Meet Steven Patzer: City Council candidate for the 47th District

June 4, 2021 Jaime DeJesus

Democrat Steven Patzer is running for City Council in the 47th District.

Share this:

Steven Patzer is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 47th City Council District.

The candidate is a web consultant who designs sites for small businesses, political groups and nonprofits. He’s also worked at the Simon Wiesenthal Center to educate people about hate crimes and advocate for anti-hate crime legislation.

Patzer believes he can bring fresh ideas and new leadership to the district, which includes Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Gravesend and Sea Gate.

“They don’t want people who have run for office for over 15 years,” he said of his constituents. “They want people who are independent, will listen, and they can count on in a crisis. I was the only City Council candidate in my district who was serving our neighbors from day one up through the first two months of the pandemic.”

Patzer said that over the last few years he organized more than 70 events with the help of local residents to solve quality-of-life problems.

“We organized six job fairs, a COVID testing popup at the Marlboro Houses, career-related toy giveaways and neighborhood cleanups, to name a few things,” he said.

One of the pressing issues for Patzer is the effect of COVID-19 on communities, especially on employment.

“One [issue] should be getting people back to work,” he said. “We do this with job fairs and community partners networking to help people. The other should be assisting senior citizens and the vulnerable population.”

Patzer has spent his whole life in southern Brooklyn and says his ties to the community are strong.

“My mom would take us to Friday night fireworks in Coney Island with her Parents Without Partners group every week, and there is no bigger joy than an L&B slice on a hot summer’s day,” he said.

Patzer said he wanted to make a difference when he saw the quality-of-life deteriorate in the district.

“When I saw small businesses closing, rising gun violence, and rampant unemployment, I knew I wanted to help other children have childhood memories and a future here where they don’t have to leave because of lack of local jobs or fear for their safety,” he said.

Patzer’s Democratic opponents in the June 22 primary are Ari Kagan, Alec Brook-Krasny and Joseph Packer and Steven Patzer. Republican Mark Szuszkiewicz is also in the race.