, pick up all the fallen trees, and dig water wells in the woods to keep them wet so they don’t catch fire so easily.
Q9 New York is the second largest recipient of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Proposed federal budgets would significantly reduce NIH funds going to New York hospitals, universities, and research institutions. Where do you stand on the proposed changes to NIH funding levels, and what steps, if any, would you take to address their potential effect on New York’s research sector?
I believe we should keep funding science.
It’s not just about jobs—it’s about the research that helps make the world a better place. New York’s hospitals and universities do important work, and big cuts to NIH funding would hurt that. I’d fight to protect the money that actually produces results here.