TJH Speaks with Ari Brown, Candidate for Assembly

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TJH Speaks with Candidate for Assembly Ari Brown

By SuSan Schwamm

Ari, you’re a trustee in the Village of Cedarhurst but that’s not all that you do. What’s your day job?

I swing a hammer for a living.

My dad and I actually have the first home-improvement license in Nassau County. Next year, it’s going to be 50 years that I’m in the business. My father took me into the business at a very young age. We did all the work with our own hands. My build a lot of CVSs and Walgreens. Now, I’m doing three projects in Florida, one in Israel, one in Milan, and a couple of little ones over here.

I think that’s why I was asked to do this, because I’m not a politician. I’ve been in office 24 years: trustee, deputy mayor, and every capacity. But I always like to be behind the scenes. I just want to serve my community. If I can help and serve, that’s what I’m going to do. When I go out to places like Oceanside or Long Beach, I know all the mayors from all the years in the business. They’re the kind of people I grew up with.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Franklin Square.

It’s a nice Italian neighborhood. I’m half-Italian. My mother and grandmother are Jewish Italian.

I started with the Village around ‘97, ‘98, on the zoning board and as the board’s representative for the Business Improvement District in Cedarhurst.

When I became a trustee a few years later, I stayed with the Business Improvement District. Usually, it’s passed on from trustee to trustee, but I never gave it up.

So you still have it now?

Yes. I love these businesses, and I work with them, and I always say they’re my stores. They really are. I started off with 20% vacancies. Now, I have less than 2%. I look out for each and every one of my 280-somewhat stores.

I’m also chairman of architectural review at the Village. Every sign, every flower that goes in the Village is under my purview. You can see the difference between my Village and the other Villages.

We are the shopping district of the South Shore. A big part of my platform besides crime is small business. My opponent – I’m sure he’s a nice fellow – was part of the Cuomo government for years. Cuomo represented big government; he hated small government and wanted to do away with small business with a passion.

But the best type of government is very small government. And Villages do it well. Think about it: the Village of Cedarhurst has the lowest taxes in the county – I’d like to say in the state, by far. I credit Mayor Ben Weinstock in a big way for this. We look to find ways to do things without spending taxpayer dollars. When we pave roads, we make deals with National Grid so it’s cheaper for us.

We run it very efficiently, and because my downtown is very vibrant, people come here. We do a lot of business. People complain about the traffic. It’s a problem, but it’s a good problem. There is a lot of traffic because people want to come here and shop here.

Every day, I walk the Village’s streets. I’ve done that for about 30 years. I am very close to my community and very close to my merchants. I call them “my merchants” because I feel like they’re family to the point where I set up a group chat where we all talk about any issue. We work together as a team. There’s a reason why my Sidewalk Sale and Midnight Madness raises tens of thousands of dollars for each and every store.

I’m very, very small business-minded. That’s the backbone of our entire country. Big businesses try to crush and destroy. Amazon has looked to crush momand-pop shops. I’m a big mom-and-pop type of guy. That’s what created our country. That’s how our country will continue to thrive. It all starts in the small community. Support your local community.

I’m going to look to help my 20th District in a very big way. And I’ve worked beautifully with all the local mayors and leaders from all the areas. They know me. We have a great working relationship already. It’s not going to take two years for me to figure it out. I’ve already figured it out 20 years ago.

What’s your favorite part about the job besides for walking the streets?

Helping people. You know what I do every day at 11 o’clock? My phone alerts me, and I stop and I make a call to get somebody a job. I’ve always done that. Everyone can do this – to use their time to help someone get a job.

I have been involved in many things, so I call people in the industry or in government to help place people.

I also have been trying to get people shidduchim. I’m not as successful with this as I am with getting people jobs. But I still try.

That’s what I can bring to this. And because I’m not a politician, really, by no stretch of the imagination, I’m a fresh voice that can effect change. I am here to help people and do what’s best for them.

“i am here to help people and do what’S beSt for them.”

What are doing to get the vote out in other areas in the South Shore?

I’ve been in office for so many years, so I know all the mayors, and I have a relationship with them. Having grown up on Long Island and having worked in all of these communities on many, many different levels, everybody knows me. I’ve spent much of my time in these communities. I’ve been in Oceanside a lot. I’ve been in Long Beach a lot. I am in Lido Beach, Point Lookout. I’ll be staying over at a friend’s house on Shabbat and walking to the Point Lookout Post Office after shul.

It’s not like I’m a stranger who just moved in. I’ve literally worked in this community for almost fifty years. People laughed at me when I moved to Cedarhurst 31 years ago. Back then, who moved to Cedarhurst? But now, everyone is moving here.

How did Cedarhurst grow by leaps and bounds?

When I came, I started buying a lot of houses and then sold them. Everybody couldn’t believe it; why was I buying property in Cedarhurst? But I knew that this was the place to be.

As a Republican coming in the minority in the Assembly, what can you do to effect change in a state with a Democrat governor and Democrat Assembly?

Our New York State Assembly, and New York State Senate, and New York State governor are leaning so far to the left, it’s truly anti-Torah in every way.

My opponent is Democrat, and he if wants to support the Democrats, that’s OK, but he’ll lose his constituents. It’s not what the constituents want.

When you speak to voters, what is primarily on people’s minds now?

First and foremost, crime.

What’s the job of government? First and foremost, safety and crime. People shouldn’t be scared when they hear a noise in the middle of the night. Two years ago, when there were riots across the country, my fellow trustees and I would actually patrol our Village at night. We take safety and crime very seriously. We did this during Sandy, too.

People need to feel safe. But when you handcuff the police, and even more so, handcuff the judges from doing the right thing in court and keeping people in jail because of bail reform, then you lose security. This was this guy – I think they named him “Man of Steel” Rodriguez – who was arrested around 47 times and he didn’t get locked up. How many times can we hear about these repeat offenders?

I remember how bad things were before Giuliani came to town. I said to my father, “It will never get better.” And then Giuliani came, and he cleaned everything up. So it could happen. Things could change. The argument of, “Well, we don’t have the majority,” is not correct. We have to start somewhere. Who thought Governor Pataki could come in? Up until near the last election, Bruce Blakeman was down like 24 points, and he ended up winning. Laura Curran was wonderful, but she didn’t speak out enough.

I know people will point to the good things that the assemblymen in Brooklyn give their constituents, like carnivals on Sukkos for the frum community. What good is a carnival if you think a bullet is going to come flying into your window or a child can get attacked? When you can’t go into Manhattan, or you can’t go to your job safely and you have to look over your shoulder? First and foremost is safety and security.

People are not running through the borders to come to the United States for no reason. The American dream is alive and real. But specifically, in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, those liberals hate our country with a passion. And my opponent has time and time again throughout his short career aligned himself with those things. It is not the Torah values in any way, shape, or form. Let’s not talk about the social issues, which are big problems for our children, what’s being taught in school. The Democrat Party is not aligned with our values.

for this choice for your own body.

I used to do competitive bodybuilding. I used to be 210 pounds. I have two serious gyms in my house. I haven’t had a drink of alcohol in 54 years. I don’t take any medication. Thank G-d, I never get sick. I’ve never smoked. I don’t use bad language. Why would I start taking medications? I lost four friends after they took their booster. My son went blind in one eye after his booster. He’s slowly recovering. I have a friend whose son went blind, a younger boy, 17, in two eyes. So I believe that people should make their own decisions and that government shouldn’t force them to do things.

Democrats want people to become dependent on them. They want to be able to control them. And unfortunately, people like to be controlled.

Aside from security, what else are voters concerned with?

Parental control, and we saw this in Virginia. I’m referring to education and masking, thinks like that.

During Covid, if there was anything positive, it was that parents were actually seeing what has been going on in schools. Did you know that New York State has students with some of the least understanding of Holocaust studies?

It’s amazing to me how a state with the most Jews doesn’t pass laws tackling BDS. Yes, Cuomo issued an executive order but why isn’t there a law? Because the members of the Assembly are against it.

Holocaust studies is a big issue with me because all of my grandfather’s family was destroyed. He was the only one left.

What are your thoughts on the 878?

In the ‘50s, they were planning on making what’s now the 878 all the way to the Belt Parkway, a superhighway, but it never got built. When I started dating my wife in the mid ‘80s, they built this 878, and they divided up Lawrence. That was supposed continue all the way to the Belt so we had a place to get out. That didn’t happen.

Yes, it’s a multi-billion dollar project, but is there a price for safety?

Do you know what our coastal evacuation route is? You’re never going to believe this. I’m telling you the truth. Peninsula Boulevard all the way through Hempstead. We’re going to head further into the Island to get out in case there’s flooding? There is no other way out. So, yes, it’s expensive, but it needs to get done.

Before that, we need to work on synchronizing the lights. That’s something that’s much more doable over there and would help in a major way.

The special election is taking place on April 7, although there is early voting as well. How are you going to get people to the polls?

Like everything, you’ve got to work it. We’re focusing on social media and calling people and sending out mailings.

Our chairman [of the Republican Party] has been wonderful. They are working with me every day. We need to save America. We need to turn it around. America is made up of a good conservative people. We think because we’re in San Francisco or New York City or Baltimore

“having grown up on long iSland and having worked in all of theSe communitieS on many, many different levelS, everybody knowS me.”

that’s how the whole country is made up. But it’s not true.

If you speak to Ambassador David Friedman, ask him how many Democrats came to the inauguration of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. Ask about Schumer and Nadler. They weren’t there. Why are they Democrats before the Jews? The entire platform the Democrat Party is totally against the Judeo-Christian ethic. It’s against Torah values.

I never take off my yarmulke. My values never waver. And the Democrat Party is completely against the Torah values.

If you win on April 7, you will have to re-run in November.

Yes. And I’m up for re-election every two years. But that’s the name of the game. I’m lucky that in Cedarhurst I only have to run every four years. eryone equally.

I grew up in suburbia in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. It’s hard to understand what it was like. But I would ride my bike after school…it was a different world.

It doesn’t make a difference if you’re Jewish or not. It’s all about respect. I always have had respect for the people on the other side of aisle. I may not agree with them, but I’ll listen to their dialogue. I’m half Italian. There’s always an accommodation that could be made. And you work with people.

Make them an offer they can’t refuse.

If you win the Assembly seat, will you be keeping your position as Trustee of the Village of Cedarhurst?

Absolutely.

How does that work?

Cedarhurst is first and foremost my priority throughout my tenure.

You know, when Harvey Weisenberg was in the Assembly, I never saw him in Cedarhurst, and we didn’t get a penny from him. So I know how that feels, and I’m not going to do that to anyone else. I will be evenhanded. And I’m friends with all the mayors from the district, so I will make sure they get their share.

Well, I don’t know about that, but if you’re a decent person, I can work with you.

You mentioned that you’re a bodybuilder. What else do you do on your off-time?

I don’t have any off-time.

All of my children – I have seven children and two grandchildren – come to me every Shabbat. I cook. There’s always 20, 30 dishes that I serve. This one’s vegan. This one’s is vegetarian. This one’s gluten-free.

You cook it all?

Every last thing. Thursday night is when I do it.

I’m not fancy, but I have service for 30, and I always set a very formal table.

What are your tricks for working across the aisle?

The fact is that I swing a hammer for a living. You take anybody else who’s a lawyer or a doctor or some guy who’s in politics since he is a kid – but they can’t understand the average American. The people I work with are blue-collared people like me. You can’t even buy a 32-ounce hammer anymore – and that’s what I grew up on. There weren’t any power tools. We nailed everything by hand. I understand the average American’s mentality. I’m going to representing a really large district. I’m not just here for the frum community. I’m here for evWhat’s generally on the menu?

I always have new things. I make this chicken rice and raisins. My kids don’t eat red meat. I’ll make a pasta Bolognese. I’ll make a number of different kinds of squash dishes. I serve a lot of fish. I make sweet potato pies, carrot loafs, turkey.