92 Assembly District – Greenburgh, Mt Pleasant, Yonkers
NYS Assembly District 92
(Mount Pleasant, northern Yonkers, most of Greenburgh)
Two candidates – Tom Abinanti and MaryJane Shimsky – are running for election to the Assembly. Abinanti is seeking to reclaim his seat, lost to Shimsky two years ago.
Both candidates are rated 100% Pro-Choice by Choice Matters.
Tom Abinanti has played a unique role in our pro-choice history.
Abinanti served on the WCLA – Choice Matters Board and as our pro bono attorney for 12 years. He provided his time and legal counsel without hesitation. His counsel helped this organization become the powerhouse it is today.
Among his many pro-choice actions and votes, Abinanti was an original sponsor of Westchester’s Safe Clinic Access Bill while serving as County Legislator. Abinanti also co-sponsored and voted for the Reproductive Health Act and the NYS Equal Rights Amendment.
MaryJane Shimsky, while serving as County Legislator, co-sponsored the Westchester Reproductive Health Care Facilities Act, the only bill of its kind in the nation. County Executive Latimer signed it into law on June 27, 2022. Shimsky is a member of the NYS Bipartisan Pro-Choice Legislative Caucus.
Rape Is Rape Act
Both Abinanti and Shimsky are supporters of the legislation Rape Is Rape Act that became law.
As an ardent careful legislator, Abinanti worked to make necessary changes to the original versions of the bill. Governor Hochul required many of those changes to be incorporated before signing the bill. Shimsky voted for the bill in its final form.
The Focus of this 2024 Primary is NOT Abortion Rights
But it is just about as local as local gets.
This Primary revolves completely around legislation allowing Greenburgh’s wealthy enclave of Edgemont to incorporate (allowing portions of a town to become a village) at the expense of the rest of unincorporated Greenburgh. (Impact studies.)
The new law, sponsored by Shimsky, Assembly Bill A7761(2023), allows Edgemont to form its own village, which could result in skyrocketing property taxes and far fewer services for the rest of those in unincorporated Greenburgh. Abinanti is an outspoken opponent of this legislation.
The original incorporation legislation has its roots in Jim Crow.
Incorporation in NYS law was adopted to keep villages white, only allowing residents of the designated “village” area to vote. Still today, despite the impact on the rest of unincorporated Greenburgh residents, only Edgemont residents will be permitted to vote on incorporation.
Disclosure: Several members of the Choice Matters’ board, past and present, live in unincorporated Greenburgh.