Vallone Announces, Koch Backs Katz
By STEVEN J. FERRAR
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| Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. |
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| Melinda Katz |
The race for Queens Borough President heated up Tuesday, with an announcement and an endorsement.
Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) officially declared his intention to run for the office next year during his family’s holiday party Tuesday night at Don Coqui in Astoria.
“I wanted my friends and family to be the first to hear,” he said of the announcement.
The chairman of the Council’s Public Safety Committee, Vallone has represented Astoria since 2002. The term-limited councilman will seek to replace Helen Marshall, who is also term limited. He joins a slate of contenders that already includes State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), State Sen. Jose Peralta and former Councilwoman Melinda Katz. Expected to join the race are Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) and former Deputy Borough President Barry Grodenchik.
Vallone poked fun at the growing field Tuesday night by asking if there was anyone in the room who had not yet declared their intentions to run for the office. Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) was the only one to raise his hand.
While Vallone made things official this week, Katz announced that she had received an endorsement in the race. Former Mayor Ed Koch called Katz “the one candidate in the race that raises the level of conversation about balancing economic development with the community in Queens.”
“As chair of the City Council’s Land Use Committee, she achieved that balance Citywide,” Koch said. “It is why I supported her for City Comptroller in 2009 and why I am supporting her now for Queens Borough president in 2013.”
Reach Managing Editor Steven J. Ferrari at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 122 or sferrari@queenstribune.com. Photos by Ira Cohen.