By Kelsey Durham
State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) announced Wednesday that he will leave the formal Democratic Party to become a member of the Independent Democratic Conference.
Avella will be the fifth New York senator to join the IDC since the 2011 formation of the group, whose members typically still identify as Democrats but choose not to affiliate with the official party. Sen. Jeffrey Klein (D-Bronx), Sen. Diane Savino (D-Staten Island), Sen. David Valesky (D-Oneida) and Sen. David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) have all made the switch to become IDC members in the last three years.
Avella said his commitment to working families and middle-class families helped influence his decision and he looks forward to becoming a part of the IDC team.
“They have shown an ability to get big things done without the dysfunction of years past,” Avella said of the IDC members. “From passing new gun control laws to raising the minimum wage, Sen. Klein and the IDC have shown us that great things are possible when you focus on results instead of politics.”
Klein, who serves as IDC leader and Senate co-president, said Avella, who served on the City Council from 2002 to 2009, will be a major asset in the fight to make New York a more affordable place to live.
“Sen. Avella’s passion for public service makes him a great fit for the Independent Democratic Conference,” Klein said. “The breadth of his experience, in both the City Council and the Senate, makes him the type of seasoned legislator who knows how to get things done. I am very pleased to welcome him to the team.”
Avella represents New York’s District 11, which covers the northeast Queens neighborhoods of College Point, Whitestone, Bayside, Douglaston, Oakland Gardens, Auburndale, Bellerose and Hollis Hills.
Reach reporter Kelsey Durham at 718-260-4573 or by e-mail at kdurham@cnglocal.com.
