As Mayor, Tony would instruct the Department of Education to allow nativity scenes in public elementary and secondary schools.

Photo: Tony joined by supporters on the steps of City Hall.

“Despite the ever present need for additional revenue, the imposition of tolls on the East River Bridges is not an acceptable revenue generating option,” stated Avella. “In the current economic climate, New Yorkers are in no position to face another huge increase in their daily living expenses. Adding tolls to any of these bridges would have a devastating effect on working and middle class families and small business.”

“Given the fact that New Yorkers are already the highest taxed citizens in the country, I urge the Ravitch Commission to reconsider implementing tolls and concentrate on developing other sources of revenue. It should be the responsibility of the leaders of the city to find ways of increasing revenues to improve mass transit without placing the fiscal burden upon those who can least afford it,” concluded Avella.

Tony has been a long-standing opponent of a toll system and will not support East River Tolls, as Mayor.

Tony also congratulates Joe Addabbo on his victory in the 15th Senate District.

Today, the 2009 Mayoral race officially begins to heat up. Tony needs your help now to make his campaign a success!

To volunteer for his campaign or to host a house party, please click here and fill out the form.

To donate to the campaign, click here. If you wish to donate by check, please print out this form and include it in the envelope.

Stay tuned for regular campaign updates on this site.

Tomorrow, the 2009 race for Mayor officially begins. The Revolution Starts…Now!

“While I appreciated receiving Mr. Bloomberg’s phone call, I told him that what he did (extending term limits) was clearly a disgrace,” Avella stated.

“Although he tried to rationalize his actions as a measure that provided voters with a choice, I told him he can justify his own actions however he wants; but what he did was still wrong and he dealt a fatal blow to democracy in this city.”

“The voters of our great city had indicated, through public referendums in 1993 and 1996, firm support for limiting the terms of City officials to two consecutive four year terms. Regardless of how Mr. Bloomberg attempts to justify overturning term limits legislatively, the simple fact is that he ignored the voice of the people,” stated Avella.

“I assured the Mayor that I have and will always put the best interests of the people of the city above the political fray,” concluded Avella.

The League of Humane Voters has a significant record of lobbying for the election of candidates for public office who ascribe to humane values, made apparent, by their support for animal protective issues.

“Through out his tenure in office, New York City Councilman, Tony Avella has an outstanding record of supporting animal protective measures
His dedicated support on behalf of The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, chaired by Elizabeth Forel, is especially noteworthy. League members agree that we would be hard-pressed to find someone with an equally superb record,” said Peter Muller, the Chair of the New York State Chapter of the League of Humane Voters. The League will assume a dynamic role in electioneering and fund-raising activities to secure the election of Tony Avella in 2009.

On Tuesday evening, Tony Avella met with Elizabeth Forel and Peter Muller at a campaign fund-raiser at the home of by Marijo Gillis, a Co-Trustee of the Gillis Family Charitable Trust and founder of Welfare for Animals Global (WAG NY) an international political lobby and advocacy group based in Manhattan and Athens, Greece.

Tony Avella was pleased with the League’s endorsement stating, “I’m honored to have received the endorsement of the League of Humane Voters. I‘ve worked hard to make sure that legal protection for animals is taken seriously. The League’s endorsement is meaningful to me and I will seek the League’s counsel on issues that concern animals”

“It is not surprising to learn that the Speaker has yet again reversed her position on term limits and is supporting the Mayor’s plan. The Mayor and the Speaker’s political posturing on this issue is extremely shameful and should not be tolerated by the public. What they are attempting to do by overturning the will of the people represents a fatal blow to democracy in this City,” stated Avella.

Council Member Tony Avella, in conjunction with Council Member Annabel Palma, has introduced Resolution #1640 asking the New York State Legislature to amend the Municipal Home Rule Law (MHRL) to give the City the authority to provide in its Charter that any change in the City’s Term Limits Law must be subject to voter referendum.

Avella has firmly indicated that if this effort to extend term limits is successful and allows current City officials to stay in office – he will not serve. “One of the campaign promises I made in 2001 was to do whatever I could to restore the people’s faith in their elected officials. I will fulfill the covenant made with the people of my district and the City – eight years and out. I can only hope that in the end, both the Executive and Legislative branches of City government will take the same approach.”

Avella encourages all New Yorkers to express their views on this extremely important issue by testifying before the City Council Government Operations Committee. There is a hearing schedule for today (Friday, October 17th) at City Hall.

“If this Council votes to amend the Term Limits Law without seeking a public referendum, it will go down in history as one of the most blatantly self-serving and autocratic acts of any legislative body in this city’s history,” Avella stated. “This simply should not be allowed.”

“As a matter of public policy, the City Council should not be vested with the sole power to extend the length of its members terms by legislation alone. Therefore, I am seeking to amend the City Charter in order to preserve a balance between the right of the Council to carry out its legislative functions and the right of voters to have their expressed will carried out by the legislature.”

Atlantic Antic, Brooklyn – Sunday 10/5 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. We will not have a table but we will be campaigning in front of
View Larger Map

321 Atlantic Avenue between Hoyt and Smith Street. This is a very high volume fair so we need as many volunteers as possible.

Third Avenue Bronx Festival, Bronx – Saturday 10/11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival is on Third Avenue between 149th Street and 156th Street. Our table location is to be determined. The # 5 and # 2 trains stop at Third Avenue & 149th.

College Point Street Fair, College Point, Queens – Sunday 10/26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair is on College Point Boulevard from to 14th Avenue to 20th Avenue. Our table location is to be determined.

Please email the campaign at TonyAvella2009@Gmail.com if you wish to volunteer. We will update you with the table locations as soon as they are available.

Thank you for your continued support.

Tony will make a horse drawn carriage ban and animal rights a priority as Mayor. More details here.