David Yassky

David S. Yassky is an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the New York City Council from 2002 until 2009, the chairperson of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission,[1] and the Dean of Pace University School of Law from April 2014 to April 2018.[2][3]

David S. Yassky
Member of the New York City Council
from the 33rd District
In office
January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2009
Preceded byKen Fisher
Succeeded byStephen Levin
Personal details
SpouseDiana Fortuna
Children2
Residence(s)Brooklyn, New York
Alma materThe Dalton School
Princeton University
Yale Law School
ProfessionLawyer

In 2006, Yassky ran for U.S. Congress in Brooklyn, losing to Yvette Clarke, and in 2009 he ran a losing campaign for the Democratic nomination for New York City Comptroller. In 2022, he ran in the primary for the New York State Senate.[4]

Education

The son of a prominent lawyer and an entertainment executive, Yassky attended the Dalton School on Manhattan's Upper East Side, Princeton University and Yale Law School.

Career

He was a budget analyst for the New York City Mayor's Office of Management and Budget. He then served as chief counsel to the House Subcommittee on Crime, a subcommittee chaired by Charles Schumer. Yassky was a member of the faculty of the Brooklyn Law School.[5]

City Council

Yassky was elected to the New York City Council in 2001, representing the 33rd district, which includes parts of downtown Brooklyn, including Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, DUMBO, Boerum Hill and Park Slope. He was chair of the Council's Small Business Committee.

Yassky was one of 29 council members who voted in 2008 to extend term limits for themselves effectively ignoring two previous public votes imposing a limit of two terms. Hours before the final vote on term limits, Yassky proposed an amendment from the floor that would have altered the legislation to require approval by popular vote before term limits could change. The amendment failed by a vote of 28-22, but Yassky voted for the extension anyway.[6][7]

2006 Congressional campaign

In 2006, Yassky ran for the Democratic Party's nomination for the 11th Congressional District seat, an open seat held by the retiring Congressman Major Owens. He was part of a four-way race which also included New York State Senator Carl Andrews, New York City Council member Yvette D. Clarke and Major Owens's son Chris Owens.

During the primary, Major Owens called Yassky a "colonizer," and Al Sharpton called Yassky "greedy." City Council member Albert Vann sent an email to Black elected officials stating that "we are in peril of losing a 'Voting Rights' district ... as a result of the well financed candidacy of Council Member David Yassky, a white individual."[8] The area had been represented by politicians of African or Caribbean descent since the election of Shirley Chisholm in 1968.[9]

In August 2006, The New York Times endorsed Yassky, citing his "stellar record on the Council" and criticizing his rivals for not making a substantial case for their election, and the Democratic leadership within Brooklyn for failing to find qualified Black candidates for this seat.[10]

In a primary election held on September 12, 2006, Yassky garnered 26% of the popular vote. The winner was Yvette Clarke, with about 30%.[11]

2009 Comptroller election

In 2009, Yassky ran for the office of New York City Comptroller. He was endorsed by Ed Koch[12] and his former boss, Sen. Charles Schumer.[13][14] The New York Times on August 23, 2009, attributed its endorsement to his "skill, intelligence, and independence."[15] In the Democratic primary held on September 15, 2009, Yassky was the runner-up with 107,474 votes, or approximately 30% of the votes cast. He lost in the run-off with 44.4% of the vote to John Liu, who had more support among union members and minority groups.

NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission

Yassky was named chairman of the Taxi and Limousine Commission in 2010.[16] During his tenure he promoted the Taxi of Tomorrow program, which required the variety of the automobiles making up the 13,000 NYC yellow cabs to be replaced by the Nissan NV200.[17] By 2018, only 2,671 of the 12,000 medallion holder were driving the NV200 and the requirement was reversed, stating that the reversal was intended to give drivers more choices. The New York Times noted that "the decision [came] at a time when the yellow taxi industry is in financial free-fall, decimated by the extraordinary rise of ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft."[18] Yassky quit the TLC in 2013 after incoming mayor Bill de Blasio announced his intention to replace him.[19][20]

Pace University School of Law

Yassky became dean of Pace University School of Law in April 2014.[21][3] Yassky stepped down as dean in 2018.[22] Yassky briefly campaigned for a State Senate seat, and when the Pace faculty and students learned of this, he told the Pace faculty that he knew he would not be selected for the seat.[23]

Personal life

Yassky has been married to Metropolitan Opera CFO Diana Fortuna since 1990,[24] and they live in Brooklyn Heights with their two daughters.

References
  1. "Chair's Biography - NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission". Archived from the original on 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2010-04-29.
  2. "Dean Yassky to Step Down at End of Academic Year, Associate Dean Anderson Named Interim Dean" (Press release). Pace University. April 5, 2018. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  3. "David Yassky | Pace Law School". Archived from the original on 2018-08-05. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  4. Liotta, Paul (February 17, 2022). "First Brooklyn candidate enters Senate race covering North Shore, reports say". Staten Island Advance. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022.
  5. New York City 2009 General Election Guide, NYC Campaign Finance Board
  6. Chan, Sewell; Hicks, Jonathan P. (2008-10-23). "Council Votes, 29 to 22, to Extend Term Limits". City Room Blogs. New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  7. Hicks, Jonathan P. (2008-10-27). "Yassky Defends His Vote on Term Limits". City Room Blogs. New York Times.
  8. "'A White Individual': How the Voting Rights Act promotes racial polarization". Wall Street Journal. 2006-06-20.
  9. Hicks, Jonathan P. (2006-08-25). "Rivals In House Race Debate White Candidate's Motives". New York Times.
  10. "Editorial: For Congress in Brooklyn". New York Times. 2006-08-30.
  11. 2006 Congressional Primary Results Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine. NY1 News.
  12. Paybarah, Azi (September 21, 2009). ""Yassky Versus Liu"". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on 2022-03-14. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  13. Paybarah, Azi (September 9, 2009). ""Yassky's Schumer Ad"". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  14. "David Yassky for NYC Comptroller | Endorsements". www.davidyassky.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-02. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  15. "For New York City Comptroller". Editorial. New York Times. August 23, 2009. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  16. Del Signore, John (March 12, 2010). "Sausage Made: Bloomberg Appoints Yassky Head of TLC". Gothamist. Archived from the original on 2022-03-14.
  17. Grynbaum, Michael M. (May 3, 2011). "City's Next Taxi: A Nissan Van Short on Looks, Perhaps, but Full of Comforts". New York Times. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  18. Blint-Welsh, Tyler (June 12, 2018). "It Was Billed as the 'Taxi of Tomorrow.' Tomorrow Didn't Last Long". New York Times. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  19. Flegenheimer, Matt (September 19, 2013). "De Blasio Causes Stir by Saying He Would Fire Taxi Commissioner". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022.
  20. Bekiempis, Victoria (September 23, 2013). "Taxi and Limousine Commission Chief Tells Staff He Plans to Leave". DNAInfo. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  21. Kaminer, Ariel (February 26, 2014). "Pace Picks Yassky, Ex-Taxi Chief, as Its Law School Dean". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021.
  22. "Dean Yassky to Step Down at End of Academic Year, Associate Dean Anderson Named Interim Dean | Pace Law School". law.pace.edu. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  23. Rubino, Kathryn (September 19, 2017). "Law School Dean Knows He's A Loser".
  24. "Diana Fortuna, State Aide in Capital, Is Married to David Yassky, a Lawyer". New York Times. July 1, 1990.
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