Voters Guide: New York State Assembly, District 6: Philip R. Ramos

PHILIP R. RAMOS

DEMOCRAT

BACKGROUND:

• Ramos, 66, of North Bay Shore, seeks an 11th term and is the Assembly assistant speaker. 
• He retired as a Suffolk County police detective and also worked as a therapy aide at the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center. 
• He attended Suffolk County Community College and graduated from the Suffolk County Police Academy.

ISSUES:

• To boost the district’s economy, he envisions funding projects that can capitalize on the area’s cultural wealth to bring in visitors, such as the performance arts stage expected to open next year at a Brentwood park.
• He would fight for equal education funding and touted his efforts to restore pandemic-suspended aid that is key for districts with lower property values, delivering, for example, an extra $55 million to Brentwood schools this year.
• He is concerned about the district’s higher than average autism rate and has been working with Islip Town to help autistic residents, getting $500,000 this year to create an autism-tailored sensory playground at Roberto Clemente Park.
• He pushed through a bill that was signed into law last year to raise the marriage consent age from 17 to 18.