New York, NY – September 18, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — Council Member and former candidate for Comptroller Melinda Katz today endorsed Council Member David Yassky for New York City Comptroller. In doing so, she cited Yassky’s honesty and integrity and proven record of accomplishment on affordable housing, jobs, and protecting the environment.
“I enthusiastically endorse David Yassky because he will bring honesty and integrity to the Comptroller’s office and be a trustworthy custodian of the City’s books,” said Council Member Katz. “We can count on him to root out waste and inefficiency throughout government. And we can count on him to make smart investments with our pension dollars that catalyze job growth right here in the City of New York.”
“I am profoundly honored to have the support of Melinda Katz,” said Council Member Yassky. “For eight years, Melinda has proven to be a fighter for the men and women of Queens and all five boroughs as Chair of the Land Use Committee. As Comptroller, I intend to bring the same toughness she has to root out waste in every corner of the budget, demand results for every dollar we’re spending, and do everything we can to get the City’s economy back on track.”
Katz, who began her career as a mergers and acquisitions attorney with the prestigious New York law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, was first elected to public office as a New York State Assemblymember in 1994 at the age of 28, where she quickly set about pushing through landmark health care reform that enabled women to obtain OB/GYN care without first getting a referral from their primary care physician. In 2001, she was elected to her current seat in the New York City Council, where she has served as Chair of the Land Use Committee throughout the entirety of her tenure. In this capacity she has fought for middle-class families by creating jobs, negotiating for more affordable housing and protecting the character of the city’s beloved neighborhoods.
Yassky is the endorsed candidate of Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Times, New York Daily News, Crain’s New York Business, New York Observer, Our Town, West Side Spirit, New York Press, Brooklyn Paper, Brooklyn Courier-Life Newspapers, former Municipal Assistance Corporation Chairman Felix Rohatyn, former New York City Comptroller Jay Goldin, and the Manhattan Democratic Party. He has also been endorsed by former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger, Senator Tom Duane, Assembly Member and Chair of the Manhattan Democratic organization Herman “Denny” Ferrell, Assembly Member Jonathan Bing, Council Member Dan Garodnick, former Council Member Guillermo Linares, the Downtown Independent Democrats, Lexington Democratic Club, Park River Independent Democrats, the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club, Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, the Lenox Hill Democratic Club, Ansonia Independent Democrats, and the Concerned Democratic Coalition of Northern Manhattan.
As the only Brooklynite in the race for New York City Comptroller, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Congressman Michael McMahon, the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson, Senator Eric Adams, Assembly Member and Brooklyn Democratic Chair Vito Lopez, Assembly Member Joseph Lentol, Assembly Member Joan Millman, Assembly Member Felix Ortiz, Assembly Member Alan Maisel, Council Member Lewis Fidler, Council Member Erik Martin Dilan, Council Member Darlene Mealy, Council Member Dominic Recchia, and a wide array of clergy members and community leaders, have endorsed Yassky.
