VoterLens
New York State Assembly District 108
Albany College of Pharmacy—BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Data last updated 10/21/2026
John T. McDonald III, RPh has served in the New York State Assembly representing District 108 since 2013, after previously serving as Mayor of Cohoes for 13 years. He is a practicing pharmacist and small businessman, formerly owning Marra's Pharmacy, his family business in downtown Cohoes, and has also held leadership roles with municipal and regional organizations including the New York State Conference of Mayors and Capital District Transportation Committee.
Committee Assignments: Governmental Operations Committee (Chair) · Alcoholism & Drug Abuse · Health · Higher Education · Ways and Means
John T. McDonald III identifies healthcare as a core legislative focus and, as a sitting Assemblymember for New York Assembly District 108, has repeatedly proposed bills expanding access to care through pharmacy services, insurance coverage, Medicaid coverage, and overdose prevention.
John T. McDonald III emphasizes small business, job growth, workforce development, and economic opportunity as core economic priorities for New York Assembly District 108. His record includes sponsoring measures tied to small-business support, job-creating tax credits, workforce or institutional funding, and redevelopment of abandoned commercial and industrial property.
Specific Actions & Proposals
McDonald stated that he is dedicated to creating jobs and encouraging economic prosperity by strengthening and supporting small businesses in New York State.
SourceJohn T. McDonald III is a Democratic New York Assemblymember for District 108. The clearest immigration-related record found shows he voted yes on New York measures expanding access to standard driver’s licenses and pandemic relief eligibility for undocumented or otherwise excluded workers.
John T. McDonald III frames climate and energy policy as needing both decarbonization and practical implementation: he has sponsored renewable-energy and building-decarbonization bills, backed thermal energy network funding, and also sought delays for clean-vehicle mandates where he argues the market and infrastructure are not ready.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Led a bipartisan push for a $200 million FY27 budget investment to advance thermal energy networks and utility thermal energy networks at SUNY campuses and municipalities, describing them as a cost-effective way to cut building emissions and improve reliability and affordability.
SourceJohn T. McDonald III presents education as a funding and student-support priority, saying his Assembly work has increased school funding and universal pre-K while lowering costs for families. As a sitting Assemblymember for New York Assembly District 108, he has also sponsored or co-sponsored education-related bills on school aid timing, school discipline spaces, and school-bus mandate timelines.
Specific Actions & Proposals
McDonald's campaign accomplishments page says he secured increased funding for schools and universal pre-K so families pay less and children get more.
SourceJohn T. McDonald III identifies public safety as a continuing priority and has backed measures addressing retail theft, hate-crime penalties, law-enforcement access to online platforms, intoxicated-driving safeguards, protections for public employees, and reentry programs intended to reduce recidivism.
Specific Actions & Proposals
McDonald stated support for budget actions taking aggressive steps to address organized retail crime, repeat shoplifting and stealing from small businesses, and increasing penalties for hate crimes.
SourceNew York State Assembly
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/John-T-McDonald-III/bio/Fetched: biography, hometown, education, background, committees
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/race/new-york-state-assembly-district-108-74519Fetched: campaignFinance
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/john-t-mcdonald/contributorsFetched: campaignFinance
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/NY/candidate_John_T._McDonald_III/28710Fetched: endorsements
Detectives' Endowment Association
https://nycdetectives.org/political-endorsements/Fetched: endorsements
Vote Smart
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/142711/john-mcdonald-iii?categoryId=37&type=V%2CS%2CR%2CE%2CF%2CP%2CEFetched: endorsements
New York State Assembly member profile for John T. McDonald III
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/?ad=108&sh=aboutFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly sponsored legislation page for John T. McDonald III
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=108&sh=sponsorFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly A06014 bill page
https://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?Actions=Y&Summary=Y&Text=Y&bn=A6014&default_fld=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly A09328 bill page
https://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?Actions=Y&Committee%26nbspVotes=Y&Floor%26nbspVotes=Y&Summary=Y&Text=Y&bn=A09328&default_fld=&term=2025Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly A09519 bill page
https://assembly.ny.gov/leg/?Actions=Y&Memo=Y&Summary=Y&Text=Y&Votes=Y&bn=A09519&term=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate A11334 bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A11334Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=108&sh=conFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly sponsored legislation page
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/John-T-McDonald-III/sponsor/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate legislation page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3457Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly bill page
https://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?Actions=Y&Committee%26nbspVotes=Y&Floor%26nbspVotes=Y&Summary=Y&Text=Y&bn=A02496&default_fld=&term=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly publication
https://www.assembly.ny.gov/member_files/108/20130916d/index.pdfFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Page
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=108&sh=conFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Legislation Page - A3675B
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/A3675Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Bill Search - A3009C
https://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?Actions=Y&Committee%26nbspVotes=Y&Floor%26nbspVotes=Y&Memo=Y&Summary=Y&Text=Y&bn=A3009C&term=2021Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly 2021 Enacted Budget PDF - A3009C
https://www.assembly.ny.gov/2021budget/2021files/enacted/A3009c.pdfFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Press Release on Excluded Worker Fund
https://www.assembly.ny.gov/Press/?sec=story&story=96454Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member sponsor page
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=108&sh=sponsorFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate Open Legislation - A5510
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5510Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate Open Legislation - A7282
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A7282Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate Open Legislation - A8524
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A8524Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate Open Legislation - A6359
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6359Fetched: issuePositions
BallotReady
https://www.ballotready.org/people/john-t-mcdonald-iii-3b93e003-3dc0-4083-a11b-8b1b0fde4a2cFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/John-T-McDonald-IIIFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Summer 2024 newsletter
https://assembly.ny.gov/write/upload/member_files/108/pdfs/20240620_0110893.pdfFetched: issuePositions