David G. Greenfield

David G. Greenfield is an American politician, law professor, and non-profit organization executive. Greenfield served as a Democrat in the New York City Council from the 44th district from 2010 to 2017.[1] The district includes Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Gravesend, Kensington, Midwood, and Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn.[2]

David Greenfield
Member of the New York City Council from the 44th district
In office March 24, 2010 – December 31, 2017
Preceded by	Simcha Felder
Succeeded by	Kalman Yeger
Personal details
Born	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Dina Greenfield
Children	3
Alma mater	Touro College (BS) Georgetown University (JD)

Career

Greenfield is the founding director and counsel of TEACH NYS,[3][4] and prior to his election served as the executive vice president of the Sephardic Community Federation.[5]

As Director and Counsel of TEACH NYS, Greenfield organized statewide advocacy campaigns that resulted in private and public school parents receiving tax breaks and private schools receiving more government assistance.[6] Greenfield served as deputy director of finance in Senator Joseph Lieberman's 2004 presidential campaign. Prior to that, he had a stint as chief of staff to Assemblyman Dov Hikind.[7]

Greenfield was ranked as the 51st most powerful New Yorker in City & State's Power 100 list in 2014.[8]

New York City Council

On January 7, 2010 Greenfield announced his candidacy on the Zev Brenner radio show to replace Simcha Felder.[9] Felder announced his resignation after accepting the post as the new deputy comptroller for accounting and budget under John Liu.[10] Greenfield received endorsements from U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman, then-Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, former Mayor Ed Koch, and State Senators Carl Kruger, Martin J. Golden.[11] He received the support of council members Domenic Recchia, Lewis Fidler, Michael C. Nelson, and Vincent J. Gentile, as well as the backing of the Kings County Conservative Party, Democratic county leader Vito Lopez, and Citizens Union.[12][13][14][15]

He was elected in his first term by his Brooklyn colleagues to co-chair the Brooklyn delegation and serve as their representative on the Budget Negotiating Team of the New York City Council.[16] He later became the chair of the Land Use Committee of the New York City Council.[17]

Greenfield has appeared as a commentator on many national news shows including Fox & Friends [18] and is a frequent political commentator in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.[19]

Greenfield is considered a political moderate in a liberal New York City Council.[20] Greenfield authored a law that banned the Department of Sanitation from placing hard-to-remove stickers on vehicles that were parked on the wrong-side of the street.[21] He co-authored a law that requires the Department of Education to notify parents and teachers about potentially harmful polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in classrooms.[22] Greenfield also introduced a law that would stop New York City from towing cars for unpaid parking tickets and instead boot the car.[23] Greenfield's proposed legislation was adopted by the New York City Council Department of Finance as a pilot program in June 2012.[24] Greenfield is also the author of the Vision Zero legislation that lowers the default speed-limit in New York City to 25 miles per hour. This legislation is the lynchpin of Vision Zero and is widely considered to be the key strategy behind saving lives by reducing traffic accidents in New York City.[25]

Greenfield voted against a 2010 bill that required the City Clerks office to post on its website, and hand out at its office, information on where exactly in the U.S. and the world same sex couples are able to get married.[26]

Greenfield is a long-time advocate for increased government funding for public and non-public (including religious) schools.[27]

In July 2017, he announced that he would not be seeking a third term, and would instead be taking over as CEO of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty.[28]

Election history
Location	Year	Election	Results
NYC Council District 44	2010	Special	√ David Greenfield (D) 57.20% Joe Lazar (D) 40.18% Kenneth Rice (R) 2.62%
NYC Council District 44	2013	Democratic Primary	√ David Greenfield 90.44% Jacob Flusberg 9.56%
NYC Council District 44	2013	General	√ David Greenfield (D) 81.47% Joseph Hayon (R) 17.83%

Personal life

Greenfield is Orthodox Jewish and is a member of the R' Landau's Synagogue in the Midwood, Brooklyn.[29]

References

1. Gay, Mara (2017-07-17). "Councilman David Greenfield Won't Seek Re-Election". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
2. "Inside Politics: Ask Greenfield!". The Yeshiva World. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
3. cite journal |url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/32616/teach-nys-beats-back-budget-cuts-to-early-intervention-programs.html |title=TEACH NYS Beats Back Budget Cuts to Early Intervention Programs |quote=David G. Greenfield, Esq. director and counsel of TEACH NYS |author=Yechiel Livyoson |date=April 1, 2009
4. "Simcha Felder To Leave Council & Join Comptroller - Race Between Greenfield & Dear for Council". The Yeshiva World. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
5. {{cite newspaper |newspaper=[[The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/24/nyregion/24rabbi.html |title=Syrian Sephardic Communities Shaken by Charges Against a Leading Rabbi |first=Paul |last=Vitello |date=2009-07-24 |accessdate=2010-05-01}}
6. "N.Y. 'Tuition Crisis' Puts Many at Risk". Nysun.com. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
7. "City Council Candidate David Greenfield Receives Key Endorsements From State Senators". Matzav.com. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
8. "City & State - Power 100". City & State. Archived from the original on 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
9. "Source: Felder Resigning | The New York Observer". Observer.com. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
10. "Felder To Resign From Council To Join Comptroller's Office". NY1. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
11. "NYC Council Candidate David Greenfield Receives Key Endorsements From State Senators". The Yeshiva World. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-14. Retrieved 2014-12-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
13. Haberman, Maggie (2010-02-01). "Koch backs Greenfield". New York Post. Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-02-21.
14. "Mayor Bloomberg Backs Greenfield In City Council Race - Yeshiva World News". 10 February 2010.
15. Katz, Celeste (2010-02-18). "Lieberman For Greenfield". Daily News. New York.
16. "Brooklyn Leadership Rumble". City & State. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
17. "Tower Broker: Council's New Land Use Chair Set to Become Force in City Politics". New York Observer. Retrieved 2014-11-28.
18. "Kanaal van MrNewYorkNY". YouTube. 2009-10-16. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
19. "Why Should You Vote Tomorrow? LIVE TONIGHT: 'ASK GREENFIELD'". The Yeshiva World. 2009-11-02. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
20. "A glimmer of hope on City Council for developers". Crains. 2014-01-26.
21. Haughney, Christine (2012-01-18). "Forgot to Move Car? City Council Votes to End a Sticker of Shame". The New York Times.
22. "New York City Council, 2011-12-19". Archived from the original on 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
23. "Greenfield's Law Would Stop City From Towing Cars For Unpaid Parking Tickets". Yeshiva World News. 11 January 2012.
24. "Brooklyn pilots citywide parking enforcement reboot - Brooklyn Daily Eagle". www.brooklyneagle.com.
25. "City Council cuts speed limit to 25 miles per hour". New York Daily News. 2014-10-07.
26. Gross, Courtney. "Council Approves Penn Plaza".
27. Santos, Fernanda (2011-06-02). "As Mayor Holds Firm on Teacher Layoffs, Some See Reasons Beyond Money". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
28. Sandy Eller (July 17, 2017). "Greenfield To Bid Adieu To City Council, Becoming New CEO At Met Council". VIN News.
29. "Emunah Magazine Exclusive Interview With David Greenfield". EmunahMagazine.com. Archived from the original on 2010-03-07. Retrieved 2010-02-25.

External links