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Press Releases
February 12, 2014
New York, NY -- Today, Council Member Ben Kallos launched his First Friday open house events with 50 community members in attendance. The events will take place every first Friday of the month from 8AM to 10AM and will be open to all District Five residents with interest in meeting their Council Member. Topics covered included:
- The importance of jobs for young people with full benefits;
- Opposition to the Marine Transfer Station being built near NYCHA housing in the district;
- Ways to improve local transportation, including balancing the Select Bus Service with local buses to serve the neighborhoods where the Select Bus Service doesn't stop;
- Concern over rents going up, making it difficult for residents to stay in their homes, and the downsizing of seniors in Knickerbocker Plaza.
"Meeting community members and learning about their ideas for a better New York is the best part of my job," said Council Member Kallos. "I am happy to open the doors of my office to everyone who would like to participate in local government, and look forward to meeting many more residents in the months and years ahead."
Kallos and staff, including Director of Constituent Services Debbie Lightbody, facilitated the event and assured attendees of accessibility and transparency beyond the monthly First Fridays, including on social media, in person, by phone, by email and more.
Ben Kallos has represented Manhattan's District Five (Upper East Side, Midtown East, El Barrio and Roosevelt Island) in the City Council since January 2014.
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February 9, 2014
"The city has a clear, detailed and comprehensive plan to bring pre-k and afterschool to all of New York City'schildren. It has the strong support of New Yorkers. Albany has a mandate tohear the voice of New York City residents and allow it to come to a vote." Council Governmental Operations Committee Chair Council Member Ben Kallos
February 4, 2014
I made the following statement on today's vote on Resolution 0003-2014 calling on Governor Cuomo to call special elections to fill all vacancies in the Assembly and State Senate.
January 31, 2014
New York, NY -- This morning, Council Member Ben Kallos, staff and volunteers from progressive advocacy groups and labor groups advocated for Universal Pre-K in New York City on the Upper East Side. Council Member Kallos' team engaged members of the public in conversation, distributing information and signed up interested residents. The canvassers backed city's Pre-K plan to expand coverage to the 70% of the estimated 73,250 families who require full-day Pre-K for their 4-year-olds.
January 26, 2014
Today at noon, more than seven hundred community leaders and guests joined United States Senator Charles “Chuck” Schumer, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Comptroller Scott Stringer, Public Advocate Letitia "Tish" James, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, State Senator Liz Krueger, Council Member Dan Garodonick, Former Public Advocate Mark Green, Former Council Member Jessica Lappin, Former Assembly Member Jonathan Bing, and Bill Samuels to celebrate the inauguration of Council Member Benjamin J. Kallos. Congress Member Carolyn Maloney, who is on an international trip, provided remarks by video message.
January 22, 2014
New York, NY – Today, on the naming of City Council committee assignments, the following statement can be attributed to Council Member Ben Kallos (District Five, Manhattan):
"I am honored to be named Chair of the Committee on Governmental Operations, where I will work with my committee to create a government that is more open, transparent, and accountable to the working families that make our city great. Our task will be to make our city more efficient at seamlessly serving all of our city’s residents, so that government just works for the people."
October 30, 2013
New York, NY - The New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, today released a set of new endorsements. The list includes Gale Brewer, candidate for Manhattan Borough President; Corey Johnson, candidate for Manhattan City Council District 3; Ben Kallos, candidate for Manhattan City Council District 5; Paul Vallone, candidate for Brooklyn City Council District 19; Robert Cornegy, candidate for Brooklyn City Council District 35; Laurie Cumbo, candidate for Brooklyn City Council District 36; and Mark Treyger, candidate for Brooklyn City Council District 47.
October 30, 2013
Ben Kallos, Democratic nominee from Council District 5 said, "The proposed rules reforms include ideas proposed by the government transparency community – and will go a long way towards a 'City Council 2.0' with increased transparency, openness, and accountability that will greatly empower our city's residents.”
October 24, 2013
New York, N.Y. – Democratic nominee for City Council on the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island Ben Kallos has received the endorsement of many more major unions for the November 5 election, including CSA, CWA District One, UFOA, IATSE Local One, UA Plumbers Local One, UAW Region 9A and Metal Lathers Local 46.
Kallos, already endorsed by the Working Families Party, the UFT and 1199SEIU, has distinguished himself as the preferred choice for workers in the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island.
October 24, 2013
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East today endorsed Ben Kallos for City Council in Manhattan’s fifth council district, citing his progressive vision and commitment to quality, affordable healthcare and good jobs for working New Yorkers. 1199SEIU is the largest union in New York City, representing over 220,000 city nurses and caregivers and over 400,000 members nationwide.
