Inside Government is a Q&A series that gives New Yorkers a glimpse inside the role of the elected officials who represent them. This edition of Inside Government with PoliticsNY features New York State Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz. Assembly Member Dinowitz represents the 81st Assembly District in the Bronx which includes the neighborhoods of Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, Kingsbridge Heights, Marble Hill, Norwood, Woodlawn and Wakefield.
Q: What piece of legislation are you most proud to have passed this legislative session?
A: I am most proud of my bill to create a Utility Consumer Advocates office in NYS. We are one of only a few states that does not have this office, meaning that we have no entity in our government specifically advocating for utility customers. Billions of dollars have been saved around the country in states that have this office established already. I am very hopeful the Governor will finally sign this important bill.
Q: How does your office work to support your constituents in their day-to-day lives?
A: My office works tirelessly to help my constituents, assisting with hundreds and hundreds of constituent issues. Many of them relate to housing, but some may relate to quality of life or helping people navigate the bureaucracy of government benefits. I think it’s fair to say that our office, through my amazing staff, has touched the lives of many thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people in attempting to make their lives better.
Q: What is the most prevalent issue facing your constituents and how are you working to resolve it?
A: There’s no question that housing-related matters are the most frequent in our district. Our office has helped an incredible number of people with landlord-related conflicts, whether it’s a lack of heat or broken elevators. Over time, I have passed and been the main sponsor of pro-tenant pieces of legislation. During the pandemic, I sponsored the eviction and foreclosure moratorium, preventing countless people from being put out on the streets.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish by the end of 2025?
A: I will continue the work we do in our district on every imaginable issue, helping individual constituents and addressing larger issues facing the diverse communities in our district. But, if there is one specific thing I want to accomplish this year, it is convincing the Governor that she needs to sign my Utility Consumer Advocates Office bill.
Q: What is the proudest moment of your political career?
A: The proudest moment of my political career was undoubtedly being elected to the Assembly and then being reelected 16 times since. My career has been filled with many proud moments, so it’s hard to rank them all. For example, I have been elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention nine times. I have had the honor of voting here for great people such as the Clintons, Obama, Gore, Biden and more.
