By Sarina Trangle
City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) is a Democrat’s Republican, if you let his colleagues tell it.
At Ulrich’s second swearing-in ceremony Jan. 30, several Democratic politicians sang Ulrich’s praises.
While pledging to work with elected officials on both sides of the aisle, the councilman outlined an agenda emphasizing recovery for those reeling from Superstorm Sandy and the recession.
But he said his bipartisan nature was partially born out of necessity.
“I would have invited some other Republican elected officials, except there aren’t any left in Queens,” Ulrich said. “You don’t have to clap for that.”
Prominent Republicans sitting in the audience were packed into the PS 63 auditorium, including Queens County Conservative Committee Chairman Tom Long, former U.S. Rep. Bob Turner and ex-Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota.
After speeches by Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan), city Comptroller Scott Stringer, city Public Advocate Letitia James and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ulrich shed his freshman title while repeating an oath administered by state Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder (D-Rockaway Beach).
His wife Yadira Moran-Ulrich held the Bible for Ulrich, 28, while their young daughter waved enthusiastically from her mother’s hip.
Ulrich reiterated his history in the district, noting that 23 years ago he graduated from kindergarten at PS 63. His kindergarten teacher Barbara Martuscello laughed alongside the politicians as Ulrich read her comments on his kindergarten report card.
“I was always amazed that a young, rambunctious person like me, just a kid from Ozone Park, could stand on the same stage tonight and taken an oath of office,” he said. “Only in New York could something like this happen.”
This term, Ulrich will chair the Veterans Committee and sit on the Housing and Buildings, Small Business, Environmental Protection and Recovery and Resiliency committees.
He plans to improve public transportation by forging a permanent arrangement for Rockaway ferry service, expanding and enhancing express bus service and alleviating congestion on Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards.
The councilman said he hoped to spur job growth by offering counseling and informational seminars on low interest loans and the city bidding process for businesses in his district.
He said he would install more NYPD cameras in the district and help schools acquire new technology.
Ulrich also pledged to help those affected by Sandy get on their feet again.
“In the midst of all this turmoil and despair there is hope,” Ulrich said.
Schumer heralded Ulrich’s dogged efforts to support constituents after Sandy. He invited the community to call his office with recovery-related concerns while announcing that Congress passed a four-year moratorium on flood insurance hikes.
“Eric’s a homegrown fellow,” Schumer said. “It’s a great day for you because you got here the old-fashioned way — you earned it.”
Mark-Viverito echoed several speakers in singling out Ulrich’s practice of looking beyond party.
“He was elected by his community and that voice needs to be respected and needs to be at the table,” Mark-Viverito said, before thanking Ulrich, the youngest member of the Council, for backing her in the speaker race. “He was also an early supporter of mine and that means a lot to me.”
Reach reporter Sarina Trangle at 718-260-4546 or by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com.
