General Election Results General election winner in this district:
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Primary Results There were no primary elections in this district.
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The Candidates
| Incumbent: |
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James F. Gennaro (Dem/WFP) |
| Challenger(s): |
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Walter Lamp (Con)
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No longer running: |
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Florence Fisher (Dem, lost in primary) David Reich (Dem, lost in primary)
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Campaign Contributors According to the Campaign Finance Board Contributers to:
Florence Fisher
James F. Gennaro
David Reich
The following candidates have not filed: Walter Lamp

Feature StoryChallenging an Incumbent's RecordIn 2001, insurgent Democrat James Gennaro won the primary race for City Council in district 24 by fewer than 600 votes. This year, Gennaro has the backing of the Queen's Democratic Party, but is still being challenged by two Democrats who claim that he has not done his job.
David Reich, a chief of staff for State Senator Seymour Lachman who came in
third in the 2001 race, is incensed that Gennaro was absent the day the 18.5 percent
property tax increase was approved last November; it one of the most contentious votes of the
last two years.
"Now he says he would have voted against it," said Reich. "I find that hard
to believe."
Florence Fisher, a former community board member who oversees an
after-school program at P.S. 219, said that she decided to run because the
incumbent has refused to take a stand on difficult issues, like childhood lead poisoning. Gennaro is one a handful of council members who has not sponsored the bill 101A, which aims to create tougher laws to prevent childhood lead poisoning.
"When I approached him and asked why he hadn't signed onto [the bill], he said I had to ask Speaker Gifford Miller and he walked away,"
Fisher said. "I have a councilman who can't take a position on a bill and I
don't want that kind of person representing me."
Gennaro defends his record. He missed the property tax, he said, due to a death in the family. And Gennaro said that childhood lead poisoning is an
issue "close to my heart," but that the bill being proposed
contains some unnecessary requirements on landlords and building inspectors
that may be not be enforceable. "I could have taken the easy way out and
supported Intro 101 and been done with it," said Gennaro. "We're going to pass the best bill that we possibly can that incorporates the best elements of Intro 101 and goes beyond it."
While the three candidates disagree about who would best represent the community, they
agree that something must be done to deal with the influx of residents in
recent years. The population is growing faster than new housing can be
built and the zoning laws are out of date.
For Reich rezoning means protecting the neighborhood's
single-family homes and quiet streets. "Developers come in and knock down
one-family houses to put in four- or five-family homes," said Reich.
Fisher said that the area's zoning laws must be used to create new
affordable apartments and believes that developers should be required to
include low cost apartments in their new buildings.
Gennaro said he sees a need for both new
housing and protecting the area's character and believes that a community
based planning process, where residents help decided the future of their
neighborhood, is the best option. "Throughout the city, people should be
taking a good hard look at zoning," said Gennaro. "I can only let them know
what their options are and help them fulfill their common vision."
The candidates also cite education as a top concern.
Reich complains that new schools are being built in the wrong places, such
as one school that was recently built on the Queens College campus. The city
is also considering putting an 800-seat school on the grounds of the Queens
hospital.
Fisher complains about overcrowding and cites P.S. 219 as an example; in the
school, closets were emptied to create classroom space. If elected, she
hopes to build new floors onto existing schools. "It would be cheaper than
trying to build more schools," she said.
During his time in office, Gennaro said that he has provided
area schools with new science labs, libraries, and computers. "The best
impact I can have is to get them money so that they can provide the tools
they need to educate the students," said Gennaro. The council member said he
is also concerned about the current education reforms and fears it will
diminish community involvement in decision-making.
Another significant issue is sanitation. Overflowing garbage baskets and
trash on the street have made the summer months particularly uncomfortable.
To combat the problem, Gennaro has obtained funds to increase the number of
waste receptacles in the district. He has also introduced legislation that
would require daily pickups citywide.
Reich attributes the problem to weak enforcement of sanitation laws. "Our
shopping centers are filthy," Reich said. "We need workers from the
sanitation department giving tickets to everyone who litters."
In addition to proposing different solutions to the district's problems, the
candidates also found different issues on which to focus. Gennaro cited
senior services and public safety as the most pressing issues. Reich is
concerned about traffic brought into the district by the airport, hospital,
and college, whereas Fisher focused on subway problems, firehouse closings,
healthcare, and taxes.
The challengers have an tough battle ahead. Gennaro has a big advantage
in fundraising, raising four times more than his opponents.
Conservative candidate Walter Lamp is also running but could not be reached
for comment.
Posted 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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, was absent from this vote.
. . . . . . .
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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, voted "YES."
. . . . . . .
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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, 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, James F. Gennaro, voted "NO."

Candidate Biographies
Florence Fisher
Florence Fisher has been active in Queens politics for 25 years. She has co-founded several community organizations that work to preserve neighborhoods and protect tenants. She has served on community board 8 for 15 years and currently oversees an after school program at PS 219.
James F. Gennaro
Jim Gennaro was elected to the City Council in 2001. He began his political career in 1983 by working in the Koch administration. He has served as the New York City Council's Environmental Policy Advisor since 1990. He is also an adjunct professor of political science and environmental public policy at Queens College. Gennaro has a bachelor's degree in geology and environmental sciences and a master's degree in policy analysis and public management from SUNY Stony Brook. He lives in Jamaica Estates.
Walter Lamp
(no information provided)
David Reich
David Reich is the chief of staff and head counsel for State Senator Seymour Lachman. Reich has worked in the State Senate since 1993 when he began as legislative counsel for State Senator Emanuel Gold. He has a law degree from Cardoza Law School and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Queens College. Reich lives in Kew Gardens Hills.
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DISTRICT 24: . . . . . The Candidates
Campaign Contributors
Campaign Feature Story: Challenging an Incumbent's Record
Most Debated Votes of 2002-03
Candidate Biographies
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Election Coverage for all Districts
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