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Eric McClure
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2024 NYS General Election
2024 State Senate Endorsees: New York City | Upstate New York
Andrew Gounardes, 26th State Senate District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Andrew Gounardes earned our endorsement when he won his seat in 2018, and again in 2020 and 2022, and this year is no different. He led the effort in Albany to expand New York City's speed-camera program, and sponsored the legislation that allows cameras to operate around the clock. His bill authorizing the renewal and four-fold expansion of New York City's red-light camera program passed earlier this year. His priorities for the next legislative session are the passage of his bill that would require installation of speed-limiting technology in the vehicles of drivers with significant numbers of dangerous driving violations, and another that would require the state to establish a goal of reducing driving by 20% by 2050. In addition, Senator Gounardes has been a staunch advocate for improved transit service and subway accessibility. You can help with Andrew Gounardes's re-election campaign here.
Brad Hoylman-Sigal, 47th State Senate District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Senator Hoylman-Sigal, who represents the west side of Manhattan, has long advocated for safer streets and better public transportation, including legislative initiatives to mandate safety technology in newly registered cars in New York State and to eliminate parking minimums in cities, and pushing to integrate Citi Bike with the MTA's OMNY fare-payment system. He was the lead Senate sponsor of a number of bills on our priority list this year, including Sammy's Law, which passed as part of the budget this spring and will allow New York City to further lower speed limits, and a bill requiring the point-of-sale registration of mopeds that recently became law. He's also carrying a bill that would allow the use of automated cameras to enforce against obstruction of bike lanes. You can contribute to Brad Hoylman-Sigal's re-election effort here.
Kristen Gonzalez, 59th State Senate District, Brooklyn, Manhattan & Queens (Incumbent) – Kristen Gonzalez handily won her Senate seat in 2022 with StreetsPAC's endorsement, which she earned by expressing a strong commitment to public transit and street safety, causes on which she's delivered during her first term in office. She has been a staunch supporter of the campaign to redesign McGuinness Boulevard, a position that earned her a primary challenger backed by opponents of the proposed road diet. Last year, she collaborated with colleagues in the Assembly and City Council, and advocates, to develop the Western Queens Street Safety Plan. Senator Gonzalez continues to be a proponent of the MTA's free-bus pilot, while remaining committed to advocating for expansion of bus and subway service across the city. And along with her fellow State Senate endorsees, she has stood strong in opposition to Governor Hochul's efforts to sideline congestion pricing. She does not have an opponent in November.
Minita Sanghvi, 44th State Senate District, Saratoga & Schenectady Counties (Challenger) – Minita Sanghvi, Finance Commissioner of the City of Saratoga Springs and a professor at Skidmore College, is challenging incumbent Jim Tedisco for this upstate Senate seat. Since joining the Saratoga Springs City Council, she's focused on sustainability and the built environment; during her tenure, the city has built more sidewalks and bike lanes than any previous administration, and she's working now to lower the local speed limit. Sanghvi's vision for an "innovation corridor" connecting Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga Springs would include more robust bus service linking businesses and college campuses, and her proposed community preservation fund would help create and maintain greenway trails. You can get involved with Minita Sanghvi's campaign here.
Samra Brouk, 55th State Senate District, Monroe County & Greater Rochester (Incumbent) – Samra Brouk is running for her third term in this upstate Senate district that includes the eastern half of the City of Rochester. She has advocated repeatedly for increased investment in RTS, the public transit system that serves Monroe County, calling "a well-funded and fully operational public transportation system... an absolute necessity for economic and educational opportunity" and a fundamental issue of equity. Senator Brouk has championed Rochester's Inner Loop North project, which will continue the filling-in of a 1950's-era urban highway, while remaining adamant that the process meaningfully involve the local community at every step. She's worked closely with, and devoted funding to, the local advocacy group Reconnect Rochester, would like to see the city's nascent bike-share system expand, and has co-sponsored a number of street-safety bills, including "Idaho Stop" and complete-streets legislation. You can contribute to Samra Brouk's re-election effort here.2024 State Assembly Endorsees: Long Island | Queens | Brooklyn | Manhattan | Bronx | Upstate New York
Rebecca Kassay, 4th Assembly District, Suffolk County (Challenger) –Democrat Rebecca Kassay, who was until recently an elected Trustee and Deputy Mayor of Port Jefferson Village, is challenging Republican incumbent Ed Flood in Long Island's 4th Assembly District, which covers Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, and Brookhaven. Kassay is an advocate for better public transit and walkability who commissioned Port Jefferson Village's first complete-streets study. She'll fight for electrification of the Long Island Rail Road's Port Jefferson branch, which will speed up commutes for people working in the city, and wants the LIRR to add a frequent shuttle train between Port Jefferson and Stony Brook. She's committed to pushing for improved cycling infrastructure across the 4th District, and has worked with Walk Safe Long Island to advocate for building more sidewalks. With a background in environmental stewardship, she understands the importance of offering people, even in car-centric Suffolk County, reliable and accessible alternatives to driving everywhere. You can get involved with Rebecca Kassay's campaign here.
Jessica González-Rojas, 34th Assembly District, Queens (Incumbent) – Assemblymember González-Rojas won her seat in 2020 with StreetsPAC's support. During her initial term, she introduced and led the passage in the Assembly of the MTA Bike Access bill, which became law in 2021 and mandates the creation of a strategic plan to facilitate access to the MTA's bridges and stations. She has continued to advocate for the redesign of dangerous Northern Boulevard with dedicated, separated spaces for buses and bikes, and was a vociferous proponent of the passage of Sammy's Law, working her Assembly colleagues hard to include it in this year's budget. Assemblymember González-Rojas has also been one of the major champions of the 34th Avenue Open Street, a position that landed her a challenger in the Democratic primary. Like a number of our endorsees, she has stood resolutely in support of the timely implementation of congestion pricing. She's running unopposed in November.
Claire Valdez, 37th Assembly District, Queens (Challenger) – Claire Valdez, a union organizer and Democratic Socialist, won the Democratic primary for this western Queens Assembly seat in June, defeating incumbent Assemblymember Juan Ardila and Johanna Carmona, who was backed by the Queens Democratic Party. Valdez ran on a broadly progressive agenda that includes a detailed transportation and street-safety platform, and will join several DSA-backed legislators in Albany who have emerged as champions of public transit and calmer, more accessible streets. She rides the bus almost every day, and supports the long-term vision of the QueensLink campaign to restore passenger service on the Long Island Railroad's Lower Montauk branch. Valdez has been a ubiquitous presence at safe-streets rallies and protests from the first days of her campaign, and she's committed to pushing for comprehensive infrastructure improvements, including protected bike lanes and daylighting. She does not have an opponent on November's ballot.
Catalina Cruz, 39th Assembly District, Queens (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Cruz has been a reliable vote and committed partner on issues affecting street safety and public transit since first winning office, with StreetsPAC's endorsement, in 2018. She's been one of the leading proponents of the 34th Avenue Open Street, which forms her district's northwestern border, and in 2020, she led a broad coalition of elected officials seeking safer Open Street designs. She's been focused on the MTA's efforts to redesign the Queens Bus Network, advocating for deeper public engagement while supporting the necessary goals of improving service, and remains interested in efforts to improve the Department of Motor Vehicles, including potentially requiring periodic retesting of drivers. Assemblymember Cruz does not have a challenger in November's general election.
Robert Carroll, 44th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Robert Carroll has been among Albany's most reliable voices for safer streets and better public transit since he first won office in 2016. A StreetsPAC endorsee several times over, he has been one of the legislature's most prominent supporters of congestion pricing, and was quick to denounce Governor Hochul's 11th-hour reversal. He's been a strong proponent of automated camera enforcement, including the use of cameras to keep bus lanes and bus stops clear of parked cars, and has called for the Brooklyn Bus Network redesign to include many more dedicated bus lanes. He introduced a bill last session that would require delivery-app companies to carry liability insurance for workers delivering on their behalf, and reintroduced his bill that would fund transit improvements by levying a small tax on package deliveries. You can contribute to Robert Carroll's re-election effort here.
Emily Gallagher, 50th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Emily Gallagher, who first won her seat in the Assembly in 2020, has more than delivered on the promises that secured our endorsement as an insurgent candidate taking on a 48-year incumbent. A member of the Assembly's Transportation Committee, she has championed street-safety projects that include the redesign of dangerous McGuinness Boulevard, which earned her the ire of road-diet opponents who recruited and funded a primary challenger whom she soundly defeated. She's been a strong advocate for Open Streets, and organized a rapid-response rally among her Assembly colleagues in the wake of the Governor's congestion pricing announcement. Assemblymember Gallagher has also teamed with Andrew Gounardes to introduce a bill requiring the installation of speed-limiting technology in the vehicles of drivers with significant numbers of dangerous driving violations, which they hope to pass in 2025. She pushed for robust transportation accommodations during this summer's G train shutdown, and is supportive of significant reform of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Assemblymember Gallagher does not have an opponent in November.
Marcela Mitaynes, 51st Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Marcela Mitaynes is running for her third term in the Assembly representing the Brooklyn communities of Sunset Park and Red Hook. Elected with several other DSA-backed candidates in 2020, Mitaynes has joined those colleagues in becoming increasingly focused on transportation and street-safety issues. She opposes Governor Hochul's congestion pricing pause, and signed on to the "Get Congestion Pricing Right Act," which would have expanded the MTA's fare-free bus pilot – something she and her co-sponsors hope to revive in 2025. She's also hopeful about passing her indirect-source rule legislation, which would be crucial to stemming the spread of last-mile warehouse facilities in environmental-justice communities. Assemblymember Mitaynes has also joined colleagues in calling for universal daylighting, and safety upgrades to treacherous Hamilton Avenue, and she remains committed to advocating for design improvements to Brooklyn's Third Avenue and the BQE. You can help Marcela Mitaynes's re-election effort here.
Jo Anne Simon, 52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Jo Anne Simon is running for her sixth term in the Assembly, and has won StreetsPAC's backing several times during her tenure in Albany. She's a member of the Assembly's Transportation Committee, and her name regularly appears as a sponsor on legislation crucial to improving both the safety of streets and the efficacy of public transit. Assemblymember Simon introduced a bill at the end of the last session that would prohibit New York City from opting out of the state's daylighting law, carries legislation that would reduce the legal blood-alcohol level for DUI infractions, and continues to lobby the MTA for restoration of the discontinued B71 bus route as well as the creation of a bus route connecting Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood with Lower Manhattan. She also stood firmly in support of congestion pricing when the Governor paused the program in June. You can support Jo Anne Simon's campaign here.
Micah Lasher, 69th Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – Micah Lasher, whom we endorsed in 2016 when he ran for the State Senate, is running for the open Upper West Side Assembly seat being vacated by the retiring Danny O'Donnell. Lasher was Policy Director for Governor Hochul before resigning to enter a hotly contested five-way Democratic Primary, in which he won a majority of the votes cast. Unlike his former boss, he's a supporter of congestion pricing, and has termed the Governor's pause "a mistake." He's called publicly for a Paris-style transformation of New York City's streets, and for modernizing subway signal technology, which he's noted is dependent on the funding stream that congestion pricing will provide. He told us that crosstown dedicated bus lanes on the Upper West Side would be "a great thing," and he's supportive of eliminating parking mandates to help spur housing growth. Lasher does not have an opponent in the general election.
Alex Bores, 73rd Assembly District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Alex Bores was elected to represent Manhattan's 73rd Assembly District in November 2022 with StreetsPAC's endorsement. Since taking office, he's been active on the legislative front, passing a bill that will require more detailed crash reporting, and notably teaming with fellow StreetsPAC endorsee Brad Hoylman-Sigal on a new law that requires the point-of-sale registration of all limited-use motorcycles, which should help to significantly curtail the proliferation of illegal mopeds. He's also planning on introducing several new bills next session that would increase the accountability of delivery-app platforms. Assemblymember Bores would like to see the Department of Motor Vehicles take a more active role in regulating safety, and he supports re-testing drivers who've had significant numbers of violations. You can get involved with Alex Bores's re-election campaign here.
Harvey Epstein, 74th Assembly District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Epstein, whom we first endorsed when he won election in 2018, has continued to be a reliable ally in Albany on matters of street safety and public transit. Despite continuing to harbor some reservations about the income level for the residential exemption, he was still quick to condemn the Governor's last-minute reversal on congestion pricing. He's been a firm supporter of expanding the city's automated camera enforcement programs, and is lead sponsor of a bill that would authorize the lowering of the speed limit on Open Streets to five miles per hour. As a regular cyclist – he was sent over his handlebars a few months ago by a driver who cut into a bike lane in Brooklyn in which he was riding – Assemblymember Epstein supports expanding the city's network of protected bike lanes. He does not face a challenger in the November election.
Jeffrey Dinowitz, 81st Assembly District, Bronx (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Dinowitz has long been one of Albany's staunchest advocates for the public-transit system, authoring the MTA "lock-box" bill that became law in 2019. He continues to support additional investment in, and further improvements to, Bronx bus service, including more frequency and better enforcement against motorists parking in bus lanes and bus stops, and would like to see more fare-free routes. He is the lead sponsor of an Assembly bill that would add four rider representatives with voting rights to the MTA board. On the street-safety front, his bill to renew and expand the city's red-light camera program passed last session, and he is lead sponsor of a bill that would allow the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend the registration of any vehicle caught with an obscured or defaced license plate. You can support Jeffrey Dinowitz's re-election here.
Dana Levenberg, 95th Assembly District, Putnam & Westchester Counties (Incumbent) – Dana Levenberg is running for re-election in this district covering portions of Putnam and Westchester Counties, and which includes the Town of Ossining, where she served as Town Supervisor before winning her Assembly seat in 2022. She's been a vocal supporter of congestion pricing, and issued a statement calling for its implementation following the Governor's ill-advised pause, underscoring the importance of Metro-North rail service to her constituents. As Ossining Supervisor, Levenberg championed the planning of the MOGO Trail, a proposed greenway path that would connect the Empire State Trail to Ossining's train station and bus routes in between. Assemblymember Levenberg has also partnered with Andrew Gounardes to introduce a complete-streets bill that would prioritize the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders in state and local transportation projects. You can contribute to Dana Levenberg's re-election effort here.
Chloe Pierce, 107th Assembly District, Rensselaer, Washington & Columbia Counties (Challenger) – Chloe Pierce, a lifelong resident of the state's Capital Region, won the Democratic primary for the 107th Assembly District with StreetsPAC's endorsement. A lobbyist who has represented the New York State Nurses Association and companies in the clean-energy sector, she's been involved in public service since she was a child. Though much of Rensselaer County is rural, there's growing advocacy in towns like Bethlehem for better bike infrastructure, which Pierce supports. While there are local concerns around traffic safety, especially speeding, she believes the primary transportation issue in the district is the need for better public transit, especially to connect residents with health care facilities. She's also expressed interest in working to improve the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Pierce faces incumbent Assemblymember Scott Bendett in November. You can find information about getting involved with Chloe Pierce's campaign here.
Anna Kelles, 125th Assembly District, Tompkins & Cortland Counties (Incumbent) – Dr. Anna Kelles was first elected to represent the 125th District in the Assembly in 2020. An epidemiologist by training, Kelles has quickly become one of the Assembly's leaders on environmental policy, which she views as closely intertwined with transportation. Her bike was her main mode of transportation for a decade before a recent move (she's twice been struck by drivers), and she believes in investing in public transit, like Ithaca's fairly extensive bus system. She's a strong supporter of Sammy's Law, and thinks that allowing other municipalities to set their own speed limits is vitally important. She also supported the expansion of New York City's red-light camera program, and would like to see it piloted in other cities and towns. In response to a query in our questionnaire, Dr. Kelles recently introduced an Assembly companion to State Senator Rachel May's bill requiring regular updates to the state's bicycle and pedestrian plan. Assemblymember Kelles is running unopposed in the general election. -
Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's 2025 New York City Primary Election Voter Guide in News 2025-06-13 14:59:30 -0400
StreetsPAC's 2025 New York City Primary Election Voter Guide
Early voting ahead of the June 24 New York City primary election gets underway this Saturday, June 14, and continues until Sunday, June 22. If you're registered with a political-party affiliation, you are eligible to vote in your party's primary. If you're not currently registered, you may still enroll until tomorrow.
Our board has spent the past several months evaluating responses to our detailed candidate questionnaires, analyzing policy platforms, and conducting in-depth personal interviews with dozens of candidates. We're excited to bring you our voter guide, with our complete roster of endorsements for Mayor, Comptroller, three Borough Presidencies, and 15 City Council races across every borough except Staten Island. You can learn more about each of our endorsees below, as well as the safe-streets and transportation issues they'll champion in office.
Voter turnout in New York City has declined in every election since 2001, reaching a low of 23% in the last mayoral election, and while that is the opposite of ideal, it does mean that your vote for a StreetsPAC-endorsed candidate who supports safe, complete and livable streets, and reliable, efficient and affordable public transit, could truly make a difference in a close race.To check your voter-registration status, find your polling location and hours, see a sample ballot, and learn more about Ranked Choice Voting, please visit vote.nyc. Remember that under the ranked choice system, you may choose up to five candidates in a particular race in your order of preference. Gothamist has a helpful explainer here.
We urge you to get out and vote for all the StreetsPAC candidates on your ballot, and to be sure to rank all five of our mayoral endorsees. Read on below for our full voter guide. You can click the links at the top to jump to our endorsements in a particular borough. Council races are listed in numerical order by district.
2025 Endorsees: Citywide | Manhattan | Bronx | Queens | Brooklyn
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Brad Lander for Mayor
Brad Lander, New York City's Comptroller, is our top choice for Mayor.The city's voters are fortunate to have several mayoral candidates with progressive platforms and noteworthy résumés on street-safety and public transit policies from whom to choose – more about some of them below – but Brad Lander rises to the top thanks to the combination of his expansive vision for New York City's transportation landscape and his past record of advocacy and accomplishment.
When we interviewed Kathryn Garcia before endorsing her in the Democratic mayoral primary in 2021, we were deeply impressed by her preparation and ability to speak knowledgeably and confidently on a host of transportation policy issues. Mr. Lander has taken that to an entirely new level in 2025.
His "Green Light for New York City" transportation platform is by far the most comprehensive blueprint for safer streets and better public transit that we've ever seen from a candidate for any office. It outlines a wide-ranging roadmap for getting Vision Zero back on track, improving and enhancing subway and bus service, reimagining the city's curb space, and bringing a newfound degree of safety and order to the city's streets.
His commitment to working closely with the MTA to get more New Yorkers back on subways and buses includes implementing a true Bus Rapid Transit system, prioritizing accessibility, ensuring the fastest possible rollout of the Interborough Express, and expansion and enhancement of the Fair Fares and City Ticket programs.
Mr. Lander is fully committed to implementing and adhering to the benchmarks of the city's Streets Plan, which has floundered under the current administration. He'll fully fund and staff the Department of Transportation and empower it to implement projects without political interference, and he'll kickstart critical efforts like the stalled secure bike-parking program. He'll restore year-round outdoor dining, and will implement transformative projects like the redesign of Manhattan's Fifth Avenue and the pedestrianization of large portions of the Financial District.
He'll bring order to city streets by regulating the delivery app companies that have prioritized profits and speed over the safety of delivery workers and pedestrians, and will pilot a Reckless Driver Accountability Act-style program to alter rider behavior using an approach based on a restorative justice model.
And he'll remake the city's curbside spaces by expanding the city's Smart Curbs pilot, innovating the use of real-time parking sensors and dynamic pricing, and modernizing the alternate-side parking system to increase compliance while actually making parking easier for those drivers who follow the rules.
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Eric McClure published Announcing StreetsPAC's 2025 Endorsements for Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council in News 2025-06-11 08:08:15 -0400
Announcing StreetsPAC's 2025 Endorsements for Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council
We're excited today to announce our endorsements for Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council for New York City's June 24th primary election. Please stay tuned for our mayoral endorsement, which we'll be announcing separately later today.
Our board has reviewed questionnaire responses from, and conducted interviews with, dozens of candidates over the past few months, and we're proud to support a slate of candidates who are committed to improving the safety of our streets and sidewalks and to making public transit an increasingly fast, accessible and comfortable way to get around the city.
In addition to an endorsement in the citywide Comptroller's race, we are endorsing for Borough President in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn (there are no primary contests in Queens or Staten Island), and in 15 City Council races across Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. In some instances, we've made ranked-choices endorsements based on the quality of the candidates and the sizes of the respective fields. We'll likely make additional endorsements in Borough President and Council races ahead of November's general election.
Early voting ahead of the June 24 primary begins this Saturday, June 14, and continues every day until Sunday, June 22. To check your voter-registration status, find your polling location and hours, see a sample ballot, and learn more about Ranked Choice Voting, please visit vote.nyc. Remember that under the ranked choice system, you may rank up to five candidates in a particular race in your order of preference. Gothamist has a helpful explainer here.
We're proud to support this great group of candidates. Please read on below to meet them and learn about their platforms, and keep an eye out for our imminent mayoral endorsement.
2025 Endorsees: Comptroller | Manhattan | Bronx | Queens | Brooklyn
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on E-Bike Licensing in News 2024-12-12 07:46:30 -0500
StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on E-Bike Licensing
Yesterday, we testified at the New York City Council Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's marathon oversight hearing on e-bikes, billed as "Planning Our Shared Streets in New York City: Integrating Micromobility Options." The hearing was focused on Intro 606, legislation sponsored by Queens Council Member Robert Holden that would require that all e-bikes and e-scooters be registered with the New York City Department of Transportation. We expressed our strong opposition to the bill, which we believe would do little to actually improve safety while creating new problems.
At the same time, we offered our support for Intro 1131, Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers's bill that would create a task force to study options for making street design and infrastructure safer in consideration of increased use of electric bicycles and other powered micro-mobility devices.
Our full testimony follows below.
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Eric McClure published Please Join Us Monday for an Event with Manhattan BP Mark Levine! in News 2024-12-07 12:40:51 -0500
Please Join Us Monday for an Event with Manhattan BP Mark Levine!
Please join us in Park Slope, Brooklyn on Monday, December 9, at 5:30 p.m., for a fundraiser for Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
First as a City Council Member, and since 2022 as Manhattan BP, Levine has been a champion for safer streets and improved public transportation. He's called for expanding the Hudson River Greenway by taking a lane from West Street, led an effort to increase access to public restrooms, advocated for ending parking minimums and cracking down harder on fake license plates, and pushed for adapting parking garages to serve as package-distribution hubs to free up sidewalk space. He was also one of the leading supporters of a project that transformed three Upper West Side parking garages into several hundred units of deeply affordable housing.
Your ticket to the event will entitle you to complimentary beer, wine, and soft drinks, along with some free nibbles, and most importantly, your chance to hear directly from Mark about his accomplishments and plans for the future.
See below for details, and please follow this link to RSVP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/levinestreetspac120924. We'll provide the precise location with your confirmation. Hope to see you there!
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Eric McClure published Final Election Results; Mark Levine Event December 9th in News 2024-12-02 10:57:50 -0500
Final Election Results; Mark Levine Event Dec. 9
Final StreetsPAC Election Results
With the news out of Suffolk County last week that Rebecca Kassay has defeated incumbent Ed Flood to win the race for Long Island's 4th Assembly District seat, the book is now closed on StreetsPAC's 2024 state legislative endorsements – a book that turned out to be a runaway best-seller.
While the outcome is yet to be certified by the New York State Board of Elections, Kassay's lead has grown from 211 votes on election night to more than 800 with the counting of mail and provisional ballots. Her victory means that a full 90% of the candidates we endorsed for State Senate and Assembly – 18 of 20 – won their elections, proving yet again that support for safer streets and better public transit continues to play well with voters.
Kassay will join Claire Valdez and Micah Lasher as freshman members of the Assembly who won their seats with our endorsement, while the 15 incumbents who earned our backing all won re-election. Minita Sanghvi and Chloe Pierce, who challenged State Senate and Assembly incumbents, respectively, in upstate districts, both ran spirited races but came up a little short.
This election marked the first time that we've made a concerted effort to expand our efforts beyond New York City, and we are quite pleased with the results. Given the influence that state government has over local transportation issues, including things like automated-enforcement programs and congestion pricing, it makes sense for us to establish more of a presence on Long Island and upstate. But at the same time, complete-streets treatments and improved bus service can make people's lives better all across the state, and we want to help elect and support candidates who share our commitment.
We're grateful to you for supporting these newly elected and re-elected leaders, and for helping to make our work possible. We're immensely proud of all our endorsees, and look forward to working with them in the coming legislative session to make further advances in street-safety and transit policies.
Mark Levine Fundraiser in Brooklyn, Monday, December 9, 5:30 p.m.
Please join us in Park Slope, Brooklyn on Monday, December 9, at 5:30 p.m., for a fundraiser for Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
First as a City Council Member, and since 2022 as Manhattan BP, Levine has been a champion for safer streets and improved public transportation. He's called for expanding the Hudson River Greenway by taking a lane from West Street, led an effort to increase access to public restrooms, advocated for ending parking minimums and cracking down harder on fake license plates, and pushed for adapting parking garages to serve as package-distribution hubs to free up sidewalk space. He was also one of the key supporters of a project that transformed three Upper West Side parking garages into several hundred units of deeply affordable housing.
Your ticket to the event will entitle you to complimentary beer, wine, and soft drinks, along with some free nibbles, and most importantly, your chance to hear directly from Mark Levine about his accomplishments and plans for the future.
See below for details, and please click on the image to RSVP, or follow this link: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/levinestreetspac120924. We'll provide the precise location with your confirmation. Hope to see you there!
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's 2024 General Election Voter Guide in News 2024-10-25 10:13:08 -0400
StreetsPAC's 2024 General Election Voter Guide
Early voting for the November 5 general election gets underway this Saturday, October 26, and continues through Sunday, November 3. Early-voting sites in New York City will open at 8 a.m. every day, and will remain open until 5 p.m. on weekends and 8 p.m. on weekdays. You can confirm your early-voting and election-day polling locations, review a sample ballot, check your registration status, and see other election-related information at vote.nyc.
If you vote elsewhere in New York State, you can find this same information at elections.ny.gov. On Election Day, polling sites statewide will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and you cannot be turned away as long as you're in line at your polling place by closing time.
If you are not yet registered to vote, you can find information on how to register at elections.ny.gov/register-vote; please note that time is of the essence, as your form must be received by the Board of Elections by October 26.
We're very excited about the 20 outstanding candidates we've endorsed for the New York State Senate and Assembly, 15 of them running for re-election and five seeking state office for the first time. Fourteen of our endorsees are running in New York City, and for the first time ever, we've endorsed candidates across the state, six in total, in districts from the shores of Long Island Sound to the shores of Lake Ontario. You can read all about the candidates whom we've endorsed, and notable aspects of their street-safety and transportation platforms, below. Candidates are grouped by office, Senate first and then Assembly, and listed in ascending order by district number. Click the region or borough links to jump directly to candidates in that area.
State government exerts enormous influence over local streets and transit systems, and your vote for StreetsPAC-endorsed candidates can help to ensure that the legislature promotes policies that make our streets safer and our buses and subways more efficient and reliable.
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC Announces Seven New Endorsements for the State Legislature in News 2024-10-15 15:54:26 -0400
StreetsPAC Announces Seven New Endorsements for the State Legislature
We're thrilled today to announce seven new endorsements of candidates running for the state legislature, two for the State Senate and five for the Assembly.
New 2024 State Senate Endorsees
Minita Sanghvi, 44th State Senate District, Saratoga & Schenectady Counties (Challenger) – Minita Sanghvi, Finance Commissioner of the City of Saratoga Springs and a professor at Skidmore College, is challenging incumbent Jim Tedisco for this upstate Senate seat. Since joining the Saratoga Springs City Council, she's focused on sustainability and the built environment; during her tenure, the city has built more sidewalks and bike lanes than any previous administration, and she's working now to lower the local speed limit. Sanghvi's vision for an "innovation corridor" connecting Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga Springs would include more robust bus service linking businesses and college campuses, and her proposed community preservation fund would help create and maintain greenway trails. You can get involved with Minita Sanghvi's campaign here.
Samra Brouk, 55th State Senate District, Monroe County & Greater Rochester (Incumbent) – Samra Brouk is running for her third term in this upstate Senate district that includes the eastern half of the City of Rochester. She has advocated repeatedly for increased investment in RTS, the public transit system that serves Monroe County, calling "a well-funded and fully operational public transportation system... an absolute necessity for economic and educational opportunity" and a fundamental issue of equity. Senator Brouk has championed Rochester's Inner Loop North project, which will continue the filling-in of a 1950's-era urban highway, while remaining adamant that the process meaningfully involve the local community at every step. She's worked closely with, and devoted funding to, the local advocacy group Reconnect Rochester, would like to see the city's nascent bike-share system expand, and has co-sponsored a number of street-safety bills, including "Idaho Stop" and complete-streets legislation. You can contribute to Samra Brouk's re-election effort here.New 2024 State Assembly Endorsees
Rebecca Kassay, 4th Assembly District, Suffolk County (Challenger) – Democrat Rebecca Kassay, who was until recently an elected Trustee and Deputy Mayor of Port Jefferson Village, is challenging Republican incumbent Ed Flood in Long Island's 4th Assembly District, which covers Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, and Brookhaven. Kassay is an advocate for better public transit and walkability who commissioned Port Jefferson Village's first complete-streets study. She'll fight for electrification of the Long Island Rail Road's Port Jefferson branch, which will speed up commutes for people working in the city, and wants the LIRR to add a frequent shuttle train between Port Jefferson and Stony Brook. She's committed to pushing for improved cycling infrastructure across the 4th District, and has worked with Walk Safe Long Island to advocate for building more sidewalks. With a background in environmental stewardship, she understands the importance of offering people, even in car-centric Suffolk County, reliable and accessible alternatives to driving everywhere. You can get involved with Rebecca Kassay's campaign here.
Marcela Mitaynes, 51st Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Marcela Mitaynes is running for her third term in the Assembly representing the Brooklyn communities of Sunset Park and Red Hook. Elected with several other DSA-backed candidates in 2020, Mitaynes has joined those colleagues in becoming increasingly focused on transportation and street-safety issues. She opposes Governor Hochul's congestion pricing pause, and signed on to the "Get Congestion Pricing Right Act," which would have expanded the MTA's fare-free bus pilot – something she and her co-sponsors hope to revive in 2025. She's also hopeful about passing her indirect-source rule legislation, which would be crucial to stemming the spread of last-mile warehouse facilities in environmental-justice communities. Assemblymember Mitaynes has also joined colleagues in calling for universal daylighting, and safety upgrades to treacherous Hamilton Avenue, and she remains committed to advocating for design improvements to Brooklyn's Third Avenue and the BQE. You can help Marcela Mitaynes's re-election effort here.
Micah Lasher, 69th Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – Micah Lasher, whom we endorsed in 2016 when he ran for the State Senate, is running for the open Upper West Side Assembly seat being vacated by the retiring Danny O'Donnell. Lasher was Policy Director for Governor Hochul before resigning to enter a hotly contested five-way Democratic Primary, in which he won a majority of the votes cast. Unlike his former boss, he's a supporter of congestion pricing, and has termed the Governor's pause "a mistake." He's called publicly for a Paris-style transformation of New York City's streets, and for modernizing subway signal technology, which he's noted is dependent on the funding stream that congestion pricing will provide. He told us that crosstown dedicated bus lanes on the Upper West Side would be "a great thing," and he's supportive of eliminating parking mandates to help spur housing growth. Lasher does not have an opponent in the general election.
Alex Bores, 73rd Assembly District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Alex Bores was elected to represent Manhattan's 73rd Assembly District in November 2022 with StreetsPAC's endorsement. Since taking office, he's been active on the legislative front, passing a bill that will require more detailed crash reporting, and notably teaming with fellow StreetsPAC endorsee Brad Hoylman-Sigal on a new law that requires the point-of-sale registration of all limited-use motorcycles, which should help to significantly curtail the proliferation of illegal mopeds. He's also planning on introducing several new bills next session that would increase the accountability of delivery-app platforms. Assemblymember Bores would like to see the Department of Motor Vehicles take a more active role in regulating safety, and he supports re-testing drivers who've had significant numbers of violations. You can get involved with Alex Bores's re-election campaign here.
Dana Levenberg, 95th Assembly District, Putnam & Westchester Counties (Incumbent) – Dana Levenberg is running for re-election in this district covering portions of Putnam and Westchester Counties, and which includes the Town of Ossining, where she served as Town Supervisor before winning her Assembly seat in 2022. She's been a vocal supporter of congestion pricing, and issued a statement calling for its implementation following the Governor's ill-advised pause, underscoring the importance of Metro-North rail service to her constituents. As Ossining Supervisor, Levenberg championed the planning of the MOGO Trail, a proposed greenway path that would connect the Empire State Trail to Ossining's train station and bus routes in between. Assemblymember Levenberg has also partnered with Andrew Gounardes to introduce a complete-streets bill that would prioritize the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders in state and local transportation projects. You can contribute to Dana Levenberg's re-election effort here.These seven outstanding candidates join our 13 prior endorsees for State Senate and Assembly who won their primaries or didn't face challengers in June. You can read about those earlier endorsements after the jump. Early voting for the November 5th general election begins October 26th.
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Planning Commission on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity in News 2024-07-12 15:32:02 -0400
StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Planning Commission on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
Earlier this week, we testified at the City Planning Commission's marathon hearing on the proposed City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning reform proposal, which should help alleviate New York City's housing shortage while also putting in place policies that could help reduce driving while promoting the use of public transit and encouraging walking and biking.
Our full testimony follows below, and you can also view StreetsPAC Executive Director Eric McClure's delivery of our remarks on YouTube, beginning roughly at the 11-hour, 37-minute, and 30-second mark (yes, it was a very long hearing!).
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on Intersections, Sidewalks and Pedestrian Safety in News 2024-06-29 15:32:58 -0400
StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on Intersections, Sidewalks and Pedestrian Safety
On Tuesday this week, we testified at the New York City Council Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's oversight hearing on intersections, sidewalks and pedestrian safety. We voiced our support for a bill that would mandate that the city improve paved medians with plantings or other stormwater-retaining infrastructure, and another that would require that the city's news racks be better managed. We offered qualified support for several pieces of legislation, including bills that would decriminalize "jaywalking," improve sidewalk lighting, and require study of a number of types of physical safety treatments in or around intersections.
We also expressed opposition to two proposed bills that appear intended to hamstring certain types of street-safety projects and changes to curbside uses.
Our full testimony follows below.
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's Testimony to MTA Board on Congestion Pricing "Pause" in News 2024-06-29 15:32:30 -0400
StreetsPAC's Testimony to MTA Board on Congestion Pricing "Pause"
This past Wednesday, we testified at the MTA Board meeting to urge them to ignore Governor Hochul's "indefinite pause" of congestion pricing, which had been due to launch on June 30. While we knew that the Board didn't have the legal authority to move forward on its own, we still felt it worthwhile to urge them to do so. And we were heartened to hear the overwhelming commitment among MTA Board members to the implementation of the Central Business District Tolling Program.
You can help keep the pressure on by making phone calls to express your support for congestion pricing. Don't let up until the Governor reverses course!
Governor Hochul: (518) 474-8390
Senator Schumer: (212) 486-4430
Senator Gillibrand: (212) 688-6262
Assembly Speaker Heastie: (518) 455-3791
Our full testimony to the MTA Board follows below.
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on Powered Micro-Mobility Devices and Delivery Work in News 2024-06-29 15:31:30 -0400
StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on Powered Micro-Mobility Devices and Delivery Work
Earlier this week, we submitted testimony to the New York City Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection relating to a hearing it held on June 21 on several pieces of legislation pertaining to powered micro-mobility devices and the city's food-delivery ecosystem. We offered our support for legislation that would help alleviate the unreasonable demands that delivery-app companies place on workers that in turn lead to unsafe riding behaviors, and voiced qualified support for well intentioned bills that would increase accountability for app companies but could, in our opinion, be improved.
Our full testimony follows below.
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Eric McClure published 2024 Get Out The Vote Volunteer Opportunities in Resources 2024-06-25 09:34:37 -0400
2024 Get Out The Vote Volunteer Opportunities
Get-Out-The-Vote Volunteer Opportunities
Kristen Gonzalez, 59th State Senate District, Brooklyn, Manhattan & Queens (Incumbent) – You can volunteer to help get out the vote for Kristen Gonzalez here.Jessica González-Rojas, 34th Assembly District, Queens (Incumbent) – You can sign up to volunteer with Jessica González-Rojas's campaign here.
Claire Valdez, 37th Assembly District, Queens (Challenger) – You can enlist to help Claire Valdez's primary day get-out-the-vote effort here.
Emily Gallagher, 50th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – You can volunteer to help Emily Gallagher get out the vote here.
Jo Anne Simon, 52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – You can sign up to help Jo Anne Simon's re-election campaign here.
Eon Tyrell Huntley, 56th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Challenger) – You can volunteer to help Eon Tyrell Huntley get out the vote here.
Maria Ordoñez, 70th Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – You can pitch in to help Maria Ordoñez win her primary here.
Jonathan Soto, 82nd Assembly District, Bronx (Challenger) – You can enlist to help Jonathan's GOTV effort here. -
Eric McClure published It's Primary Day! Vote the StreetsPAC Slate for New York State Senate and Assembly! in News 2024-06-25 05:56:34 -0400
It's Primary Day! Vote the StreetsPAC Slate for New York State Senate and Assembly!
Today is Primary Day, and polls will be open in New York from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can find your polling site, review a sample ballot, confirm your registration status, and see other election-related information at vote.nyc. Outside New York City, visit voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.
We're excited to have endorsed 16 excellent candidates for New York State Senate and Assembly, including nine who have contested primary races. The nine candidates we've endorsed who appear on the ballot today are running in races in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and in a first for us, upstate New York. You can read more about each of them, including important aspects of their records and platforms on street safety and transportation, below. Candidates are listed by legislative body, and in ascending order by district number. You can find information on all 16 of our endorsees here, and we do anticipate making a number of additional endorsements in advance of November's general election. Stay tuned for that.
Turnout in the absence of a contested Presidential or statewide primary is expected to be low, so your vote for a candidate committed to making streets safer and calmer and public transit more reliable and efficient can truly make a difference. Please make a plan to get to the polls, and don't forget that as long as you're in the queue to vote by 9 p.m., you can't be turned away.
Lastly, there were two races in which we interviewed multiple candidates but were unable to come to consensus around an endorsement, which was due to their across-the-board good positions on the issues on which StreetsPAC is focused. We offer a bit more detail about those races at the end.
If you live in one of the nine districts in which we have made an endorsement, we urge you to vote for the StreetsPAC slate!
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2024 NYS Primary Election
2024 State Senate Endorsees
Andrew Gounardes, 26th State Senate District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Andrew Gounardes earned our endorsement when he won his seat in 2018, and again in 2020 and 2022, and this year is no different. He led the effort in Albany to expand New York City's speed-camera program, and sponsored the legislation that allows cameras to operate around the clock. His bill authorizing the renewal and four-fold expansion of New York City's red-light camera program is set to become law. His priorities for the next legislative session are the passage of his bill that would require installation of speed-limiting technology in the vehicles of drivers with significant numbers of dangerous driving violations, and another that would require the state to establish a goal of reducing driving by 20% by 2050. In addition, Senator Gounardes has been a staunch advocate for improved transit service and subway accessibility. He does not face a challenge in the June primary.
Brad Hoylman-Sigal, 47th State Senate District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Senator Hoylman-Sigal, who represents the west side of Manhattan, has long advocated for safer streets and better public transportation, including legislative initiatives to mandate safety technology in newly registered cars in New York State and to eliminate parking minimums in cities, and pushing to integrate Citi Bike with the MTA's OMNY fare-payment system. He was the lead Senate sponsor of a number of bills on our priority list this year, including Sammy's Law, which passed as part of the budget this spring and will allow New York City to further lower speed limits, and a bill requiring the point-of-sale registration of mopeds that recently passed the Senate and will soon become law. He's also carrying a bill that would allow the use of automated cameras to enforce against obstruction of bike lanes. Senator Hoylman-Sigal does not have a challenger in this month's primary.Kristen Gonzalez, 59th State Senate District, Brooklyn, Manhattan & Queens (Incumbent) – Kristen Gonzalez handily won her Senate seat in 2022 with StreetsPAC's endorsement, which she earned by expressing a strong commitment to public transit and street safety, causes on which she's delivered during her first term in office. She has been a staunch supporter of the campaign to redesign McGuinness Boulevard, a position that has earned her a primary challenger backed by opponents of the proposed road diet. Last year, she collaborated with colleagues in the Assembly and City Council, and advocates, to develop the Western Queens Street Safety Plan. Senator Gonzalez continues to be a proponent of the MTA's free-bus pilot, while remaining committed to advocating for expansion of bus and subway service across the city. And along with her fellow State Senate endorsees, she has stood strong in opposition to Governor Hochul's attempts to sideline congestion pricing. You can volunteer to help get out the vote for Kristen Gonzalez here.2024 State Assembly Endorsees: Queens | Brooklyn | Manhattan | Bronx | Upstate New York
Jessica González-Rojas, 34th Assembly District, Queens (Incumbent) – Assemblymember González-Rojas won her seat in 2020 with StreetsPAC's support. During her initial term, she introduced and led the passage in the Assembly of the MTA Bike Access bill, which became law in 2021 and mandates the creation of a strategic plan to facilitate access to the MTA's bridges and stations. She has continued to advocate for the redesign of dangerous Northern Boulevard with dedicated, separated spaces for buses and bikes, and was a vociferous proponent of the passage of Sammy's Law, working her Assembly colleagues hard to include it in this year's budget. Assemblymember González-Rojas has also been one of the major champions of the 34th Avenue Open Street, a position that has landed her a challenger in the Democratic primary. Like a number of our endorsees, she has stood resolutely in support of the timely implementation of congestion pricing. You can sign up to volunteer with her campaign here.Claire Valdez, 37th Assembly District, Queens (Challenger) – Claire Valdez, a union organizer and Democratic Socialist, is challenging incumbent Juan Ardila for this western Queens Assembly seat. Valdez is running on a broadly progressive agenda that includes a detailed transportation and street-safety platform, and if elected, would join several DSA-backed legislators in Albany who have emerged as champions of public transit and calmer, more accessible streets. She rides the bus almost every day, and supports the long-term vision of the QueensLink campaign to restore passenger service on the Long Island Railroad's Lower Montauk branch. Valdez has been a ubiquitous presence at safe-streets rallies and protests from the first days of her campaign, and is committed to pushing for comprehensive infrastructure improvements, including protected bike lanes and daylighting. Assemblymember Ardila, whom we endorsed in 2022, did not return a questionnaire response; to his credit, he has been outspokenly opposed to the Governor's congestion pricing flip-flop. Johanna Carmona, who's also running for the seat with significant institutional support, did submit thoughtful questionnaire responses, but too far past our deadline for interviews. All that said, we believe strongly that Claire Valdez is the best choice for voters in the 37th Assembly District. You can enlist to help her get out the vote here.
Catalina Cruz, 39th Assembly District, Queens (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Cruz has been a reliable vote and committed partner on issues affecting street safety and public transit since first winning office, with StreetsPAC's endorsement, in 2018. She's been one of the leading proponents of the 34th Avenue Open Street, which forms her district's northwestern border, and in 2020, she led a broad coalition of elected officials seeking safer Open Street designs. She's been focused on the MTA's efforts to redesign the Queens Bus Network, advocating for deeper public engagement while supporting the necessary goals of improving service, and remains interested in efforts to improve the Department of Motor Vehicles, including potentially requiring periodic retesting of drivers. Assemblymember Cruz does not have a challenger in the Democratic primary.
Robert Carroll, 44th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Robert Carroll has been among Albany's most reliable voices for safer streets and better public transit since he first won office in 2016. A StreetsPAC endorsee several times over, he has been one of the legislature's most prominent supporters of congestion pricing, and was quick to denounce Governor Hochul's 11th-hour reversal. He's been a strong proponent of automated camera enforcement, including the use of cameras to keep bus lanes and bus stops clear of parked cars, and has called for the Brooklyn Bus Network redesign to include many more dedicated bus lanes. He introduced a bill this session that would require delivery-app companies to carry liability insurance for workers delivering on their behalf, and reintroduced his bill that would fund transit improvements by levying a small tax on package deliveries. Assemblymember Carroll does not face a primary challenge.Emily Gallagher, 50th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Emily Gallagher, who first won her seat in the Assembly in 2020, has more than delivered on the promises that secured our endorsement as an outsider candidate taking on a 48-year incumbent. A member of the Assembly's Transportation Committee, she has championed street-safety projects that include the redesign of dangerous McGuinness Boulevard, which has earned her the ire of road-diet opponents who recruited and fund her primary challenger. She's been a strong advocate for Open Streets, and organized a rapid-response rally among her Assembly colleagues in the wake of the Governor's congestion pricing announcement. Assemblymember Gallagher has also teamed with Senator Gounardes to introduce a bill requiring the installation of speed-limiting technology in the vehicles of drivers with significant numbers of dangerous driving violations, which they hope to pass in 2025. She's been beating the drum for robust transportation accommodations during this summer's planned G train shutdown, and is supportive of significant reform of the Department of Motor Vehicles. You can volunteer to help her get out the vote here.
Jo Anne Simon, 52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Jo Anne Simon is running for her sixth term in the Assembly, and has won StreetsPAC's backing several times during her tenure in Albany. She's a member of the Assembly's Transportation Committee, and her name regularly appears as a sponsor on legislation crucial to improving both the safety of streets and the efficacy of public transit. Assemblymember Simon just introduced a bill that would prohibit New York City from opting out of the state's daylighting law, carries legislation that would reduce the legal blood-alcohol level for DUI infractions, and continues to lobby the MTA for restoration of the discontinued B71 bus route as well as the creation of a bus route connecting Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood with Lower Manhattan. The Assemblymember's primary opponent, Scott Budow, impressed us with his interest in transportation issues, but Jo Anne Simon has earned the support of voters with her strong track record. You can sign up to help her campaign here.
Eon Tyrell Huntley, 56th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Challenger) – Eon Tyrell Huntley, a retail worker, union organizer, PTA president, and Democratic Socialist, is challenging incumbent Stefani Zinerman in the primary for this central Brooklyn Assembly District. A regular subway commuter who doesn't have a driver's license, Huntley is deeply committed to advocating for straphangers by pushing for better buses, including dedicated busways and expanded free routes, and more reliable subway service. As the father of two young daughters, he's acutely aware of the importance of safe streets, and supports getting there through better street design, including intersection improvements and implementation of protected bike lanes. You can volunteer to help him get out the vote here.
Maria Ordoñez, 70th Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – Maria Ordoñez first came to our attention in 2021, when she ran a highly competitive race for City Council while still an undergraduate at Columbia University, finishing second in a crowded field. A tenant organizer and Democratic State Committee member, she's running on a broadly progressive platform that embraces the importance of better transportation policies. For public transit, that means a commitment to fare-free and more reliable buses, improved station accessibility, and clean and accessible bathrooms. Where street design is concerned, Ordoñez supports expanding the bike network, getting trash off the sidewalks and into curbside containers, and more Open Streets. You can volunteer to help Maria win her primary here.
Harvey Epstein, 74th Assembly District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Epstein, whom we first endorsed when he won election in 2018, has continued to be a reliable ally in Albany on matters of street safety and public transit. Despite continuing to harbor some reservations about the income level for the residential exemption, he was still quick to condemn the Governor's last-minute reversal on congestion pricing. He's been a firm supporter of expanding the city's automated camera enforcement programs, and is lead sponsor of a bill that would authorize the lowering of the speed limit on Open Streets to five miles per hour. As a regular cyclist – he was recently sent over his handlebars by a driver who cut into a bike lane in Brooklyn in which he was riding – Assemblymember Epstein supports expanding the city's network of protected bike lanes. He does not face a primary challenge.
Jeffrey Dinowitz, 81st Assembly District, Bronx (Incumbent) – Assemblymember Dinowitz has long been one of Albany's staunchest advocates for the public-transit system, authoring the MTA "lock-box" bill that became law in 2019. He continues to support additional investment in, and further improvements to, Bronx bus service, including more frequency and better enforcement against motorists parking in bus lanes and bus stops, and would like to see more fare-free routes. He is the lead sponsor of an Assembly bill that would add four rider representatives with voting rights to the MTA board. On the street-safety front, his bill to renew and expand the city's red-light camera program recently passed the Assembly and awaits the Governor's signature, and he is lead sponsor of a bill that would allow the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend the registration of any vehicle caught with an obscured or defaced license plate. Assemblymember Dinowitz does not have a primary opponent.Jonathan Soto, 82nd Assembly District, Bronx (Challenger) – Jonathan Soto, a former staffer for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a background in law and urban planning whom we endorsed in 2022, is mounting a repeat challenge against incumbent Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, who's represented this East Bronx district for two decades. Soto remains concerned with the area's too-often "dangerous" car culture, which he says has only gotten worse, and wants to make it much easier, and safer, for residents to get around without driving. He's supportive of the nascent movement to improve cycling conditions in the district with better infrastructure, and says there's a clear need to improve bus service, which is too infrequent and slow. You can enlist to help his campaign here.
Chloe Pierce, 107th Assembly District, Rensselaer, Washington & Columbia Counties (Challenger) – Chloe Pierce, a lifelong resident of the state's Capital Region, is running in the Democratic primary for the 107th Assembly District. A lobbyist who has represented the New York State Nurses Association and companies in the clean-energy sector, she's been involved in public service since she was a child. Though much of Rensselaer County is rural, there's growing advocacy in towns like Bethlehem for better bike infrastructure, which Pierce supports. While there are local concerns around traffic safety, especially speeding, she believes the primary transportation issue in the district is the need for better public transit, especially to connect residents with health care facilities. She's also expressed interest in working to improve the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. You can find information about getting involved with her campaign here.
Anna Kelles, 125th Assembly District, Tompkins & Cortland Counties (Incumbent) – Dr. Anna Kelles was first elected to represent the 125th District in the Assembly in 2020. An epidemiologist by training, Kelles has quickly become one of the Assembly's leaders on environmental policy, which she sees as intertwined with transportation. Her bike was her main mode of transportation for a decade before a recent move (she's twice been struck by drivers), and she believes in investing in public transit, like Ithaca's fairly extensive bus system. She's a strong supporter of Sammy's Law, and thinks that allowing other municipalities to set their own speed limits is vitally important. She also supported the expansion of New York City's red-light camera program, and would like to see it piloted in other places. In response to a query in our questionnaire, Dr. Kelles recently introduced an Assembly companion to State Senator Rachel May's bill requiring regular updates to the state's bicycle and pedestrian plan. Assemblymember Kelles does not face a primary challenge.A Note on Two Additional Races
4th Assembly District, Suffolk County – Both candidates running in the Democratic primary in Long Island's 4th Assembly District, covering Port Jefferson, Stony Brook and Brookhaven, completed our questionnaire and participated in interviews – and both impressed us.
Skyler Johnson is an advocate for overdose prevention and women's health issues who ran for State Senate in 2022, and Rebecca Kassay is an elected Trustee and Deputy Mayor of Port Jefferson Village.
We were ultimately unable to choose between the two, and believe 4th District primary voters will have a difficult choice to make, as well. We anticipate supporting the winner of the primary in November's general election.
69th Assembly District, Manhattan – Three well qualified candidates vying to succeed the retiring Danny O'Donnell completed our questionnaire and met with us for interviews, but after much deliberation, we were unable to come to consensus on an endorsement.
Those candidates are Micah Lasher, who has many years of experience in government, most recently as Policy Director for Governor Hochul, and whom we endorsed when he ran for State Senate in 2016; Eli Northrup, a public defender and criminal-justice reform advocate; and Melissa Rosenberg, a member of Community Board 7 and housing advocate.
Any of the three would be a strong ally on transportation and street-safety issues, and the voters of the 69th District are fortunate to have a cadre of attractive candidates from whom to choose. We anticipate supporting the primary winner in November's general election.
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC Endorses 16 Candidates for State Senate and Assembly in News 2024-06-14 11:42:05 -0400
StreetsPAC Endorses 16 Candidates for State Senate and Assembly
We're proud today to announce our endorsement of 16 candidates for New York State's Legislature, three for State Senate and 13 for Assembly.
Our 2024 endorsees include 11 incumbents, four candidates running against, or for the right to face, a sitting incumbent, and one candidate vying for an open seat. Seven of our incumbent endorsees do not face primary races, while four do have opponents, which we've noted below. We've endorsed candidates running in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens, and for the first time, upstate New York. We do anticipate making a number of additional endorsements in advance of November's general election, and will continue to seek responses to our questionnaire, and interview candidates, in the coming months.
In-person early voting for the primary begins this Saturday, June 15, which is also the deadline to register if you are not already a registered voter. You can check your registration status, confirm your early-voting and election-day polling locations, and find other important election-related information at vote.nyc. We've included links to district maps for each of the candidates with the individual endorsement statements below.
Early voting will continue daily through Sunday, June 23, with varying hours, in advance of Primary Day, which is Tuesday, June 25, when polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can confirm your early-voting and Primary Day voting sites, which may be different, and check early-voting hours using the polling site locator: findmypollsite.vote.nyc.
We're excited about this year's crop of candidates, and invite you to join us in supporting them. Read on to learn more about each of our endorsees, including important aspects of their records on street safety and transportation. Candidates are listed below by legislative body, and in ascending order by district number. For each of our endorsees running in a contested primary, we've included a link that will take you directly to information about volunteering to help their campaigns get out the vote, especially critical in today's low-turnout environment.
Lastly, there were two races in which we interviewed multiple candidates but were unable to come to consensus around an endorsement, which was due to their across-the-board good positions on the issues on which StreetsPAC is focused. We offer a bit more detail about those races at the end.
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on DOT Transparency and Notice Requirements in News 2023-12-05 15:54:02 -0500
StreetsPAC's Testimony to City Council on DOT Transparency and Notice Requirements
Yesterday, we testified at the New York City Council Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's oversight hearing on DOT transparency and notice requirements, presenting our opposition to three proposed bills that, ironically, are transparent in their intent to preserve street parking over other curbside uses, gum up bike lane and Open Streets approvals, and undermine the city's speed-camera program. We also voiced qualified support for legislation that would make it harder to remove Open Streets, establish better standards for siting news racks, and make it easier to track requests for traffic-control devices and speed reducers.
Our full testimony follows below.
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Eric McClure published StreetsPAC Endorsees Win 12 of 13 Council Races; Opposing E-Bike Registration in News 2023-11-10 16:29:50 -0500
StreetsPAC Endorsees Win 12 of 13 Council Races; Opposing E-Bike Registration
City Council Election Results
We're happy to report that 12 of the 13 candidates whom we endorsed in Tuesday's election won their races for City Council.
All 12 winners were incumbents who will return to the Council for a two-year term following citywide redistricting, and we look forward to working with them to advance policies to make streets safer and public transit more reliable. We also want to express our gratitude to Amber Adler, who came up short in challenging an incumbent Council Member in Brooklyn's 48th District, for making street safety a focus of her campaign.
Congratulations to all!
Opposing E-Bike Registration
Yesterday, we joined Transportation Alternatives, Los Deliveristas Unidos, and Open Plans in leading a coalition of more than 30 organizations in appealing to the City Council to oppose the registration of e-bikes.
We wrote to Council Members to express our collective opposition to a bill that would require the blanket registration of all powered micromobility devices, a misguided and draconian step that would have disastrous consequences for the adoption of e-bikes.
At the same time, we outlined our support for a number of constructive measures that would improve safety and address many of the conditions that have left pedestrians feeling unsafe, including bills that would require registration and proof of a license at point of sale for mopeds, safety training and certification for delivery workers, and provision of safe, legal e-bikes to workers delivering on behalf of app companies.
And of course, there are other steps the city can take to address safety, such as enforcing laws that already exist, like prohibitions against riding on sidewalks or operating a moped in a bike lane, and building and improving safety infrastructure.
You can read the letter here.
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Eric McClure published It's Election Day! Vote the StreetsPAC Slate for City Council! in News 2023-11-07 05:51:47 -0500
It's Election Day! Vote the StreetsPAC Slate for New York City Council!
Today is Election Day, and polls will be open in New York from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can find your polling site, review a sample ballot, confirm your registration status, and see other election-related information at vote.nyc.
We're excited to have endorsed 13 candidates for New York City Council, and you can read more about each of them, and important aspects of their street-safety and transportation records, below. Endorsed candidates are listed in ascending order by district number, and we've included links to each candidate's campaign website and a district map.
Turnout in this unusual post-redistricting election is likely to be low, so your vote for a candidate committed to making streets safer and public transit more reliable can truly make a difference. Even if there's no StreetsPAC-endorsed candidate in your City Council district, we encourage you to get out and vote, as every Council seat is on the ballot. Please make a plan to get to the polls, and don't forget that as long as you're in the queue to vote by 9 p.m., you can't be turned away.
If you do live in one of the 13 districts in which we have made an endorsement, we urge you to vote for the StreetsPAC slate!
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Eric McClure 2384pc
Eric McClure is StreetsPAC's Executive Director and Treasurer. He currently serves as the chairperson of Brooklyn Community Board 6, and is a co-founder of Park Slope Neighbors, a grassroots community-advocacy organization.
