John Liu
50,000-Plus Member Union Plans Major Effort For Liu
Citing his lifelong commitment to fighting for working families, the New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council, AFL-CIO (HTC) announced today its endorsement of John Liu in the race for New York State Senate. The union, which represents 50,000-plus workers and retirees, is known for its highly sophisticated political operation. With a proven track record, having decisively won recent elections supporting Rep. Grace Meng, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and Senator Martin Golden, HTC will launch an aggressive on-the-ground network to organize the growing support throughout District 11 for John Liu.
“John Liu is the real progressive candidate in this race and he knows how to deliver results for the working people of this city,” said Peter Ward, President of the Hotel Trades Council. “John has never wavered in his commitment to fighting for the working men and women of New York. He is the type of leader we need in Albany, and with his proven track record, John’s far and away the best choice for State Senate.”
“Our members will be on the front-lines working to elect progressive Democrat John Liu, who has fought for years to improve the lives of working families. In the Senate, John will keep fighting for the issues that New Yorkers care about, including raising the minimum wage, creating good jobs and fully funding our schools,” said Josh Gold, Political Director of Hotel Trades Council. “We are committed to putting the resources and people-power behind John Liu because he need a leader who will not stand in the way of progress.”
“I am deeply honored by the outpouring of support from the hardworking men and women of the Hotel Trades Council,” said progressive Democrat John Liu. “This is a clear sign that people of New York City want a real progressive change in Albany and effective leadership that will not protect the Republican status quo. Together, with HTC and the working families of the 11th District on my side, we will finally deliver the change New Yorkers deserve.”
With the endorsement of labor heavyweight HTC, Democrat John Liu is off to a commanding start in his race for State Senate. This endorsement affirms the outpouring of support he continues to receive for his growing campaign.
The first Asian American to have been elected to citywide office, John Liu has always been a fighter for the hard-working people of this city, first as a member of the New York City Council, then as City Comptroller.
The 43rd Comptroller of New York City, John Liu established an impressive record as the chief financial officer for 8.4 million residents and overseeing municipal government with an annual budget of $70 billion. John saved taxpayers $5 billion through rigorous audits of City agencies, detailed scrutiny of contracts with private companies, and refinancing of $20 billion of outstanding City bond debt.
During his four-year term of office, he achieved an enviable total investment return, increasing the City’s pension asset portfolio to $150 billion. John created the nationally acclaimed online application “CheckbookNYC.com” providing unprecedented transparency in government spending. He facilitated economic development and new job creation with acceleration of City capital projects, capturing low interest rates in the bond markets.
Always emphasizing that “it’s not just about numbers, it’s about people,” John Liu championed fairness and equality. An early and staunch opponent of stop-and-frisk tactics, John highlighted the risks to communities and taxpayers alike due to damaged police-community relations. John presented daily-updated M/WBE Report Cards for City agencies to monitor and encourage greater government contracting opportunities for minority entrepreneurs. John also proposed sound economic policies to create real economic growth and narrow the ever-widening wealth gap, protected wage standards and recouped back wages and fines on behalf of cheated workers from contractors who just don’t want to play by the rules, and exposed the billions of dollars in publicly-subsidized corporate welfare doled out by the City that failed to deliver on promised new jobs and fair housing.
As a member of the New York City Council, John Liu represented his hometown of Flushing and northeast Queens. He secured millions of dollars in additional funding for schools, libraries, parks, senior citizen centers, and youth programs. John served as chairperson of the Council’s Transportation Committee overseeing operations of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Department of Transportation, and Taxi and Limousine Commission, and enacted legislation boosting efficiency and efficacy of key City agencies.
John’s significant accomplishments as a legislator included exposing financial irregularities at the MTA, enacting legislation like the Equal Access Bill mandating on-demand language services in health and human services agencies, the School Zone Engine Idling Bill limiting engine idling near schools, and the Dignity for All Schools Act requiring the Department of Education to track bullying and harassment in schools.
Hailed as a “Trailblazer” and “Pioneer,” John’s historic elections – as the first Asian American to win legislative office in New York and the first to win citywide office – were milestones for Asian Americans in New York and across the nation. Although he wishes Asian Americans had been elected long before, John is honored to be the first and embraces the opportunity to broaden representation and public service.
John Liu emigrated from Taiwan at the age of five. He was educated in New York public schools, including Hunter College High School, Bronx High School of Science, and Binghamton University, attaining his degree in Mathematical Physics. John lives in Flushing with his wife Jenny and their son Joey.
