By Bill Parry
Last week was a memorable one for Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst). The city councilwoman made a select list of the most powerful people in the city and she married her longtime boyfriend in a City Hall ceremony last Friday.
Mayor Bill de Blasio presided over the small wedding as Ferreras wed Aaron Copeland in the council chambers with Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Borough President Melinda Katz, the Council’s Finance Division, Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and state Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry (D-Corona) among others in attendance.
“My husband and I are incredibly humbled to have been married at New York City Hall by our mayor in front of family, friends and the remarkable individuals that make up the City Council,” Ferreras said. “As a young girl growing up in Queens, I never did imagine today would be as special as it has been. Exchanging vows with Aaron, the father of my beautiful son, my biggest fan, wisest adviser and the man I most admire, is one of the greatest joys a person can experience in their lifetime.”
Earlier in the week, Ferreras was named to a list of the 50 most influential people in New York City. The New York Observer’s 20th Political Power List had Ferreras ranked at number 50.
Ferreras was the only person from Queens to make the list that ranked NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton as the top power broker followed by the likes of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, City Planning Commissioner Carl Weisbrod, Cardinal Timothy Dolan and other political, business and labor leaders. Ferreras, the chairwoman of the Council’s Finance Committee, was one of only three Council members to make the list.
The Observer wrote “she is steering the body’s response to the city budget. She has carved out a role for herself in repeatedly pressing the mayor’s budget director, [Dean] Fuleihan, for a more transparent and timely budget – offering the kind of criticism that was largely absent from last year’s budget hearing, when one member memorably brought muffins.”
Ferreras took a low-keyed approach when asked about the publication of the list.
“It’s always rewarding to rank on power lists, but honestly, I was just doing my job, which is to ensure the city’s spending is responsible and transparent,” she said.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
