Shirley Huntley
Encyclopedia
Shirley L. Huntley is a New York State Senator
, first elected in 2006 to represent parts of Queens County, including Jamaica
, South Jamaica
, Springfield Gardens
, Laurelton
, South Ozone Park
, Kew Gardens, Broad Channel
, and Lindenwood
. A Democrat
, she defeated former Senator Ada Smith
in the Democratic Primary. She is the Ranking Minority Member of the Investigations and Government Operations Committee. She serves on the Education Committee, the Higher Education Committee, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee, and the Transportation Committee.
Huntley presently resides in Jamaica with her husband Herbert Huntley. They operate a maintenance company known as Huntley Enterprises. She was elected to Community School Board 28 in 1993 and served as its president until the dissolution of the School Board in 2004. She was appointed to the Community Education Council for District 28 in June 2004 and was elected as its president in July 2004.
On December 2, 2009, Huntley was one of eight Democratic state senators to vote against same-sex marriage
legislation, which failed to pass the Senate. In June 2011, nevertheless, Huntley came out in support of gay marriage, and voted for it in the successful 33–29 vote to pass it into law.
On March 13, 2011, the New York Post
revealed that Huntley was being investigated by the office of the state Attorney-General for allegedly running a taxpayer-funded fraudulent charity. Concurrently, a number of current and former senators, including Carl Kruger
and Pedro Espada Jr., are being investigated on charges of corruption during their terms in office.
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
, first elected in 2006 to represent parts of Queens County, including Jamaica
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
, South Jamaica
South Jamaica, Queens
South Jamaica, known colloquially as Southside & Southside Jamaica Queens, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, located south of downtown Jamaica, the Long Island Rail Road tracks Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue. The western border is the Van Wyck Expressway, and it...
, Springfield Gardens
Springfield Gardens, Queens
Springfield Gardens is a neighborhood in the southeastern area of the New York City borough of Queens, bounded to the north by St. Albans, to the east by Laurelton & Rosedale, to the south by John F. Kennedy International Airport, and to the west by Farmers Boulevard...
, Laurelton
Laurelton, Queens
Laurelton is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is now a largely middle class neighborhood. In the 1930s through 1970s and beyond, the neighborhood was populated by many Jewish Americans, but succeeding generations have been made up of new migrants. The neighborhood is part...
, South Ozone Park
South Ozone Park, Queens
South Ozone Park is a neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens. It was originally developed as low-cost housing in the early 1900s. Adjacently north of JFK Airport, its boundaries extend from the Aqueduct Racetrack westward to the Van Wyck Expressway.Its main...
, Kew Gardens, Broad Channel
Broad Channel, Queens
Broad Channel is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It occupies the southern portion of Rulers Bar Hassock , which is the only inhabited island in Jamaica Bay. The neighborhood stands on Big Egg Marsh, an area of fill approximately 20 blocks long and 4 blocks wide...
, and Lindenwood
Lindenwood, Queens
Lindenwood is a section of Howard Beach, Queens, New York. This middle class area was developed in the 1950s and 1960s and sits on landfilled land...
. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, she defeated former Senator Ada Smith
Ada Smith
Ada L. Smith served as a New York State Senator from 1989 to 2006. She represented the 10th Senate District, centered in the Jamaica, Queens section of New York City....
in the Democratic Primary. She is the Ranking Minority Member of the Investigations and Government Operations Committee. She serves on the Education Committee, the Higher Education Committee, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee, and the Transportation Committee.
Huntley presently resides in Jamaica with her husband Herbert Huntley. They operate a maintenance company known as Huntley Enterprises. She was elected to Community School Board 28 in 1993 and served as its president until the dissolution of the School Board in 2004. She was appointed to the Community Education Council for District 28 in June 2004 and was elected as its president in July 2004.
On December 2, 2009, Huntley was one of eight Democratic state senators to vote against same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in New York
Same-sex marriage in the U.S. state of New York became legal on July 24, 2011, under the Marriage Equality Act, which was passed on June 24, 2011, by the New York State Legislature and signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on the same day...
legislation, which failed to pass the Senate. In June 2011, nevertheless, Huntley came out in support of gay marriage, and voted for it in the successful 33–29 vote to pass it into law.
On March 13, 2011, the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
revealed that Huntley was being investigated by the office of the state Attorney-General for allegedly running a taxpayer-funded fraudulent charity. Concurrently, a number of current and former senators, including Carl Kruger
Carl Kruger
Carl Kruger is an American politician, a Democrat who represents District 27 in the New York State Senate, which comprises Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, Gravesend, Bergen Beach, Mill Basin, and Midwood, among other neighborhoods found within his native Brooklyn...
and Pedro Espada Jr., are being investigated on charges of corruption during their terms in office.
External links
- New York State Senate: Shirley L. Huntley, official website
- Huntley's response to the 2008 Candidate Questionnaire for State Senate from the 504 Democratic Club of New York City