Vickie Paladino: Policy Positions
Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Paladino has made support for the NYPD a central pillar of her political identity. She has called for increased police deployment in her district and has publicly celebrated the assignment of additional officers to the 109th Precinct . She has advocated for reinstating the NYPD's ability to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, joining Republican colleagues and Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis at a press conference urging the city to reverse its sanctuary city policies 2. In 2026, she introduced legislation to repeal sections of the city's administrative code that restrict the detention of individuals based on immigration status and limit immigration enforcement cooperation 3.
COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates and Public Health
Paladino opposed the city's COVID-19 vaccine mandates from the outset of her tenure. She declined to provide proof of vaccination on her first day in office in January 2022 and was temporarily barred from the council chamber before eventually receiving a religious exemption . She sponsored legislation requiring the Department of Education to publish monthly reports on the criteria used for any school mask mandates and introduced a resolution calling on the DOE to establish clear scientific and mental health benchmarks before imposing mask requirements . She also backed a resolution aimed at prohibiting employers from altering terms and conditions of employment during statewide emergencies .
Congestion Pricing and Transportation
Paladino has been a persistent critic of New York City's congestion pricing program. On the day the Congestion Relief Zone went live in January 2025, she posted information on social media about how laser pointers could damage the cameras used to enforce the toll system . She has also introduced legislation to remove benchmarks for bus lanes and bicycle lanes from the city's streets master plan 8. She has called for bicyclists to carry liability insurance, register their bikes, and carry license plates, and has proposed banning electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist from city parks 9.
Building Emissions and Environmental Regulation
Paladino has introduced legislation to delay the greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements of Local Law 97, the city's landmark building emissions law, by seven years 10. She has also sponsored a bill to temporarily exempt certain covered buildings from building emissions limits while studying the impact of those requirements on affected properties and on the electrical distribution grid 11.
Firearm Regulation
Paladino has sponsored legislation to eliminate the fees associated with firearm licenses and permits in New York City, framing the measure as a way to reduce barriers to lawful gun ownership 12.
Immigration
Paladino has positioned herself as a vocal opponent of the city's approach to immigration. In 2022, she spoke out against the proposed use of the Hotel de Point in her district as a migrant shelter, and in 2023, she opposed the use of the former St. Agnes Parochial School in College Point for the same purpose and worked toward the shelter's early closure . She has called for the city to reinstate cooperation between the NYPD and ICE, and in 2026 introduced legislation to repeal key provisions of the city's sanctuary policies 14.
Israel and the Middle East
Paladino has expressed strong support for the state of Israel throughout the Gaza War. She has called for Hamas to surrender to end the conflict and has described pro-Palestinian protesters as undermining public order . In May 2024, in response to campus protests, she characterized student demonstrators in combative terms and called for accountability at the universities where encampments were established . She opposed a potential ceasefire resolution introduced in the City Council in December 2023, which led to a public exchange with Brooklyn Councilmember Shahana Hanif .
LGBTQ+ Issues and Education
In June 2022, Paladino condemned Drag Queen Story Hour, a program in which drag performers read to children at schools and public libraries. She characterized the program as inappropriate for young children and threatened to pull funding from any school in her district that participated . She was subsequently removed from the Council's Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction in March 2023 in response to those remarks .
Quality of Life and Local Issues
Paladino has introduced legislation to establish an Office of Quality of Life within city government 20. She has also sponsored bills addressing street vending restrictions in Queens, crossing guard deployment reporting, tree maintenance prioritization by the Parks Department, and the prohibition of live fish as prizes at carnivals 21. She has opposed the construction of a casino near Citi Field in Queens .
Small Business
Paladino has cited small business support as a core legislative priority. She has sponsored legislation to create a small business disaster recovery and resiliency advisory board and to establish a prevailing wage requirement for covered workers in financially assisted facilities 23. She has also backed a bill to waive permit fees for mobile food unit commissaries that reserve space for veteran vendors 24.