14 The Queens Courier • june 6, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com ▶politics PERALTA BOWS OUT OF BP BALLOT STATE SENATOR ENDORSES KATZ BY TERENCE M. CULLEN tcullen@queenscourier.com State Senator Jose Peralta has dropped his bid for borough president and is endorsing county pick Melinda Katz for the job. “I want to thank the thousands of Queens residents and civic and community leaders that I had the pleasure of meeting during the course of the campaign,” Peralta said in a Friday, May 31 statement. “Your warm reception of my candidacy and your encouragement and support are enormously appreciated.” At one point in the race, Peralta was considered the likeliest pick for the county’s Democratic Party endorsement for Borough Hall. But on May 20, District leaders backed Katz, a former councilmember and former assemblymember who is second in polls and fundraising behind Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. Peralta is the second candidate to drop out of the race following that endorsement. Former Deputy Borough President Barry Grodenchik threw his support behind Katz after dropping out two weeks ago. Insiders believe Democrats have been pressuring candidates to drop out and make way for Katz, who will likely face a general election as Republican Tony Arcabascio has declared an interest in running. The race is now down to five Democrats in the narrowing primary: Katz, Comrie, State Senator Tony Avella and Vallone Jr. Everly Brown, another declared Democratic candidate, has had little participation in the race and only raised $1,701 for his campaign. In his statement, Peralta said he plans on continuing to fight for issues he laid out in his beep campaign. Those include fighting for more seats in schools, getting more GREEN CANDIDATE ENTERS CITY COUNCIL RACE BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com Green Party candidate Lynne Serpe has announced she will be run to fill departing Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr’s seat in the 22nd Council District. “I think I offer a combination of independence and also vision,” Serpe said. “I have a very clear idea of how Astoria can become even better. What I loved about it 20 years ago, I still love about it today.” Lynne Serpe Serpe ran against Vallone for City Council in 2009. She is currently the project consultant for the Greening Libraries Initiative at Queens Library and an independent election administrator. She is also an active member of Two Coves Community Garden and the co-founder of Triple R Events: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Lynne was the voting system reform coordinator for the New Zealand Parliament. She was also deputy director of the Political Reform Program of the New America Foundation and senior analyst for FairVote. Running with the slogan “Vote Green, Not Machine,” Serpe’s platform calls for sustainable development, expanded compost and recycling programs, opportunities with healthy food and energy efficiency. “Green economy is the future of the city,” she said. “I think I’m the complete package.” Serpe will run against attorney John Ciafone, Democratic District Leader Costa Constantinides, Independent Party member and Monsignor McClancy High School volleyball Coach Danielle De Stefano, and Republican and Former New York Young Republican Club President Daniel Peterson. State Senator Jose Peralta affordable housing in the borough and kindling economic growth. He was one of several state legislators secretly recorded by former State Senator Shirley Huntley, who was recently sentenced to more than a year in prison for embezzlement. Peralta said the content of Huntley’s recording of him was trivial, adding that federal prosecutors have assured him he is not the target of an investigation. Since officially announcing last fall, Peralta raised a total $301,316 on the road to Borough Hall, according to the city’s Campaign Finance Board. Those funds are low compared to the more thatn $1 million in Vallone’s war chest and Katz’s more than $800,000. Photo Courtesy of Councilmember Leroy Comrie Councilmember Leroy Comrie, surrounded by family, officially announced his run for Borough President. COMRIE ANOUNCES BP BID BY MAGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com Democratic Councilmember Leroy Comrie officially announced his run for Borough President on the steps of Queens Borough Hall, where he was surrounded by friends, family and supporters. “Queens’ future looks brighter every day,” Comrie said on Monday, June 3. “We will seize this unique opportunity to use and build on the energy and vitality of our neighborhoods.” The City Council Deputy Majority Leader said that as Borough President, he would continue to build coalitions “because they work.” He added that as proof of the success, he has supported affordable housing, made sure small businesses do not get fined for violations they are unaware of and expanded tax exemptions for the disabled and elderly. “We have made great strides and as Borough President we will have an opportunity to expand our work throughout the borough,” he said. One part of his ideas to “expand” is to add another subway line along the E and the F tunnel, which he said are the most congested lines in the city, according to the Daily News. Supporters at the announcement included clergy leaders from around the borough as well as his wife Marcia Moxam Comrie and their two children, Liana and Benjamin. Comrie was elected to represent the 27th Council District in 2001 and is currently chair of the Land Use Committee. KIM CANS CANDIDACY PLANS BY MELISA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com Former City Council candidate Kevin Kim announced he would not run for any office this year. The Democrat had mulled a run in the 19th District to replace Republican incumbent Councilmember Dan Halloran, who is not seeking re-election while he fights federal corruption charges. Kim lost a 2009 election to Halloran. “After serious consideration, I have decided not to run for City Council this year,” Kim said in a statement. “Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the outpouring of support I received from so many people in the community.” Political insiders said Kim, who grew up in Bay Terrace, was also eyeing a try for Borough President. But he shot down rumors to The Courier, saying that is not his intention. “I will not be running for any office this year,” he said, “but will continue to be active in advocating for causes that are important to the community as a whole.” ENDORSEMENTS City Council The United Federation of Teachers endorsed the following candidates: District 20: Peter Koo District 21: Julissa Ferreras District 22: Costa Constantinides District 23: Mark Weprin District 24: Rory Lancman District 25: Daniel Dromm District 26: Jimmy Van Bramer District 27: Daneek Miller District 30: Elizabeth Crowley District 31: Donovan Richards District 32: Eric Ulrich Paul Vallone was endorsed by Assemblymember Ron Kim, the New York City Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, Lieutenants Benevolent Association and Fire Marshals Benevolent Association for his District 19 run. The Communications Workers of America District 1 and 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East endorsed Austin Shafran for District 19. State Senator Tony Avella endorsed Paul Graziano for District 19. District Council 37 and the Transit Workers Union endorsed Councilmember Donovan Richards. THE COURIER/File Photo Kevin Kim
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