6 The QUEE NS Courier • NOVEMBER 7, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com ▶election results VALLONE LANDS BIG VICTORY BY MELISA CHAN [email protected] The 40-year Vallone legacy will live on in City Hall. Paul Vallone, 46, will carry his family’s name in the City Council for the next four years after winning election Tuesday to lead District 19 in northeast Queens. Vallone beat Republican Dennis Saffran with 57.2 percent of the vote, with all precincts reporting, according to preliminary results. “This was a five-year journey that finished today,” Vallone said. “The good guys did it today.” The two were vying to replace scandal scarred incumbent Dan Halloran, who chose not to seek re-election after his April arrest on bribery charges. “They attacked. They lied. They lost,” Vallone said of his opponent’s campaign. “Those who lie don’t get a seat in this community anymore.” Vallone emerged in September as the winner of a crowded Democratic primary race that came down to the wire. He beat runner-up candidate Austin Shafran by nearly 200 votes after voting machines were checked and paper ballots were counted. One of Vallone’s primary foes, Paul Graziano, later crossed party lines to endorse Saffran. Halloran, a Republican, also crossed over, casting his vote for Vallone, he announced on his Facebook page on Election Day. “Voting today — for the first time in my life voting for a Democratic city council candidate and candidate for public advocate,” Halloran wrote on his post, which was accompanied with a photo of Vallone’s campaign flyers. He later congratulated Vallone with a Facebook post that said, “The Vallone family’s tradition of public service continues and I am sure Paul will work diligently for us.” Vallone, a Flushing attorney, is the son of former Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. and brother to Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. Vallone Sr. represented Astoria from 1974 until 2002 when his oldest son succeeded him. Vallone Jr. is termlimited out of office this year. “I think it’s very, very important that we have one good, moderate voice in the City Council that can bring both sides together, resulting in a safer city,” said Vallone Sr. “That’s the way I tried to start it in 1974, and we have to do that again. If anybody can do it, it’s Paul Vallone.” Vallone Jr. shared the same sentiment, saying a “reasonable voice in City Hall is needed more than ever.” “I couldn’t be more proud of my little brother,” Vallone Jr. said. This will be the first time in four decades a Vallone will represent northeast Queens instead of Astoria. The district runs from College Point to Auburndale-Flushing, Bayside, Whitestone, Bay Terrace, Douglaston and Little Neck. The area’s elected officials, the Queens Democratic Party and civic leaders who endorsed him welcomed the change. “We’ve restored some sanity to the 19th District,” said Warren Schreiber, president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance. “The residents can now hold their heads high and be proud.” THE COURIER/Photo by Melissa Chan The Vallone’s 40-year legacy in City Hall will continue with the election of Paul Vallone (second from right). District 19 College Point, Auburndale-Flushing, Bayside, Whitestone, Bay Terrace, Douglaston and Little Neck CONSTANTINIDES CRUISES TO WIN First time a Vallone won’t represent district since 1974 BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO [email protected] Costa Constantinides is making history and will now serve the community he has called home his whole life. The lifelong Astoria resident has been elected to fill Peter Vallone Jr.’s seat in City Council District 22 and represent Astoria, Long Island City and parts of Jackson Heights. With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, he won the race with 66 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. “The voters have spoken,” said Constantinides. “I feel very humbled about the weight of what this means and the faith the people of this district have put in me.” His win marks the first time since 1974 that a member of the Vallone family does not hold the seat in District 22. Before current Councilmember and term-limited Peter Vallone Jr. was elected to represent the district, his father, former Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. held the seat. Constantinides celebrated his victory together with his wife, four-year old son, family, friends and supporters as the Democratic winner in the general election on November 5 at Raven’s Head Public House in Astoria. He was also joined by State Senator Michael Gianaris, and Assemblymembers Aravella Simotas and Michael DenDekker. “I’m looking forward to representing each and every one of the 160,000 constituents of this district and making sure that government works for them and that they have a voice in City Hall that is going to fight for them every single day,” he said. “That’s why I decided to run for City Council.” According to Constantinides, he is the first Greek American to be elected into the City Council. In September, Constantinides took the win against attorney John Ciafone and longtime Community Board 1 member Constantinos “Gus” Prentzas in the democratic primary. In 2009, he was elected to serve as the Democratic District Leader for the 36th Assembly District, Part A. He also served as Legislative District 22 Astoria, LIC, parts of Jackson Heights Director and Deputy Chief of Staff to Councilmember James F. Gennaro where he assisted on key legislation. Some of the main areas Constantinides hopes to address when taking the seat in January are better environmental protection including reducing traffic congestion, expanding open space and investing in clean energy. He also hopes to improve schools for the children in his district and plans to clean up the streets, by prioritizing the increase of corner garbage pickups and funding a street sweeping program like the Doe Fund. “The things that we talked about resonated in this campaign and I feel we have a mandate now to get those things accomplished,” he said. Constantinides was running against Republican Daniel Peterson, Green Party candidate Lynne Serpe, Independent Danielle De Stefano and Populist Party candidate Gerald Kann. “I’m looking forward to fighting for the people in this district,” said Constantinides. “The next step is to go out there and start fighting.” H THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano Costa Constantinides celebrated his victory as the Democratic winner of the City Council District 22 race.
QC11072013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above