A teachable moment in District 47 Council race

September 11, 2013 Helen Klein
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“They were asking what a teacher could do,” recalled Mark Treyger, as he declared victory on the evening of Tuesday, September 10, besting opponents Todd Dobrin and John Lisyanskiy in a three-way primary in the 47th Council District, including Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Coney Island and Seagate.

“You showed them,” called out one supporter while another added, “It’s a good lesson.”

Treyger, a teacher at New Utrecht High School, snagged 3,058 votes (45.55 percent) in the election, in which only 6,714 people showed up at the polls to cast a ballot, according to preliminary numbers provided by the city’s Board of Elections.

In second place was Dobrin, who got 1,925 votes (28.67 percent), and coming in last was Lisyanskiy, who received 1,731 votes (25.78 percent).

“The 47th Council District is returning to the people,” declared an emotional Treyger, to supporters gathered inside the United Progressive Democratic Club on Bay 25th Street in Bensonhurst.

“It’s been a tremendous day, a tremendous evening for our neighborhood, and it’s a tremendous victory for everyone who cares about families, seniors and children,” he went on. “This campaign has always been about people, driven by people. I am so honored and humbled by the outpouring of support. This victory belongs to you.”

In particular, Treyger credited “the broad support from people all over the area, not just one neighborhood, not just one part of Brooklyn,” for his win. “It’s the entire community. Now we are all going to be working together, fighting together on issues important to people.”

Treyger will run in the November general election against Republican candidate Andy Sullivan to replace current Democratic Councilmember Domenic Recchia, who is term-limited and is now campaigning for Congress, eyeing a run against incumbent Republican Congressmember Michael Grimm.

Besides teaching, Treyger has served as an aide to Assemblymember Bill Colton. He based his candidacy on his community activity, specifically the successful campaign to restore the Bensonhurst to Coney Island leg of the B64 bus line as well as the ongoing campaign to prevent the city from siting a waste transfer station at the location of the old incinerator on Gravesend Bay.

Lisyanskiy, who works at the City Council, called himself a “community organizer,” and based his candidacy on his knowledge of the inside workings of government, having worked at the council under three different speakers.

“It was a tough fight,” he told this paper inside his Neptune Avenue campaign headquarters. “The district deserves quality leadership, someone who understands how government works and who could work for the people. Having spent 15 years working in the City Council, I thought I was that person. I’m very committed to my people here. I got a lot of support and I’m not going away.”

Dobrin, who has served as president of the Friends of the Boardwalk, contended that, as a rank-and-file member of the public, he was uniquely positioned to serve residents of the district, in comparison to both Treyger and Lisyanskiy, who have close ties to elected officials.

He declined to speak to press inside his campaign headquarters, and declined to have his photo taken. This newspaper was asked by Campaign Manager Greg Esposito to call Dobrin’s campaign office on Wednesday morning to speak to the candidate; however, the number provided was for a fax line.

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