6 FEBRUARY 17, 2022 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
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Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan decides to retire
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
She was one of the youngest
women ever elected in New
York when she was first sent
to Albany in 1984 at age 26. Now, 38
years later, Assemblywoman Cathy
Nolan has decided that she will not
seek re-election to represent western
Queens when her current term
ends at the end of this year.
Nolan was diagnosed with cancer
last February and has been working
remotely, or from her district office
in Long Island City, since last year.
“I’m doing well, I’m back in the
district office quite a bit, but I just
can’t do it the way I did with all the
events,” Nolan told Newsday. “I can’t
run for reelection like I used to and
be with the voters. I’m a little sad,
but 38 years…I always gave it fullout,
and won’t be able to do that. I
pretty much loved every minute. I
never minded a fight for the right
thing.”
Nolan represents the 37th Assembly
District which encompasses
Sunnyside, Long Island City, parts
of Astoria, Maspeth and Ridgewood
where she lives. She was appointed
Deputy Speaker of the Assembly in
the winter of 2018 by Speaker Carl
Heastie. Nolan served as chair of
the powerful education committee
from 2006 to 2018 spearheading
efforts to achieve class size reduction,
universal pre-K, middle school
initiatives, improved high school
graduation rates and other measures
that meant immediate success
for the more than three million
school children in New York State.
QNS reached out to Nolan and is
awaiting a response. Meanwhile,
former Councilman Jimmy Van
Bramer praised Nolan’s tenure in
Albany.
“Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan
will forever be known as a woman
who blazed trails for many other
women to serve in elected office,”
Van Bramer said. “She fought for
decades on behalf of the people of
the 37th AD and we should thank
her for her service. I wish Assemblywoman
Nolan good health, time
with her family and all the best in
retirement.”
Van Bramer had been mentioned
Longtime Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan has decided she will not seek re-election after 38 years in offi ce
representing western Queens. QNS fi le photo
as a potential successor if Nolan decided
to step aside, but he would not
comment on whether he was considering
a run. Danielle Brecker ran
against Nolan in 2020 and thanked
the longtime leader for her service.
“Assemblymember Catherine Nolan
set the example and blazed the
trail for me and many other women
to engage and lead in our communities
and run for office,” Brecker said
on Twitter. “I would not have been
able to challenge AM Nolan in 2020
if she had not been doing the work
before me.”
She added that she expects a
scramble to replace Nolan, much
like the 26 candidates who ran last
year to replace Van Bramer. Hunters
Point Civic Association President
Brent O’Leary, who was among that
field of 26, said that he is seriously
considering a run for Nolan’s seat,
and offered his appreciation for
her 38 years representing western
Queens.
“The entire community owes sincere
gratitude for Assembly Member
Nolan’s hard work and dedication
in fighting for the families of
our community for over 38 years,”
O’Leary said. “We thank her for her
public service and dedication”
Community leader Mary
Jobaida and Huge “Turbo Vax” Ma
announced last year they would
run in District 37 recently ended
their campaigns. Neither could be
reached for comment.
Governor Kathy Hochul took to
Twitter on Friday evening to thank
Nolan for her nearly 40 years of
public service.
“For decades, Assemblymember
Cathy Nolan has been a steadfast
advocate for the people of Queens,”
Hochul said. “We are grateful for
her service, from her tenure as
education and labor chair, to the
farmworkers bill, and more, and
wish her best in retirement.”
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