While Brooklyn city lawmakers didn’t get either the City Council’s Land Use or Finance Committee chairs – considered the top positions in the council after speaker – they did get a good share of leadership positions and committee chairs for the upcoming legislative term.
Among those that City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Manhattan) slated for leadership positions included City Council Members Laurie Cumbo (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights), who was named the Council’s Majority Leader; Robert Cornegy Jr., (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights), who was named leader Democratic Conference Chair; and Brad Lander (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, who was named Deputy Leader for Policy.
“I have spent the greater part of my first term in office advocating that ‘women’s issues’ are human rights issues. My colleague, who would often express the same sentiment, is Speaker Corey Johnson. He has been uniquely positioned to understand the interwoven relationship of our community’s greatest opportunities to solve and put forward positive solutions that lift all people. When we raise the voices and issues that so many have deemed women’s issues, we are lifting everyone,” said Cumbo, who formerly served as chair of the Committee on Women’s Issues during her freshman term and currently co-chairs the Women’s Caucus.
Those who received committee chairs included City Council Members Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst), who will chair the Education Committee; Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest, who will chair the Veterans Committee; and freshman members Alicka Ampry-Samuel (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Bed-Stuy), who will chair the Public Housing Committee; and Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst), who will chair the Contracts Committee.
“I believe in the New York City school system and the thousands of dedicated, hardworking administrators, educators, and support staff that commit themselves to providing our city’s youth with a quality education,” said Treyger, a former history and civics teacher at New Utrecht High School in Gravesend.
“I believe in it because I am a product of it, and because I had the privilege of being one of those educators. Our thriving city is constantly changing, and so are the needs of our diverse and vibrant student body. We need to ensure that New York City schools continue to grow and meet those needs, as well. I am incredibly proud and honored to be tasked with the responsibility of helming the Council’s oversight of our City’s schools. I thank Speaker Corey Johnson and my colleagues for their support,” he added.
Among the Brooklyn council members who retained the chairs they held for the past four years includes Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park), who will stay on as chair of the Immigration Committee; Rafael Espinal Jr., who will stay as chair of the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing; and Stephen Levin (Northern Brooklyn, Boerum Hill), who will retain his chair of the Committee on General Welfare.
“I am honored to continue for a second term as Chair of the City Council Committee on Immigration. I will work to keep New York the national leader upholding civil rights and supporting immigrant communities,” said Menchaca.
“I thank Speaker Johnson and my colleagues for entrusting me with leadership of the new special task force that will focus on transportation needs and solutions in the BQX corridor. Each of my committee assignments offers distinct opportunities to serve the residents of District 38 and the entire City. I look forward to using the next four years to promote better public housing, economic development, environmental justice and public safety,” he added.
