Rockland Daily Speaks With County Legislator Aron Wieder Regarding Tomorrow's Democratic Primary and His Candidacy for NYS Assemblyman

 by M.C. Millman

You have had tremendous success and accomplished so much for your constituents as a Rockland County Legislator for close to 13 years—why leave all that behind to run for New York State Assemblyman?

I have come to the realization that while I have accomplished so much on a local level, there is so much more I can do on a State level for my constituents. 

What is the difference between a County legislator and a NYS assemblyman, and in what way can you, as an assemblyman, be critical when it comes to serving our local issues?

An assemblyman serves a much larger constituency while serving on a state level in Albany, which also has tremendous local ramifications, while a county legislator serves only on a local county level.

A legislator working on a county level is only one part of what impacts people, while being able to work as an assemblyman on a state level can have a broader effect on items that are truly critical locally, such as when it comes to chinuch. 

Another example was the recent attempt to create a law that would have made it so that people shouldn’t have a democratic say in how their taxes would be spent when it came to the school budget or school board.

So, votes on a state level can have a tremendous impact throughout Rockland County, as many different things can impact State and local law simultaneously.  

Can you give some examples of pressing you plan to work towards in the assembly?

I plan to champion several quality-of-life issues, knowing how important they are to constituents. One is funding for county roads and installing more sidewalks, which has always been on my radar. As an assemblyman, I will have much more leeway to push through items as important as these on a local level.

What unique qualities or experiences do you possess that you believe give you an edge over your opponent?

I can do a tremendous amount for our local communities in Albany. For almost a decade now, the 97th Assembly District,  including the Monsey community has gotten zero back from Albany; nothing for funding our parks infrastructure, sidewalks, or school safety. There are just so many other things that have been neglected. It’s well known that if you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu. Unfortunately, for ten years now, we’ve been on the menu. I plan on changing that when I get to Albany. 

I’ve been a Rockland County Legislator for close to 13 years, as well as the Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee. My work as a community askan is well known due to the many successes I have achieved for the community. 

What are some of your accomplishments you feel are most worth highlighting?

What makes me unique as a candidate and one of my strongest points is that as a Chassidic Jew, I have always made it my business to develop a special rapport with my constituents. This is reflected in how well I work across community lines, including the Hispanic and Haitian communities.

I have always made it my business to be here for all of my constituents, not just one singular community.

Can you give some examples of work you have done for so many communities?

 As a Rockland County Legislator, I shepherd through the Stonehouse Flood Mitigation Plan, the biggest infrastructure funding the Village of Spring Valley has ever received.

I convinced the county to change its policy regarding sidewalks on county roads and was able to increase the number of personnel in the County Clerk’s office to include more staff to expedite the passport process.  I worked with the Rockland County Sheriffs Department to implement safety programs after the 2019 tragic Chanukah machete attack. I worked with Haitian pastors when issues in conducting Haitian relief efforts after the 2021 Haiti earthquake and again during other challenging times more recently in Haiti.  I  raised the necessary funds for the heartbreaking funeral of 20-month-old Dominic Mero after the toddler was tragically hit by a truck in 2014. I helped coordinate foot and toiletries for Afghani refugees in 2021 and for immigrants from Texas in 2022.  

More recently, I assisted with a sewer emergency on Erev Pesach and was able to resolve an issue that had been ongoing for years but had finally reached an untenable head. 

There has been a lot of heated debate regarding education interference and equivalency issues. What is your stand on that topic? 

I will always make it my business to stand strong against all haters who want to force changes on our tried and true chinuch system. 

Can you see yourself working well with the Republican candidates?

My philosophy has always been to make a strong effort to work well with my bipartisan counterparts on legislation, including my work with the Rockland County Executive, who is a Republican. 

In closing do you have any message for Rockland Daily readers? 

I can’t express strongly enough how important it is for you to go out and vote. I know everyone has heard it before, but voting is critical, and not voting can have repercussions that can affect our communities for decades to come, as Albany’s total lack of focus on our local issues has already proven. 

So, a vote tomorrow will create a better tomorrow for all of us.