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Green Party candidate challenges ValloneBY JENNIFER BOWMANWith less than a week before Election Day, District 22 candidates Peter F. Vallone, Jr. and Lynne Serpe hope their final push will help land them on top after all of the votes are counted on November 3.
Democratic candidate Vallone Jr., who has served in the City Council since 2002 and whose father served as Speaker of the City Council, is running for reelection against Serpe, a Green Party candidate who works full-time for an environmental nonprofit in Long Island City. Vallone Jr., whose family name has become synonymous with Astoria for many locals, said he is the only candidate running who was born and bred in Astoria and he hopes to have “the privilege of serving this great community.” Meanwhile, Serpe, who has raised more than $100,000 for the campaign – with $80,000 of that coming from matching funds – is campaigning in the traditional sense of making thousands of phone calls, knocking on doors and sending out mail. However, she has also taken on a somewhat different approach participating in cleanups, holding environmentally informative workshops for the pubic and hosting blood drives. “We encourage people to explore their options and let constituents know what exists for them so they know what kind of councilmember I’ll be,” Serpe said. “I feel that I have a strong chance of winning, but it’s ultimately up to the voters.” Vallone, who has raised more than $118,000 for the campaign, made the decision that he would not accept matching funds from the city’s Campaign Finance Board (CFB). “I felt that I would have an unfair advantage, and I want to be at the same level; so I don’t have a ton of money to spend on ads,” Vallone said. “My record of service will hopefully get me reelected.” According to Vallone, both candidates agree on a lot of the same issues, but one of the big differences is their views on public safety. “The platform of the Green Party calls for decimating the military by 75 percent and in this day and age of terrorism that is extremely irresponsible,” said Vallone, who chairs the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. Meanwhile, Serpe has a different safety issue in mind. “Everyone wants to feel safe,” she said. “I have a wider definition of safety, not just about freedom to walk down the street without fear of harassment, but also for men or women of color of a certain age to walk down the street without worrying about racial profiling.” During the final campaign days, Vallone plans to continue talking about his plans to address three main issues: public safety, the environment and schools. Serpe’s said her plan is to “stay strong, stay focused, and deal with the issues that have impacted the lives of the people in my district; things that are not just the green issues, but issues that every person worries about.” |
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of queenscourier.com.
Cassidy wrote on Oct 28, 2009 4:33 PM:
" Wait a minute - if Vallone has raised $18,000 more than Serpe and she has money for community outreach, events and ads, then what exactly is he spending his money on? His campaign office, law office and council office are all the same place. Does that not seem funny to you? It sure does to me.
Living in a proud community of immigrants, children of immigrants, and grandchildren of immigrants, I am offended by his insinuation that only people "bred" in Astoria are fit to be community leaders. I think his parents raised him better than that. Sometimes the apple falls quite far from the tree. "
Living in a proud community of immigrants, children of immigrants, and grandchildren of immigrants, I am offended by his insinuation that only people "bred" in Astoria are fit to be community leaders. I think his parents raised him better than that. Sometimes the apple falls quite far from the tree. "
Michael Emperor wrote on Oct 28, 2009 4:43 PM:
" It's interesting that Vallone chooses to highlight the Green Party's stance on a national issue, the military budget, when this is about as local a race as you can get in NYC, the race for City Council. Lynne, to her credit, shies away from engaging Vallone on that point, and continues to talk about the issues that her future constituents care about most, among them feeling safe in their own neighborhood.
In addition, does one need to be "born and bred" in a neighborhood to understand the hopes and needs of the community? I think not. Lynne has been doing a fantastic job of finding out what her neighbors want: by knocking on their doors, calling them on the phone, and talking to them in the street and in her campaign office.
Vallone's talking points in this article lead me to believe that he is genuinely frightened of losing his job, and he is justified in his anxiety. I am supporting Lynne Serpe on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, and I get the feeling that many of my neighbors will as well! "
In addition, does one need to be "born and bred" in a neighborhood to understand the hopes and needs of the community? I think not. Lynne has been doing a fantastic job of finding out what her neighbors want: by knocking on their doors, calling them on the phone, and talking to them in the street and in her campaign office.
Vallone's talking points in this article lead me to believe that he is genuinely frightened of losing his job, and he is justified in his anxiety. I am supporting Lynne Serpe on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, and I get the feeling that many of my neighbors will as well! "
Dave Schwab wrote on Oct 28, 2009 5:53 PM:
" Wow, Vallone's remarks on cutting the military budget are Republican-tastic, not to mention totally irrelevant to the race at hand. Well, I guess they are relevant, in that if the US wasn't wasting hundreds of billions every year on foreign occupations, weapons the military doesn't need or want, pork and outright fraud (yes, the Pentagon budget is never audited) then we'd have a lot more money to spend on programs that actually improve our society and make us safer.
I'd take Lynne Serpe's positive solutions over Vallone's scare-mongering any day. "
I'd take Lynne Serpe's positive solutions over Vallone's scare-mongering any day. "
Astoria Registered Voter wrote on Oct 28, 2009 7:41 PM:
" Wow! Peter Vallone Jr. must really be running scared if his only form of attack is on an issue that the City Council has no control over. The City Council does not vote on the Federal Budget.
The real difference between Lynne Serpe and Peter Vallone Jr. is that Serpe stands for civil rights for all while Vallone didn't bother to show up for a debate on marriage equality.
I urge everyone in the district to join me in voting for Lynne Serpe on Nov. 3. Now is the time to have our voices heard. "
The real difference between Lynne Serpe and Peter Vallone Jr. is that Serpe stands for civil rights for all while Vallone didn't bother to show up for a debate on marriage equality.
I urge everyone in the district to join me in voting for Lynne Serpe on Nov. 3. Now is the time to have our voices heard. "
Lady Gaga wrote on Oct 28, 2009 9:29 PM:
" Thanks for the story on the Green Party candidate.
She's just what we Need.
Go Lynn "
She's just what we Need.
Go Lynn "
Berry Calder wrote on Oct 29, 2009 11:42 AM:
" Wow does the NYC council vote on the defense budget? Vallone must be running scared if that is the only thing he can find to raise issue with about Lynne Serpe.
Lynne is amazing on the issue of affordable housing. Here is Lynne's take on affordable housing:
"Development is not sustainable if people cannot afford to live there. The City needs to ensure that tenants can continue to pay their rents/mortgages by changing Department of Planning regulations to target affordable housing for the median income of the neighborhood where the housing is built, instead of using the NYC PMSA (Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area) which includes Long Island, Essex County and Westchester/Putnam. PMSA drives up the NYC median income to roughly $65,000/year while housing is often being built in neighborhoods with median incomes that are significantly lower. " "
Lynne is amazing on the issue of affordable housing. Here is Lynne's take on affordable housing:
"Development is not sustainable if people cannot afford to live there. The City needs to ensure that tenants can continue to pay their rents/mortgages by changing Department of Planning regulations to target affordable housing for the median income of the neighborhood where the housing is built, instead of using the NYC PMSA (Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area) which includes Long Island, Essex County and Westchester/Putnam. PMSA drives up the NYC median income to roughly $65,000/year while housing is often being built in neighborhoods with median incomes that are significantly lower. " "
JR in Astoria wrote on Oct 30, 2009 12:39 PM:
" I am so excited that we actually have a real choice in the City Council Election!! I will be voting for Lynne Serpe for sure!
Get this - Vallone's 3 main issues are
(1) graffiti and public safety - graffiti has risen during his two terms!
(2) the environment.. seriously?? he wants to let real estate developers build 40-story waterfront luxury condos (and he gets more than 50% of his campaign funds from developers and power companies).
(3) the schools... but Astoria schools can't afford to hire substitute teachers right now and Vallone voted to give himself a 25% pay raise during the current economic downturn!!
Besides the fact that Lynne has done more for the community than her opponent has ever done, she actually stands for civil rights and safer streets for ALL people in the community. Lynne has amazing plans for promoting green industry and energy efficient building in Astoria. Plus, one of her platform issues is getting healthier, more affordable school lunches in our district's schools.
The choice is clear!
I'm voting for Lynne Serpe! "
Get this - Vallone's 3 main issues are
(1) graffiti and public safety - graffiti has risen during his two terms!
(2) the environment.. seriously?? he wants to let real estate developers build 40-story waterfront luxury condos (and he gets more than 50% of his campaign funds from developers and power companies).
(3) the schools... but Astoria schools can't afford to hire substitute teachers right now and Vallone voted to give himself a 25% pay raise during the current economic downturn!!
Besides the fact that Lynne has done more for the community than her opponent has ever done, she actually stands for civil rights and safer streets for ALL people in the community. Lynne has amazing plans for promoting green industry and energy efficient building in Astoria. Plus, one of her platform issues is getting healthier, more affordable school lunches in our district's schools.
The choice is clear!
I'm voting for Lynne Serpe! "
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