Name: Margaret M. Markey
Age: 68
Occupation: Member of the New York State Assembly
Decision to Run: I was active as a parent and community member when my children were growing up. I learned about community issues as a member of my local community board, and I got involved in local organizing as the leader of the grass-roots drive to turn a derelict building in my community into an active multi-generational community center, Maspeth Town Hall that now serves more than 1000 people a year. As I learned about all the great work that non-profit organizations do to serve the community and how the political process can make life better in our neighborhoods, I decided to run for office myself.
Major Issues: Quality of life in our residential neighborhoods and on our commercial shopping streets. Keeping housing affordable, providing improvements to parks and public spaces and stopping inappropriate development are the biggest challenges for residential neighborhoods in my district. In commercial areas, providing support to help local businesses attract shoppers is essential in these tough economic times and we need government at every level to be doing everything possible to help improve our local shopping streets.
The need for support for valuable community service organizations. Locally-based non-profit organizations are a vital link to help and assistance in every community. Senior centers, youth programs, food pantries and similar grass-roots organization help our residents cope with challenges of daily life, particularly in these changing times.
Top Priorities: My number one priority is to see that the city Department of Transportation follows through on its promise to make local commercial and residential streets in Maspeth safer by stopping big trucks from using Grand and Flushing Avenues and adjacent streets.
Name: Anthony P. Nunziato
Age: 53
Party Affiliation: Republican
Occupation: Florist/Civic Leader
Decision to Run: Our current elected officials are not representing their constituents and the quality of life is spiraling in a downward direction in New York. Businesses are closing at an alarming rate, a steady loss of jobs, higher taxes and foreclosures points to the fact that we need an immediate change in Albany. I want to help put Albany back on track and have real representation for the people and truly have New York State live up to its status as the Empire State. A government of the people for the people, I am the person to truly represent the people in the 30th Assembly District instead of a lifelong career politician.
Major Issues: The loss of jobs and higher taxes. More people are unemployed and have to spend more than ever on taxes. In the past two years, 124 new taxes were started in New York. That will drive younger New Yorkers out of the state, a trend that we have been seeing since the Democrats have taken over Albany.
Top Priorities: I would focus on creating new jobs. A good quality of life starts with a job. I support Andrew Cuomo’s plan to give small businesses a tax credit of up to $3,000 for each unemployed New Yorker hired for a new job.
