The Unpolitician

“The only way we can beat someone [in the New York City mayorial race] who is going to spend $100 million on this race is to have a really anti-political campaign. I’m the anti-politician. I’m the unpolitician.”

Councilmember Tony Avella, mayorial candidate, was quoted as saying this in an article entitled "The Outsider" by David Freedlander. Mr. Avella describes himself as the politician who refuses to be compromised by dirty politics. “Nothing is ever decided on the merits. It’s political and personal agendas. . . It’s money buys the influence and money rules this city in stead of the people.”

Mr. Avella refuses to play the game. Example: In 2003, in voting according to the wishes of his district, he voted against Bloomberg’s property tax increase, along with a handful of other council members, despite pressure from the Bloomberg administration.

"That was the first time I had come face to face with a dilemma about what do you do. A lot of people said 'If you vote against it, you are going to be punished.' And I thought about it, and I said, 'Why am I here? Am I here to do what I'm told or what I think is best for my constituents and the people of the city?' And I said, 'I'm going to do what I think is best, because in my opinioin, once you make the other choice, you are absolutely lost.'"

The punishment was fast and severe.

Click on the link to see the entire article.

Tony Avella calls for preserving neighborhoods

In a recent article entitled "The Outsider" by David Freedlander published in City Hall News, the reporter discusses Councilmember Tony Avella and his bid for mayor of New York City. Freedlander says that some of Avella's "most fervent battles have been with the Department of Buildings and with what he sees as the runaway development of the Bloomberg years." Mr. Avella is on a mission to bring the city back to the way it was and back to when the job of government was to serve the people. Avella is the voice of the small and the local, and "one of the most ardent preservationists in the city." On the subject, Freedlander quotes Mr. Avella as saying, "In many neighborhoods a lot of the charm is being lost. . . That's the cry I hear from most residents throughout the entire city, that the charm and character of the neighborhoods is just being destroyed . . . Surely, no one who has watched the city slowly morph these last several years into one gigantic food court broken up only by the occasional Duane Read would consider these changes progess."

Go to tonyavellaformayor.com to read Mr. Avella's stand on all the issues.

At the mayoral candidate forum held at the Three Parks Democratic Club in February, Councilmember Tony Avella was invited only if he would allow Comptroller William C. Thompson to speak first. The comptroller had a mildly receptive audience, but they found Councilmember Avella to be exciting and provocative, frequently interrupting him with applause. Mr. Avella had to keep quieting the audience in order to continue. Thompson all but ignored Avella and exited the forum as soon as he was finished. Avella criticized the comptroller for, among other things, failing to answer the question of whether or not he takes money from real-estate interests.

Mr. Avella is a candidate of the people. He said at the forum that we need to take back City Hall, and that we need a campaign that will send a message throughout the entire country that it’s not about money, it’s about people! He got a standing ovation when the forum ended, and he had a hard time getting out the door.

The attendees were inspired and signed up to be volunteers for the Avella campaign.

New Yorkers must find out everything they can about this man, who would bring to our fair city a mayor who is honest and dedicated to the interests of the people, rather than the special interests.

Go to tonyavellaformayor.com.