State Assembly
Kearns is a registered Democrat. He ran for Assembly in a March 2012 special election [5] without the Democrats' support on the lines of the Republican and Independence Parties. [6] He was elected in a special election on March 20,2012,defeating Chris Fahey,the endorsed Democrat. [7] While he stated his intention to caucus with the Democrats,Kearns also stated that he would not support Speaker Sheldon Silver;this stance mirrored the position taken by Kearns's predecessor,Mark J. F. Schroeder. On May 20,2013,Kearns left the Assembly Democratic Conference and called for Silver to resign from his post as Speaker of the Assembly;Kearns took these steps after Silver's confidential,taxpayer-funded settlement of sexual harassment claims against fellow Assembly Democrat Vito Lopez became public. [8] [9] Following the ouster of Speaker Silver,Kearns rejoined the Assembly Democratic Conference. [10] [11]
While in the Assembly,Kearns pushed for accountability for banks who allow properties that are the subject of abandoned foreclosures to fall into disrepair, [12] and he fought against a bill that allowed the Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center to be closed or relocated. [13]
Kearns resigned his Assembly seat after being elected Erie County Clerk. [14]
Erie County Clerk
Kearns announced his candidacy for Erie County Clerk in mid-2017 against Democratic candidate and former WBEN host Steve Cichon. [15] The position had been vacant since January 2017,when then-Clerk Chris Jacobs resigned the post after being elected the New York State Senate. Kearns ran for County Clerk on the Republican,Conservative,Independence,and Reform Party lines, [16] was elected County Clerk in November 2017, [17] and was sworn in on December 5,2017. [18]
Since becoming Erie County Clerk,Kearns has refurbrished/relocated local DMV locations with better technology implementation,new chairs,and more spacious interiors. Additionally three days a week there are mobile DMV services which reach additional areas. [19]
Kearns has continued his fight against "Zombie Houses" as the Clerk and expanded this to "Tax Zombies," or houses with a large amount unpaid taxes. To this he has pushed for legislation to reduce Erie County's Tax Delinquency penalty of 18% to 12%. [20] [21]
Kearns urged the State of New York to delay the January 31 recertification deadline for pistol permit holders who obtained their permits before January 2013,arguing that a delay would allow state and county governments to work out kinks in the process. Kearns explained,"'We should not be making law-abiding citizens into criminals based on them not re-certifying.'" [22]
Kearns won re-election to the position of Erie County Clerk in 2018 and 2022. [23] [24]
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