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Vanessa Gibson

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Vanessa Gibson
14th Borough President of The Bronx
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2022
DeputyJanet Peguero
Preceded byRubén Díaz Jr.
Member of the New York City Council
from the 16th district
In office
January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2021
Preceded byHelen Foster
Succeeded byAlthea Stevens
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 77th district
In office
June 16, 2009 – August 31, 2013
Preceded byAurelia Greene
Succeeded byLatoya Joyner
Personal details
Born (1979-03-19) March 19, 1979 (age 45)
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity at Albany (BA)
Baruch College (MPA)
Signature

Vanessa L. Gibson (born March 19, 1979) is an American politician who has served as the Borough President of The Bronx since 2022. She served as a member of the New York City Council, representing the 16th district from 2014 to 2021.[1] A Democrat, she was elected Bronx Borough President in November 2021 to a four-year term beginning January 2022, running on a platform focused on recovery from COVID-19 impact, food insecurity and housing instability.[2][3] She is the first female and first African American Bronx Borough President.[4][5]

Life and career

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Gibson is a lifelong resident of New York City and was raised in Bedford–Stuyvesant.[6] She graduated from Murry Bergtraum High School in 1997 and went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the State University of New York at Albany in May 2001. Gibson received a M.P.A. from Baruch College (City University of New York) in May 2009.

In her senior year of undergraduate studies, Gibson interned for Assemblywoman Aurelia Greene. Two years later, in November 2003, Gibson was promoted to the District Manager for Greene's 77th District. She was subsequently elected to the New York State Assembly in a June 2009 special election. Her assumption was in succession of her mentor Greene, who had joined the cabinet of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. earlier that year.

New York City Council

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Gibson with NYPD at Mullaly Pool in the Bronx, NY, July 2015

On November 5, 2013, Gibson successfully ran for New York City Council after winning a fairly contentious primary election. Within her district, Gibson is particularly adamant about eliminating homelessness and hunger.[7] Gibson held Annual Housing Conferences to solidify the relationship between landlords and tenants in District 16.[8] She held free meal events to feed the children of the South Bronx,[9] and designated much of her district's budget allocation towards the schools and senior homes within her district.[10]

While working at the city council, Gibson used her influence to escape penalties from a traffic ticket she received from a police officer for using her cellphone while driving in 2014. The officer who wrote her the ticker later sued the NYPD for $75 million after her supervisor insisted she void the ticket after talking to Gibson.[11] Gibson later paid a $5,000 fine in connection with the incident and admitted to violating a section of the City Charter that forbids elected officials from using their positions for personal advantage.[12]

Gibson worked as chairperson to the council's public safety committee, which is among bodies charged with oversight of the New York Police Department (NYPD).[13] In the wake of public outrage over the deaths of civilians such as Eric Garner, she assured the public through various media outlets that she would rectify the NYPD transparency system and better equip officers for public service.[14] She worked with Mayor Bill de Blasio, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to implement the use of body worn cameras, GPS tracking devices for officers, and technological advancement funding for the NYPD.[13]

Gibson with Mayor Bill de Blasio during the Legionnaires Bill Signing on August 18, 2015

Gibson also addressed the school-to-prison pipeline. On March 31, 2015, Gibson introduced an amendment to the 2011 Student Safety Act. The bill, Intro 0730-2015, co-sponsored by Council Member Corey Johnson, was designed to mandate the release of school disciplinary activity on the Department of Education's website. The amendment also called for statistical data of student arrests to be reported to the NYC Council. Intro 730 was signed into law on October 13, 2015. It was the first New York City law to be introduced to the NYC Council by Council Member Gibson.[15]

Gibson responded to the 2015 Bronx Legionnaires' disease outbreaks that primarily plagued her constituents. She worked with Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), among many other New York City authorities to investigate the cause of the outbreak and implement prophylactic legislation accordingly.[16] On August 18, 2015, Gibson stood alongside the Mayor as he signed Local Law 866 (Int 0866-2015),[17] a historical legislation that mandates cooling tower registration and regulates the maintenance of citywide towers.[16]

Gibson secured $25M for Grant Park, $4.6M for Bridge Playground, $4M for Corporal Fischer Park, and supported a $100M renovation of the Bronx's only state park, Roberto Clemente State Park.[18]

Election history

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Election history
Location Year Election Results
NY Assembly
District 77 		2009 Special √ Vanessa Gibson (D) 74.92%
Joel Rivera (Conservative) 21.12%
Barbara Bowland (R) 3.97%
NY Assembly
District 77 		2010 General √ Vanessa Gibson (D) 95.83%
Tanya Carmichael (R) 2.83%
Robert Marrero (Conservative) 1.16%
NY Assembly
District 77 		2012 Democratic Primary √ Vanessa Gibson 89.94%
Anthony Curry 9.80%
NY Assembly
District 77 		2012 General √ Vanessa Gibson (D) 97.74%
Tanya Carmichael (R) 1.73%
Devon Morrison (Conservative) .52%
NYC Council
District 16 		2013 Democratic Primary √ Vanessa Gibson 44.15%
Pedro Alvarez 16.77%
Carlos Sierra 14.36%
Daryl L. Johnson 7.70%
Naaimat Muhammed 6.55%
Carlton Berkley 5.87%
Bola Omotosho 4.62%
NYC Council
District 16 		2013 General √ Vanessa Gibson (D) 91.06%
Carlos Sierra (Independence) 4.33%
Walter L. Newsome Jr. (Jobs & Education) 2.83%
Benjamin Eggleston (R) 1.77%
NYC Council
District 16 		2017 General √ Vanessa Gibson (D) 96.17%
Benjamin Eggleston (R) 3.61%
Bronx Borough President 2021 General √ Vanessa Gibson (D) 79.93%
Janelle King (R) 13.41%
Sammy Ravelo (Conservative) 6.52%

References

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  1. ^ "Vanessa Gibson - Ballotpedia". Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  2. ^ "Democrat Council members get promotions in 3 borough president races". NYPost. 3 November 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  3. ^ Glesby, Laura. "Vanessa Gibson is the Likely Next Bronx Borough President; Here's What She Ran On". Gotham Gazette. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  4. ^ Balk, Tim (3 November 2021). "Vanessa Gibson is elected first female Bronx borough president". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  5. ^ "Vanessa Gibson Archives". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  6. ^ "Vanessa Gibson wants the be the Bronx's first black BP". City & State NY. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  7. ^ "CM's Levin, Wills, and Gibson and advocates applaud Cuomo for action on rental assistance program for New York City homeless population". stephenlevin33.tumblr.com/. Council Member Steven Levin Tumblr. March 31, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  8. ^ "Assembly Member Latoya Joyner Newsletter" (PDF). Vol. 1, Issue 6. New York State Assembly. June 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015. Annual Housing Conference, in collaboration with City Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson and the Tenant, Block, & Neighborhood Council
  9. ^ Rocchio, Patrick (September 8, 2015). "Yankee pitcher and councilwoman team up to promote the city's free summer meals program at Mullaly Pool". Bronx Times. Archived from the original on Sep 25, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  10. ^ "The City Council of the City of New York Fiscal Year 2016 Adopted Expense Budget Adjustment Summary / Schedule C" (PDF). The City Council of the City of New York. The New York City Government. June 26, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on Sep 25, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  11. ^ Marzulli, John (2016-08-15). "EXCLUSIVE: NYPD cop claims she was ordered to nix ticket for city councilwoman who was driving while talking on phone". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  12. ^ Mays, Jeffery C. (2020-02-14). "She Pulled Rank to Avoid a $50 Ticket. Now She'll Pay a $5,000 Fine". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  13. ^ a b "NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Public Safety Chair Vanessa Gibson & City Council Announce Comprehensive Response to Eric Garner Incident". The New York City Council. The New York City Government. December 10, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  14. ^ Mayo, Eric (August 6, 2015). "QUART, SQUADRON, ADVOCATES ANNOUNCE BILL ALLOWING PUBLIC ACCESS TO POLICE BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE". NEW YORK STATE SENATOR DANIEL L. SQUADRON (D) 26TH SENATE DISTRICT. The New York State Senate. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  15. ^ "The New York City Council - File #: Int 0730-2015". legistar.council.nyc.gov. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  16. ^ a b "Mayor Bill de Blasio Signs First-In-Nation Legislation for Cooling Tower Maintenance". 18 August 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  17. ^ "Intro 866- Regulation of Cooling Towers". The New York City Council. The New York Government. August 13, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  18. ^ "Vanessa Gibson". New York League of Conservation Voters. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vanessa Gibson.
New York State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the New York Assembly
from the 77th district
2009–2013 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Member of the New York City Council
from the 16th district
2014–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Borough President of The Bronx
2022–present 		Incumbent
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