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The Gothamist Guide To The Brooklyn Borough President Race (Which Has One Candidate!)
By
Nell Casey
Published Aug 26, 2013
Modified Sep 9, 2013
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By
Nell Casey
Published Aug 26, 2013
Modified Sep 9, 2013
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Just like the other borough presidents, the Brooklyn Borough President has very little real power within the city government. Instead, the office acts as an advisor to the Mayor, the City Council and other government groups that do have the power to make big changes to the city. They help dictate land usage, working with developers while protecting the character of their boroughs. The borough president also receives a percentage of the capital budget to distribute as they see fit.
During his tenure as Brooklyn's mascot, Marty Markowitz changed the landscape of Brooklyn, approving dozens of real estate projects and developments in the borough. He also founded his own not for profit, Best of Brooklyn, which he funded in part from his office and also from the aforementioned real estate projects, who earned his favor with donations. Redevelopment and rejuvenation projects like Atlantic Yards and the superfund site Gowanus Canal are just a few of the items on the docket for the next president.
2013 Manhattan Borough President Candidate:
Eric Adams (D): Native New Yorker and former NYPD Captain; current State Senator in the 20th Senate District.
We asked each candidate for Brooklyn Borough President to answer a questionnaire for their positions on issues facing the borough, as well as some personal information relevant to the job. In this race, there's only one candidate—a judge forced Adams's lone rival, John Gangemi, to drop out after the Board of Elections determined that more than two-thirds of the signatures on his ballot petition were invalid. (For more on Adams, here's an in-depth profile the next Brooklyn Borough President in City and State.)
We'll be publishing this questionnaire for other races, including Public Advocate, Comptroller and Mayor, as soon as we receive responses from each candidate.
Mouse-over icons for quotes from the candidates and more details about the questions.
Do you rent?Do you have a pet?Do you bike?Do your kids attend public school?Have you been the victim of a crime?!["The office can improve access to government resources to those who need them [and] it must be proactive in its approach to wider policy and challenges. For instance, growing the Brooklyn economy by partneringwith businesses that will look out for working families. Finally, I will use the office to improve quality of life throughout the borough, including initiatives and legislation to better health, public safety and financial literacy."](https://images-prod.gothamist.com/upload/2013/08/adams.png)
Eric Adams
NY State Senator





Eric Adams has raised $559,562.69 to date in campaign funding and received endorsements from Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, NYC Comptroller John Liu, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Council Members Brad Lander and Letitia James and many other councils, unions, organizations and noted community leaders.
AdamsChange stop and frisk?
Legalize marijuana?
Inspector general for NYPD?
Drink alcohol on your own stoop?
More bike lanes?
Congestion pricing?
Ban chain stores?
Luxury buildings in projects?
Public-private parks?
Prospect Park West Bike Lane?
Livery cabs take street hails in outer boroughs?
Develop Atlantic Yards?
Coney Island redevelopment?
Gowanus redevelopment?
Continue fundraising for a BBP not-for-profit?
Change judge system?
Support Charles Hynes for re-election?

To read the candidates' full responses to our questionnaire, click below:
Election charts designed by Aaron Marks
Previously:
Gothamist Guide to the Manhattan Borough President Race
Gothamist Guide to the Queens Borough President Race
Gothamist and our partners, NY1 News, NY1 Noticias, WNYC, Citizens Committee for New York City, Citizens Union, Hispanic Federation, and Transportation Alternatives, are sponsoring official Campaign Finance Board debates, including the official Democratic mayoral debate on August 21.
Tagged
Election 2013
brooklyn borough president
election
election guide
eric adams
marty markowitz
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Nell Casey
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