David Siffert is from Manhattan. He has a bachelor 27s degree from the University of Chicago and a law degree from New York University. He lives in the East Village with his wife, Marissa, and their toddler.

The Candidates 2026: David Siffert for Assembly District 66

David Siffert is from Manhattan. They have a bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago and a law degree from New York University. They live in the East Village with their wife, Marissa, and their toddler.

David is a legal expert and law professor. He teaches about the New York State legislature at NYU School of Law. He is also the founding executive director of NYU's State Government Initiative. David previously served as legal director for the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, where he advocated for privacy and aimed to end government surveillance. He also previously worked as a litigator in private practice and as a tax lawyer. David clerked for the New York Court of Appeals and for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Candidate Answers to JOLDC: David Siffert for NY Assembly District ...

David is a law professor. They teach about the New York State legislature at NYU School of Law. They are also the founding executive director of NYU's State Government Initiative. David previously served as legal director for the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, where they advocated for privacy and aimed to end government surveillance. They also previously worked as a litigator in private practice and as a tax lawyer. David clerked for the New York Court of Appeals and for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

David previously ran for New York State Assembly member in 2026 but did not win.

David's campaign for State Assembly member is their first run for public office.

2026 New York General Election

Supports passing the EmPIRE Worker Protection Act to enhance wage law enforcement, particularly for immigrant New Yorkers.

Supports passing the Fair Pricing Act to prevent hospitals from overcharging Medicaid and union health funds.

Supports passing the Neighborhood Small Business Rent Increase Exemption, which would provide landlords a tax abatement for signing low-increase, 10-year leases with small businesses.

Supports taxing deliveries from online retail conglomerates and incentivizing in-store purchasing.

Supports instituting commercial rent stabilization for small businesses in New York City.

Supports a commercial vacancy tax on storefronts that have been vacant for more than six months.

Supports increasing income taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and corporations.

- Supports passing the EmPIRE Worker Protection Act to enhance wage law enforcement, particularly for immigrant New Yorkers.
- Supports passing the Fair Pricing Act to prevent hospitals from overcharging Medicaid and union health funds.
- Supports passing the Neighborhood Small Business Rent Increase Exemption, which would provide landlords a tax abatement for signing low-increase, 10-year leases with small businesses.
- Supports taxing deliveries from online retail conglomerates and incentivizing in-store purchasing.
- Supports instituting commercial rent stabilization for small businesses in New York City.
- Supports a commercial vacancy tax on storefronts that have been vacant for more than six months. 
- Supports increasing income taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and corporations.

Economy

Supports ending construction of all new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Supports passing the entire New York Home Energy Assistance Program (NY HEAT) Act.

Supports building large-scale solar energy projects.

Supports flood protection for waterfront communities, advocating for transparency and community involvement in environmental initiatives.

Supports creating and protecting green spaces.

Supports funding and promoting community solar projects.

Supports ending subsidies for fossil fuels.

Supports ending subsidies for fossil fuels by passing the Stop Funding Polluter Handouts Act.

Supports the development of offshore wind energy.

- Supports ending construction of all new fossil fuel infrastructure.
- Supports passing the entire New York Home Energy Assistance Program (NY HEAT) Act.
- Supports building large-scale solar energy projects.
- Supports flood protection for waterfront communities, advocating for transparency and community involvement in environmental initiatives.
- Supports creating and protecting green spaces.
- Supports funding and promoting community solar projects.
- Supports ending subsidies for fossil fuels by passing the Stop Funding Polluter Handouts Act.
- Supports the development of offshore wind energy.

Energy & the Environment

Supports expanding the New York Abortion Access Fund.

Supports expanding Medicaid coverage for maternity patients and newborns.

Supports enacting comprehensive laws to protect the privacy of individuals seeking reproductive healthcare.

Supports expanding protections for pregnant incarcerated people, such as access to nurseries and lactation rooms and banning dangerous restraints.

Supports access to abortion and gender-affirming healthcare.

- Supports expanding the New York Abortion Access Fund.
- Supports expanding Medicaid coverage for maternity patients and newborns.
- Supports enacting comprehensive laws to protect the privacy of individuals seeking reproductive healthcare.
- Supports expanding protections for pregnant incarcerated people, such as access to nurseries and lactation rooms and banning dangerous restraints.
- Supports access to abortion and gender-affirming healthcare.

Healthcare

Supports passing a constitutional amendment for same-day voter registration.

- Supports passing a constitutional amendment for same-day voter registration.

Voting & Elections

Supports the "Communities Not Cages" initiative to end "draconian sentencing."

Supports expanding funding for afterschool programs to divert youth from criminal activity.

Supports investing in harm reduction centers.

Supports funding for supportive housing and comprehensive mental health and addiction services to address crime's root causes.

Supports expanding the social safety net to prevent theft out of necessity.

Supports holding delivery apps accountable for the conduct of their drivers and bikers, including tracking violations and paying fines when their drivers and bikers break the law.

Supports transparency in parole board decisions.

Supports limiting law enforcement access to sensitive data.

Supports banning facial recognition technology.

As a city council member, supported legislation increasing New York Police Department (NYPD) transparency, including surveillance technology disclosure requirements.

As a city council member, worked to ban facial recognition building entry systems, citing inaccuracy and vulnerability to break-ins.

Worked to ban facial recognition building entry systems, citing inaccuracy and vulnerability to break-ins.

Supports the Justice Roadmap package to address discrimination in New York's criminal and immigration legal systems.

Supports the Gender Identity Respect, Dignity, and Safety (GIRDS) Act, which would protect the rights of incarcerated transgender New Yorkers.

Supports the Gender Identity Respect, Dignity, and Safety (GIRDS) Act to protect the rights of incarcerated transgender New Yorkers.

Supports legislation protecting union organizers from retaliatory lawsuits by employers.

Supports the decriminalization of sex work, and co-sponsored legislation that would do so.

- Supports the "Communities Not Cages" initiative to end "draconian sentencing."
- Supports expanding funding for afterschool programs to divert youth from criminal activity.
- Supports investing in harm reduction centers.
- Supports funding for supportive housing and comprehensive mental health and addiction services to address crime's root causes.
- Supports expanding the social safety net to prevent theft out of necessity.
- Supports holding delivery apps accountable for the conduct of their drivers and bikers, including tracking violations and paying fines when their drivers and bikers break the law.
- Supports transparency in parole board decisions.
- Supports limiting law enforcement access to sensitive data.
- Supports banning facial recognition technology.
- As a city council member, supported legislation increasing New York Police Department (NYPD) transparency, including surveillance technology disclosure requirements.
- Worked to ban facial recognition building entry systems, citing inaccuracy and vulnerability to break-ins.
- Supports the Justice Roadmap package to address discrimination in New York's criminal and immigration legal systems.
- Supports the Gender Identity Respect, Dignity, and Safety (GIRDS) Act to protect the rights of incarcerated transgender New Yorkers.
- Supports legislation protecting union organizers from retaliatory lawsuits by employers.
- Supports the decriminalization of sex work, and co-sponsored legislation that would do so.

Public Safety

Supports the Healthy and Safe Students Act to provide LGBTQIA+-inclusive sex education in schools.

Supports expanding funding for mental healthcare in shelters, schools, and prisons.

Supports changing liability rules so schools can donate leftover food instead of throwing it away while families go hungry.

Supports changing liability rules so schools can donate leftover food instead of throwing it away.

- Supports the Healthy and Safe Students Act to provide LGBTQIA+-inclusive sex education in schools.
- Supports expanding funding for mental healthcare in shelters, schools, and prisons.
- Supports changing liability rules so schools can donate leftover food instead of throwing it away.

Education

Supports increasing construction of affordable housing by passing the Social Housing Development Authority Act.

Supports increasing funding for supportive housing and providing "wraparound services" to reduce homelessness.

Supports requiring landlords to make accessibility accommodations for older New Yorkers, with state funding if costs are "unreasonable."

- Supports increasing construction of affordable housing by passing the Social Housing Development Authority Act.
- Supports increasing funding for supportive housing and providing "wraparound services" to reduce homelessness.
- Supports requiring landlords to make accessibility accommodations for older New Yorkers, with state funding if costs are "unreasonable."

Housing & Urban Development

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David Siffert

Buket Urgen

- 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.  

Your representative and state lawmaker in the New York State Assembly.