Larry Sharpe is the Libertarian candidate for governor of New York. He is running alongside Andrew Hollister, Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor. Sharpe enlisted in the U.S. Marines Corps when he was 17 years old and holds a degree in anthropology from the University of Maryland. Sharpe has worked as an English teacher and an entrepreneur. He was a candidate for the 2016 Libertarian vice presidential nomination.
1. Fighting corruption at the state level is a big concern for citizens across New York during this election cycle. What is your plan to tackle corruption in Albany?
“I will create an Office of Transparency that will ensure that everything, at all levels of government, is transparent. After all, threats of longer sentences don’t deter corruption — the threat of being caught does. I will also try to get rid of all of the various boards and corporations that the government owns and bring their power directly under the control of elected officials. That way, there can be some accountability at the ballot box. No longer will politicians like [Gov. Andrew Cuomo] be able to throw up their hands and say that it wasn’t their fault or responsibility.
2. What, in your opinion, are the biggest issues facing New York? How do you plan to handle them?
“The biggest issues are the poor economy and related mass migration out of the state, the poor education system and the general incompetence. I will fix the economy by making New York a hire-friendly state and removing overly restrictive laws from the books. For education, I want to let teachers teach and get rid of the constant standardized tests that schools give. While this will make the schools lose federal funding, the money will be more than made up for by not needing as many administrators. Besides transparency and accountability, there are a lot of small reforms needed to improve government competence. For example, to deal with environmental disasters, I will form an Environmental Victims Unit made up of experts like engineers and environmental hygienists to investigate environmental crimes. I will also remove liability caps for environmental disasters and ensure that cleanup and victims are prioritized.”
3. The implementation of the Excelsior Scholarship radically changed New York’s postsecondary education landscape. How do you plan to further efforts to make education accessible and affordable to young people across the state?
“The Excelsior Scholarship is a glorified loan that gets waived if you don’t leave the state. If you do leave the state, then you have to pay it in full. I’m calling my plan the K-10 plan. It’s inspired by what Europe does for their higher education. High school ends with 10th grade, but after that, you have the option for two years of free college that’s not just a loan. That money that would have gone to 11th and 12th grades can also be taken by students and used for trade and vocational schooling. After all, university may not be for everyone, but there’s no reason we should have an underclass the way that we have now. If someone prefers to go straight into the workforce, then that money will be saved for later use.”
4. Why should students and young people across New York vote for you?
“I want the government to treat you more like adults and start letting you make choices for yourself at 16. This will allow you to learn, grow and make mistakes early while you are still living with your parents instead of after you are living on your own. I want to create an environment where you will want to stay with good jobs and opportunity. I also want to legalize cannabis and regulate it like onions. I want adults as young as 18 years old to be able to consume it recreationally, if they wish.”