For too long, neighborhoods outside of our Manhattan-obsessed city have remained neglected. Councilman Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. recognizes the need for quality transportation and schools that serve families in Queens. We believe his experience and prioritizing of issues that affect the borough’s older and emerging communities make him the right choice for representing District 15 in the New York State Senate.
Since 2002, Addabbo has served neighborhoods such as Richmond Hill, Woodhaven and Rockaway Beach in the City Council. He is challenging 19-year incumbent, Republican State Senator Serphin R. Maltese.
Maltese’s district is 26 percent Latino, in a county with the largest diverse immigrant population in the nation. Yet Maltese’s positions on a number of issues do not reflect the needs of many of our working families. For example, he voted against a state bill that allowed immigrant students to pay the same rate of in-state college tuition as citizen residents. Maltese is one of the state senators who has stood in the way of comprehensive sex education for teenagers.
In an editorial board meeting with El Diario/La Prensa, Addabbo said that he has encouraged the civic participation of immigrants. He is committed to using state resources to help small business owners. He believes that the state legislature should move forward with paid family leave legislation. Addabbo also wants to promote more transparency in state government—he calls for the creation of a nonpartisan independent budget office.
As a Councilman, Addabbo worked for years to budget and introduce a ferry service route from the Rockaways, and to improve bus service. He promises to follow through on his commitments to Queens and to rally for a city that sends more money to Albany than it receives.
