Peter Vallone, Jr.

Peter F. Vallone, Jr. represents Astoria, Queens in the New York City Council as a member of the Democratic Party. He was first elected to the Council in 2001, replacing his father Peter F. Vallone, Sr.. Peter Vallone Sr. is former Speaker of the City Council.

Council Member Peter F. Vallone Jr. serves as Chair of the Public Safety Committee. As Chair, he has fought to stop cuts to the NYPD, demanded more officers be assigned to local precincts, and rallied to stop the closing of firehouses. He introduced legislation to keep illegal guns off the streets and out of the hands of domestic violence offenders, to abolish the statute of limitations on child abuse offenders and rapists, and to double the penalties for graffiti. Vallone has fought to get New York City money from the state and federal governments, and to separate New York City from New York state, to abolish state government's ineffective stealing of money that is rightfully the city's. This would lower taxes and provide more money for schools, public property, etc. He has helped clean up and clear graffiti, create a step street in his district, and he has been the key note speaker at many high school and college graduations. He has spoken at numerous schools. His grandfather, the late Judge Charles J. Vallone has a school named after him.

As an Assistant District Attorney with the Manhattan District Attorney's office for over six years, Vallone successfully prosecuted various street crime matters and compiled an impressive trial record of 40 top count convictions against 1 acquittal. He says he is a highly respected expert in criminal law matters, and that he appears regularly on Court TV. In addition, he introduced a bill that would put security cameras in all New York City public schools.

As Pro Bono Counsel to C.H.O.K.E. (Coalition Helping Organize a Kleaner Environment), Vallone led the fight against the proliferation of power plants and represented C.H.O.K.E. and Astoria residents in Queens County Supreme Court, winning a major victory against the New York Power Authority.

An accomplished athlete, Vallone was invited to play against the Chinese National Ping-Pong team on ABC's Wide World of Sports, and was Co-Captain of the Astoria Civic City Champion Football and Softball teams. He is also a professional musician and an avid scuba diver. Vallone plays the keyboard/piano, electric bass, guitar, and drums. Vallone was born and raised in Astoria, Queens. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Fordham University in 1983 and from Fordham University School of Law in l986. He has two daughters, Catherine, 14, and Caroline, 12. Peter Vallone Jr. has two brothers, Perry and Paul.

In February, 2003, he introduced a bill proposing New York City secession.

The City University of New York's Vallone Scholarship, which pays gifted students half the cost of attendance, is named after his father.

Peter F. Vallone Jr. battled "street crime" or graffiti aggressively throughout his political career. He even had some large graffiti written about him. It read " [http://flickr.com/photos/untitledname/86056343/ FUCK VALLONE] ." He latched on to graffiti because he feels it is a quality of life issue that affects larger crime levels throughout the city. (see link 2). One of his famous graffiti quotes: "Your right to art ends where my property begins." He made graffiti laws tougher. He also made it easier for graffiti writers who get caught painting illegally to go to prison as opposed to previously lighter penalties. Vallone has created a law that creates a penalty for "peeping toms" ie people who wait and look up subway stairs and peep through holes, etc. He works to help save the environment as well.

External links

* [http://council.nyc.gov/d22/html/members/home.shtml Official NYC Council Website about Peter Vallone, Jr.]