James S. Oddo District 50 - Council Member - Republican
Message from Minority Leader Oddo
Dear Friend:
Welcome and thank you for visiting my official New York City Council web page!
Please take a moment to look around and learn about some of the important issues I am currently working on for you.
Just as I have throughout my tenure with the Council, my staff and I are here to help you with any issue of concern. We want to make it as easy and convenient as possible for you to contact us. To request assistance or to share your thoughts on any issue, you may write or visit our District Office, located at 900 South Avenue, Suite 403, call us at 718-980-1017, fax us at 718-980-1051, or email me directly at joddo@council.nyc.gov.
We have literally assisted thousands of constituents throughout the years, developing an expertise in helping constituents navigate the often confusing city bureaucracy. I keenly recognize that, as an elected official, my first and greatest responsibility is to the constituents I am fortunate to represent. For that reason, I take constituent services very seriously and, while we cannot guarantee outcomes, I promise that my office will make every effort possible to assist you to the best of our abilities.
Again, thank you for visiting.
All the best,
James Oddo
Minority Leader
General Information
Entered City Council: 02/01/1999 Current Term Expires: 12/31/2013
Represents: parts of Dyker Heights and Bath Beach of Brooklyn , Arrochar, Bulls Head, Concord, Dongan Hill, Emerson Hill, Fort Wadsworth, Grant City, Graniteville, Grasmere, Island of Meadows, Midland Beach, New Dorp, Prall's Island, Richmondtown, South Beach, Todt Hill, Travis, Westerleigh, Willowbrook, parts of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
Minority Leader James S. Oddo was first elected to represent the people of the 50th Council District in a February 1999 special election to fill the seat of his predecessor and mentor John Fusco. Before being elected to the Council, Minority Leader Oddo served as chief-of-staff for Mr. Fusco and Legal Counsel for former Minority Leader Thomas V. Ognibene.
In 2002, Councilmember Oddo was unanimously selected to serve as Minority Leader by the Council’s Republican delegation. He has been re-elected to that post in 2004, 2006, and 2010.
During his term in office, the Staten Island Advance has described him as a "smart, passionate & savvy lawmaker," whose "commitment on the issues is legendary," and has praised him, stating that he "lives for his job, which, because of his ability, energy and insight, he does very well. No one works harder for the people of his district or for all of Staten Island than Mr. Oddo."
Throughout his tenure, Minority Leader Oddo has allocated more than $120 million for schools, parks, senior centers and other important projects for the benefit of his district.
Recognizing that a quality education is one of the most important issues facing our city today, Minority Leader Oddo has spearheaded new initiatives for schools throughout his district, including much needed class room space; the investment in new and exciting technology that improves the learning experience, such as new computer labs, "smart boards,"and wi-fi technology as well as new recreational places and playgrounds. Most recently, Minority Leader Oddo persuaded the Department of Education to purchase the old Doctors Hospital site to be used as a new and improved PS 48.
To improve health care, Minority Leader Oddo has been a leading advocate in calling for increased access to necessary services. He has allocated hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring state-of-the-art digital mammography machines to Staten Island and more than $2.59 million towards the new Staten Island University Hospital ER. He has also worked with the Staten Island Development Corporation to be a leading sponsor of the Staten Island Health and Wellness Expo. This worthwhile event encourages people to develop better habits and take charge of their own health.
Following in the footsteps of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Minority Leader Oddo has made public safety a crucial aspect of his tenure in office. He has allocated more than $4 million to outfit various facilities in his district with security cameras, including the JCC Family Center; the Staten Island Railway; PS 11, 41, 54, 58, 186K, 50, and IS 2; and the South Beach and Berry Houses. He has also been a key figure in the fight to increase police and fire resources on Staten Island, including leading a coalition of civic activists in saving Engine 161 in South Beach from the threat of closure in 2009 and 2010.
Quality of life issues are another focus of Minority Leader Oddo. To improve the deplorable street conditions throughout Staten Island, along with his City Council colleagues, he has allocated $3 million to ensure that more roads are milled and resurfaced while continuing to work with the NYC DOT to conduct additional "wear and tear" repairs of roads in need of fixing. Due to the advocacy and efforts of the Minority Leader, the New York State DOT repaved the entrance and exit ramps on the Staten Island Expressway, which were in deplorable condition.
An avid baseball fan, Minority Leader Oddo has also helped dramatically expand recreational opportunities in his district with more than $11 million allocated in various park projects, such as New Dorp Beach Park; the Greenbelt Recreation Center; and various athletic fields, such as the soccer fields in Ocean Breeze and at the Recreation Center.
Oddo, a native Staten Islander, received his BA from Fordham University and JD from New York Law School. The youngest of four sons, he comes from a family of proud city employees and he has never forgotten his roots. He has spent his tenure in office fighting for the often forgotten middle class taxpayers who are paying more in taxes, fines, and fees and seeing fewer resources come back to their communities.
Minority Leader Oddo at firehouse rally.
Minority Leader Oddo attends firehouse rally.
Legislation
During his tenure Councilman Oddo has enacted important legislation into law, including the following bills:
Local Law 63 of 2010: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring notification prior to tree planting.
Local Law 46 of 2010: A Local Law to amend the New York City charter, in relation to requiring that all proposed rules be reviewed by the law department and the mayor's office of operations.
Local Law 20 of 2005: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the placement of automated external defibrillators at certain public places.
Local Law 36 of 2007: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the regulation of general contractors of new one-, two- or three-family homes.
Local Law 45 of 2009: A Local Law to provide for the establishment of a panel on regulatory review.
Local Law 32 of 2009: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the unlawful damage or removal of trees within a Special Natural Area District.
Local Law 102 of 2005: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing civil penalties for damaging houses of religious worship or religious articles therein.
Local Law 20 of 2007: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the use of non-wood bats.
Local Law 69 of 2005: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to imposing civil penalties for discharging fireworks without a permit.
Local Law 32 of 2003: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the displaying of the POW/MIA flag
Councilman Oddo has introduced the following bills and resolutions during the current City Council term:
Intro. 126: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to city contracts with not-for-profit organizations in the amount of $100,000 or more.
Intro. 127: A Local Law to amend the New York City charter in relation to the review of patterns of contractual spending by city agencies with not-for-profit organizations.
Intro. 163: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to graffiti fines and penalties.
Reso. 166: Resolution calling on the boards of New York City's and New York State's pension funds to launch a policy of strategic divestment from companies with investments in Iran's energy sector.
Intro. 200: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of health and mental hygiene to make automated external defibrillators available to primary, intermediate and high schools that do not already receive such devices under any other provision of law.
Intro. 225: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the issuance of building permits for areas in which a certified rezoning application is pending.
Intro. 254: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of health and mental hygiene to make nurses available to public and private primary and intermediate schools with at least one hundred students.
Intro. 255: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the sale of aerosol spray paint cans and broad tipped indelible markers.
Intro. 276: A Local Law to amend the New York City Charter, in relation to requiring an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of all council members for the passage of any local law or resolution that raises taxes.
Reso. 368: Resolution calling upon the President to restore New York City's transit and port security anti-terrorism grants, which are essential to protecting the region.
Reso. 417: Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign legislation that would create the Staten Island Green Zone.
Minority Leader Oddo attends bill signing ceremony with Mayor Bloomberg
Minority Leader Oddo attends bill signing ceremony with Mayor Bloomberg
Councilman Oddo’s staff is here to assist you. If you need assistance with a city government related issue, please call the District Office at 718-980-1017.
You may also contact the following members of Councilman Oddo’s staff if you have specific questions:
Steven Matteo, Chief-of Staff (also contact with any scheduling requests): smatteo@council.nyc.gov
The applications and instructions for FY 2011 funding are linked below. Submitting an application does not guarantee a group will be funded. All groups are subject to the Council's vetting process.
Organization Qualification Form (doc | pdf)
For frequently asked questions, read here.
