Phil Reed

Phil Reed was a New York City Council Member from 1998 to 2005, when term limits forced him out of office. He represented Council District 8, encompassing Manhattan neighborhoods East Harlem and Manhattan Valley, and a portion of the South Bronx, as well as Randall's and Ward's Islands, and Central Park. He was the first openly gay African-American New York City Council Member. From 2002 to 2005 he was the chair of the Council's Committee on Consumer Affairs.

While in office, Reed gained attention for his work to prevent childhood asthma, a serious problem in his district. He also concentrated on measures to increase affordable housing and refurbish neighborhood parks. Reed vigorously opposed Mayor Rudy Giuliani's plan to relocate the Museum of the City of New York from its location in East Harlem to the Tweed Courthouse in downtown Manhattan. Mayor Michael Bloomberg ultimately scrapped this plan, moving the Department of Education to the Tweed Courthouse instead.

Prior to joining the Council, Reed worked as a sales representative for Otis Elevator Company, as the project director at the East New York HIV/AIDS Project, and as the Director of Public Affairs for the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

Sources

* [http://www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/member_details.cfm?con_id=41 New York City Council Information Page]
* [http://www.prideagenda.org/pride/01primarynycvg/nyccouncil.htm Empire State Pride Agenda 2001 Primary Voter Guide]
* [http://www.gothamgazette.com/campaign2005/8 Gotham Gazette]
* [http://www.gothamgazette.com/searchlight/dist8.shtml Corruption Is Not Dead At the Tweed Courthouse]
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_5_90/ai_86195012 Bloomberg Scuttles Museum's move to Tweed Courthouse]
* [http://www.glid.org/Reed.htm Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats Bio Page]