Chris Murray challenges Palumbo with affordability, health care focus

Democrat Chris Murray has placed affordability, health care and environmental protection at the center of his campaign as he tries to unseat incumbent Republican state Sen. Anthony Palumbo.

Mr. Murray — an attorney who was elected chairman of the Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees in 2019 and has also chaired the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, been president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce and was a member of the North Hempstead zoning board — said concerns about the direction of the country also helped motivate him to run, particularly what he sees as a need for states to push back against some Trump administration policies.

“I have a great deal of local experience,” Mr. Murray said. “It’s a time in my life when I can do this, and I felt it was an opportunity to try to do something positive.”

On affordability, Mr. Murray’s campaign has proposed a five-point agenda aimed at lowering the cost of living for working families on Long Island and across the state.

Mr. Murray said one proposal would cut the state sales-tax rate by 1 percentage point and make up the lost revenue by increasing income taxes on the top 8% of earners in New York. He said the change would shift more of the tax burden toward higher earners while providing broader relief through the sales-tax reduction.

“I’d also create an account similar to a 529 account for first-time homebuyers, where the interest would be tax-free as people save for a down payment,” Mr. Murray continued. “The average age of a first-time homebuyer has risen significantly, and that’s a major problem, especially on Long Island.”

“I also believe the state should fulfill its obligation to fund one-third of the cost of community colleges,” he continued. “Right now, the state provides substantially less than that, and the difference has to be made up through tuition. I support the New York Health Act, which I believe could reduce costs for school districts, local governments and businesses while also protecting people from financial ruin when someone in their family gets sick.”

He also supports targeted relief measures such as a gas-tax holiday. Mr. Murray acknowledged that the cost-of-living pressures facing New Yorkers cannot be solved with a single policy.

“There’s no silver bullet,” said Mr. Murray, who lives in Strong’s Neck.

On immigration enforcement, Mr. Murray said he supports OLA of Eastern Long Island’s proposed public-safety policy and shares the group’s concerns about fear within immigrant communities. He said he opposes local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in some circumstances, including honoring immigration detainers, unless the agency addresses concerns about its practices.

Mr. Murray also raised concerns about the potential for immigration enforcement at polling places on Election Day, saying it could discourage eligible citizens from voting.

“I think that’s very much a concern for me,” Mr. Murray said. “It’s just due process of people when they’re challenged. Some of the stuff you see is just bizarre. Look at what ICE did in Minneapolis. The killing of the two people there. It’s nothing short of murder.”

Environmental protection is another major focus of Mr. Murray’s campaign, drawing on his work with the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. He said protecting the East End’s natural resources is also critical to the region’s economy and called for greater resources for environmental enforcement, stronger accountability for companies responsible for pollution and additional support for communities confronting water-quality concerns.

He also emphasized the importance of renewable energy and preserving local control over development decisions. Mr. Murray said conversations with residents in Riverhead and on the North Fork have repeatedly returned to two issues: the environment and affordability.

“One of the things that we [Citizens Campaign for the Environment] were happiest about was in 2019, New York State took a very prominent role in fighting climate change,” Mr. Murray said. “We really felt we were in the middle of making the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.”

Mr. Murray, who is challenging Mr. Palumbo for New York’s 1st Senate District seat, said the choice between the two candidates comes down in part to the kind of leadership voters want from their state senator, including how New York responds to federal policies he opposes.

“I think it’s important that we have leadership,” Mr. Murray said.