The New York Young Republican Club has established the following policy platform as a means to express our conservative values and serve as an actionable advocacy agenda.

If you would like to submit a resolution in order for it to be included as part of our platform please use the form here.

Taxes

  • We support the reduction, flattening, and eventual elimination of the state income, sales, and corporate tax to stimulate economic growth.
  • We oppose the extension of the millionaire’s tax.
  • We oppose any “congestion pricing plan”.
  • We support a full exemption of clothing from the state sales tax.
  • We are opposed to the levying of state and local sales taxes on out-of-state internet purchases.
  • We support a requirement of a two-thirds majority in both houses of the New York State Legislature to vote for any tax increase.
  • We support legislation to make permanent the 2% property- tax cap legislation and expand its inclusion to New York City.
  • We oppose the adoption of a New York State Payroll Tax.
  • We support amending the school property tax and real property tax cap to allow district- wide vote by residents to override the budget with a two-thirds majority vote.
  • We oppose the adoption of a “circuit-breaker” property tax relief program.
  • We support ending the practice of increasing fees or “hidden” taxes by local government entities.
  • We support a full repeal of the MTA tax and no reinstatement of the “Commuter Tax”.
  • We support  a full repeal of the Commercial Rent Tax.
  • We support the elimination of the state income tax on dividend earnings.
  • We support the elimination of the Gross Receipts Tax.
  • We support the elimination of the New York State estate tax.

Spending

  • We believe that budget and union contract approval for local government entities (e.g., fire departments, libraries, and school districts) should be contingent on local voter approval.
  • We support the ending and repealing unfunded mandates.
  • We believe local governments should be required to consolidate services and, where possible, eliminate duplication of services.
  • We oppose the practice of disbursing economic development council grants and tax credits that are used to benefit favored entities because it creates unjust favoritism with taxpayers’ funds that prevents competition on a level playing field.
  • We support the adoption of a constitutional amendment limiting any increase in state spending to below the rate of inflation.
  • We support the prohibition of public authorities from issuing new debt except to finance capital improvements backed by a stable revenue stream paid directly by the project’s beneficiaries (e.g., bridge tolls).
  • We support the adoption of a constitutional amendment to ban “appropriation-backed” debt that does not have voter approval.
  • We support the adoption of a constitutional amendment that lists the total debt expected from a bond act.
  • We support the adoption of a constitutional amendment to end all “back door” borrowing and to allow the voters of New York to have more than one bond issue on the ballot.
  • We support the adoption of a constitutional amendment that requires that legislation funding New York State Budget be strictly limited to budget items and not programs that should stand alone for a legislative vote.

Rule of Law

  • We believe law enforcement agencies throughout the state should be required to detain for purposes of notifying federal authorities any individual reasonably suspected of being in the United States illegally.
  • We support law enforcement agencies efforts utilizing all effective and constitutional law enforcement techniques (e.g., profiling, surveillance, and “stop and frisk”) that keep citizens safe.
  • We are opposed to any efforts to change the way district attorneys prosecute crimes and oppose changing the grand jury system.
  • We support legislation that seeks to increase the level of offense when an individual or group specifically targets and/or lures members of law enforcement, firemen, first responders, or active military to be physically harmed.
  • We believe that DNA databanks should include anyone convicted of a felony criminal offense.
  • We believe that bail should be denied to defendants charged with committing felony crimes of violence and that community safety should be considered in all bail decisions.
  • We reject ending cash bail.
  • We reject any effort to change the state’s double jeopardy protection.
  • We reject efforts to permit convicted felons to serve on juries.
  • We support legislation that allows for prosecution as a felon after a third independent misdemeanor offense.
  • We support the restoration of the death penalty.
  • We believe that prisoners should have to work toward reentry into society; their food, shelter and clothing cost taxpayers’ money, and we believe they should be required to reimburse the state for the cost of their detention.
  • We believe every reasonable effort must be made to ensure that people who are held in jail are given a speedy trial to determine their guilt or innocence and that discovery must include all the legally obtained information.
  • We oppose releasing prisoners as an approach to balance the state budget.
  • We oppose legislation and administrative action utilizing asset forfeiture laws which enable the confiscation of the private property of persons not involved in a crime. Forfeiture of assets can only be enforced after conviction of the property owner as a penalty for the crime. Such forfeitures must follow full due process of law under criminal prosecution standards.
  • We oppose the monitoring and controlling of the financial transactions of the people through such proposed laws as “Know Your Customer.” ​​ Banks should be repositories of treasure and fiduciaries for the people, not enforcers for the State. Any information regarding customer transactions the State obtains from banks must be subject to the traditional Fourth Amendment safeguards.
  • We support the repeal of the Martin Act.

Gun Rights

  • We believe citizens shall have the right to protect themselves with legally purchased firearms. Local and state laws should not require additional licenses or permits to allow citizens in good standing to carry firearms. The NY SAFE Act must be repealed.
  • We reject expanding the Red Flag Law and any examination of social media sites as part of background checks.
  • We reject any restrictions placed on the rights of law-abiding citizens to legally acquire and possess firearms, or any other constitutionally-protected means of self-defense (e.g., electric stun devices and gravity knives).
  • We support the repeal of the Sullivan Act.

Health Care

  • We oppose the New York Health Act.
  • We believe that Medicaid must be reformed to decrease spending. Among other reforms, we believe that Medicaid should eliminate programs that are not covered by private insurance carriers (e.g.,transportation to and from doctor’s appointments).
  • We believe that every effort has to be made to eliminate Medicaid fraud and to recover the monies paid on fraudulent claims.
  • We oppose all efforts to encourage physician-assisted suicide (i.e., “death with dignity”).
  • We oppose efforts to expand the availability of abortion services and the use of taxpayers’ money to pay for abortions.

Education

  • We support school choice programs through establishment of a system of educational tax credits or deductions and/or vouchers in payment to parents or school districts for expenses incurred in elementary or secondary education.
  • We support eliminating all caps on the number of charter schools permitted in New York State.
  • We support the merit testing of students for admission to specialized high schools.
  • We support allowing school districts to  permit school personnel to have access to firearms with the stipulation that they should be provided training and support by state and local law enforcement.
  • We oppose any plans to provide “free” tertiary (e.g., college, trade school)education.
  • We support a repeal of the “Dream Act”, which rewards illegal immigrants with a college education at the expense of our citizens.
  • We believe any student enrolled in our higher education system must be able to prove that they are in our country legally and that any visa used to enter our country has not expired.
  • We believe that institutions of higher education must be required to adhere to the constitutional right of guaranteed free speech.
  • We oppose all forms of open enrollment for the state university system.
  • We believe that teachers who have acted in any seriously unprofessional manner must be stripped of tenure and access to accrued pension benefits and prevented from teaching in the future.
  • We  oppose the establishment and funding of any educational institute by any municipality that seeks to promote a culture or history that does not support the United States Constitution.
  • We believe that local governments of education should have control without the mandates of Common Core standards.
  • We support the unimpeded right of parents to provide for the education of their children in the manner they deem​​ best for their children (e.g., home schooling, private schools, or religious schools).
  • We believe compulsory attendance laws should be repealed. Parents need not defy the law by refusing to send their children to schools of which they disapprove.
  • We believe that equitable tax relief should be provided for families whose children do not attend government schools.

Immigration

  • We oppose amnesty in all forms for those who break our immigration laws.
  • We support construction of a security barrier (i.e., a wall) on our border with Mexico and stronger surveillance at every possible point of entry into our country.
  • We believe that government service providers should require proof that people who receive government services are here legally.
  • We believe all government forms should be printed in English only.
  • We believe that citizens who vote should vote exclusively in English.
  • We believe that people who have entered our country and state illegally are not entitled to drivers’ licenses or any other government professional licenses and forms of identification.
  • We believe that photo identification confirming status of US citizenship should be required and presented to the poll inspectors before voting, as well as when registering to vote.

Government Reform

  • We support an amendment to the New York State Constitution establishing voter-proposed ballot initiatives, referendums, and recall.
  • We oppose any attempt to establish “early voting” or instant voter registration in New York State.
  • We believe that political campaigns should not be financed with tax dollars.
  • We believe that any attempt to amend the Human Rights Law to include “transgender” language as a special class of citizens should be rejected.
  • We support the direct election of all judges for shorter terms.
  • We believe that candidates for political office should not accept campaign contributions from sovereign entities not bound by or that violate the laws and regulations of the New York State Board of Elections.
  • We support efforts that result in apolitical Boards of Elections.
  • We oppose any effort to diminish the power of those enrolled in a political party by denying them the ability to control their own party.
  • We support the adoption of a constitutional amendment establishing a requirement that the Governor call special elections within a certain statutory calendar.
  • We oppose any legislation that allows felons to vote.
  • We believe that, if a budget is not enacted by March 31, no action should be taken on any other bills, with the exception of legislation necessary for public safety.
  • We believe that, once a budget is adopted, all other business should be concluded within 30 days.
  • We believe that increases in legislative pay should be approved by public referendum, not a commission appointed by elected officials.
  • We believe that budget bills should only include items that are directly related to keeping the budget in sound fiscal health.
  • We believe that the role of state legislators should not be a full-time profession and that state legislators should be allowed to continue their outside careers subject to strict ethical scrutiny for conflicts of interest.
  • We believe that no taxpayer or campaign funds should be used to pay for settlements related to any public official’s sexual harassment or misconduct, nor should there be any non-disclosure agreements.
  • We believe that the unreasonable and massive use of eminent domain to take over private lands, particularly to aid private industry, must end.
  • We believe that English should be established as the official language.
  • We oppose any legislation that seeks to end electoral fusion.
  • We support the return of proportional representation to the New York City Council.
  • We are opposed to New York’s participation in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

Labor

  • We believe that New York State should be a right-to-work state.
  • We believe that union members’ First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and assembly should be reaffirmed and protected against arbitrary disciplinary actions.
  • We support strengthening the Taylor Law and the repeal of the Triborough Amendment.
  • We are strongly opposed to attempts to allow mediators to declare that officials are bargaining in bad faith.
  • We support limiting pay raises from binding arbitration to 2% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower.
  • We believe that, since the United States Supreme Court struck down Agency Shop, government unions should not be able to prevent public employees from opting out.

Religious Freedom

  • We believe legislation must be adopted to protect private citizens and faith-based entities from being forced to participate in activities that violate their religious convictions.
  • We urge the legitimization of the traditionally accepted role of nonsectarian religious observance in our public schools through a legislation making it clear that non-denominational, non-coercive prayer in public schools shall not be prohibited and that individual or group religious observance or activity shall not be prohibited, infringed, or discriminated against through refusal of reasonable accommodation or by any other form of disparate treatment.
  • We oppose government organizations imposing non-religious values on religious people and institutions.
  • We assert that any form of taxation on churches and other religious organizations is a direct and dangerous step toward state control of religious organizations. Such intrusion is prohibited by the United States Constitution and must be halted.

Right to Life

  • We firmly reject any attempt to expand the already liberal abortion laws of New York State.
  • We believe that New York’s present abortion law, including the Reproductive Health Act, should be repealed and should re-adopt the prior statute permitting therapeutic abortions only under the most clearly defined conditions hazardous to the life of the mother.
  • We believe that unborn victims of violence should be given the full protection of our laws.
  • We believe that tax dollars should not be used to prevent or end a pregnancy.
  • We believe that efforts must be made to ease adoption laws in New York State so that traditional families can provide a loving home to unwanted or abandoned children.
  • We believe that elderly, terminally ill, and patients who cannot advocate for themselves should have the full protection of the law to prevent attempts to end their lives prematurely.

Regulation

  • We support the repeal of the Wicks Law and the Scaffold Law, which unnecessarily inflate construction costs.
  • We call for the repeal of the minimum wage and oppose living wage legislation.
  • We believe that tort reform, including the expansion of sanctions for bringing frivolous lawsuits, is essential to encourage the free flow of business.
  • We support repealing the requirement that new LLC or LLP publish notices for six weeks in two different newspapers.
  • We support a constitutional amendment that would specifically define “eminent domain” to prohibit takings for economic development purposes and limit takings to true public purposes.
  • We believe that hydrofracking in accordance with federal regulations should be permitted in the state.
  • We believe that state-mandated paid family leave is unreasonable and unsustainable and must be repealed and not expanded for any reason, including for bereavement.
  • We believe that companies should be allowed to hire the best-qualified person without fear of breaching hiring quotas.
  • We support the repeal of all rent control and rent stabilization regulations, including the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act.

Welfare

  • We support adopting the strictest legal reforms and work requirements for welfare recipients, giving control to the local counties to set limits for the amount of payment, allow for 100% sanctions if the public assistance work rules are not adhered to, require full restitution if fraud is used to obtain benefits, and firmly establish that each welfare recipient is in our country legally.
  • We support the requirement of drug testing and fingerprinting all who apply for government benefits.
  • We reject the use of taxpayer money to fund outreach for new welfare recipients.
  • We support “restreeting” plans and proposals for developments controlled by the New York City Housing Authority.

Family Rights

  • We believe legislation must be adopted to protect religious institutions from being required to recognize or perform marriages that are not within their traditional definition of marriage.
  • We reject surrogacy contract legislation because it commercializes children and devalues the role of a mother in a child’s life.
  • We call for an end to all taxation and economic formulas that discourage marriage, incentivize co-habitation and child bearing outside of marriage, or authorize or provide government funding for policies and programs that further​​ erode the jurisdiction of the family or parental rights.