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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Marty Markowitz |
| Address | 209 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201, United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
February 14, 1945
(79 years)
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| Contributor | BILLYW |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Jan 22, 2015 12:21am |
| Tags |
Jewish - Judaism -
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| Info | Born and raised in Crown Heights, Borough President Marty Markowitz began his public career in 1971, at the age of 26, by organizing the Flatbush Tenants Council, which grew into Brooklyn Housing and Family Services, the largest tenants� advocacy organization in New York State. Marty was elected to the New York State Senate in 1979 and served 11 consecutive terms in Albany, but his dream in life has always been to lead Brooklyn as borough president, a goal he attained when he arrived in office in January, 2002. As the first Borough President elected in the new millennium, Marty has committed himself to being "Brooklyn�s chief advocate, biggest promoter, best salesman, greatest defender, and most enthusiastic cheerleader."
Marty�s career to date, spanning more than three decades, is most often described as one of passionate and powerful advocacy on behalf of Brooklyn and its residents, particularly in the areas of housing, neighborhood preservation and community development. As a senator, his office was noted for its responsive constituent services, while his legislative agenda promoted services for senior citizens, and health, housing, education and social programs for the benefit of all Brooklyn residents.
In addition to founding the Flatbush Tenants Council, Marty co-founded Flatbush Development Corporation, one of Brooklyn�s leading neighborhood and commercial preservation associations. As a senator he secured funding for many of Brooklyn�s neighborhood and community support organizations, including obtaining the first State funds allocated for Brooklyn�s Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and the Brooklyn Holocaust Center. Marty led the fight for large-scale housing rehabilitation in Crown Heights and Flatbush, and repeatedly rebuffed efforts to dismantle New York�s rent stabilization and rent control laws.
Marty�s commitment to Brooklyn�s senior residents led him to found the Senior Citizens League of Flatbush, which he served as president from 1972-78. He also founded the Fenimore Street Senior Citizen Center and the Ebbets Field Houses Senior Center. In addition, he introduced a bill to eliminate mandatory retirement in New York State, successfully sheparding it to passage.Marty�s concern for women�s health has been exemplified through initiatives including sponsorship of a bill mandating minimum coverage for inpatient maternity care and support for the ban on "drive through mastectomies," as well as his stalwart support for abortion rights. Marty brought the first State funding to Brooklyn�s Caribbean
Women�s Health Association and, as borough president, has named the association�s founder and executive director, Yvonne Graham, as his deputy borough president.
After Marty�s father died when he was nine, his family, consisting of himself, two baby sisters and his mother, moved to one of Brooklyn�s public housing projects, struggling to survive primarily on social security survivor benefits, Marty�s evening and weekend earnings, and also on public assistance. Reflecting upon the many difficulties he faced growing up has fueled Marty�s strong commitment to providing opportunities for Brooklyn�s youth. To create recreational outlets he established the Central Brooklyn Baseball League, in cooperation with the Police Athletic League, and coordinated scholarships for low-income Brooklyn children to attend summer camp, an experience that Marty says "saved his life" while he was growing up. He has also provided funding for Brooklyn organizations that offer programs for children ranging from sports to cultural programming, mentoring, homework help, and anti-violence training, and has fought to obtain Brooklyn�s fair share of funding for schools.
In addition to his outstanding constituent services, Marty is widely known for creating two of New York City�s largest free concert series: the Seaside Summer Concert series, created in 1979, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert series, created in 1983, which bring international stars to standing-room-only audiences each summer. They remain New York City�s largest and most sought after concert series. Marty also initiated the Prospect Park Children�s Concert series.
On November 21, 1999, at the age of 54 �, Marty finally met and married the love of his life, the former Jamie Snow, whose family are residents of Manhattan Beach.
Marty achieved his life long dream of becoming Brooklyn Borough President at the age of 56.
Marty is a member of the East Midwood Jewish Center, the New York City Urban League, Hawks International (Trinidadian), Bedford Stuyvesant Lions Club and is the Brooklyn Chair of the Loyal League of Yiddish Sons of Erin. He is a life member of the National Council of Negro Women/Flatbush branch and the NAACP. Among his greatest honors were his former service as the Brooklyn Co-Chair of the United Negro College Fund and his designation as Grand Marshal at the largest Caribbean parade in the United States, sponsored by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association. He was also awarded very special recognition by Church Women United of Brooklyn.
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