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Marty Markowitz
Martin Markowitz (born February 14, 1945) is an American politician who served as the borough president of Brooklyn, New York City. He was first elected in 2001 after serving 23 years as a New York State Senator. His third and final term ended in December 2013.
Martin Markowitz was born on February 14, 1945 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn to a Jewish family. His father, Robert, was a waiter at George & Sid's, a kosher delicatessen, but died when Marty was nine years old; his mother, Dorothy, moved the family to public housing in Sheepshead Bay. Markowitz graduated from Wingate High School in Brooklyn's Prospect Lefferts Gardens section in 1962.
He took night classes at Brooklyn College for nine years, and received his bachelor's degree in political science in 1970.
Markowitz began his public service career in 1971, at the age of 26, by forming the Flatbush Tenants Council in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush. The organization grew into Brooklyn Housing & Family Services, which is the largest tenants advocacy organization operating in New York State today.
He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1979 to 2001, sitting in the 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st, 192nd, 193rd and 194th New York State Legislatures. He was known for creating a series of oceanfront concerts and other festivals rather than drafting legislation. At one such concert, in 1990, soul legend Curtis Mayfield was left paralyzed from the neck down after a lighting fixture that had been knocked loose by wind fell on him, crushing several of his vertebrae. Markowitz had insisted on continuing the show, despite the hurricane-force winds buffeting the stage.
Markowitz first ran for borough president in 1985, but failed to unseat the incumbent Howard Golden. Markowitz subsequently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for failing to disclose a campaign contribution; he was fined and performed community service.[when?]
He was elected to the borough presidency in 2001 as the Democratic candidate, and was re-elected on November 8, 2005, with 79% of the vote, compared to 13% for Republican challenger Theodore Alatsas, and 7% for Green Party candidate Gloria Mattera.
As borough presidents have little real power within city government, Markowitz used the office to be an aggressive advocate for Brooklyn, promoting mainstream tourism and events. In the 2005 New York City mayoral election, he also endorsed Republican incumbent Michael Bloomberg, as did many other Democrats including Ed Koch.
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Marty Markowitz
Martin Markowitz (born February 14, 1945) is an American politician who served as the borough president of Brooklyn, New York City. He was first elected in 2001 after serving 23 years as a New York State Senator. His third and final term ended in December 2013.
Martin Markowitz was born on February 14, 1945 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn to a Jewish family. His father, Robert, was a waiter at George & Sid's, a kosher delicatessen, but died when Marty was nine years old; his mother, Dorothy, moved the family to public housing in Sheepshead Bay. Markowitz graduated from Wingate High School in Brooklyn's Prospect Lefferts Gardens section in 1962.
He took night classes at Brooklyn College for nine years, and received his bachelor's degree in political science in 1970.
Markowitz began his public service career in 1971, at the age of 26, by forming the Flatbush Tenants Council in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush. The organization grew into Brooklyn Housing & Family Services, which is the largest tenants advocacy organization operating in New York State today.
He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1979 to 2001, sitting in the 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st, 192nd, 193rd and 194th New York State Legislatures. He was known for creating a series of oceanfront concerts and other festivals rather than drafting legislation. At one such concert, in 1990, soul legend Curtis Mayfield was left paralyzed from the neck down after a lighting fixture that had been knocked loose by wind fell on him, crushing several of his vertebrae. Markowitz had insisted on continuing the show, despite the hurricane-force winds buffeting the stage.
Markowitz first ran for borough president in 1985, but failed to unseat the incumbent Howard Golden. Markowitz subsequently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for failing to disclose a campaign contribution; he was fined and performed community service.[when?]
He was elected to the borough presidency in 2001 as the Democratic candidate, and was re-elected on November 8, 2005, with 79% of the vote, compared to 13% for Republican challenger Theodore Alatsas, and 7% for Green Party candidate Gloria Mattera.
As borough presidents have little real power within city government, Markowitz used the office to be an aggressive advocate for Brooklyn, promoting mainstream tourism and events. In the 2005 New York City mayoral election, he also endorsed Republican incumbent Michael Bloomberg, as did many other Democrats including Ed Koch.
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