City Council Member Daniel “Danny” Dromm (D-East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Height) this week was named chair of the City Council’s Finance Committee for the coming term.
Finance Chair is widely considered one of the three most powerful assignments in the City Council after City Council Speaker and Land Use Committee Chair.
Dromm, along with a number of other Queens council members, benefited from Queens County Democratic Party Chair and U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley‘s being able to forge a coalition between Queens and Bronx members to deliver the speaker position to Manhattan Council Member Corey Johnson, who in turn made the committee assignments.
“Being Finance Committee Chairperson gives me the opportunity to set priorities for the city using the vast resources that are available to us,” said Dromm. “I intend to use this position to move a progressive budget forward working closely with Speaker Corey Johnson who I thank for giving me this opportunity to serve.”
Also getting plum chair assignments were Queens Council Members were I Daneek Miller, Jimmy Van Bramer, Paul Vallone,Costa Constantinides, Rory Lancman, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Donovan Richards and Karen Koslowitz.
Miller (D-Cambria Heights, Hollis, Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans) is chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee; while Van Bramer (D-Astoria, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, Maspeth, Sunnyside, Woodside) is chair of the Cultural Affairs and Libraries Committee.
“I’m thrilled to be able to continue to serve as the Chair of the Cultural Affairs and Libraries Committee, the only committee I asked to chair when I was first elected eight years ago. I love this committee and am so proud to be the champion of culture, the arts and libraries in this city. And it means so much to me that I will serve out all 12 years in the Council chairing this important committee,” said Van Bramer.
Bramer is also part of Johnson’s leadership team and budget negotiating team.
Vallone (D-Bayside, College Point, Douglaston, East Elmhurst, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Little Neck, Whitestone) was named Economic Development Committee Chair; and Constantinides (D-Astoria, East Elmhurst, Long Island City) was named Environmental Protection Chair.
“It is a great honor to oversee a committee that has played a substantial and integral role in the New York City Budget. I look forward to working with our new Speaker and my fellow colleagues to sculpt NYCEDC’s vision to drive growth in our city and improve our quality of life,” said Vallone.
“I’m also proud that the Queens Delegation is once again united and strongly represented in our Speaker’s vision for the upcoming legislative session. This will be a wonderful new opportunity for District 19 to finally have a seat at the table on true economic development for the City of New York,” he added.
Constantinides said as Environmental Protection Committee Chair he will have a priority of making the city greener and more environmentally-friendly.
“Climate change is perhaps one of our planet’s greatest dangers and I remain committed to implementing policies that will combat its effects. We will continue to be global leaders on sustainability by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, increasing use of renewable energy, and encouraging environmentally-friendly habits. I am proud of the legislative work we have done over the past few years to reduce our carbon emissions, expand solar and geothermal energy, and generate cleaner power,” he said.
Lanceman (D-Flushing, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Fresh Meadows, Hollis, Holliswood, Jamaica, Jamaica Estates, Jamaica Hills, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill) will chair the Justice System Committee; while Grodenchik (D-Bayside, Queens, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks, Hollis, Hollis Hills, Holliswood, Jamaica Estates, Little Neck Oakland Gardens, Queens Village) will chair the Parks and Recreation Committee.
“An equitable and efficient justice system is the cornerstone of civil society, and now more than ever New York City’s criminal and civil legal system deserves close scrutiny and serious reform. As Chair of the Committee on the Justice System, I look forward to working with the Mayor, our district attorneys, public defenders and civil legal services providers, and the Office of Court Administration to make our justice system fairer, more transparent, more efficient and more accountable,”said Lancman.
Richards (D-Arverne, Bayswater, Broad Channel, Cambria Heights, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Howard Beach, Jamaica, JFK Airport, Laurelton, Rockaway Beach, Rosedale, South Ozone Park, Springfield Gardens) will chair the Public Safety Committee; Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills, Forest Park, Kew Gardens, Rego Park, Richmond Hill) will chair the Rules, Privileges and Elections Committee; and Koo (D-Bayside, College Point, Flushing, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Fresh Meadows, Whitestone) will chair the Technology Committee.
“I see endless potential in the Committee on Technology, and I look forward to maximizing this important resource to bring fresh ideas and innovation to the Council. There are many challenges facing New York City that can be addressed through technology ‒ from a lack of high speed internet in our schools to expanding access to Wi-Fi,” said Koo.
