What’s In It for You?
A fair question.
I’m asking for your vote, your time, and your trust. That’s not a small ask—especially right now.
So it’s only right to ask what you get in return.
Here’s the short answer:
You get someone who will fight corruption, fight for healthcare, fight to keep more of Niagara Falls’ money here, and fight for an economy that works for regular people—not insiders.
But there’s more to it than that.
I’m not asking to be your boss. I don’t believe in top-down politics. I believe the best leadership is a partnership—where people are heard, respected, and treated like adults. That’s how real progress happens. And that’s how I intend to serve.
Look at the Record, Not the Rhetoric
You’ve heard promises before. Everyone says the right things during a campaign—then they get into office and disappear.
So don’t take my word for it. Judge me by my record.
You may know me as Grand Island Town Supervisor—where I put my head down, ignored the noise, and worked through tough problems to deliver results you can still see today.
Or you may know me from my congressional runs, where I took on two extremely wealthy, lifelong political insiders. Both eventually resigned. One publicly denied wrongdoing, claimed innocence, and later pleaded guilty and went to prison.
Through all of it, I never sold out.
I never stayed quiet to land a cushy job.
I never bowed to party bosses.
I never protected my own career at the expense of the truth.
I’ve challenged corruption in both parties—openly and consistently.
I kept my integrity. And I delivered results.
Real Work. Real Results.
Unlike most politicians, I’ve spent years in the private sector—building businesses, working internationally, and solving real problems.
I’ve worked real jobs. I’ve had bad bosses, long hours, and real pressure. I know what it’s like when someone else controls your time and your pay. I also know what it takes to work your way up.
I taught myself Korean and Mandarin. I worked across borders. I was a Fulbright Scholar—the highest academic scholarship the U.S. government offers for overseas study. I’ve worked on everything from local constitutional issues to multi-million-dollar business projects. I’ve also started small businesses. I know the pressure of making payroll. I know what it’s like to make things work on a tight budget.
That experience matters—because government should be run by people who understand how the real world actually works.
As Supervisor of Grand Island, I didn’t do what was safest for reelection. I did what was right.
The results are still here:
The West River Trail
The Welcome Center
Scenic Woods and land preservation
Transforming a long-closed industrial site into a successful hotel
Passing term limits for local officials
These weren’t photo ops. They required judgment, persistence, and the willingness to take heat.
And when I left office—after all that development—Grand Island still held the highest possible municipal credit rating: AAA.
Why This Seat Matters
This district is my home.
I know the struggle people face just to pay rent, get through school, or put food on the table. That isn’t right.
I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon. I grew up one of seven kids, raised by a single mom, in a snow-covered house along the canal in North Tonawanda. I’ve spent my life in and around Niagara Falls, Lewiston, and Youngstown.
These aren’t just places on a map to me. They’re personal.
This region shaped me. And I believe deeply in its people.
We can do better here—together. We deserve leadership that fights for this place as hard as insiders fight for themselves.
That’s what I bring to Assembly District 145.
Healthcare Comes First
There is no reason insulin or EpiPens should cost hundreds of dollars here while costing a fraction in other countries.
That isn’t innovation.
That isn’t a free market.
That’s a broken system. It’s theft.
And I’ll fight to fix it.
Keeping Niagara Falls’ Money Here
Niagara Falls should be one of the strongest small cities in America. Instead, billions of dollars flow through this region every year—from tourism, hydropower, tolls, and the casino—while too little stays here.
That isn’t an accident.
It’s extraction.
When local wealth is siphoned away, families fall behind, small businesses struggle, and opportunity dries up.
I’ll fight to keep more of that money local, where it belongs.
Corruption Should Not Be “Normal”
This region has seen too many scandals, convictions, and abuses of power. Too often, the response is a shrug—and moving on.
For decades, a small clique of politicians in Niagara County has called the shots. They rely on backroom deals, quiet co-option, and party loyalty to avoid accountability. They assume your vote is locked in.
That’s how corruption becomes routine.
The result is an insider-only, friends-and-family system. Too many families can’t get their kids a summer job unless they “know someone.” Too many people are told to be grateful for scraps while insiders pass opportunity among themselves.
That isn’t stability.
It’s decay.
When corruption becomes normal, regular people pay the price—families, workers, kids, and small businesses who play by the rules while insiders skate by.
I won’t excuse it.
I won’t ignore it.
And I won’t normalize it—even when it would be easier or politically convenient.
An Economy That Works for You
We have a world-class tourism destination, strong agriculture, and deep economic ties to Canada. We should be doing far better than we are.
This region is blessed—and yet it’s struggling. People are leaving. Families are falling behind. And too often, no one wants to talk honestly about why.
It’s easier to pretend everything is fine.
But it isn’t.
There are bright spots, like what’s happening on Webster Street in North Tonawanda. But I’ve watched this region decline in my own lifetime. My mother watched it decline in hers. And for many families here, their parents saw the same thing before that.
That isn’t inevitable.
It’s the result of choices—and leaders who stopped asking hard questions.
We need to fix it.
No excuses.
Not someday.
Now.
So What’s In It for You?
If you want someone who shows up, tells the truth, fights for this place, and listens—that’s what you’ll get.
But this only works as a partnership.
I need your perspective. Your ideas. Your lived experience. I need to understand what you see, what you’ve dealt with, and what you think will actually make this place better.
That’s how real change happens.
I don’t care what party you’re from. I don’t care who you know, what your last name is, or whether you’ve ever been involved in politics before.
If you believe this region can do better—and you’re willing to be part of making that happen—I need you with me.
Someone who will listen.
Someone who will work with you.
A partner—not a boss.