StreetsPAC today announced a second round of candidate endorsements in New York City’s September 2017 primary, offering support for two first-time City Council candidates, Marjorie Velázquez and Randy Abreu, as well as three Council veterans, Margaret Chin, Jimmy Van Bramer and Brad Lander.

“We’re very pleased to be able to endorse two bright, young, up-and coming Bronx candidates in Marjorie Velázquez and Randy Abreu,” said Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC. “We’re confident that they can follow in the footsteps of Ritchie Torres in bringing energetic new leadership to the City Council and their respective districts.”

“Margaret Chin has been one of the City Council’s staunchest advocates for pedestrians, and no one has been more outspoken about parking-placard abuse," said StreetsPAC board member Janet Liff. “Jimmy Van Bramer and Brad Lander possess two of the most distinguished records in the City Council on transportation and street-safety issues. From Queens Boulevard to Prospect Park West, they’ve been at the leading edge of important complete-streets transformations.”

Today’s announcement brings the total number of City Council candidates endorsed by StreetsPAC to 10.  StreetsPAC previously endorsed Carlina Rivera, Ben Kallos, Mark Levine, Ydanis Rodriguez and Carlos Menchaca.

The endorsement process will continue in the coming days.

“We will roll out endorsements in several more Council races shortly, and we’ll be weighing in on citywide races soon,” said StreetsPAC board member Ken Coughlin.  “We expect to make endorsements in about two dozen Council races by the time we’re done.”

Here’s more information about today’s endorsees:

Margaret Chin, Council District 1, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Chin, who’s running for a third term representing Lower Manhattan, has been an outspoken advocate for pedestrian safety and placard reform. She plans to introduce a Council resolution calling for restoration of the two-way toll on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and will advocate for the reopening of Manhattan’s Park Row with a pedestrian path and protected bike lane. And she’ll continue to lead the charge for placard reform and real enforcement of placard abuse.

Marjorie Velázquez, Council District 13, Bronx (Open Seat) – Bronx native Velázquez, who survived a serious car crash in 2012, is running for the open Council seat in 13th District.  Her priorities include expediting the construction of new Metro North stations in Morris Park and Parkchester/Van Nest, and advocating for new NYC Ferry service to Throgs Neck, Ferry Point and City Island.  She’s also committed to improved bus service, with additional routes and better reliability, including round-the-clock service to City Island and more express buses to Manhattan.

Randy Abreu, Council District 14, Bronx (Challenger) – Abreu, an attorney who worked in the Department of Energy under President Obama, is seeking to represent the neighborhood in which he grew up.  He wants to expand Select Bus Service in the Bronx, especially with signal priority, and will work to bring the MTA’s Freedom Ticket reduced-fare pilot program to Metro North.  He’ll also advocate for Citi Bike expansion throughout the district, and he’s committed to expanding the use of speed and red-light cameras.

Jimmy Van Bramer, Council District 26, Queens (Incumbent) – No Queens elected official has been a better advocate for safe and complete streets than Van Bramer, the Council’s Majority Leader.  He’s committed to advocating for more protected bike lanes, including on Skillman and 43rd Avenues, and for better bike-network connectivity, and he’ll push the Departments of Transportation and Design and Construction for speedier implementation of critical Vision Zero infrastructure.  He also plans to lead the effort to reopen the Queensboro Bridge south walkway.

Brad Lander, Council District 39, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Lander, who’s running for a third term, has been as true a champion for safe streets and better transit as there is in the City Council.  He wants to see the protected bike lanes planned for Brooklyn’s 4th Avenue extended all the way to Atlantic Avenue, and he’s committed to exploring the expanded deployment of speed cameras for educational and research purposes (while working to win the right for New York City to deploy and operate automated enforcement as it sees fit).

StreetsPAC will help elect endorsed candidates with cash contributions and volunteer support.