Scott Stringer
Encyclopedia
Scott M. Stringer is a New York
Democratic
politician and currently the 26th Borough President
of Manhattan
.
who served on the New York City Council
, and Ronald E. Stringer, a former professor of constitutional law and adviser to New York mayor Abraham Beame
. Stringer grew up in the Washington Heights
neighborhood of Upper Manhattan
, attended Manhattan
public schools and graduated from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice
.
In 1983, he became a legislative assistant to Assemblyman, and future Congressman, Jerrold Nadler
. During these years, he supported Democratic candidates such as Governor Mario Cuomo
. In 1992, Stringer ran for Nadler's Assembly seat representing the Upper West Side
when Nadler replaced deceased Congressman Ted Weiss. During his Assembly career, Stringer served as Chairman of the Cities Committee, Chairman of the Real Property Taxation Committee and Chairman of the Oversight, Analysis and Investigation Committee.
In 2001, Stringer ran unsuccessfully for New York City Public Advocate. In 2005, he entered the race to succeed C. Virginia Fields as Manhattan
Borough President
. On September 13, 2005, he won the Democratic primary against 9 other candidates and was later elected in the November general election. He took office as Borough President on January 1, 2006. He has “dedicated himself to making Manhattan more affordable, livable and breathable”.
On November 6, 2008, Stringer announced his decision to seek re-election as Manhattan Borough President. His Republican opponent, David Casavis, a history professor and foreign affairs writer/commentator, got 16% of the vote on a platform to abolish the office. In an October 5, 2009 article in City Limits, Stringer dismissed calls by Casavis and Mayor Bloomberg to eliminate his office: "There are people who are going to call for the elimination of the public advocate office, borough president, the City Council. There are people who believe that we should have a king system here," says Stringer. "Borough presidents are part of a new era and a different kind of government. It has real responsibilities and it gives you a large footprint on the issues you get involved with. It's up to the individual to take advantage of that, that you might have an impact."
In spring 2009, Stringer considered a primary challenge
to incumbent
United States Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand
. However, he announced in May 2009 that he would not run for the Senate. In his statement he said: “In light of President Obama’s clear desire to avoid a Democratic primary in New York State, I have decided to focus on my re-election race for Manhattan Borough President and to suspend my exploratory committee and fund-raising efforts for the 2010 Senate race. I firmly believe that innovative thinking on issues like education and the urban environment must be joined with bedrock Democratic values on gun control and immigration if New York’s interests are to be effectively represented in Washington.”
In January 2010, the New York Times reported that Stringer had reserved a Web site, www.stringer2013.com and established a finance committee with three staff members for his campaign for the 2013 New York mayoral elections. In an interview, Stringer said: “It makes sense now to figure out, personally, how best to continue being in public service beyond being the borough president in the next four years, and doing the most for the city. So why would you not think about running for mayor?” In August 2010, the New York Observer
reported that Stringer had raised $655,163 in the first half of 2010 for his campaign for Mayor in 2013, largely from real estate
executives. According to state filings, he also has $990,000 in his 2009 account.
In July 2011, Stringer, called for the abolition of the $49 million pot of money the 51 City Council members give out in grants ranging from $80,000 to more than $1 million every year to nonprofit groups, as well as the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn
's own fund totaling about $18 million, saying the process for giving out the grants had become overly political.
Stringer strongly criticized New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for concealing the circumstances of former Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith
′s resignation in July 2011, an arrest for domestic violence, and asked for a City Council hearing.
In September 2011, actress Scarlett Johansson
announced that she backs Stringer in his bid for New York mayor in 2013, saying: “Scott’s very environmentally aware, and he wants to reinvest in New York in a cultural way, in a social way—to make the city affordable and available and enjoyable for New Yorkers. That’s what I want to see. Everyone I know that grew up here or lives here or works here, we want that. We want to see transportation expanded. We want a greener New York, a cleaner New York.” Johansson's twin brother Hunter who had left his job as a community organiser for Stringer in June 2008 to become the campaign organiser for Obama in Denver, works for Stringers 2013 campaign.
Stringer is married to Elyse Buxbaum, a museum's administrator. The couple got married on September 3, 2010 at City Hall in New Haven, Connecticut
instead of in New York to protest the fact that same-sex couples could not legally marry in the state of New York at the time. Three days later they had a Jewish religious ceremony led by Reform
rabbi
Robert N. Levine in Manhattan. According to reports, they are expecting their first child in December 2011.
on Manhattan to celebrate Women's History Month. The map includes 120 Manhattan locations where women who have helped shape New York City and the nation have lived, worked or where they have been honored.
On October 24, 2009, Stringer's Office and the Heritage Rose Foundation established the first official Heritage Rose District
of the U.S.A in West Harlem
and Southern Washington Heights
with an initial collection of over a hundred roses bushes.
wrote a lengthy piece entitled, "Mother Dearest & the Courthouse Cabal," in which he discussed Stringer's involvement in courtroom politics, specifically questioning how Stringer's parents had benefited financially from his political ties, and whether some of his campaign contributors were involved in ethical improprieties. Barrett also raised questions about whether Acting Supreme Court judge Louis York had attempted to gain Stringer's support in his bid for a full term on the court by appointing Stringer's mother nine times as a court evaluator and conservator.
In July 2009, Stringer's deputy press secretary resigned under pressure after posting disparaging comments about President Obama on her Facebook page. The incident let the New York Post to ask: “Why does Stringer need a deputy press secretary” in addition to “a press secretary and a communications director; what the hell do they do for a living?”
New York political blogger James "Gatemouth" Ellroy, in an endorsement of Stringer's re-election, criticized Stringer for “using the office to issue statements designed to please his constituents, mostly concerning matters not within his purview”.
The New York Daily News
and the New York Post
have published articles calling for the borough presidencies to be eliminated. A New York Post article dated July 20, 2008 alleged that Stringer may be billing the taxpayers for some of his campaign travel by chauffeured limousine, an allegation Stringer denied. A March 15, 2009 Daily News article criticized the borough presidents for spending millions of dollars on “pet projects”, including Stringer's “$2 million to renovate the old High Line
trestle and create an immensely popular park - and another $150,000 for a database of senior citizens”.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician and currently the 26th Borough President
Borough president
Borough President is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City.-Reasons for establishment:...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Life and career
Stringer, a native New Yorker, is the son of Arlene Stringer, a cousin of Bella AbzugBella Abzug
Bella Savitsky Abzug was an American lawyer, Congresswoman, social activist and a leader of the Women's Movement. In 1971, Abzug joined other leading feminists such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan to found the National Women's Political Caucus...
who served on the New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
, and Ronald E. Stringer, a former professor of constitutional law and adviser to New York mayor Abraham Beame
Abraham Beame
Abraham David "Abe" Beame was mayor of New York City from 1974 to 1977. As such, he presided over the city during the fiscal crisis of the mid-1970s, during which the city was almost forced to declare bankruptcy....
. Stringer grew up in the Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
neighborhood of Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Between these two extremes lies the most common definitions of Upper Manhattan as Manhattan above 96th Street...
, attended Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
public schools and graduated from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and is the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States. The college offers programs in Forensic Science and Forensic...
.
In 1983, he became a legislative assistant to Assemblyman, and future Congressman, Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Lewis "Jerry" Nadler is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1992. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the west side of Manhattan from the Upper West Side down to Battery Park, including the site where the World Trade Center stood...
. During these years, he supported Democratic candidates such as Governor Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
. In 1992, Stringer ran for Nadler's Assembly seat representing the Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
when Nadler replaced deceased Congressman Ted Weiss. During his Assembly career, Stringer served as Chairman of the Cities Committee, Chairman of the Real Property Taxation Committee and Chairman of the Oversight, Analysis and Investigation Committee.
In 2001, Stringer ran unsuccessfully for New York City Public Advocate. In 2005, he entered the race to succeed C. Virginia Fields as Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
Borough President
Borough president
Borough President is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City.-Reasons for establishment:...
. On September 13, 2005, he won the Democratic primary against 9 other candidates and was later elected in the November general election. He took office as Borough President on January 1, 2006. He has “dedicated himself to making Manhattan more affordable, livable and breathable”.
On November 6, 2008, Stringer announced his decision to seek re-election as Manhattan Borough President. His Republican opponent, David Casavis, a history professor and foreign affairs writer/commentator, got 16% of the vote on a platform to abolish the office. In an October 5, 2009 article in City Limits, Stringer dismissed calls by Casavis and Mayor Bloomberg to eliminate his office: "There are people who are going to call for the elimination of the public advocate office, borough president, the City Council. There are people who believe that we should have a king system here," says Stringer. "Borough presidents are part of a new era and a different kind of government. It has real responsibilities and it gives you a large footprint on the issues you get involved with. It's up to the individual to take advantage of that, that you might have an impact."
In spring 2009, Stringer considered a primary challenge
United States Senate special election in New York, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate special election in New York took place on November 2, 2010, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections...
to incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
. However, he announced in May 2009 that he would not run for the Senate. In his statement he said: “In light of President Obama’s clear desire to avoid a Democratic primary in New York State, I have decided to focus on my re-election race for Manhattan Borough President and to suspend my exploratory committee and fund-raising efforts for the 2010 Senate race. I firmly believe that innovative thinking on issues like education and the urban environment must be joined with bedrock Democratic values on gun control and immigration if New York’s interests are to be effectively represented in Washington.”
In January 2010, the New York Times reported that Stringer had reserved a Web site, www.stringer2013.com and established a finance committee with three staff members for his campaign for the 2013 New York mayoral elections. In an interview, Stringer said: “It makes sense now to figure out, personally, how best to continue being in public service beyond being the borough president in the next four years, and doing the most for the city. So why would you not think about running for mayor?” In August 2010, the New York Observer
New York Observer
The New York Observer is a weekly newspaper first published in New York City on September 22, 1987, by Arthur L. Carter, a very successful former investment banker with publishing interests. The Observer focuses on the city's culture, real estate, the media, politics and the entertainment and...
reported that Stringer had raised $655,163 in the first half of 2010 for his campaign for Mayor in 2013, largely from real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
executives. According to state filings, he also has $990,000 in his 2009 account.
In July 2011, Stringer, called for the abolition of the $49 million pot of money the 51 City Council members give out in grants ranging from $80,000 to more than $1 million every year to nonprofit groups, as well as the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn
Christine C. Quinn
Christine Callaghan Quinn is a Democratic politician and the current Speaker of the New York City Council. The third person to hold this office, Quinn is the first female and first openly gay speaker....
's own fund totaling about $18 million, saying the process for giving out the grants had become overly political.
Stringer strongly criticized New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for concealing the circumstances of former Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith
Stephen Goldsmith
Stephen "Steve" Goldsmith is the former mayor of Indianapolis and most recently served as the Deputy Mayor of New York City for Operations, stepping down effective August 4, 2011 after a domestic violence arrest. He is also the Daniel Paul Professor of Government at the John F...
′s resignation in July 2011, an arrest for domestic violence, and asked for a City Council hearing.
In September 2011, actress Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress, model and singer.Johansson made her film debut in North and was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo . She rose to further prominence with her roles in The Horse Whisperer and Ghost World...
announced that she backs Stringer in his bid for New York mayor in 2013, saying: “Scott’s very environmentally aware, and he wants to reinvest in New York in a cultural way, in a social way—to make the city affordable and available and enjoyable for New Yorkers. That’s what I want to see. Everyone I know that grew up here or lives here or works here, we want that. We want to see transportation expanded. We want a greener New York, a cleaner New York.” Johansson's twin brother Hunter who had left his job as a community organiser for Stringer in June 2008 to become the campaign organiser for Obama in Denver, works for Stringers 2013 campaign.
Stringer is married to Elyse Buxbaum, a museum's administrator. The couple got married on September 3, 2010 at City Hall in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
instead of in New York to protest the fact that same-sex couples could not legally marry in the state of New York at the time. Three days later they had a Jewish religious ceremony led by Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Robert N. Levine in Manhattan. According to reports, they are expecting their first child in December 2011.
Special projects
In March 2008, Stringer's Office created a map of important Women's Rights Historic SitesWomen's Rights Historic Sites
In celebration of Women's History Month in March 2008, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's Office created a map of important women's rights historic sites on Manhattan...
on Manhattan to celebrate Women's History Month. The map includes 120 Manhattan locations where women who have helped shape New York City and the nation have lived, worked or where they have been honored.
On October 24, 2009, Stringer's Office and the Heritage Rose Foundation established the first official Heritage Rose District
Heritage Rose District of NYC
The Heritage Rose District of New York City is the first and only rose district in the country. It is the result of the efforts of the Office of the Manhattan Borough President and the Heritage Rose Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of old roses.The Heritage Rose...
of the U.S.A in West Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and Southern Washington Heights
Washington Heights
Washington Heights may refer to some places in the United States:*Washington Heights, Manhattan **Washington Heights , a 2003 film set in Washington Heights, Manhattan*Washington Heights, New York...
with an initial collection of over a hundred roses bushes.
Controversy
On August 28, 2001, Village Voice political writer Wayne BarrettWayne Barrett
Wayne Barrett is an American journalist. He was an investigative reporter and senior editor for the Village Voice for over 20 years. He is currently a fellow with the Nation Institute and contributor to Newsweek....
wrote a lengthy piece entitled, "Mother Dearest & the Courthouse Cabal," in which he discussed Stringer's involvement in courtroom politics, specifically questioning how Stringer's parents had benefited financially from his political ties, and whether some of his campaign contributors were involved in ethical improprieties. Barrett also raised questions about whether Acting Supreme Court judge Louis York had attempted to gain Stringer's support in his bid for a full term on the court by appointing Stringer's mother nine times as a court evaluator and conservator.
In July 2009, Stringer's deputy press secretary resigned under pressure after posting disparaging comments about President Obama on her Facebook page. The incident let the New York Post to ask: “Why does Stringer need a deputy press secretary” in addition to “a press secretary and a communications director; what the hell do they do for a living?”
New York political blogger James "Gatemouth" Ellroy, in an endorsement of Stringer's re-election, criticized Stringer for “using the office to issue statements designed to please his constituents, mostly concerning matters not within his purview”.
The New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
and the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
have published articles calling for the borough presidencies to be eliminated. A New York Post article dated July 20, 2008 alleged that Stringer may be billing the taxpayers for some of his campaign travel by chauffeured limousine, an allegation Stringer denied. A March 15, 2009 Daily News article criticized the borough presidents for spending millions of dollars on “pet projects”, including Stringer's “$2 million to renovate the old High Line
High Line
The High Line is a New York City linear park built on a section of the former elevated freight railroad spur called the West Side Line, which runs along the lower west side of Manhattan; it has been redesigned and planted as an aerial greenway...
trestle and create an immensely popular park - and another $150,000 for a database of senior citizens”.