NYC COUNCIL DISTRICT 21
★ Preferred Candidate★
Francisco Moya – Dem
Age: 43 Occupation: NYS Assembly Member, District 39.
Education: St. John’s University, B.A.; Baruch College of Public Administration, M.A.
Francisco Moya has been a New York State Assembly Member for District 39 since 2010, after defeating former state Senator Hiram Monserrate. One of his most notable pieces of legislation is the DREAM Act, which broadens educational opportunities for immigrant students, and which passed the Assembly in 2016. If elected to the Council, Moya’s priorities would be to strengthen tenant protections and improve the affordability of homeownership; ensure that senior centers and programming are operational and well-funded; expand pre-K and afterschool programming; reform the criminal justice system to be tailored to the needs and realities of local communities, and champion immigrants’ rights. He closely aligns with Citizens Union positions on closing the LLC loophole and supports fighting “pay-to-play” politics in New York City. Moya does, however, deviate from Citizens Union’s positions on several key issues including creating a nonpartisan election system in New York, requiring that all laws enacted by referendum be changed with voter approval, reducing the number of Council committees, and holding a Constitutional Convention. Citizens Union prefers Moya in the race to represent District 21 because of his qualifications as a legislator and his ability to advance those reforms that he does support, and because of the checkered history of his opponent.
Hiram Monserrate – Dem
Age: 50 Occupation: Full-time Candidate
Education: Queens College, B.A.
Hiram Monserrate is a former Member of the New York City Council, representing District 21, and state Senator representing District 13. Though an experienced and politically fluent legislator, he has become a pariah after being convicted of assault for abusing his then-girlfriend and serving prison time for the misuse of public funds related to his campaign. He has built his policy goals around addressing affordable housing, public school funding, public safety, and transparency in the spending of public funds. Monserrate broadly supports Citizens Union’s questionnaire items but did not indicate his position on empowering the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to investigate police misconduct with a formal complaint, and requiring the Police Commissioner to publically explain divergences from NYPD trial judge and CCRB disciplinary recommendations. Citizens Union does not support Monserrate because of his history of domestic violence and corruption serving in local government.
NYC COUNCIL DISTRICT 30
★ Preferred Candidate★
Elizabeth Crowley – Dem
Age: 39 Occupation: NYC Council Member, District 30
Education: SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology, B.A.; Pratt Institute Graduate School of Architecture, M.S.
Elizabeth Crowley was elected to the New York City Council in a special election in 2008 and is currently seeking reelection. The top priority issues of her campaign are improving public transportation, building more high schools in District 30, creating more senior centers, building more affordable housing, and encouraging local businesses. Crowley expressed support for a number of Citizens Union’s public policy goals, especially in the area of police accountability Council rules reform. In 2016, she was the lead sponsor on a bill that placed political contribution limits and disclosure requirements on nonprofits that are formed by, or affiliated with, elected officials, which closely reflected a Citizens Union proposal issued earlier that year. Crowley is opposed to establishing a nonpartisan, top-two primary system in New York, creating a voluntary municipal poll worker program to supplement poll worker recruitment by district leaders, modifying the City Charter to require that laws enacted by referendum only be changed through approval by the voters, and holding a Constitutional Convention – all of which Citizens Union supports. Despite these deviations from Citizens Union’s agenda, Crowley is the preferred candidate in this race because she has proven herself to be an effective member of the New York City Council with an eye toward important reforms in key areas of city government. In her interview with Citizens Union, she expressed an understanding that, as a council member, her role is to represent the interests of New York City as a whole, as well as of her district.
Robert Holden – Dem
Age: 65 Occupation: Professor at New York City College of Technology (CUNY)
Education: Hunter College, M.F.A.
Robert Holden is a graphic designer and a professor at the New York City College of Technology. Holden also serves as the president of the Juniper Park Civic Association and Managing Editor and Art Director of the Juniper Berry Magazine. He has been a longtime community activist, nd has served on Community Board 5 since 1988. Holden’s top priority issues include creating a satellite police precinct in District 30, protecting the environment, and improving public transportation. Holden expresses support for all but one of Citizens Union’s questionnaire policies; he is opposed to extending Council term limits from two to three four-year terms. Despite being aligned with many Citizens Union priorities, Holden appears to take a narrow view of the community that would make up his constituency, which Citizens Union feels would undermine his commitment to serving the needs of every resident in his district, including homeless individuals and families. For this reason, and in light of her accomplishments during her first term, Citizens Union prefers the incumbent.