I am pleased with this opportunity to write to about my candidacy for the readers of Juniper Berry. It has been an honor to represent the 30th District in the New York State Assembly for the past ten years. These are some of my achievements:

• I have provided more than $1 million in state funding to local schools, community groups and non-profit organizations to support vital programs and activities that benefit 30th Assembly District residents of all ages and needs.
• In Albany, many bills I have initiated over the years have been signed into law to provide safety, security and support for New Yorkers. This year alone, the Governor has already signed into law four of my bills, including several that protect the safety of the meat that is sold in our markets and one that provides benefits for surviving spouses of NYC Police and Fire Officers killed in the line of duty.
• In the community, my office and I respond to hundreds of inquiries and requests for assistance every year about local issues and problems. I have also been a strong advocate for our neighborhoods on community improvement and quality of life issues. These have recently included expanded summer activities in local parks, addressing the threat of flooding, and the inappropriate location of a cell transmitter on a residential block.
• On Grand Avenue, the “main street” of Maspeth, I have worked with the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses to provide cleaner streets and sidewalks through the work of a Doe Fund maintenance crew and to enhance the beautification of the streetscape with hanging baskets, antique lighting and “Welcome to Maspeth” signage. Our most urgent goal for this prime regional shopping area is to be successful in the community’s long-running campaign to get unwanted trucks off this street, and I am working with the City’s Department of Transportation to achieve this goal.

My highest priority as a public official has been to make life better for the residents of New York and Queens. I am proud of my record as your Assemblymember and I look forward to the opportunity of continuing to serve you in the years ahead.
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Assemblywoman Margaret M. Markey Marge Markey is a life-long resident of Maspeth, where her family has lived for four generations. In November of 1998 she was elected to the New York State Assembly after serving her community in many different capacities, including service as a member of Community Board 2, then Community Board 5 after new geographical lines were implemented. In 1972, Marge spearheaded a successful effort to save one of her community’s oldest buildings and convert it into a community and cultural center that today as Maspeth Town Hall serves over 1000 families a week with programs for pre-schoolers through seniors. Marge returned to the salaried workforce in 1981 as an Account Executive for Projects in Knowledge, a pharmaceutical education and marketing firm. She began her career in government with the office of the Queens Borough President as Assistant Director of Economic Development. Her marketing talents soon took hold and she approached the Borough President about developing an office of Tourism to promote the borough’s many attractions and hospitality venues, becoming Director of Tourism for the Borough of Queens, a position she held until 1998 when she ran for the New York State Assembly. She also continues to serve her community as Democratic District Leader and is a member of the Maspeth Chapter of Kiwanis and President of the Irish American Legislator’s Society. In Albany, she is a member of the New York State Legislative Women’s Caucus and Chair of the House Operations Committee. Marge graduated from the Berkeley Business School.