Murray Lewinter is extending his lifelong involvement in politics by serving as the chair of the Political Action Committee at North Shore Towers.
A native of the Bronx, Lewinter first became interested in politics as a child when he would attend democratic meetings with his father.
“He used to go to the local democratic club and I enjoyed watching the politicians work,” he said. “When I grew older I became an assemblyman.”
Lewinter was elected an assemblymember in the same district he grew up in.
After staying in office for five years, Lewinter was then appointed the executive director of the New York City Council. He then spent a few years as a law secretary for a Supreme Court judge in the Bronx.
The next step in Lewinter’s career was to become the executive director of the Ways and Means Committee in Albany, saying that it is “the most important committee in the Assembly because all the bills pertaining to money have to come out of the Ways and Means Committee.” He was appointed to the position by the speaker and stayed there until retiring.
However, even after retiring Lewinter has remained active in the world of politics, now as a lobbyist. He still makes trips to Albany, Washington and to meet with member of the city council.
Among those that Lewinter has represented as a lobbyist include Cingular, AT&T, hotel and restaurant employees, the second largest billboard company in New York State and various unions.
Lewinter and his wife Iris have lived at North Shore Towers for about six years, after having spent about 20 in Manhattan. They have two children and five grandchildren.
For the last five years, Lewinter has been a member of the North Shore Towers Board of Directors. He was first appointed to fill a vacancy.
Lewinter said that he decided to get involved with the Board so that he could do something to try to benefit the community.
In his current role, Lewinter has worked with senators and councilmembers, such as Senator Frank Padavan and Councilmember David Weprin, to assist with tax problems the co-op might have.
Lewinter and his 12 committee members have worked to bring many different elected officials to the Towers to address residents. Some of them have been Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Congressmember Gary Ackerman, Assemblymember Anthony Weiner, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, City Comptroller William Thompson and former New York Civil Liberties Union head Norman Siegel.
Another elected official that Lewinter said they have been trying to bring to the Towers is Senator Hillary Clinton. Lewinter said a committee member made contact with someone in Clinton’s office who tried to get Clinton there before the elections, but she ended up not having time on her calendar. The committee is still trying to bring her at the beginning of next year.
There are also several other politicians who have expressed interest in returning to the Towers to speak to residents.
“I am trying to get people in the political area who can explain to all of the people at North Shore Towers where their tax money goes and help them,” Lewinter said.
An important message that Lewinter said he is now trying to get out to people is the need for residents to vote on-site at the Towers, which has three voting districts and gets machines at Towers on the Green.
“We must show that we have a minimum of 1,800 people voting,” Lewinter said. “If we don’t we’re going to lose the machines and have to go outside of the area. They have to vote here to keep the machines here.”
