Press Releases: 1st Round (8/22)| 2nd Round (9/5) | 3rd Round (10/28) | 4th Round (10/31)
Endorsements in: The Bronx | Brooklyn | Manhattan | Queens | Long Island
The Bronx Endorsements | Back to top
Gustavo Rivera, Senate District 33, West Bronx, Kingsbridge, University Heights, Tremont (Incumbent)
Gustavo Rivera was first elected to the State Senate in 2010, where he serves as ranking member of the Health Committee, Rivera is a strong supporter of Webster Avenue Select Bus Service, and believes there should be a real lock on the transit lockbox. He’s committed to turning the West Bronx into a bike-friendly district, and supports traffic-calming and complete-streets treatments on the Grand Concourse. >>More Info
Brooklyn Endorsements | Back to top
James Kemmerer, Senate District 22: Brooklyn: Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights (Challenger)
Kemmerer, a tech entrepreneur and executive-committee member of the Bay Ridge Democrats, is challenging 12-year incumbent Marty Golden, who’s been a frequent obstacle to safe-streets policies in the State Senate. Kemmerer wants to improve and expand transportation options in Bay Ridge, including upgrading elevator access to subways, modernizing train controls and building better bus infrastructure. He wants to reduce the use of residential streets and business corridors as highway shortcuts, and expand successful programs like the Third Avenue Summer Stroll in frequency and scope. Kemmerer would like to change the toll structure on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and has endorsed the MoveNY plan. >>More Info
Joe Lentol, Assembly District 50, Greenpoint and Williamsburg (Incumbent)
Joe Lentol is the second most senior member of the Assembly, and as chair of the Codes Committee, he drafted and passed legislation that increased penalties for driving without a license or with a suspended license. He has been a strong supporter of speed cameras, and has led the fight for installation of a two-way protected bike path on the Pulaski Bridge, now expected for spring 2015. He is committed to improving the suspended/unlicensed driver laws, by uncoupling license suspensions from non-driving infractions and simultaneously increasing penalties for driving without a license and beefing up suspensions for dangerous driving. He’s also committed to working to remove restrictions on speed camera deployments. >>More Info
Felix Ortiz, Assembly District 51: Brooklyn: Red Hook, Sunset Park (Incumbent)
Ortiz has represented his district in the Assembly for 20 years. His bill banning the use of handheld cell phones while driving became the first such state law in the entire country in 2000. Ortiz will continue his longstanding efforts to deter and punish distracted driving by introducing legislation to require disclosure of a driver’s cellphone records after a crash suspected to have resulted from distraction. He will also advocate for the creation of a protected bike “highway” along Third Avenue, connecting his district to Downtown Brooklyn. >>More Info
Manhattan Endorsements | Back to top
Brad Hoylman, Senate District 27, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Midtown, UWS (Incumbent)
Still serving his first term in the State Senate, Brad Hoylman has already emerged as a leader on street-safety issues. He was a strong supporter of the recently enacted laws lowering New York City’s speed limit and increasing the deployment of speed cameras, and last month, he directed the State Department of Motor Vehicles to stop unlawfully charging cyclists for driver surcharges on summonses. He was also an early backer of the newly implemented East Village Neighborhood Slow Zone. Hoylman supports the campaign to remake Fifth and Sixth Avenues into complete streets, backs the MoveNY fair-tolling plan, and has expressed interest in introducing legislation that would make it easier for law enforcement to secure cell phone records after vehicular crashes. >>More Info
Adriano Espaillat, Senate District 31: Manhattan: Washington Heights, Marble Hill, Upper West Side (Incumbent)
Espaillat, who won his Senate seat in 2010 after serving in the Assembly, has consistently backed safe-streets initiatives. He sponsored legislation that led to the recent lowering of New York City’s default speed limit, co-sponsored the 2011 Complete Streets law, and has been a strong advocate for Select Bus Service along 125th Street, a clear distinction from his opponents. Espaillat will continue the fight for full SBS implementation in his district, and plans to push to increase the number of speed cameras and end time-and-day restrictions. He supports the MoveNY plan for fair tolling of New York City’s bridges and tunnels. >>More Info
Linda Rosenthal, Assembly District 67, Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen (Incumbent)
Running for her fifth term in the Assembly, Rosenthal has sponsored legislation that would allow prosecutors to seek enhanced penalties against repeat dangerous and reckless drivers, as well as legislation regarding the misguided “rule of two” that would hold drivers accountable for their actions in crashes that injure or kill. She intends to endorse the MoveNY plan (she was a supporter of the previous congestion-pricing effort), and will continue to work with stakeholders and the communities to transform Amsterdam Avenue, one of the most dangerous streets in New York City, into a complete street. >>More Info
Dan Quart, Assembly District 73, Upper East Side, Midtown East, Turtle Bay (Incumbent)
Dan Quart was first elected to the Assembly in 2011 in a special election, following eight years as a member of Manhattan Community Board 8, where he served as Transportation Committee co-chair. Quart has been a strong advocate for public transit, especially the rapid implementation of all remaining phases of the Second Avenue subway. He supports the MoveNY fair-tolling plan, and the complete-streets transformation of Manhattan’s Fifth and Sixth Avenues. >>More Info
Queens Endorsements | Back to top
Tony Avella, Senate District 11: Northeast Queens (Incumbent)
Avella, first elected to the State Senate in 2010 after eight years in the City Council, is a member of the Senate’s Transportation Committee. He supports increasing bus service in his Queens district, and would like to see real Bus Rapid Transit implemented on Northern Boulevard and other main thoroughfares. He backs lifting time and day restrictions on speed cameras, and intends to introduce a bill that would allow home rule for deployment of speed and red-light cameras. He also plans to push to have secure bicycle storage installed at Long Island Railroad stations in his district. >>More Info
Nily Rozic, Assembly District 25: Queens: Flushing, Fresh Meadows (Incumbent)
Rozic, elected in 2012, is the youngest woman serving in the State Legislature. She has successfully pushed for expanded neighborhood bus service, and commutes to her district office by bicycle. Rozic is committed to extending and improving bike infrastructure in her district to make it easier for people to ride to nearby transit stations and to schools, advocating for real Bus Rapid Transit connecting Flushing and Jamaica, and ensuring that all police precincts in Queens are supplied with necessary enforcement equipment and trained in new traffic-safety laws. >>More Info
Long Island Endorsements | Back to top
Adrienne Esposito, Senate District 3, Brookhaven, Patchogue, Islandia (Open Seat)
Adrienne Esposito, a longtime sustainability advocate and Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, is seeking an open seat currently held by Lee Zeldin, who’s running for Congress. Esposito has pledged to push for more funding for complete-streets initiatives, fight for expanded and improved mass-transit services, and champion transit-oriented development around Long Island Railroad stations in the 3rd District. >>More Info
Tom Schiliro, Assembly District 2: Long Island: Suffolk County (Challenger)
Schiliro, an active two-decade veteran of the Suffolk County Park Police and a teacher, is challenging Anthony Palumbo, who won a special election last November, for the Assembly seat representing this North Fork district. Schiliro is a believer in lower speed limits in downtown and residential areas, and particularly in school zones. He supports implementation of complete-streets policies, as well as increased penalties for dangerous driving offenses. He’d like to see bike lockers installed at more Long Island Railroad stations, as has been done in Ronkonkoma. >>More Info >>More Info
Edward Hennessey, Assembly District 3: Long Island: Suffolk County (Incumbent)
Hennessey, who was elected to represent his central Suffolk County 3rd District in 2012, was the prime sponsor of a new state law that increases penalties for texting while driving. A member of the Assembly’s Transportation Committee, he is also the lead sponsor of legislation that will increase penalties for hit-and-run drivers. Hennessey is advocating for a Safe Routes to Transit program for Suffolk County, has requested $1 million for a safer-bike-lane pilot program, and is fighting to have a portion of red-light camera revenue dedicated to complete-streets projects. >>More Info
Jason Zove, Assembly District 8: Long Island: Suffolk County (Challenger)
Zove, a former aide in the Suffolk County Legislature, is challenging six-term incumbent Mike Fitzpatrick this November. Zove is committed to making Long Island’s towns and villages safer for pedestrians and cyclists, including widening sidewalks, implementing more crosswalks and expanding the bike-lane network. He believes Long Island needs to increase north-south transit connections, and supports creation of dedicated bus lanes. He’ll work to have secure bike storage installed at Long Island Railroad stations. >>More Info
Michaelle Solages, Assembly District 22, Elmont, Valley Stream, Floral Park, Franklin Square (Incumbent)
Michaelle Solages is seeking her second term in the Assembly. She’s introduced legislation that would require the State Comptroller to review and analyze the privatization of any public transit systems, such as the 2012 transfer of Nassau County’s bus service to a private operator, and has been an advocate for safety improvements on the Southern State Parkway. She’s committed to improving street safety around schools, including more crossing guards and Safe Routes to Schools programs, and plans to push the New York State Department of Transportation to make changes to the dangerous Exit 13 on the Southern State. She’ll also advocate for expanded and secure bike parking at Long Island Railroad stations in the 22nd District. >>More Info
