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Eric Stevenson
| Eric Stevenson | ||
 | ||
| New York State Assembly District 79 | ||
| Incumbent | ||
| In office | ||
| 2011 - Present | ||
| Term ends | ||
| January 1, 2015 | ||
| Years in position | 2 | |
| Party | Democratic | |
| Compensation | ||
| Base salary | $79,500/year | |
| Per diem | $171/full day; $61/half day | |
| Elections and appointments | ||
| Last election | November 6, 2012 | |
| First elected | 2010 | |
| Next election | November 4, 2014 | |
| Term limits | N/A | |
| Personal | ||
| Profession | Committee Clerk | |
| Websites | ||
| Office website | ||
 | ||
Contents |
Stevenson has an educational background in labor organizing, electronics systems technology, and international business. He has been a community coordinator and liaison to Community Board 3 for Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. Currently, he works as a legislative researcher for the City Council Speaker and as a committee clerk.
Committee assignments
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Stevenson served on the following committees:
| New York Committee Assignments, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Alcoholism and Drug Abuse | ||||
| • Correction | ||||
| • Governmental Operations | ||||
| • Health | ||||
| • Veterans' Affairs | ||||
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Stevenson served on the following committees:
| New York Committee Assignments, 201 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Alcoholism and Drug Abuse | ||||
| • Correction | ||||
| • Governmental Operations | ||||
| • Housing | ||||
| • Veterans' Affairs | ||||
Issues
Pension sweeteners
On February 13, 2013, New York legislators introduced eight bills to "sweeten" government employee pensions. The nonpartisan Citizens Budget Commission released a chart of these bills and their costs, totaling $1.311 billion for the state government and $46 million for local governments. Stevenson co-sponsored one of these eight.[1] E.J. McMahon of the pro-market Empire State Center for New York Policy criticized the bills but placed major responsibility for them on Governor Andrew Cuomo, who in 2012 raised the possibility of better pension deals if the economy improved.[2] The New York Daily News published an editorial against the bills on February 21, denouncing the proposals as examples of "incorrigible recklessness with the public’s money."[3]
- Assembly Bill 4879, sponsored by Peter Abbate, Stevenson, William Colton, Vivian Cook, and Earlene Hill Hooper would allow employees in the New York State and Local Employees' Retirement System (NYSLERS) to retire with full benefits after 35 years of employment without regard to their age. This bill would cost the state government an estimated $87 million.[4]
Elections
2012
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2012
Stevenson ran in the 2012 election for New York State Assembly District 79. He ran unopposed in the Democratic, Republican, and Working Families Party primaries on September 13, 2012. He defeated Selsia Evans and Jose A. Padilla, Jr. in the general election which took place on November 6, 2012. [5][6]
| New York State Assembly, District 79, General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Eric Stevenson Incumbent |
97% | 28,225 | |
| Independence | Jose A. Padilla, Jr. | 2.2% | 651 | |
| Conservative | Selsia Evans | 0.8% | 228 | |
| Total Votes | 29,104 | |||
Endorsements
- 32BJ/SEIU[7]
2010
- See also: New York State Assembly elections, 2010
Stevenson was uncontested in the September 14 Democratic primary. Stevenson defeated Deborah Benbow (R) and Henry Bonet, Jr. (Conservative) in the general election on November 2.[8]
| New York State Assembly, District 79 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Eric Stevenson (D)
|
13,658 | |||
| Deborah Benbow (R) | 436 | |||
| Henry Bonet, Jr. (C) | 113 | |||
Campaign donors
2012
Campaign donor information is not yet available for this year.
2010
In 2010, Stevenson raised a total of $54,265 in campaign contributions.[9]
His four largest campaign contributors in 2010 were:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bronx Democratic County Cmte | $3,000 |
| New York State Laborers | $2,800 |
| Correction Officers Benevolent Association | $2,800 |
| Serv-Tek Elevator Corp | $2,500 |
Controversy
2013 bribery scandal
On April 4, 2013, Stevenson was arrested and charged with bribery in the amount of $22,000. The complaint against him states that he was recorded meeting a representative of a group of businessmen looking to open daycare centers for seniors. On the tape, he is heard offering to draft legislation that would impose a moratorium on the establishment of such facilities. For cooperating in the case, fellow assemblyman Nelson Castro agreed to resign from office in return for having existing charges dropped.[10]
Recent news
 |
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This section displays the most recent stories in a Google News search for the term "Eric + Stevenson + New + York + Assembly"
- All stories may not be relevant to this legislator due to the nature of the search engine.
Eric Stevenson News Feed
- What's In The Water? The Persistence Of Political Corruption In The Bronx - City & State (satire) (press release) (blog)
- Afternoon's NY Assembly Session Abruptly Canceled For Lawmaker Ethics ... - New York Daily News (blog)
- NY Working Families Party-Backed Candidates Touched By Corruption Scandals - New York Daily News (blog)
- NYS Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver Warns His Conference About Corruption - New York Daily News (blog)
- 'A conversation that goes on at everybody's kitchen table' - Capital New York
- Scandal Ends Another Black New York Politician's Career - BET
- Lawmaker's Secret Recordings Aid Federal Probe of Politicians - Wall Street Journal (blog)
- New York's Troubled Lawmakers: The list grows and grows and? - statepolitics.lohudblogs (blog)
- Assembly GOP wants recall elections in New York - WGRZ-TV
- Cleaning up Albany takes time, which Cuomo may have - Capital New York
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External links
- House website
- Project Vote Smart biography
- Project Vote Smart legislative profile
- Campaign contributions: 2010
References
- ↑ Citizens Budget Commission, "A Busy Day in Albany," February 20, 2013
- ↑ E.J. McMahon, Empire State Center for New York Policy, "Pension follies continue," February 21, 2013
- ↑ New York Daily News, "More, more, always more," February 21, 2013
- ↑ Bill summary for NY Assembly Bill 4879, accessed March 12, 2013
- ↑ State of New York, State Board of Elections, Candidate Petition List, retrieved August 15, 2012.
- ↑ ABC News, "New York unofficial 2012 primary election results," accessed September 13, 2012
- ↑ New York Daily News, "32BJ/SEIU Endorses For State Senate, Assembly," August 1, 2012
- ↑ New York Times NY state legislative election results
- ↑ 2010 campaign contributions
- ↑ NBC News, "2nd big bribery scandal rocks New York -- this week alone," April 4, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Michael Benjamin |
New York Assembly District 79 2011–present |
Succeeded by NA |
- State legislative article missing donor information
- State legislative article unique news needing double-check
- Democratic Party
- New York
- House of Representatives candidate, 2010
- 2010 challenger
- 2010 candidate
- 2010 winner
- 2010 open seat
- Current member, New York State Assembly
- State representatives first elected in 2010
- 2012 incumbent
- House of Representatives candidate, 2012
- 2012 primary (winner)
- 2012 general election (winner)
