DANIEL DROMM, Democrat for City Council

From Queens Chronicle: by Willow Belden

A “Yes we can” mentality permeated Club Atlantis Tuesday night, when Danny Dromm celebrated his victory over incumbent Councilwoman Helen Sears.

Dromm took nearly 50 percent of the vote in the primary, beating Sears by about 10 percent, while rival Stanley Kalathara took just over 11 percent. No Republicans are running for election in District 25, so Dromm will be unchallenged in the November election.

“This is unbelievable,” Dromm told a crowd of jubilant supporters after the results came in. “The people have won, and the people will continue to win. ... We are going to redefine politics.”

Dromm, who has been a public school teacher for 25 years and is a leader in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, was the only candidate in Queens — and one of just four citywide — to unseat an incumbent in the primary.

“It is nearly impossible to take out a city incumbent,” said state Assemblyman Jose Peralta, who spoke at Dromm’s victory celebration. “They said it couldn’t be done, and we proved everyone wrong — we did it.”

Sears, who is finishing her second term on the City Council, had the backing of the Queens Democratic Organization and several prominent politicians, but she came under attack for voting to extend term limits, seeking to remove street vendors from parts of her district and opposing legislation aimed at toughening lead paint regulations. Opponents also complain that St. John’s Hospital closed under her watch and claim she is often unresponsive to the wishes of her constituents.

After thanking his staff and volunteers, Dromm’s victory speech took a serious tone. He noted that he is one of two openly gay Queens candidates who claimed victory in the primary — the other being Jimmy Van Bramer, who beat rival Deirdre Feerick in District 26 — and tears came to his eyes as he spoke about how his personal experiences have shaped who he is.

“Being a person who has faced discrimination, who has faced hatred and who knows what that does to people, I promise to every single community in this community — to our South Asian community, to our Latino community, to our LGBT community, to our Asian community — I am going to be your fighter on the New York City Council,” Dromm said.

That set off a chant of “The people, united, shall never be defeated! The people, united, shall never be defeated!” amongst the crowd of supporters.

Dromm then reached out to the individuals and groups backing his main rival.

“To the Queens County Democratic Organization, I am extending an olive branch,” he said. “I will work with you. ... We are going to work together for the betterment of this community. We will bring the resources to this community that the community deserves.”

He added that he looks forward to working with Congressman Joe Crowley (D-Queens and the Bronx), who also endorsed Sears.

Dromm didn’t dwell on specific policy items Tuesday night, but a large part of his campaign centered on improving education by creating more classroom space, reducing class sizes and ensuring that teachers and parents would have more involvement in decision-making processes.

The winner has pledged to take a tough stance on landlords who make life difficult for middle- and low-income tenants and prides himself on his detachment from the real estate industry.

To improve healthcare and ease hospital overcrowding, Dromm advocates setting up “primary care resource centers,” and he is a strong supporter of improving public transportation and creating more public green spaces.

Labels: Press

A teacher who has learned hard-fought lessons takes his seat in Queens
by Andrew Cotlov

Danny Dromm thought he was safe when he paused underneath a tree for a moment to savor his victory as he walked to his election night party. A bird, standing on a branch above, thought otherwise.
“I had on a crisp white shirt too,” Dromm said. “They say it’s good luck. That’s when I knew I’d do okay.”

But it was not luck that put Dromm on the Council. The veteran public school teacher won a bitter contest against incumbent Helen Sears, one that saw several candidates drop out once the term limit extension allowed Sears the chance to run again.

The race was marred by charges from Sears supporters that Dromm was arrested for prostitution in 1972 (he was only 16 years old and says he was arrested for being gay) and from Dromm’s side that Sears was unresponsive to a district that grew increasingly diverse over the last eight years.

When asked about the negative turn the race took and the accusations against his own campaign Dromm responded, “It was definitely aggressive, but you have to do what it takes to win. I’m a fighter, since Day 1 in politics I’ve always been a fighter, and I’ll remain a fighter to bring back the resources this community needs. I’ll continue fighting for the people of this district.”

Dromm is used to bitter fights.

In the 1990’s he gained some notoriety after coming out as an openly gay teacher in response to the local school board’s intense opposition to the city’s new Rainbow Curriculum, which was intended to teach tolerance to elementary school students. The new curriculum came under heavy attack from critics, particularly from school board president Mary Cummins, who argued it was teaching children homosexuality.

“There were protests and there was a lot of homophobia. I was literally the front page story of Newsday.” Dromm recalled. “It catapulted me to a leadership position in the gay community.”

Dromm taught at PS 199 for 24 years and saw firsthand, he said, how new education policies have affected his students. He added that it is a priority to bring the classroom’s focus back to teaching and away from standardized tests.

“What happens politically effects what happens in education.” Dromm explains, “I know what goes on in the schools and nobody can pull the wool over my eyes.”

He says he is working already to add new classroom space for students in the neighborhood and to bring a new primary healthcare facility to Jackson Heights in hopes of taking some of the pressure off Elmhurst Hospital, the only remaining hospital in the district.

At his election night party, over loud, thumping music at the gay nightclub The Atlantis, supporters tugged at him and mugged to have their photo taken alongside their new councilman.

“He has some kids on his campaign that were his students, and are high school and college students now, that still have such warm feelings for him,” explained Laura Cadorette, one of his campaign workers and a friend of Dromm’s for nearly a decade. “He provided a very positive influence; the people in the community react that way to him too.”

After the party, Dromm said he was aware there is much work to be done. Still, he added, he may take some time away before being sworn-in to catch up on things that were neglected over the course of two-year-long campaign.

“I love Broadway theater and I am dying to see a new show,” he said. “I want to go soon with my mother.”

Labels: Press

From New York Daily News:
In surprising twist to Queens politics as usual, an upstart candidate went up against the borough's Democratic party machine and won.

Daniel Dromm, 53, an elementary school teacher and gay activist, beat out two-term City Councilwoman Helen Sears by 621 votes in Tuesday's 25th District Democratic primary.

Dromm also handily beat Stanley Kalathara, 64, who garnered 730 out of 6,473 total votes, according to the Board of Elections' unofficial tally.

Dromm will face off against Republican candidate Mujib Rahman, 51, on Nov. 3 for the Jackson Heights seat.

"We listened to what people told us," a triumphant Dromm said yesterday. Voters "wanted to relieve overcrowding in the schools and they wanted health care centers in the community, and we have a plan to address those issues."

Unseating an incumbent was no easy task.

"It's nearly impossible to beat an incumbent in this day and age," said Assemblyman Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights), who endorsed Dromm. Incumbents "have every resource available to them, from money to volunteers."

Peralta said he believes voter frustration with Sears helped Dromm win the primary.

"She was out of touch with her constituents," Peralta said. "Not only do people know who [Dromm] is, but people have seen his work."

Dromm grabbed headlines in the early 1990s for coming out of the closet to protest homophobia at the school where he worked. A year later, he co-founded the annual Queens gay pride parade.

During his campaign, Dromm had to contend with anonymous mailings detailing his arrest record going back almost 40 years.

He said he believes the mailings backfired.

"People said they're tired of these tactics," Dromm said.

Sears graciously conceded defeat in a statement Wednesday.

"I reached out to Danny and left a message congratulating him on his win," Sears said. "He fought an energetic campaign."

Labels: Press

From NY Daily News:
Cream of the Council crop:
The people who should represent you at City Hall

Herewith the Daily News guide to those City Council candidates whose primary victories tomorrow hold the greatest promise of raising the low quality of the municipal legislature:

District 25(Jackson Heights, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, LeFrak City, Corona):
Danny Dromm is a veteran teacher, Democratic district leader and head of the Queens Pride Committee. He has multiples of the energy of incumbent Helen Sears.

Labels: Endorsements, Press

We like Dromm’s aggressive stance on opening a center in his district. We also like his sensitivity to immigrant issues, including challenges for English Language Learners, and his overall political position: that in order to bring about change, one must affect the political structure.

DANIEL DROMM FOR DISTRICT 25
From El Diario:
One of the competitive electoral races in which New York City voters can have an impact is in City Council District 25 in Queens.

There, Daniel Dromm, a veteran educator and activist, is leading a spirited campaign against incumbent Helen Sears to represent neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona. District 25 is 46 percent Hispanic.

Sears has several noteworthy accomplishments. For example, Sears was one of the co-sponsors of legislation that created a commission to study the possibility of opening day labor centers. As El Diario-La Prensa frequently reports on, these centers are considered crucial for preventing day laborers from being exploited and for addressing community concerns about workers gathering on the streets.

But with the lack of follow up to recommendations issued by the day labor commission, we like Dromm’s aggressive stance on opening a center in his district. We also like his sensitivity to immigrant issues, including challenges for English Language Learners, and his overall political position: that in order to bring about change, one must affect the political structure.

Labels: Endorsements, Espanol, Press

TimesLedger is giving its endorsement to Dromm, who has proven to be a passionate fighter for issues important to the community and is expected to be a more visible member of the Council if elected.

District 25: Danny Dromm
In the three-way race in District 25, voters will choose between the two-term incumbent Councilwoman Helen Sears; Danny Dromm, a school teacher and community activist; and Stanley Kalathara, an immigration lawyer who is a relative newcomer to local politics.

Sears is running on the strength of her experience in the Council as a budget negotiator and has defended her vote to extend term limits by saying more than eight years is needed to complete long-term capital projects.

Dromm has touted his history as an activist on gay rights and immigration issues as well as his knowledge of education after decades of teaching in city schools, while Kalathara has focused largely on Sears’ vote in favor of extending term limits.

TimesLedger is giving its endorsement to Dromm, who has proven to be a passionate fighter for issues important to the community and is expected to be a more visible member of the Council if elected.

Labels: Endorsements, Press

Ecuador News Endorses Daniel Dromm for New York City Council, 25th District.

Labels: Endorsements, Espanol, ImmigrantRights, Press

Queens Vantage Tenants Council has endorsed Daniel Dromm for the New York City Council, 25th District.

Queens Vantage Tenants Council was formed to help tenants in Vantage buildings that may be the victims of many under-handed and possibly illegal tactics to force tenants from their homes including taking many tenants to court for no reason, harassing tenants who cannot produce a valid lease and trying to evict those tenants even though they have lived in their apartment for many years. Queens Vantage Tenants Council has hundreds of members in the 25th City Council district.

Labels: Endorsements, Housing

Daniel Dromm is a teacher and democratic district leader who is no novice when it comes to city politics. We believe that with Mr. Dromm’s experience and fresh ideas, he will be a good councilman, a voice for his district and will have a better relationship with veterans than Ms. Sears.

From NYC Veterans:

Veterans returning home from active service often face an array of issues during their transition from a military to a civilian lifestyle. While it's understood that most legislation to assist veterans usually comes through the federal government; when an individual returns home, they return to their local communities and back to some issues they left behind. As such, they find themselves looking to city agencies and local services to assist them. Therefore, our local government has a duty and an obligation to step up and do more than just thank veterans for their service.

We encourage all veterans to become active in their communities, to make their voices heard and to make a difference regarding issues that affect not only the veteran's community, but their local community as well. Most importantly, we remind all veterans to VOTE on September 15.

City Council, District 25 – "The incumbent is Councilmember Helen Sears. She voted “YES” to extend term limits. Encompassing one of the most diverse districts in the city, Ms. Sears has little to no record of supporting or assisting veterans over the course of her 8 years in the council. Daniel Dromm is a teacher and democratic district leader who is no novice when it comes to city politics. We believe that with Mr. Dromm’s experience and fresh ideas, he will be a good councilman, a voice for his district and will have a better relationship with veterans than Ms. Sears. Mr. Dromm is endorsed by the New York Times. We recommend Daniel Dromm."

Labels: Endorsements, Health Care, Veterans

..The district deserves more energetic representation.
Daniel Dromm, a public schoolteacher and activist, is ready to take on the area’s needs — mainly too few schools and health facilities. We endorse Mr. Dromm.

From the New York Times:

District 25, Queens (Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona):

This is now one of the city’s most diverse districts. Though Councilwoman Helen Sears has made efforts to expand her services, the district deserves more energetic representation. Daniel Dromm, a public schoolteacher and activist, is ready to take on the area’s needs — mainly too few schools and health facilities. We endorse Mr. Dromm.

Labels: Endorsements, Press

From Queens Tribune:

Danny has built networks throughout the district for years, has mobilized the people of his community and has taken tough stands on hard issues where his personal life has been put on the line for the betterment of a cause. In short, Danny is not afraid of a fight, and we are confident in his ability to fight for his district within the City Council. The Queens Tribune endorses Danny Dromm in the Democratic Primary.

25th District
A three-person race, this primary comes down to incumbent Helen Sears, political and community leader Danny Dromm and newcomer Stanley Kalathara, who brings a fresh perspective to an ever-changing neighborhood.

Helen has been a longtime community servant, but was voted in under the new term limits that forced her predecessor John Sabini to leave office. She has served the community, but also served herself by voting to overturn the will of the people when she voted to extend a third term for the members of the City Council. Though that issue alone is not enough for us to oppose her re-election, in a closely matched contest, where we feel that a challenger, in this case Danny Dromm, can do just as good a job for the people, it is a deciding factor.

Danny has built networks throughout the district for years, has mobilized the people of his community and has taken tough stands on hard issues where his personal life has been put on the line for the betterment of a cause. In short, Danny is not afraid of a fight, and we are confident in his ability to fight for his district within the City Council. The Queens Tribune endorses Danny Dromm in the Democratic Primary.

Labels: Endorsements, Press

From Gay City News:
In Queens District 25, longtime LGBT and Democratic Party activist Daniel Dromm is taking on incumbent Helen Sears to represent Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Woodside, and Corona. Dating back to the early 1990s, when the anti-gay murder of Julio Rivera sparked outrage and a determination to speak up and be visible in Queens, he has played a critical leadership role in the borough’s LGBT community — in its annual pride celebration, its community center, a gay Democratic club, and assisting the victims of homophobic violence and their families. During the education curriculum wars of the early ’90s, Dromm, a school teacher, became the target of a vicious anti-gay propaganda campaign waged by a local school board member, a challenge he surmounted with considerable dignity. This year, an anonymous smear campaign, based on a 38-year-old tale of his arrest as a teenager when police nabbed him necking in a parked car, was launched against him, a reminder that gay sexuality will always be an issue for some in politics.

The dust-up this year is particularly unfortunate given Sears’ good record on gay issues, which has attracted support among several LGBT leaders in Queens. Notwithstanding the incumbent’s embrace of our community’s agenda, she has had eight years on the Council, and Dromm would be a welcome gay voice from a district outside Manhattan. He is a dedicated activist and hard worker who has kept on his toes throughout a long campaign season. Dromm deserves support from LGBT voters.

Labels: Endorsements, Press

From Queens Ledger

"Daniel Dromm is that rare, one-of-a-kind politician, and so this paper is endorsing his bid for City Council."

"If elected, Dromm would bring the exact combination of new ideas, credibility and experience the district needs."

"Improving the quality of life, the living standards and overall well-being of residents in the 25th District is a major undertaking. Dromm is up for the challenge."

New York City’s 25th Council District is often referred to as the most diverse district in the most diverse county in the country. This may very well be true.

Encompassing parts of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Rego Park, Woodside and Corona, the district represents large Latino, African-American and South Asian communities, not to mention a variety of other, smaller ethnic enclaves.

Each group has different needs, though of course many overlap (affordable housing, safe streets, economic opportunities and improved schools, are some).

It takes a special elected official to serve such a broad constituency, someone with a wide range of professional experience and personal compassion.

Daniel Dromm is that rare, one-of-a-kind politician, and so this paper is endorsing his bid for City Council.

Dromm is running against Councilwoman Helen Sears and Stanley Kalathara.

Endorsing a challenger over an incumbent means something.

It means, in this case, that Dromm already has in place the political relationships, skills, and far-reaching vision to take over where Sears has left off, without missing a beat, and actually improve upon her record.

Dromm is no novice to city politics or community organizing. He is the reigning Democratic District Leader in the 39th Assembly District, a position he was elected to in 2002. He has since won re-election three times.

He is a member of several community organizations, and an award-winning public school teacher. Dromm, who is gay, founded the Queens LGBT Pride Parade and Festival 15 years ago and runs it proudly to this day.

His long career in the community has won him many friends; Dromm’s name, especially in Jackson Heights, where he is most recognized as an effective community advocate, carries weight. Dromm’s inch-by-inch knowledge of the district rivals, if not surpasses, that of Sears. He speaks excellent Spanish, a certain job requirement of City Council members in years to come.

Simply put, he understands the district’s most pressing issues - from over-crowded schools to the abundance of crime along Roosevelt Avenue - and in each case has a fairly specific plan of action.

In comparison, Sears, who is seeking a third term, appears slightly out of touch with her constituency. To be sure, she has done some good work, in health care especially. But after eight years in office, she has begun making mistakes that Dromm would avoid.

For example, Sears recently proposed creating a “vendor-free zone” in the district to cut down on street vendors, who she said are eating into the profits of struggling, storefront small businesses.

That claim is in dispute, in what has become a hot-button issue of late. Regardless, Sears’ blanket, one-size-fits-all approach to the issue betrayed a thoughtlessness, or at the least an inattention to detail, that could prove dangerous in a third term in office.

On this and other issues Dromm - who supports regulating street vendors but not eliminating them entirely - takes a more nuanced view, which is essential in a district with myriad competing interests. (Of the three, Kalathara had the best, most comprehensive ideas on tackling street vendor problems).

Which isn't necessarily to say that Sears should disappear from public service. Her obvious interest in promoting the arts, not only in her district but throughout the city, would serve her well as the driving force behind a nonprofit or other community organization, as would her strong background in health care.

However, if elected, Dromm would bring the exact combination of new ideas, credibility and experience the district needs.

Improving the quality of life, the living standards and overall well-being of residents in the 25th District is a major undertaking. Dromm is up for the challenge.

Labels: Endorsements, Press

From Queens Gazette:
In the expected-to-be close Democratic Party primary in the 25th Council District (Jackson Heights), school teacher and gay advocate Daniel Dromm has received an important endorsement from former Assemblymember Ivan Lafayette.

In choosing Dromm, Lafayette, one of the highest-ranked regular Democratic former office holders in the district, bypassed another longtime regular Democratic official, incumbent Councilmember Helen Sears. For many years both Lafayette and Sears served as Democratic district leaders in Jackson Heights. Lafayette, who served for 32 years in the Assembly before retiring, said he endorsed Dromm after years of working personally with him and also because of Dromm's "commitment and effectiveness on the issues that matter most to me, —better schools, more access to doctors and health care, and improved quality of life".

Dromm also was recently endorsed by the Citizens Union, United Auto Workers and the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys. Also in the 25th district primary is Stanley Joseph Kalathara.

Labels: Education, Endorsements, HealthCare, Press