Toby Ann Stavisky

Toby Ann Stavisky (née Goldhaar, born June 26, 1939)[1] is an American politician serving as a member of the New York State Senate, having held a seat since 1999. She represents the 11th district, which comprises parts of Queens.

Toby Ann Stavisky
Stavisky in 2012
Member of the New York State Senate
from the 11th district
Assumed office
November 3, 1999
Preceded byLeonard P. Stavisky
Personal details
Born
Toby Ann Goldhaar

(1939-06-26) June 26, 1939
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1964; died 1999)​
ResidenceQueens, New York
Alma materSyracuse University
Hunter College
Queens College
WebsiteOfficial website

Life and career

Stavisky was born and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She attended New York City public schools before graduating from Bronx High School of Science, and Syracuse University, which she attended on an academic scholarship. The Senator completed graduate courses at Hunter College and Queens College.[2]

After working in the actuarial department of a major insurance company, Stavisky taught Social Studies in the New York City high schools.[3] She served as District Manager in Northeast Queens for the Census, where she directed more than 1,000 field and office staff and was cited by the Commerce Department for her outstanding work.[4]

Stavisky was married to Dr. Leonard P. Stavisky (1925–1999), a member of the New York State Assembly from 1966 to 1983, and of the New York State Senate from 1983 until his death in 1999. Her son, Evan M. Stavisky, is a political consultant as well as a local district leader.[1]

New York Senate

Upon the death of her husband in 1999, Stavisky ran and easily won the special election to succeed him.[5] She is the first woman from Queens County elected to the State Senate.[6] When she first won election, the district was predominantly Jewish, but has shifted drastically over the past two decades to become majority Asian American.[7] As such, Stavisky has faced primaries in recent years against Asian-American candidates, but has been successful in each challenge.[8]

From 2003 to 2008, Stavisky served as Assistant Minority Whip and Ranking Minority Member of the Committee on Higher Education. She currently serves as the Chairwoman of the Committee on Higher Education.[9] In 2013, Stavisky was appointed to the subcommittee on New York City Education.

In 2022, Stavisky sponsored a bill that would give state health insurance coverage to unauthorized immigrants.[10]

Stavisky has claimed that New York's bail reform laws have had no clear impact on the increase in crime.[11]

In 2023,[12] Stavisky's Senate district changed from the 16th to the 11th.[13]

References
  1. "Toby Ann Stavisky Biography". nysenate.gov. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  2. "Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Honored as "Friend of CUNY"". 11 December 2020.
  3. "Noteworthy graduates: State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky". UFT. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  4. "Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Supporters And Elected Officials, Rally To Get Out The Vote Thursday | www.qgazette.com | Queens Gazette". www.qgazette.com. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  5. "Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 16 Special Race - Nov 02, 1999". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  6. "Queens' first female state senator, Toby Stavisky, is going for her ninth term in office". QNS.com. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  7. "Stavisky Running for Reelection in Asian-Majority State Senate District". Observer. 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  8. "Our Campaigns - NY State Senate 16 - D Primary Race - Sep 13, 2016". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  9. "Stavisky Appointed Chair Of Senate Higher Education Committee | www.qgazette.com | Queens Gazette". www.qgazette.com. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  10. Mastrosimone, Peter (March 10, 2022). "Advocates press for migrant healthcare".
  11. Krichevsky, Sophie (27 October 2022). "A new Senate district? No sweat for Stavisky". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  12. "What District Am I in for New York's 2022 Primary Election?". 23 August 2022.
  13. "After redistricting shuffle, Queens senators stake out their turf". 30 May 2022.
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