The other council races

A cheat sheet on the 15 remaining up-for-grabs seats — and who has the industry’s support

From left: Andrew Cohen, Antonio Reynoso, Inez Barron and Marc Landis
From left: Andrew Cohen, Antonio Reynoso, Inez Barron and Marc Landis

The mayoral race has, not surprisingly, received the majority of the political news coverage lately. But with 21 City Council seats up for grabs, the real estate industry also has a lot at stake in the legislative body in the general election. While TRD took an in-depth look at six of the races in this spread (see “The City Council’s new class”), we didn’t want to leave out the other 15. Below is a look at the candidates in those races and where they stand vis-à-vis the real estate industry. We also looked at who was supported by the REBNY-backed political action committee Jobs for New York.

Manhattan

Upper East Side (District 5)

Benjamin Kallos, former chief of staff to state assembly member Jonathan Bing, won last month’s Democratic primary and is expected to easily win the Upper East Side seat next month. Kallos defeated state assembly member Micah Kellner, who’s at the center of a state investigation over sexual harassment allegations. Jobs for New York supported Kellner, but spent only $1,219 doing so. Kallos told the website Democracy for New York City that he helped draft legislation that would reform rent regulation, tying it to market forces, as well as drafted legislation to make discriminating against prospective tenants because of prior lawsuits with landlords illegal. In the general election, he’ll face Republican David Garland, a long-shot who has largely focused on shooting down the neighborhood’s proposed waste transfer station.

Hamilton Heights, Morningside Heights (District 7)

Mark Levine, a former public school teacher who headed up an education-related nonprofit, handily won the 10-person Democratic primary. A former district leader in Upper Manhattan, Levine is an avid supporter of strengthening rent regulation, but nonetheless Jobs for New York spent $294,164 supporting his candidacy. He is running unopposed in the general election.

Brooklyn

East Williamsburg and Bushwick (District 34)

Democrat Antonio Reynoso — outgoing Council Member Diana Reyna’s former chief of staff — bested Vito Lopez, the onetime powerful assemblyman, who was recently ousted from that body over sexual harassment allegations. According to published reports, Reynoso, who grew up in South Williamsburg, has been vocal about protecting that quickly changing community from overdevelopment. He is running unopposed in the general election. Jobs for New York stayed out of the race.

Bedford- Stuyvesant (District 36)

A recount was set to determine the Democratic nominee in this district. Robert Cornegy Jr., a district leader, faced Jobs for New York-backed Kirsten John Foy. Both candidates were favored to beat Republican Veronica Thompson, however, on Oct. 1, Foy reportedly conceded, handing the seat to Cornegy Jr.

East New York and New Lots (District 42)

Democrat Inez Barron — a state assembly member and the wife of longtime City Council Member Charles Barron — is running unopposed in the general election to take her husband’s seat. Inez Barron is expected to continue her husband’s firebrand style of politics. On the real estate front, her husband aggressively (and successfully) fought to keep Walmart from opening in the district and voted against New York University’s expansion in Greenwich Village. Barron easily defeated her closest primary opponent. Jobs for New York did not get involved in the race.

Canarsie and Marine Park (District 46)

Voters will have to choose between Democrat Alan Maisel and Republican Anthony Testaverde next month. Maisel was backed by Jobs for New York in the primary, but called the PAC out for going negative on his opponent, John Lisyanskiy. “I will not condone negative attacks,” he told the blog Sheepshead Bites. Testaverde told the Brooklyn Daily that he will push to lower property taxes if elected. Maisel is “virtually assured” the win in the heavily democratic district, pundits said.

Bensonhurst and Coney Island (District 47)

Democrat Mark Treyger managed to secure the backing of Jobs for New York despite his support of mandatory affordable housing in all new developments. He will face Republican Andrew Sullivan, a Tea Party supporter, who reportedly moved from Bay Ridge to Coney Island in order to run for this seat.

Sheepshead Bay and Brighton Beach (District 48)

In the one race with a real estate executive on the ballot, Democrat Chaim Deutsch, the president of Chasa Management, a small Brooklyn-based real estate management company, is facing Republican David Storobin. The race is one of the few where the general election is expected to be tight. Storobin, a former state senator, ran on a campaign to speed up Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Jobs for New York was mum on the contest, despite the presence of one of their own in the race.

Cypress Hills and Highland Park (District 37)

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

Democrat Rafael Espinal, who has been labeled Vito Lopez’s protégé, warmly welcomed the support he received from Jobs for New York, which spent $217,537 championing his campaign, according to records filed with the city’s Campaign Finance Board. He said he will lobby to lower property taxes. He’s running unopposed in the general election.

Queens

Astoria (District 22)

Democrat Costa Constantinides and Republican Daniel Peterson will go head-to-head next month. While Constantinides is favored to win handily, either would be the first person outside the Vallone political dynasty to hold this seat since 1974. Jobs for New York spent $199,961 on Constantinides’ campaign.

Jamaica (District 24)

Democrat Rory Lancman faces Republican Alexander Blishteyn next month. Lancman, a state assembly member, is backed by Jobs for New York and is expected to take the seat. On the real estate front, he authored a law to help homeowners recoup attorneys’ fees if they are improperly foreclosed on. He also supports continuing the city’s 421a tax abatement, a favorite of the development community. In addition, he has said he would expand rent regulation and affordable housing. Blishteyn, an attorney who has never run for public office, has spoken out for reducing property taxes.

Cambria Heights (District 27)

This Queens district is headed for a run-off. Indeed, Daneek Miller, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1056, and Clyde Vanel, an attorney, will face off again this month. No Republican is running. Jobs for New York spent $261,533 backing Manuel Caughman, who placed fourth in the primary. According to the Queens Times Ledger, Miller was “handpicked” by term-limited Council Member Leroy Comrie, who heads the council’s powerful Land Use Committee.

The Bronx

Riverdale (District 11)

With City Council Member Oliver Koppell termed out of office, this Bronx seat is up for grabs. Facing off are Democrat Andrew Cohen, who easily won a heated primary, and Republican Patricia Brink. Cohen, an attorney, won endorsements from a disparate mix of sources, including Jobs for New York, which, according to the Riverdale Press, spent $175,412 to boost his campaign. Cohen is expected to easily win.

Belmont and Fordham (District 15)

Democrat Ritchie Torres, who was endorsed by Jobs for New York along with a slew of unions, sailed to victory in the primary. He bested a number of candidates, including Joel R. Rivera, who works for Comptroller John Liu. But as one newspaper put it, this race had something of an identity crisis. That’s because the candidates are competing to replace Council Member Joel Rivera, who is not related to the candidate with the same name. To make matters more complicated, candidate Rivera also ran on the GOP line, and, even though he lost the Democratic primary, is now facing Torres in the general. While the race could still heat up, Republicans comprise a mere 9 percent of voters in the Bronx.

Concourse and High Bridge (District 16)

Democrat Vanessa Gibson, a state assembly member, and little-known Republican Banjamin Eggleston will be facing off next month. Gibson, who was backed by Jobs for New York in the primary, has pushed for services to help homeowners who are in danger of having their homes foreclosed on and authored a bill that gives tenants more time to appeal rent hikes when landlords upgrade their buildings. Gibson is favored to win.

Staten Island

Staten Island: Mid-Island (District 50)

It’s the battle of the chiefs of staff in this heavily Republican Mid-Island district. Democrat John Mancuso, former chief of staff to outgoing Brooklyn Council Member Vincent Gentile, and Republican Steven Matteo, former chief of staff to outgoing Council Member James Oddo, are fighting to take Oddo’s seat. Jobs for New York is siding with Matteo; it spent $137,654 in the primary to support him and another $34,219 to oppose his primary opponent Lisa Giovinazzo. Giovinazzo has sued Jobs for New York, alleging that its campaign literature incorrectly stated she would lower the drinking age to 17. The general election is expected to be close.

 

Correction: In the October story “The other council races,” TRD mistakenly excluded the fact that the council primary in District 36 in Bedford-Stuyvesant required a vote recount. In addition, Kirsten John Foy conceded the race on Oct. 1.