Alicia Purdy is a multi-media journalist with a background in federal legislation and financial investment reporting. She has served as a reporter and managing editor for two news organizations with a global reach. In 2021, Purdy ran for Mayor of Albany, placing second in a four-way race and achieving a record number of votes for a Republican candidate in the city.
Purdy resides in Albany with her husband, Homer, their five children, and two grandchildren. Her work includes publishing City Hall Confidential in 2021, which focused on financial and administrative issues in Albany’s local government. In 2023, she published her first novel, THEY, a work of transformational fiction exploring themes of truth and conformity.
Purdy holds a B.A. in Broadcasting and an M.A. in Journalism, beginning her career at Cuyler News Service in the New York State Assembly press corps. She is now running for the New York State Assembly, emphasizing representation for New Yorkers focused on stability and community well-being.
Property Taxes and Cost of Living
• What specific policies would you advocate to balance the need for essential public services with keeping property taxes affordable?
Property taxes in New York would be more affordable if money was divested from aggressive projects such as the CLCPA and put toward areas that make direct impacts on the everyday lives of New Yorkers. Specifically, I will advocate that public services that impact people and help them succeed and prosper (safety, transportation, mental health, etc) are prioritized over the money that spent on projects that subtract from the bottom line of already stretched budgets.
• How do you plan to address the rising cost of living in your district?
New York State is over-taxed because of mis-prioritized spending. I will work to address the rising cost of living in the state by 1) requiring accountability in spending, 2) tracking the returns on investment in our spending, 3) fighting to expose and reduce pet project spending and wastefulness with overlapping legislation, 4) helping to loosen the tangle of red tape that is chasing out businesses in the state, and 5) pushing the city of Albany to get the TRUE amount owed from the state for hosting state buildings in the capital city.
Affordable Housing
• How do you propose to expand access to affordable housing in your area?
It is imperative that he NYS legislature work with municipalities on this issue. For too long, towns and cities have been either over legislated and under consulted in how to plan to addressing affordable housing. I will work to make meaningful connections between the “right hand and the left hand” in approaching this issue, and I am a firm believer that big government is not the solution, but instead, innovation can also come from the private sector.
• What is your stance on rent control or other measures to ensure that housing remains attainable for low- and middle-income families?
Chasing out good landlords, rather than incentivizing them, and over-regulating and over-taxing small businesses (eg. Property owners) has led to a “scarcity mindset” where landlords often feel forced to operate at the lowest common denominator (the letter of the law), to abandon the state (taking needed resources with them), or go under the radar – leaving only bad landlords to provide housing options. Affordable rent is only one part of this multi-faceted issue. Part of keeping rents affordable is making sure landlords and property owners are incentivized to flourish, bad landlords who are absentee are held accountable, and that there is accountability in how state funds are spend on housing. Rent control will drive out small business owners from owning property and we will continue to suffer with more than the 600,000+ people who have abandoned NY since 2020.
Public Safety and Policing
• What is your vision for public safety?
New York has plenty of laws to help keep and maintain public safety, but they are not enforced. Bail reform has been a proven disaster across the state by removing judicial discretion and creating an endless cycle of chaos and lawlessness where criminals are allowed rape and murder people and walk the streets with hours of their arrest, among other issues. My vision for public safety starts with upholding and enforcing the laws we already have in place to keep the public safe.
• Bail Reform and Raise the Age are “dinner table” talking points for your constituents. Is this recent legislation working or do you see room for improvement?
As I noted above, bail reform is *clearly* not working, which is why everyone is talking about it on both sides of the aisle. There is work to be done to avoid extremes on either side, but bail reform needs a complete purge and we’ll need to start from scratch, knowing what we know now.
Education and School Funding
• What are your priorities for K-12 education?
In the 109th Assembly District, the statics for education outcomes are extremely grim in reading and math comprehension. Education must not be seen as a “one size fits all” approach. Nothing in life is, so why should education be? Parents must have a choice in what education approach is best for their kids. Parents can be trusted to make the best decisions for their children, and they should be supported in pursuing the best education options available. More funding for state education is not the answer. Accountability in spending and examining the return on investment in spending need to be part of ensuring NY kids receive the best education for the money.
• What plans do you have for addressing mental health services and school safety?
This is an extremely complex issue because student mental health is a growing concern. From continuing parent/student/teacher education on mental health issues (how they present, what some signs are etc) to ensuring parental notification about any mental health issues, I will be VOTING NO on PROPOSITION 1 on this year’s ballot because mental health services for kids must include parental notification and involvement. What I will not do is spend more money on an electric bus than I would spend on ensuring the mental health and safety of the children riding the bus.
Job Creation and Economic Development
• How do you plan to stimulate job creation, particularly in high-growth sectors like technology and green energy?
Did not answer.
• What role should local government play in attracting new businesses and supporting small businesses?
Did not answer.
Health Care Access
• What initiatives would you support to improve access to quality health care, particularly in underserved areas?
Did not answer.
• How would you address the mental health crisis and ensure that services are accessible and affordable?
Did not answer.
Transportation and Infrastructure
• How do you plan to address transportation issues, including public transit options, road maintenance, and infrastructure upgrades?
Did not answer.
• What is your stance on building sustainable transportation options, such as bike lanes or electric vehicle infrastructure?
Did not answer.
Environmental Concerns
• What actions will you take to combat climate change at the local level?
I am a big supporter of meaningful earth stewardship that includes ongoing education, incentives for “green” behaviors (recycling, composting, etc), and advocacy for issues that are proven to matter the most locally (such as the Dunn landfill).
• How do you plan to promote clean energy projects and ensure environmental justice in communities disproportionately affected by pollution or climate change?
Did not answer.
Opioid Crisis and Addiction Services
• What policies would you implement to combat the opioid crisis?
• How would you improve access to addiction treatment and support services for affected individuals and their families?
As I stated above, accountability to the law is paramount for anyone who is supplying, pushing, or transporting such drugs into and throughout the state. It is already against the law, but if the law is not enforced, it is meaningless. Statistically, there is not enough money to support increased efforts against this desperate crisis, unless you find it somewhere else in the budget and reprioritize it – which is something I will be working on across many areas of need.
Equity and Social Justice
• How do you plan to promote equity and inclusion?
Did not answer.
• What specific policies would you advocate for to address systemic inequalities in areas such as housing, education, and criminal justice?
Did not answer.
