He also received a Juris Doctor from the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 1987.

He defeated Democratic nominee Barry McCoy, a physicist, winning 51% of the vote.

Eliot Spitzer appointed LaValle to the New York State Commission on Higher Education, which was charged with identifying ways of improving the quality of higher education in the State.

[citation needed] LaValle also served on the National Council of State Legislatures’ Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education.

He played a key role in the development of the School Tax Relief (STAR) program.