Joseph Foley Candidate Q&A: (New York State Assembly – District 74 Special Election on February 3rd)

What are your top priorities for the district including neighborhoods like Murray Hill?

My top priorities for our district, including neighborhoods like Murray Hill, are public safety, affordability, and opportunity for working families, issues that cut across party lines and affect all of us.

I’m an independent-minded Republican running in an overwhelmingly Democratic district because I believe our community deserves real choices and real accountability. One-party control can lead to complacency, wasteful spending, and policies that leave everyday people behind. But I’m not here for national culture wars or partisan games, I’m focused on local solutions that deliver results for New Yorkers.

I’m running as a Republican to change this party from the ground up, away from national noise and toward practical leadership that actually helps New Yorkers.

First: safer streets and neighborhoods. Families deserve to walk home at night, send kids to school, and run errands without fear. I’ll push for targeted, accountable public safety strategies, better coordination with community programs, and a focus on repeat offenders, so we reduce crime without overreach.

Second: affordability and paths to homeownership. Skyrocketing costs are pricing out working families, the American Dream shouldn’t be a luxury. I’ll fight for policies that make housing more accessible, support small businesses, and pursue property tax relief and reform so more people can stay and build a future here.

Third: afterschool programs and youth opportunities for all. Every parent should have access to safe, structured options that help kids thrive and give families flexibility. This isn’t red or blue, it’s about investing in our next generation.

Fourth: fiscal responsibility and real accountability. With a projected multi-billion dollar budget gap, we can’t pretend everything is fine. As a small business owner, I know we need to budget wisely, cut waste, and prioritize spending that actually helps people, not bureaucracy.

But I’m a father, husband, and local entrepreneur who’s lived and worked here my entire adult life. I’m running to build a stronger, more inclusive district that works for everyone not just insiders.

How would your policies improve our safety, affordability, and quality of life?

My policies would improve safety, affordability, and quality of life by focusing on what working families actually need: a real path to stable housing, stronger youth programs, and a city that lets people keep more of what they earn.

First, I’ll expand pathways to homeownership and housing stability. Owning a home builds equity, stability, and long-term security. And when more families can buy instead of being stuck renting forever, it eases pressure on the rental market and gives renters more breathing room. That means supporting smart development, cutting red tape that slows housing, and prioritizing policies that help working families build wealth, not just get by.

Second, I’ll fight for stronger after-school programs across the district. Afterschool keeps kids safe, helps them build skills, and supports working parents. Right now, school ends around 2:30 while most jobs end at 5:00, forcing families to pay for extra childcare or cut work hours. Strong after-school programs improve safety and quality of life for students, parents, and the entire neighborhood.

Third, I’ll push for real tax relief for working families. People should be able to keep more of what they earn so they can save, invest in their future, and spend locally. Whether that means lowering taxes, expanding credits, or cutting wasteful spending that drives taxes higher, my goal is simple: make it easier to live and raise a family here.

I’ve already supported our community by investing in it directly. As a small business owner, I’ve created private-sector jobs and provide a service residents rely on. That’s the kind of practical, local economic growth I want more of in Murray Hill and across the district.

How have you supported, and how will you continue to support our community and the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association if elected or re-elected?

As a lifelong resident and small business owner right here in Murray Hill, I’ve already supported our community in the most direct ways by creating local jobs, serving residents daily through my business, and keeping dollars circulating in our neighborhood instead of letting storefronts sit empty. I’ve seen firsthand how strong, vibrant blocks come from opportunity, safety, and businesses that thrive, and I will always put local needs first.

If elected to the New York State Assembly in District 74, covering Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Gramercy, and beyond, I’ll build on that commitment with practical action. I will continue showing up for the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association by attending meetings, listening to your concerns, and working collaboratively on the issues that matter most, including preserving our neighborhood character, improving public safety, tackling sanitation challenges, reducing traffic congestion and spillover impacts from changes like the 34th Street busway, and supporting beautification efforts that make Murray Hill even more desirable to live, work, and visit.

My approach is straightforward. Be present, be responsive, and deliver results. I will advocate in Albany for policies that boost foot traffic and small business growth, support public safety resources and accountability, and help address quality of life issues like cleanliness, pedestrian hazards, and the everyday concerns residents raise block by block.

I’m running to protect what makes Murray Hill special and to keep it moving forward. As your Assemblymember, you will have a consistent partner who listens, follows through, and fights for our neighborhood every day. Let’s keep building a stronger, safer, and more vibrant Murray Hill together.

Photo showcasing your involvement in the Murray Hill community

Anything else you would like to highlight?

I don’t have many photos or videos to share because I’ve never been the type to document fundraising or community involvement for publicity. I’m not doing things to be seen. I mainly worked with kids and afterschool programs because I didn’t have these options growing up. And I do charity work and volunteer work because they help others, not for the photo. I’ve supported Murray Hill in direct, meaningful ways through my local small business by creating jobs, supporting other local businesses, keeping our neighborhood economy strong, and staying deeply involved in the issues that matter most to residents every single day.

If elected as your Assembly member in District 74, I will continue that hands-on commitment with real action and partnership, including showing up consistently for the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association, listening closely, and working collaboratively on quality-of-life priorities.

My approach is simple. Show up, stay responsive, and deliver results. This is not about photo ops, power, or career politics. Too many things are not working, and too many working families feel like no one is stepping up. In any other industry, poor results mean new leadership, and government should work the same way. I am running to serve our community first, not party labels or national agendas.

As your Assembly member, you will have a true partner who fights for Murray Hill every day. Let’s keep building a safer, more beautiful, and vibrant neighborhood together.

There will be a Special Election for Assembly District 74 on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, following Harvey Epstein’s resignation after winning the NYC City Council District 2 seat, with early voting from January 24 and January 26–February 1, mail-in and in-person voting available through the NYC Board of Elections, and candidates Keith Powers (Democrat) and Joseph W. Foley (Republican/Conservative).

The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association invited all candidates running for office whose districts intersect the Murray Hill neighborhood to respond to the following questions, which were sourced directly from our members. Responses and images as they were provided directly to us have been published above to provide all residents with helpful information about each candidate’s priorities and perspectives. The Murray Hill Neighborhood Association does not endorse any candidates for public office.