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Tony Avella won election to the New York City Council in the 19th District - Northeast Queens in 2001 and was reelected with an overwhelming majority in both the 2003 and 2005 elections. Tony is Chair of Zoning and Franchises for the City Council and is a member of five Council committees: Higher Education, Housing and Buildings, Fire and Criminal Justice Services, Land Use, and Veterans. Tony is the founder and Chair of the first Italian-American Caucus of the City Council.

Tony’s public service career began over 20 years ago as an aide to New York City Council Member Peter Vallone, Sr. He served as an aide to Mayors Koch and Dinkins and as Chief of Staff to the late State Senator Leonard Stavisky and to State Senator Toby Stavisky.

Since taking office in January 2002, Tony has authored important legislation such as his historic “Demolition by Neglect” bill, which was signed into law by the Mayor in February 2005. This legislation enables the Landmarks Preservation Commission to prevent the willful destruction of our City’s treasured landmarks by unscrupulous property owners. Tony’s legislation was strongly supported by 46 preservation and civic groups including the Landmarks Conservancy, the Historic Districts Council and the National Historic Trust.

Tony has been leading the fight citywide against overdevelopment, the proliferation of “McMansions,” and other major abuses of the building and zoning codes. He helped create new zoning districts such as R2A, which prevents the construction of “McMansions,” rezoned major portions of his district as well as numerous other neighborhoods in the City, and enacted citywide amendments to the “Community Facilities” section all in an effort to preserve the unique residential character and quality of life in neighborhoods throughout the City. His efforts have resulted in the first real changes in the City’s zoning code in over 40 years.

As Chair of the Italian American Caucus, Tony has promoted Italian culture and heritage through an annual celebration at City Hall in October during Italian American Heritage Month. Tony has also been in the forefront of fighting the negative stereotyping of Italian Americans.

In addition to his efforts to stop out-of-character construction, he has been leading the battle to reform the Department of Buildings and the Board of Standards and Appeals. Tony is also the acknowledged leader in the City Council for landmark preservation, animal rights and good government. He has been a fighter for Veterans issues and benefits.

He is the only Council Member to refuse the “lulu,” which is an anti-good government practice by which leadership controls members’ votes. He fought against and subsequently refused the 25% pay raise, which he considered unethical. Tony is a strong advocate for more reform and transparency not only in the City Council, but throughout City Government.

Prior to his election, Tony served in numerous volunteer capacities as a civic activist and was a member of Queens Community Board #7. For his numerous volunteer civic endeavors on behalf of all New Yorkers, in 1997 Tony was awarded New York State’s Community Service Award from nominations received across the entire State.

Since his election, Tony has been honored by numerous fraternal organizations, civic associations, sports and school/educational groups. He has received awards from the Garibaldi Meucci Museum on Staten Island and the Columbia Associations of the New York Police Department and the New York City Transit Authority. He has received such honors as the Friend In High Places Award from the Historic District Council, the Community Mayor’s Humanitarian Award, the coveted Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award from the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and the Benefactors’ Award from the Alley Pond Environmental Center.

Tony is a graduate of Hunter College of the City University of New York. He is a lifelong Queens resident and currently resides in Whitestone, Queens with his wife Judith.

Preventing Overdevelopment

Councilman Tony Avella understands what makes our communities great places to live, work and raise a family. As Chair of Zoning and Franchises for the City Council, he has taken on the developers who threaten the very fabric of our neighborhoods. Tony Avella created new zoning laws to stop the proliferation of McMansions and passed historic legislation that prevents the willful destruction of our precious landmark buildings. As Mayor, Tony Avella, will stop unscrupulous developers dead in their tracks, stop out-of character construction, and prevent once and for all the destruction of our neighborhoods.

Preserving Our Community

Councilman Tony Avella understands how we cherish our quality of life. He has fought to ensure that our parks and playgrounds are properly maintained and safe for our children. Since Tony Avella’s election, he has obtained millions of dollars to enhance parks and acquire new parkland in his Council District. As Mayor, Tony Avella will ensure that city-wide our parks receive the proper funding and that playground recreational programs, once a thing of the past, are an integral part of every community.

Protecting Our Families

As a leading member of the City Council’s Fire and Criminal Justice Services Committee, Councilman Tony Avella has fought hard to ensure that our firefighters have the resources and support they need and he has been a tireless advocate for additional police officers.

As Mayor, Tony Avella would ensure that our firefighters and police officers are paid salaries that match their metropolitan area counterparts, so that we do not lose our most experienced uniformed workforce to other municipalities.

Tony Avella, as Mayor, would restore police manpower levels and ensure that each precinct has sufficient police officers to properly patrol and respond to every emergency. Tony Avella will also re-open the closed firehouses to reduce emergency response time and fully restore Fire Marshall manpower levels so that arson fires are fully investigated.

Putting Education First

A lot of politicians talk about improving schools, but Councilman Tony Avella has actually delivered for the kids of his District in Northeast Queens. In the City Council, Tony Avella secured millions of dollars in capital funding to bring classrooms in his District into the 21st century by acquiring state-of-the-art computers labs and installing Internet access wiring in schools. As Mayor, Tony Avella will ensure that every school and every child has access to the latest computer and Internet technology.

Tony Avella, as Mayor, will also undo the current “teaching to the test” philosophy dictated by the Department of Education. Tony Avella will ensure that administrators, teachers and parents have a real say in the education process and that teachers are paid appropriately.

Thanks to Councilman Tony Avella’s hard work at City Hall, School Districts 25 and 26 in Northeast Queens continue to be among the best in the entire City. As Mayor, Tony Avella, will make sure that every child, in every neighborhood, receives an A+ education.

Protecting Taxpayers

Councilman Tony Avella is a middle class homeowner who is committed to keeping taxes on New Yorkers as low as possible. So when a record-breaking 18.48% property tax increase was introduced, Councilman Tony Avella was the first of his colleagues to stand-up on the City Council floor and vote “no.”

He’s offered innovative solutions to help the City balance its books without burdening taxpayers, such as ground-breaking legislation that would force vandals who damage City property to foot the bill. After all, why should honest, hard working taxpayers have to pay for damages caused by the negligence or criminal activity of others? Those responsible for destroying City property should be held accountable. It’s a common-sense law that will save us money.

And he put his money where his mouth is, donating 5% of his salary back to the community each year to help support libraries and senior citizen programs. And he is the only Council Member to refuse the anti-good government “lulu,” which is used by the Council leadership to keep member’s votes in line.

Protecting Animals

Tony Avella is the leading advocate of animal rights and welfare in City government. In the 2007 League of Humane Voters of New York City (LOHV-NYC) New York City Council “Humane Scorecard”. Tony received a 100% rating with two of his bills highlighted in their report: Reso. 497 “Humane Education” and Intro. “Pets in Housing.” In 2007, Tony received an award from the LOHV-NYC for his efforts on behalf of animals. In May 2008, Tony was honored by In Defense of Animals with a “Companion Animal Guardian Award.”

As a City Council Member, he authored several important pieces of legislation to protect animals.

Horse Drawn Carriage Ban: The purpose of Tony’s proposed Horse Drawn Carriage ban is to repeal all provisions within the administrative code that authorize the operation of horse-drawn carriages within New York City. Tony believes that the time has come to ban the operation of these businesses within New York City. The romanticized idea of enjoying a carriage horse ride through the streets of Manhattan can no longer justify the inhumane treatment and risk of serious injury or death to these animals or to the public at large.

Pets In Housing Bill: This legislation would clarify the rights of pet owners in New York City multiple dwellings. Currently, tenants who have had pets for years in the same apartment with the owners knowledge are not protected when they get a new pet. This legislation would restore, in part, the right of rental tenants in multiple dwellings to ensure that once the no-pet clause is waived for one pet, the rental tenant may replace that pet or pets without being subject to eviction for violating the no-pet lease clause.

HEART Resolution: This Resolution calls upon the New York City (NYC) Department of Education (DOE) to follow the New York State Education Law, which requires instruction on the humane treatment and protection of animals. Tony’s resolution directs DOE to require all NYC elementary schools to teach humane education as part of the yearly curriculum.

Tony Avella will never stop fighting for taxpayers and as Mayor he will finally reduce the enormous tax burden that we all face.

Let’s send him to City Hall as the Mayor of New York City in the 2009 election.