Council Member Gale A. Brewer has been representing the Upper West Side and Clinton in the New York City Council since 2002. She was re-elected in November 2005 general election with over 80 percent of the vote, receiving nearly 10,000 more votes than any other incumbent. In the November 2003 election, she received 86% of the vote. Her service in the Council is a continuation of nearly 30 years of public service.

Brewer chairs the Committee on Technology in Government, where she works to make better use of technology to save money, improve City services, and bring residents, businesses and non-profits closer to government and their communities. Other committees on which Gale Brewer serves include: Finance; General Welfare; Higher Education; Housing & Buildings; Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse & Disability Services; Parks & Recreation; and Waterfronts. In addition, she co-chairs the Manhattan Delegation and sits on the Council's Steering Committee and the Budget Negotiating Team. Brewer has been instrumental in passing numerous laws, including legislation protecting domestic workers; a bill establishing an electronic death registration system; two bills aimed at eliminating graffiti and unwanted stickers; and legislation requiring City publications to be made available via the Web.

Prior to her election, Brewer served as Project Manager for the NYC Nonpofits Project and worked with the Telesis Corporation, a private firm that builds affordable housing. As Deputy Public Advocate for Intergovernmental Affairs (1994-1998), Brewer promoted legislation, wrote policy, and monitored the implementation of the National Voter Registration Act. Her web site, the first in City government, won an award from New York Magazine. As director of the Mayor's Federal Office in New York City (1990-1994), she assisted the Dinkins Administration with its legislative agenda and initiated private funding for a technical assistance program for community-based organizations seeking federal funds. On the West Side she served for over a decade as Chief of Staff to Council Member Ruth Messinger.

Brewer has received numerous awards for her service on over two dozen neighborhood and nonprofit boards as well as her work in the City Council. In 2000, she was cited by the Daily News as "One of 50 New Yorkers to Watch." She has taught urban policy at Barnard, Baruch, Brooklyn, Hunter, and Queens Colleges. Gale has an MPA from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and did her undergraduate work at Columbia University and Bennington College. She is married to Cal Snyder and has raised adopted children.

Entered City Council: 01/01/2002
Current Term Expires: 12/31/2009

Represents: West Side 55th to 96th Streets

Committees: Technology in Government (Chair); Aging; Finance; General Welfare; Higher Education; Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse & Disability Services; Oversight and Investigations; Waterfronts