Job Creation and the Economy

Quality jobs are the key to keeping our families and our economy happy and healthy. Brent will invest in worker re-training programs that are most in demand by today’s businesses. Brent will create tax incentives and a better environment to attract high tech, green and other quality jobs to establish themselves and flourish in our district.

Taxes and Government Efficiency

Taxes are a major burden on both New York City residents and businesses. With this financial crisis it will be difficult to lower taxes, but Brent will prevent them from increasing and set up a financially sound system to lower taxes in the future. To prevent higher taxes and cuts in services, Brent will work to increase our tax base and make our government more efficient.

Education

Our children’s success will be determined in large part by their education. Brent will push for early education and to keep class size small. Brent will fight to provide a decent salary for teachers and make sure they have the resources to do their job. Brent will work with schools to stress math and science and prepare our children to be able to tackle the new technologies and the jobs of the future. Brent understands that parents need to be involved in their children’s education and will work to give parents a voice in their children’s school and requires more feedback and transparency in the educational system.

Cost of Living

Brent will work with Con Ed and the MTA to find resources and efficiencies to bring down electricity, transportation and other daily living costs.

Environment

For the future of our children and planet, we need to make the transition to green technologies. Brent will work to develop a solar empowerment zone in our district and bring wind and other clean energies to the area. Brent will also work with federal agencies to clean up polluted and contaminated areas such as Newtown Creek.

Responsible Development & Affordable Housing

Brent will make sure there is sufficient affordable housing in the district and that residential developers build appropriate infrastructure such as schools, sewers and transportation hubs and Brent will fight to ensure that the development does not destroy the character of the neighborhood.

Health Care

We need to provide affordable health care to all. Brent will use the power of the government to pool uninsured, collectively negotiate and expand affordable health programs like the Brooklyn Healthworks program to our district.

Transportation

We need reliable and safe transit. Brent understands that driving less means a cleaner environment and a more stable economy less dependent upon foreign oil. Brent will focus on improving mass transit to make it more comfortable, more convenient and less expensive and he will work to expand the ferry services.

Small Business

Small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods. We need to give them our support by lower the costs for establishing and running businesses. Brent will work to provide low interest rate loans to small business and cut the bureaucratic red tape that stifles their growth.

Clean Government

Brent believes we need to make government transparent, accountable and responsive. Brent will work to cut the influence of lobbyist, make our voting machines safe, and open the books of government for all to see.

Crime & Safety

We need to make our streets safe and clean. Brent will provide our police a decent wage, add more police on the streets and invest in the technology to track and reduce crime.