Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley celebrated her victory Tuesday night with her mother, as well as numerous other family members, friends and fellow legislators. Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup
In a race that was a bit closer than some had predicted, incumbent city Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) defeated Republican challenger Craig Caruana by a margin of 58.9 percent to 41.1 percent on Tuesday to retain her seat in Council District 30, according to unofficial election results.
Crowley, who was first elected to the Council in 2008 to represent the neighborhoods of Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood, and Woodhaven has chaired the Fire and Criminal Justice Services Committee since January 2010, helping to oversee the Fire Department, Department of Correction, Department of Probation, and Criminal Justice Coordinator’s Office.
“This has been a long campaign, but the people of the 30th Council District have spoken,” Crowley said at her victory party at the Woodhaven House in Rego Park. “And guess what? They want to send me back to City Hall.”
Born and raised in Middle Village, Crowley had made public safety a focal point of her campaign, frequently pointing to her efforts fighting to keep firehouses open as well as a highly publicized campaign opposing a plan by the Department of Homeless Services for a 125-bed shelter on Cooper Avenue in Glendale.
Her opponent, Craig Caruana, a Middle Village resident who previously was a Fox News producer and naval intelligence analyst in Washington, had challenged Crowley and her record on numerous occasions.
“There’s not a drop of sadness in my heart tonight,” Caruana said. “I’m humbled by the hard work and support of my volunteers and staff, including my family and friends. One of the few things we can control in life is who we surround ourselves with, and as I look around this room, I know I’m very lucky. There are big losses we have to take in life, but this isn’t one of them. If you expend yourself in fighting for something that you really believe in, especially what you put your heart into, you can’t lose. I’m humbled by the great work and tireless efforts of all my supporters and I thank you all.”
Most recently, Crowley and Caruana had squared off during a heated debate in Middle Village last month where each attacked the other over such things as the controversial Knockdown Center as well as school overcrowding and pollution from diesel train traffic.
Speaking on jobs and the economy, Caruana did not shy away from criticizing Crowley.
“The incumbent is part of the big government machine that uses our small businesses like an ATM and regulates them to death,” he said. “…The Duane Reade/Walgreens facility in Maspeth is downsizing and laying off workers because other states are more accommodating. We need to make the city and the district attractive to businesses, so they stay here and hire more people from our neighborhood.”
Crowley, meanwhile, has stressed her support for small businesses and her continued plans to help support the mom and pop shops, as well as industrial spots, throughout her district. For example, she is pledging to expand support for industrial business zones – which offer tax credits for companies that relocate to their area. As part of the program, businesses receive a $1,000 tax credit per employee up to $100,000, as well as other business assistance. The legislator has also said she aims to create a small business task force within the district to address businesses’ concerns.
During the campaign, each candidate had received boosts from area civic leaders.
Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Valley Civic Association, to which Caruana is a member and contributor to the association’s news magazine, had thrown his support behind the Republican challenger and has frequently criticized Crowley in the past for not securing adequate funds for Juniper Valley Park.
While the incumbent has her detractors, she also has plenty of supporters locally who have called Crowley “the hardest working member of the council.” Those supporters include Maria Thompson of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and the Queens Borough President-elect Melinda Katz.
Crowley said she was thrilled with the campaign she ran, including the support she received from volunteers and campaign staff.
“Whether it was knocking on doors or calling people, we reached tens of thousands of people,” she said at her victory party.
Now, the councilwoman said, she is looking forward to working with a new administration – that of Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio.
“Not only did we win here – we won across the city,” Crowley said of Democratic victories. “The next mayor is not going to close fire companies.”
By Alan Krawitz
