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- SERVING INWOOD AND WASHINGTON HEIGHTS -

City Council Campaign 2003 - District 10




General Election Results


General election winner in this district:

» Complete General Election Results (City Council and Ballot Proposals)


Primary Results


There were no primary elections in this district.

» Complete Primary Election Results (City Council and Judicial races)


The Candidates


Incumbent:    Miguel Martinez (Dem)
Challenger(s):    Felix Figueroa (Ind/Rep/Con)

No longer running:
  
Jose Adames (Dem, lost in primary)
Roberto Lizardo (Dem, lost in primary)
Ydanis Rodriguez (Dem, lost in primary)



Campaign Contributors According to the Campaign Finance Board


Contributers to:
Roberto Lizardo
Felix Figueroa
Miguel Martinez
Ydanis Rodriguez

The following candidates have not filed:
Jose Adames



Feature Story

Housing in the Heights

Though for decades Washington Heights has been a haven for new immigrants particularly from the Dominican Republic, many of the most recent arrivals to the area are already New Yorkers and are increasingly white, young, and middle-class.

Some long-time residents say that the latest wave of newcomers is driving up rents.

"After 9/11, we have seen many people from midtown and downtown moving here," said Roberto Lizardo, one of three Democrats challenging incumbent City Councilmember Miguel Martinez this fall. "It is beautiful and the rent is affordable, but our community cannot compete."

Roberto Lizardo, who lost to Councilmember Martinez in 2001 by some 340 votes, said that not only are rents going up, but much of the existing housing is in poor condition and, if elected, he said he would fight to get more building inspectors and tougher eviction laws.

Ydanis Rodriguez, another Democratic candidate who finished third in the 2001 campaign, agrees. "When I see how people are living, it's incredible," said Rodriquez, who recently visited an apartment on 167th Street to find its ceiling was collapsing. "When I looked at the other apartments in that building, most were in the same condition."

In response to concern over housing issues, both Ydanis Rodriguez and Roberto Lizardo vowed not to accept donations from the real estate industry, so as to deal fairly with tenant-landlord conflicts if elected.

Councilmember Miguel Martinez, who has made no such promises, maintains that the key to affordable housing is to create opportunities through job growth and new construction, while fighting for better rent control laws.

Martinez is involved in a plan to rehabilitate abandoned waterfront along Sherman Creek on 201st Street and 10th Avenue to build new housing and commercial business space, as well as parkland. "We need more protection for businesses," said Martinez. "Many merchants up here pay more per square foot than they would on Wall Street."

Martinez noted that he had sponsored legislation to reform the Rent Guidelines Board to give the City Council power to review the mayor's appointees to the board. Martinez was also one of a dozen members to vote against a program that gives developers incentives to build housing because it does not adequately target neighborhoods like Washington Heights.

Another key issue for the area is education. Candidates talk of some schools being so overcrowded they hold classes in converted bathrooms, closets, and hallways.

"The budget keeps getting cut more and more as the classes get more crowded," said Jose Adames, another Democrat who works as a school paraprofessional. "The council member is satisfied with getting a piece of the pie, but not fighting Mr. Bloomberg's cuts."

Roberto Lizardo suggests that the large corporations based in Washington Heights – the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Bell-Atlantic, and Verizon – unite to create a vocational school that would prepare students for future careers.

Ydanis Rodriquez, who helped found an alternative school for immigrants in the area, said parental involvement and after-school programs are essential to success. "It's too easy to blame the schools," he said.

However, Councilmember Miguel Martinez warned that the power of the council is limited in the area of education. He also said that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's educational reforms have created "total chaos" in the school system and he would keep pressure on the administration to ensure that it does not violate the law.

Another immediate issue is transportation. The 191st Street 1 and 9 subway station stop is closed for repairs until December 31, 2003. Ydanis Rodriguez said that MTA's $50 million renovation of the station is welcome, however, the authority provided "no alternative plan for 24-hour transportation," only shuttle buses during rush hour. Rodriguez recently held a rally to protest.

It will be difficult for the challengers to unseat the incumbent. By mid-July, Councilmember Martinez raised over $120,000, six times more than Roberto Lizardo and Ydanis Rodriguez, who have both raised around $20,000. Felix Figueroa, who is Republican, could not be reached for comment.

Adames, who has lost races for State Senate, City Council and even the president of the Dominican Republic in the past, said the campaign would be difficult for the challengers. "I don't know if I have a chance," said Adames. "But someone has to keep fighting for our community."

Posted July 28, 2003

Campaign Update:

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's executive order allowing police officers to inquire about a person's immigration status has become a campaign issue in district 10. Roberto Lizardo refuses to be seen with the mayor. He has accused Councilmember Miguel Martinez of not being a "proactive leader" and criticized the council member for appearing with the mayor on several occasions.

Martinez told the New York Times, however, that he will not appear with the mayor in the future. "But if we are at the same place, like the Dominican Day Parade, I will give him the respect that he deserves," said Martinez.

Martinez has raised by far the most money, with $131,285 in contributions and an additional $28,760 in matching funds, which he has not yet received. Lizardo has raised $36,707 and will receive $24,473 in matching funds. Rodriguez has raised $28,737 and will receive $18,702.

Updated August 29, 2003




The 12 Most Debated Council Votes of 2002-2003


Recognizing Domestic Partnerships (Intro 114)
New York City passed a law in 1998 legalizing same-sex domestic partnerships, but it does not recognize partnerships obtained outside of city limits. This bill would enable people who have registered status in other places to receive the same benefits and legal rights as those registered in the city.
Council Vote: 37 for, 7 against, 4 abstaining
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, abstained.

. . . . . . .

Moratorium on the Death Penalty (Reso 12-A)
This resolution calls on the State Legislature and the Governor to halt all executions "until the application of capital punishment in New York is investigated and issues of fairness, justice, equality, due process and cost are addressed." The council measure has no legal power since capital punishment is not a local issue; it is simply the official statement of the opinion of the New York City Council. The mayor is not compelled to sign or veto the resolution.
Council Vote: 38 for, 13 against
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Property Tax Increase (Intro 317-A)
This law institutes an increase of 18.49% in real property tax rates, the first property tax increase in the city in over a decade. The tax, which went into effect December 2, 2002 generated an estimated $837 million in revenue for the city during fiscal year 2003.
Council Vote: 41 for, 6 against
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Emergency Contraception at Pharmacies (Intro 87)
Emergency contraceptives are high-dose birth control pills that, if taken within the first 72 hours after unprotected intercourse or rape, can reduce the chance of pregnancy. The legislation was the result of a council investigation that found that nearly half of all pharmacies in the city do not carry the emergency contraceptive drugs Preven or Plan B, which were both approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1997. This law requires pharmacies that do not carry the drugs to post signs indicating that they are not sold at that location.
Council Vote: 43 for, 8 against
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Smoke Free Act of 2002 (Intro 256-A)
This legislation amends the 1995 Smoke-Free Air Act to make public places including bars, nightclubs and restaurants and all places of employment in New York City smoke-free. Officials agreed to some exemptions: cigar bars, owner-operated bars, fraternal organizations and portions of outdoor cafes will still allow smoking. The law would also allow for smoking in separate, enclosed rooms that employees do not enter.
Council Vote: 42 for, 7 against, 2 abstain
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Prohibit Predatory Lending (Intro 67)
This legislation would bar city agencies from doing business with financial institutions that offer high-interest loans with concealed fees and inflated rates to people who are unable to get a loan elsewhere. These loans are often promoted in low-income neighborhoods, where foreclosure rates tend to be high.
Council Vote: 44 for, 5 against
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Tax Incentives for Housing (Intro 87)
The 421-A program was created in 1971 to provide a tax incentive for the construction of new multiple dwellings on sites that are either vacant or underutilized. This change will enable developers of sites zoned for residential use to take advantage of this tax benefit at any time three years prior to the start of construction.
Council Vote: 36 for, 11 against, 2 abstaining
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "NO."

. . . . . . .

Command Center for the Office of Emergency Management
The council approved a location for a new Office of Emergency Management command center in downtown Brooklyn. The site was selected by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. Some City Council members objected to the site, arguing that it is too close to possible terrorist targets like the Brooklyn Bridge and the U.S. Federal Courthouse, which has been the location of terrorism-related trials. The former headquarters of the Office of Emergency Management was housed in the World Trade Center and was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.
Council Vote: 38 for, 11 against
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Education for Public Assistance Recipients (93-A)
This legislation would change existing welfare-to-work rules and allow welfare recipients to count education, including vocational, GED and English language classes, toward their work requirements. The council argues that under the current requirements people are forced to quit school for low-paying, dead-end jobs. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is taking the law to court and calls it "a giant step backward in welfare reform."
Council Vote: 46 for, 5 against
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Banning Cell Phones at Performances (Intro 257-A)
This law restricts the use of cell phones in places of public performances. Violators will now face a $50 fine and eviction from the venue for talking on, listening to or having a cell phone ring at movie theaters, plays, musicals, museums or libraries. The mayor vetoed the law, saying it was not enforceable. The council overrode the mayor's veto.
Council Vote: 40 for, 9 against, 2 abstain
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Filtration Plant in Bronx
This measure gives city approval to a new water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The massive underground plant will be built under the Mosholu golf course and will filter water from the Croton Reservoir, which provides about 10 percent of the drinking water in the city. This city legislation passed with the understanding that the city would commit $240 million for building and improving parkland in the Bronx and perform an environmental impact study. The State Legislature and Governor George Pataki in Albany also approved the plan.
Council Vote:44 for, 4 against, 2 abstain
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."

. . . . . . .

Anti-War Resolution (Res 549-A)
This resolution opposed a pre-emptive military attack against Iraq unless it could be demonstrated that "Iraq poses a real and imminent threat to the security and safety of the United States" or unless all other options of achieving compliance with United Nations resolutions have failed. The resolution also calls on the United States government to: make all efforts to work with the United Nations Security Council; take appropriate steps toward securing participation of other nations to ensure that Iraq does not have weapons of mass destruction; work with the United Nations and other countries to ensure access of weapons inspectors; ensure that inspectors be given a full and fair opportunity to conduct their work.
Council Vote:38 for, 18 against
The incumbent, Miguel Martinez, voted "YES."



Candidate Biographies


Roberto Lizardo
Roberto Lizardo has worked as president of community school board 6 and the supervisor of the lead poisoning prevention program of the Department of Health of the City of New York. He received his bachelor's degree in Bilingual Bicultural Education from Lehman College and his postgraduate degree in Lead Poisoning Control and Prevention at Cornell University. He was co-founder of the Latin Caucus at New York University. He has also worked as a drug prevention counselor for the Washington Heights Coalition of Community Agencies.

Jose Adames
Jose Adames is an education paraprofessional and the producer of Al Frente and the Nilda Reach Show, a variety show on channel 57. He has been a Republican district leader, president of the precinct community council, and a translator for the Board of Elecitons. Adames has run unsuccessfully for State Senate, Congress, City Council and for president of the Dominican Republic.

Felix Figueroa
(no information provided)

Miguel Martinez
Miguel Martinez was elected to the City Council in 2001. He was a Democratic District Leader and a bilingual teacher for six years before being appointed to Community Board 12. He received his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice Planning and Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and continued his post-graduate studies in Urban Policy. He is currently the Program Director for Victims Services in Washington Heights and Harlem Child Care/Domestic Violence Network.

Ydanis Rodriguez
Ydanis Rodriguez is the Executive Director of La Union de Jovenes Dominicanos, Inc. and the founder of Dominicans 2000. As president of Union de Jovenes Dominicanos, Rodriguez helped create a college preparatory program run from City College. Rodriguez received a master’s degree from City College in Bilingual Education and taught for several years in New York City public schools.



Campaign 2003 - Election Coverage

DISTRICT 10:
. . . . .
The Candidates

Campaign Contributors

Campaign Feature Story:
Housing in the Heights

Most Debated Votes of 2002-03

Candidate Biographies



. . . . .
Election Coverage
for all Districts

. . . . .

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