Stephen Levin | |
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Levin in 2016 | |
Member of the New York City Council from the 33rd District | |
Assumed office January 1, 2010 | |
Preceded by | David Yassky |
Personal details | |
Born | Plainfield, New Jersey | December 3, 1981
Political party | Democratic |
Alma mater | Brown University (B.A.) |
Website | Official website |
Stephen T. Levin (born December 3, 1981) [1] is an American politician, and the New York City Councilmember for the 33rd District of the New York City Council. He is a Democrat.
The district includes portions of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Clinton Hill, Cobble Hill, DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, Gowanus, Greenpoint, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Park Slope, Vinegar Hill and Williamsburg in Brooklyn.
Levin grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey. Related to former U.S. Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, and former Congressman Sander Levin from Michigan's 9th congressional district, he graduated from Brown University with a degree in Classics and Comparative Literature. He later moved to Brooklyn and began his career working with the Lead Safe House Program at the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council. There he helped remove families that had children with lead poisoning from toxic homes. In 2006 he went to work for the New York State Assembly as chief of staff to then-Assemblyman Vito Lopez. [2]
Levin was arrested, along with Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, as an act of civil disobedience in protest of the closure of Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn. He delivered 7,000 petitions to SUNY officials there demanding that the hospital stay open. [3]
In September 2010, he was named one of City Hall's "40 under 40" for being a young influential member of New York City politics. [4] He currently resides in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with his wife and children.
Levin was elected to replace David Yassky, who vacated the position to run for New York City Comptroller, in a competitive seven-way race with the support of Assemblyman Vito Lopez. Lopez helped him secure endorsements from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), DC 37, the Working Families Party, the NY League of Conservation Voters, Senator Charles Schumer, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. [5] Most importantly, Lopez secured for his former employee the support of the Zaloni faction of the Jewish Satmar community in Williamsburg. That Hasidic faction provided Levin with his margin of victory in 2009.
In 2013, Levin introduced participatory budgeting, a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget, to his district. At that time, Levin was one of eight members of the City Council to offer participatory budgeting to his constituents. [6]
Levin originally opposed the Rose Plaza housing complex on the Williamsburg waterfront. The project initially called for 20 percent affordable housing and 30 three-bedroom apartments. He then voted for the project when the developer agreed to build 60 three-bedroom apartments and 14 four-bedroom apartments, all priced below the market rate. The development passed in council 18-1. [7] Levin also negotiated an agreement with the Community Preservation Corporation Resources (CPCR) over the Domino Sugar factory redevelopment plan. [8] He has also worked with Assemblyman Vito Lopez to seek federal subsidies for public housing developments in Brooklyn. [9]
Along with Councilmembers David G. Greenfield, Letitia James, and Brad Lander, Levin lobbied then-Mayor Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn to restore funding for Priority 7 Daycare Vouchers. [10] He opposed budget cuts that would result in the closure of the Bethel Baptist and Strong Place Day Care Centers, the Gowanus Senior Center, and the Douglass Degraw Pool. [11] Eventually, funding was restored by Quinn, Bloomberg, and Finance Chair Domenic Recchia. [10]
Levin introduced a bill to reduce fines for street food vendors over procedural violations. The bill passed at the City Council on February 27, 2013, and reduced the regulatory burden for street vendors. [12]
On June 10, 2015, he voted for a bill, which subsequently passed the City Council, to create a new tier of benefits for firefighters and police officers hired after 2009 who are permanently disabled in the line of duty. [13]
Election history | |||
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Location | Year | Election | Results |
NYC Council District 33 | 2009 | Democratic Primary | √ Stephen Levin 33.71% Jo Anne Simon 20.16% Isaac Abraham 12.56% Evan R. Thies 12.42% Kenneth Diamondstone 8.59% Doug Biviano 7.31% Ken Baer 5.26% |
NYC Council District 33 | 2009 | General | √ Stephen Levin (D) 93.33% Elizabeth Tretter (Conservative) 6.60% |
NYC Council District 33 | 2013 | Democratic Primary | √ Stephen Levin 73.52% Stephen E. Pierson 26.48% |
NYC Council District 33 | 2013 | General | √ Stephen Levin (D) 91.91% John Jasilli (R) 7.83% |
NYC Council District 33 | 2017 | General | √ Stephen Levin (D) 89% Victoria Cambranes (Other) 11% [14] |
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Preceded by David Yassky | New York City Council, 33rd District 2010–present | Incumbent |