Bonsell: Krueger's $75 Billion Legal Defeat is Another Example of 24 Years of Neglect

Alina Bonsell, Republican and independent Block Mamdani candidate for New York State Senate District 28, today criticized State Senator Liz Krueger following a federal court ruling invalidating New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act.

Krueger sponsored and championed the law, which sought to collect $75 billion from fossil fuel companies over 25 years based on greenhouse gas emissions produced across the country and around the world. Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes ruled that the law was preempted by federal authority and could not be enforced.

“Liz Krueger called this law a ‘shot that will be heard round the world.’ Instead, it became a $75 billion legal misfire,” Bonsell said. “After 24 years in Albany, and as chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Krueger should understand the limits of state authority. New Yorkers cannot afford more legally flawed legislation, expensive litigation, and political grandstanding.”

Bonsell said the failed law illustrates the central issue of her campaign: 24 years of neglect under the same representation.

“Our neighborhood pays some of the highest taxes in the country, yet our streets and subways feel less safe, small businesses are struggling, utility bills continue to rise, homelessness remains unresolved, and families are trapped in broken government systems,” Bonsell said. “While these problems were neglected, Senator Krueger focused on making worldwide political statements instead of delivering measurable results for the people she was elected to represent.”

“Right now, Senator José Serrano and Council Members Julie Menin and Virginia Maloney are standing with East Side residents in opposing the proposed shelter at 89th Street and Third Avenue,” Bonsell added. “Meanwhile, Senator Krueger and Governor Kathy Hochul seem more concerned with finding new ways to reach into New Yorkers’ pockets under the guise of saving the environment than with addressing the immediate quality-of-life concerns of the people they represent.”

Bonsell supports responsible environmental policies that protect New York’s natural resources while maintaining reliable and affordable energy. Her energy plan calls for expanding zero-emission nuclear power, strengthening grid reliability, reducing dependence on expensive imported energy, and requiring an honest accounting of costs and environmental results before Albany imposes new mandates.

“Protecting the environment and protecting New Yorkers from government overreach are not mutually exclusive,” Bonsell said. “We need lawful, practical environmental policy that produces cleaner energy without driving up the cost of living. We do not need more ideological experiments with enormous price tags.”

Bonsell added that the ruling reflects the broader consequences of one-party control in Albany.

“When one party controls nearly every level of state government, sweeping proposals are passed without enough scrutiny, accountability, or balance,” Bonsell said. “New Yorkers pay more and receive less. That is neglect, and after 24 years, it is time for a change.”

Bonsell is a businesswoman, healthcare professional, mother of two, and more than 20-year resident of Manhattan’s East Side. She is running on the Republican and independent Block Mamdani ballot lines to represent District 28 in the New York State Senate.