Ballotpedia: Lester Chang

Lester was born and raised in New York City and currently resides in Brooklyn. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Brooklyn College and a master's degree in international transportation from SUNY Maritime College.

Lester previously worked in banking and finance before transitioning to a career in global logistics, where he held senior management positions at Wen-Parker Logistics and Seagate Logistics. He has also served as a military analyst and has been involved with the Board of Elections as a poll site coordinator for over 30 years.

Lester Chang is an assemblymember in State Assembly District 49. He is serving his first term. He previously ran for New York State Senate in 2020 and for State Assembly in 2016, but he did not win either race.

Candidate website

Supports expanding sales-tax-free clothing limits to $250 and providing forgivable loans to small businesses in targeted communities.

Supports providing forgivable loans to small businesses in targeted communities.

Supports the Education Investment Tax Credit, saying it "will provide more choices to families who are not happy with local public schools... Alleviating the financial burden... will be my number one priority."

Supports the Education Investment Tax Credit, saying it "will provide more choices to families who are not happy with local public schools..."

Supports Universal Basic Income (UBI) and "will give a certain cash allowance to every American every month, with no conditions."

- Supports providing forgivable loans to small businesses in targeted communities.
- Supports the Education Investment Tax Credit, saying it "will provide more choices to families who are not happy with local public schools..."
- Supports Universal Basic Income (UBI) and "will give a certain cash allowance to every American every month, with no conditions."

Economy

As of September 19, 2024, Lester Chang’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Healthcare

Voting & Elections

Supports expanding veteran services, preventing homelessness, providing addiction treatment, promoting mental health services, and encouraging hiring preferences and tax credits for veterans in New York City.

Supports expanding services for New York City veterans, including providing addiction treatment, promoting mental health services, and encouraging hiring preferences and tax credits.

Believes the "no bail law" has failed, releasing repeat offenders quickly, and plans to modify it by allowing judges to set bail, implementing a three-strike rule, and eliminating bail for third-time offenders.

- Supports expanding services for New York City veterans, including providing addiction treatment, promoting mental health services, and encouraging hiring preferences and tax credits.
- Believes the "no bail law" has failed, releasing repeat offenders quickly, and plans to modify it by allowing judges to set bail, implementing a three-strike rule, and eliminating bail for third-time offenders.

Public Safety

Opposes changing merit-based admission criteria for New York City's top-tier magnet high schools.

Supports lifting or eliminating the charter school cap.

Opposes state-mandated school curriculum for parochial, private, or yeshiva schools.

- Opposes changing merit-based admission criteria for New York City's top-tier magnet high schools.
- Supports lifting or eliminating the charter school cap.
- Opposes state-mandated school curriculum for parochial, private, or yeshiva schools.

Education

Proposes building dormitory-like facilities at Rikers for the homeless, offering payment to stay there for housing, food, training, and treatment, to build self-esteem and character before reintroducing them to society.

Proposes building dormitory-like facilities at Rikers for the homeless, offering payment to stay there for housing, food, training, and treatment.

- Proposes building dormitory-like facilities at Rikers for the homeless, offering payment to stay there for housing, food, training, and treatment.

Housing & Urban Development

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Lester Chang

Lester Chang is the current Member of Assembly for District 49. He is serving his first term. He previously ran for New York State Senate in 2020 and for State Assembly in 2016, but did not win either race.

Supports policies that promote job creation and economic development.

Plans to advocate for "fiscal sanity" in Albany.

Believes elected officials have a "fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers" and supports policies that ensure financial accountability and transparency.

Opposes the "tax and spend mentality" in Albany, saying, "New Yorkers are amongst the most heavily taxed people in this nation."

Believes in strong military support for public health emergencies, highlighting his role in converting the Jacob Javits Convention Center into a field hospital and vaccination center during Operation COVID-19.

Believes in supporting healthcare through military service, and as a volunteer since March 2020, aided in converting the Jacob Javits Convention Center into a field hospital and vaccination center for COVID-19 relief.

Believes in strong military support for public health, citing his role in converting the Jacob Javits Center into a field hospital and later assisting as a mass vaccination center during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Believes in strong election integrity and has extensive experience working with the Board of Elections as a Poll Site Coordinator for over 30 years.

Supports military service and veterans, emphasizing the importance of their contributions and sacrifices.

Opposes building community jails and supports modernizing Rikers Island.

Believes in strong national defense and supports military deployment when necessary.

Supports public safety and national security, having served nearly 24 years as a Navy reservist and supporting Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., after 9/11.

Believes in understanding and representing the issues faced by combat veterans.

Believes the current education system is failing, saying "We are living with the results: many failing schools at all levels."

Supports school choice and wants to lift the cap on charter schools.

Believes "too many children are stuck in those schools, where little learning goes on," indicating a need for significant improvements in certain underperforming schools.

Supports the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) for admission to New York City's specialized high schools.

Is an executive committee member with his local Chinatown American Legion Post 1291 (400+ members).

Supports Universal Basic Income, believing it will assist low-income families with rent and utilities, stimulate the economy, and reduce homelessness.

Lester Chang previously worked in banking and finance before transitioning to a career in global logistics, where he held senior management positions at Wen-Parker Logistics and Seagate Logistics. He has also served as a military analyst and has been involved with the Board of Elections as a Poll Site Coordinator for over 30 years.

As of September 23, 2024, Lester Chang’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Your assembly member is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Assembly, which consists of 150 members and serves as the lower house of the New York State Legislature.  
- Assembly members are responsible for representing your interests and assisting you with navigating state services while bringing resources back to your district.  
- Assembly members draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your assembly member can serve on committees, where many bills may be delayed before reaching a vote.  
- Assembly members are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  