StreetsPAC Endorses Wymore
Streets PAC, New York's first political action committee focused on creating more livable and safer streets endorsed Mel Wymore for the City Council District 6 Race.
During his tenure as Chair of Community Board 7, Wymore pushed for the makeover of Columbus Avenue as a greener, safer and more cyclist-friendly street.
"Because of Mel Wymore, tens of thousands of walkers, shoppers, and bicyclists are rediscovering Columbus Avenue as a beautifully redesigned safe and vibrant corridor," StreetsPAC has said about the endorsement.
If elected, Wymore has said that he really wants to push for the Central Park loop to become car-free.
"I look forward to making all our streets greener and safer for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and bus riders," said Wymore about the endorsement. "My motivation has always been, and continues to be, a deep desire to build communities that provide a high quality of life for all people."
Conservation League Endorses Biberaj
The New York League of Conservation Voters has endorsed Ken Biberaj for New York City Council in District 6.
Biberaj serves as the vice president of the Russian Tea Room and also sits on the Culinary Council of the Food Bank for New York. He worked on John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and recently served as a discussion leader on sustainable global cities at the World Policy Institute's annual gala.
"Ken Biberaj understands the issues that District 6 and all of New York City face and is well positioned to improve environmental circumstances for all New Yorkers," said League President Marcia Bystryn. "His interests reflect those that are best for the environmental health of the district and his election is a positive step forward for the Upper West Side."
"I'm very proud that the New York League of Conservation Voters has endorsed me for the 6th City Council District seat," Biberaj said. "I'm running to bring new leadership and new ideas to the City Council, and to bring a renewed focus to environmental issues that affect all New Yorkers." Rosenthal Criticizes Mayor
Helen Rosenthal, who is running for City Council, aims to "chart a better course" for education, and criticized Mayor Bloomberg last week.
"For years, Mayor Bloomberg has tried to stymie public criticism of his war on teachers by claiming that his education reforms were working," she said, in a prepared statement. "He's misled the public all along." Furthermore, she said, the test scores announced last week were released in "typical Tweed fashion-without parental engagement or teacher involvement, and from behind closed doors-all to pit teachers, schools and parents against one another."
She added, "The Mayor has again displayed his contempt for parents' role in the education system by withholding individual test scores for another two weeks." As a City Council member, she said, she would "work to reverse this dangerous trend and bring parents, advocates, and other stakeholders into the process to result in better educational outcome for students on the Upper West Side and across the city."