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David Greenfield
Greenfield in 2013
Member of the New York City Council
from the 44th district
In office
March 24, 2010 – December 31, 2017
Preceded bySimcha Felder
Succeeded byKalman Yeger
Personal details
Born (1978-09-26) September 26, 1978 (age 45)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDina Greenfield
Children3
Alma materTouro College (BS)
Georgetown University (JD)

David G. Greenfield (born September 26, 1978) is an American politician, law professor, and non-profit executive. He served as a Democrat in the New York City Council from the 44th district from 2010 to 2017. In 2018, he became CEO of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, a Jewish charity in New York City.

Career[edit]

Greenfield is the founding director and counsel of TEACH NYS,[1][2] and prior to his election served as the executive vice president of the Sephardic Community Federation.[3]

As Director and Counsel of TEACH NYS, Greenfield organized statewide advocacy campaigns that resulted in private and public school parents receiving tax breaks and private schools receiving more government assistance.[4] Greenfield served as deputy director of finance in Senator Joseph Lieberman's 2004 presidential campaign. Prior to that, he had a stint as chief of staff to Assemblyman Dov Hikind.[5]

New York City Council[edit]

On January 7, 2010 Greenfield announced his candidacy on the Zev Brenner radio show to replace Simcha Felder in the 44th district, which included Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Gravesend, Kensington, Midwood, and Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn.[6][7][8] Felder announced his resignation after accepting the post as the new deputy comptroller for accounting and budget under John Liu.[9] Greenfield received endorsements from U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman, then-Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, former Mayor Ed Koch, and State Senators Carl Kruger, Martin J. Golden.[10] He received the support of council members Domenic Recchia, Lewis Fidler, Michael C. Nelson, and Vincent J. Gentile, as well as the backing of the Kings County Conservative Party, Democratic county leader Vito Lopez, and Citizens Union.[11][12][13]

He was elected in his first term by his Brooklyn colleagues to co-chair the Brooklyn delegation and serve as their representative on the Budget Negotiating Team of the New York City Council.[14] He later became the chair of the Land Use Committee of the New York City Council.[15]

Greenfield is a frequent political commentator in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.[16]

Greenfield was considered a political moderate in a liberal New York City Council.[17] Greenfield authored a law that banned the Department of Sanitation from placing hard-to-remove stickers on vehicles that were parked on the wrong-side of the street.[18] He co-authored a law that requires the Department of Education to notify parents and teachers about potentially harmful polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in classrooms.[19] Greenfield also introduced a law that would stop New York City from towing cars for unpaid parking tickets and instead boot the car.[20] Greenfield's proposed legislation was adopted by the New York City Council Department of Finance as a pilot program in June 2012.[21] Greenfield was also the author of the Vision Zero legislation that lowers the default speed-limit in New York City to 25 miles per hour. This legislation is the lynchpin of Vision Zero and is widely considered to be the key strategy behind saving lives by reducing traffic accidents in New York City.[22]

Greenfield voted against a year 2010 bill requiring the New York City Clerks office to post on its website and distribute at its office information on where in the world (countries, jurisdictions, and US States) same-sex gay couples are able to get married.[23]

Greenfield is a long-time advocate for increased government funding for public and non-public (including religious) schools.[24]

Greenfield was ranked as the 51st most powerful New Yorker in City & State's Power 100 list in 2014.[25] In 2021 he rose to the 14th spot on the list.[26]

Met Council[edit]

In July 2017, he announced that he would not be seeking a third term on the city council, and would instead be taking over as CEO of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. He began his tenure as CEO on January 1, 2018.[27][28]

Electoral history[edit]

Election history
Location Year Election Results
NYC Council
District 44
2010 Special √ David Greenfield (D) 57.20%
Joe Lazar (D) 40.18%
Kenneth Rice (R) 2.62%
NYC Council
District 44
2013 Democratic Primary √ David Greenfield 90.44%
Jacob Flusberg 9.56%
NYC Council
District 44
2013 General √ David Greenfield (D) 81.47%
Joseph Hayon (R) 17.83%

Personal life[edit]

Greenfield is Orthodox Jewish and is a member of the R' Landau's Synagogue in Midwood, Brooklyn.[29] He is married with three children.

References[edit]

  1. ^ cite journal |url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/32616/teach-nys-beats-back-budget-cuts-to-early-intervention-programs.html |title=TEACH NYS Beats Back Budget Cuts to Early Intervention Programs |quote=David G. Greenfield, Esq. director and counsel of TEACH NYS |author=Yechiel Livyoson |date=April 1, 2009
  2. ^ "Simcha Felder To Leave Council & Join Comptroller - Race Between Greenfield & Dear for Council". The Yeshiva World. 5 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  3. ^ Vitello, Paul (2009-07-24). "Syrian Sephardic Communities Shaken by Charges Against a Leading Rabbi". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  4. ^ "N.Y. 'Tuition Crisis' Puts Many at Risk". Nysun.com. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  5. ^ "City Council Candidate David Greenfield Receives Key Endorsements From State Senators". Matzav.com. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  6. ^ Gay, Mara (2017-07-17). "Councilman David Greenfield Won't Seek Re-Election". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  7. ^ "Inside Politics: Ask Greenfield!". The Yeshiva World. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  8. ^ "Source: Felder Resigning | The New York Observer". Observer.com. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  9. ^ "Felder To Resign From Council To Join Comptroller's Office". NY1. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-10.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "NYC Council Candidate David Greenfield Receives Key Endorsements From State Senators". The Yeshiva World. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  11. ^ "Citizens Union - 2010 Special Election". Archived from the original on 2014-12-14. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
  12. ^ "Mayor Bloomberg Backs Greenfield In City Council Race - Yeshiva World News". 10 February 2010.
  13. ^ Katz, Celeste (2010-02-18). "Lieberman For Greenfield". Daily News. New York.
  14. ^ "Brooklyn Leadership Rumble". City & State. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  15. ^ "Tower Broker: Council's New Land Use Chair Set to Become Force in City Politics". New York Observer. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-28.
  16. ^ "Why Should You Vote Tomorrow? LIVE TONIGHT: 'ASK GREENFIELD'". The Yeshiva World. 2009-11-02. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  17. ^ "A glimmer of hope on City Council for developers". Crains. 2014-01-26.
  18. ^ Haughney, Christine (2012-01-18). "Forgot to Move Car? City Council Votes to End a Sticker of Shame". The New York Times.
  19. ^ "New York City Council, 2011-12-19". Archived from the original on 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
  20. ^ "Greenfield's Law Would Stop City From Towing Cars For Unpaid Parking Tickets". Yeshiva World News. 11 January 2012.
  21. ^ "Brooklyn pilots citywide parking enforcement reboot - Brooklyn Daily Eagle". www.brooklyneagle.com. 14 June 2012.
  22. ^ "City Council cuts speed limit to 25 miles per hour". New York Daily News. 2014-10-07.
  23. ^ Gross, Courtney. "Council Approves Penn Plaza".
  24. ^ Santos, Fernanda (2011-06-02). "As Mayor Holds Firm on Teacher Layoffs, Some See Reasons Beyond Money". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  25. ^ "City & State - Power 100". City & State. Archived from the original on 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
  26. ^ City and State (9 August 2021). "The 2021 Brooklyn Power 100". Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  27. ^ Sandy Eller (July 17, 2017). "Greenfield To Bid Adieu To City Council, Becoming New CEO At Met Council". VIN News.
  28. ^ Lipman, Steve (31 January 2018). "UJA to launch largest anti-poverty push in its history". New York Jewish Week.
  29. ^ "Emunah Magazine Exclusive Interview With David Greenfield". EmunahMagazine.com. Archived from the original on 2010-03-07. Retrieved 2010-02-25.

External links[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by New York City Council, 44th district
2010-2017
Succeeded by