Howard L. Lasher
Member of the New York City Council
from the 47th district
In office
January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001
Succeeded byDomenic Recchia
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 46th district
In office
January 3, 1973 – December 31, 1993
Preceded byLeonard M. Simon
Succeeded byJules Polonetsky
Personal details
Born
Howard Louis Lasher

(1944-05-07)May 7, 1944
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 11, 2007(2007-03-11) (aged 62)
Ocean Parkway, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Geri Lasher(first wife), Susan Lasher (second wife)
Children5 (Lisa, Laurie, David, and stepchildren Marissa and Jared)
ResidenceNew York State
OccupationPolitician

Howard L. Lasher (1944–2007) was an American Democratic Party politician from Brooklyn. He was the first Orthodox Jew elected to state office in New York. He was the first to ever wear a Kippah in the New York assembly.[1]

Political career

Lasher was a well-known politician in Brooklyn, New York, for over thirty-five years.[2] He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1973 to 1993, sitting in the 180th, 181st, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th and 190th New York State Legislatures.[3] He was a member of the New York City Council from 1994 to 2001.[4][5] He had represented Brooklyn's 47th District on the City Council,[6] representing Coney Island, Brighton Beach and the surrounding communities.[1]

New York Deprogramming Bill

Lasher was the principal author of the "New York Deprogramming Bill, which would have allowed courts to appoint temporary guardians to remove people forcibly from cults.[7] The New York State Assembly passed the bill 77-64,[8] as did the New York State Senate 35-23.[9] However, it was vetoed in July 1981 by New York Governor Hugh Carey.[7]

Council member

While a Council Member, Lasher funded the reconstruction of Brighton Playground, in 1995.[10] As an Assemblyman, Lasher served as Chairman of New York State Governor Mario Cuomo's Insurance Committee.[11]

In November 2000, Lasher helped fund a $2 million reconstruction of the playground area of Calvert Vaux Park, a 73-acre (300,000 m2) park in New York City; named for Calvert Vaux, the designer of Central Park.[12]

Later years

Lasher did not run in the 2001 Brooklyn City Council elections due to term limits. His wife, Susan Lasher, ran and lost to Domenic Recchia, receiving 2,999 votes to his 4,509.[6][13]

Howard Lasher died in his Ocean Parkway, New York home, on March 11, 2007.[1]

Education

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Legislator Howard Lasher dies at 62 - City and state pol fought for disadvantaged in decades-long career.", Park Slope Courier, Gary Busio, March 16, 2007., Courier-Life Publications.
  2. ↑ Frances McIntyre, Arnold Smith, New York Times, May 3, 1998
    "His father was an executive assistant to former State Assemblyman Howard L. Lasher of Brooklyn."
  3. ↑ Candidate Statements Archived 2006-05-23 at the Wayback Machine, New York City Campaign Finance Board, Susan Lasher, City Council, 47th Council District, retrieved 1/22/07.
  4. ↑ "Brooklyn Councilman, a Political Fixture, Faces Fight in Primary", August 28, 1997, The New York Times, Jonathan P. Hicks.
  5. ↑ New York City Economic Development Corporation, August 22, 2000, Press Release
    Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was joined today by City Council Speaker Peter F. Vallone, City Council Member Howard L. Lasher, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Finance Robert M. Harding, New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) President Michael G. Carey, New York Mets co-owner Fred Wilpon, and Joan Hodges, wife of baseball player Gil Hodges, to celebrate the start of construction on the permanent home of the New York Mets' minor league baseball team.
  6. 1 2 New York City District 47, Gotham Gazette, Primary Election Results.
  7. 1 2 Dionne Jr., E.J. (July 20, 1981). "Carey Kills Bill Allowing Removal of 'Coerced' Members from Cults". The New York Times. p. B7. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  8. ↑ The Buffalo News, Buffalo, New York, "Anti-Cult Bill Stirs Debate on Constitutionality", June 23, 1981.
  9. ↑ "NY Senate Passes Bill on Cult Deprogramming", Garden City Newsday, Keeler, July 1, 1981, New York.
  10. ↑ Brighton Playground, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, July 07, 1998
  11. ↑ Sack, Kevin (February 27, 1991). "Cuomo Bill Seeks Insurance for the AIDS Exposed". New York Times. Retrieved September 16, 2017. Insurance industry officials and key legislators said today that it would be unfair to non-AIDS patients to make them share the high cost of insuring those with the disease. "If you do this you'll bring the cost of insurance up and you'll exclude people who can no longer afford the insurance," said Assemblyman Howard L. Lasher, Democrat of Brooklyn, the chairman of the Insurance Committee. Mr. Lasher said the bill "would have almost no chance in the Senate."
  12. ↑ Calvert Vaux Park, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, November 07, 2001.
  13. ↑ How The Promise Of Campaign 2001 Played Out, Mark Berkey-Gerard, Gotham Gazette, 2001.
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