Emily Gallagher: Quotes and Statements
Following the passage of the All-Electric Buildings Act in 2023, Gallagher described the achievement as historic and credited grassroots organizing for overcoming opposition from the fossil fuel industry . In July 2025, when the Building Code Council voted to include the law in its latest code update, she reiterated her pride in the legislation and emphasized its potential to stabilize utility costs, create green jobs, and move New York away from fossil fuel dependence .
In a February 2025 article on delays in implementation, she publicly criticized Governor Hochul for repeatedly questioning and backtracking on climate commitments, describing the pattern as counterproductive .
When the LLC Disclosure Act was signed by Governor Hochul in December 2023, Gallagher and Senator Hoylman-Sigal issued a joint statement noting the goals of the legislation when they first introduced it in March 2022. Gallagher framed the bill as a tool for exposing private equity firms, preventing campaign finance violations, and aiding law enforcement in identifying financial crimes and tax avoidance .
In a 2024 interview, Gallagher described being disturbed by the pace of gentrification when she moved to Brooklyn, recounting how she felt the scale of displacement in her community was overwhelming. She has compared existing affordable housing programs to providing bandages for someone suffering catastrophic injuries . She has argued that the cost of housing is the primary driver of out-migration from New York State, citing findings from the Fiscal Policy Institute .
Gallagher has repeatedly identified the McGuinness Boulevard safety issue as one of the primary motivations for her decision to run for office. In a 2025 interview with City and State NY, she described the roadway as one that was built by Robert Moses for trucking and as a shortcut, replacing a normal residential street called Oakland Street through a 1950s slum clearance . At the January 2026 announcement of the full redesign, she described decades of death and catastrophic injury on the corridor, calling the announcement a promise delivered by Mayor Mamdani .
After defeating Joe Lentol in the 2020 primary, Gallagher acknowledged the significance of succeeding the longtime incumbent, expressing respect for his service and record. She also framed the result as a mandate for change, citing what she described as profound inequality, injustice, and corruption in the state .
Gallagher has publicly distinguished between homelessness and crime, arguing that homelessness represents a failure committed by society rather than by individuals without housing. She has also argued that the country's approach to crime disproportionately ignores white-collar offenses, which she described as destructive to the country at a systemic level .
In a 2026 questionnaire response, Gallagher described her opposition to federal immigration enforcement in stark terms, stating that she fights the Trump administration's agenda daily and has been arrested protesting ICE operations. She expressed support for the New York for All Act and described efforts to welcome asylum seekers in her community .