Green Praises the “Progressive Vision” of His Former Policy Director
New York, NY – Former Public Advocate Mark Green announced his endorsement of Council Member Ben Kallos for Manhattan Borough President citing his “progressive vision” and his ability to deliver on his ideas to make New York City work better.
“Ben Kallos legislates with a rare combination of focus and creativity,” said First Public Advocate Mark Green. “All the way back in 2009 when he was working with me to develop ‘Change for New York: 100 Ideas for a Better City,’ I was confident that Ben Kallos had a unique progressive vision. In his time in the Council I have been blown away by his ability to get big wins for New Yorkers while standing up to powerful forces, and I know he’s ready to take the role Manhattan Borough President by storm.”
Serving as Director of Policy for Green’s 2009 campaign for Public Advocate, Kallos worked with Green on his "Change for New York: 100 Ideas for a Better City." Since being elected to the City Council in 2013, Kallos has championed many of Green’s progressive policies and has won hard-fought gains, including expanding the public campaign finance system Green originally wrote for a full public match to get big money out, providing affordable housing through an online portal, fighting homelessness by founding a taskforce and building supportive housing, and adding more than 1,400 new public school seats.
Green and Kallos have recently teamed up to support progressive candidates for office, including Jumaane Williams for Public Advocate and most recently Elizabeth Warren for President. Kallos was the first Manhattan politician to endorse Warren, after Green initially introduced them.
“There are no easy public policy issues, but Ben has taken on some of the hardest,” said Former Public Advocate Mark Green. “Ben has taken on ‘unsolvable’ problems that have plagued New York for years—from scaffolding to tenant blacklists—and found creative ways to finally make the progress New Yorkers are looking for. I am proud to see what he’s done, and excited to see him bring his energy to the borough of Manhattan.”
“Mark Green taught me what it means to be a true progressive—not just someone with progressive values, but someone who works overtime to get things done and who meets special interests head on with big ideas,” said Council Member Ben Kallos.
Mark Green served as New York City’s first Public Advocate and was the Democratic Nominee for Mayor in 2001. He is a bestselling author whose most recent books are Fake President (with Ralph Nader, Dec. 2019) and Bright, Infinite Future: A Generational Memoir on the Progressive Rise (2016).
Mark Green joins 42 labor unions in endorsing Council Member Ben Kallos for Manhattan Borough President.
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