Jack Martins

Jack M. Martins
Member of the New York Senate
from the 7th district
In office
January 1, 2011 – December 31, 2016
Preceded by Craig M. Johnson
Succeeded by Elaine Phillips
Mayor of Mineola
In office
January 1, 2004 – December 31, 2011
Personal details
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Paula[1]
Children 4[1]
Residence Mineola, New York[1]
Alma mater American University
St. John's University School of Law[1]
Profession Lawyer, politician
Website Official website

Joaquim "Jack" M. Martins is an American attorney and career politician. A Republican, he was first elected to represent the 7th Senate District in the New York State Senate in 2010[2] and served until December 31, 2016. He was the Republican nominee in the 2016 election to represent New York's 3rd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, losing to Democrat Thomas Suozzi in the general election.[3] Martins ran on the Republican Party Line, the Tax Revolt Party Line, and the Reform Party Line in the November 2017 election for Nassau County Executive, losing to Laura Curran.[4]

Early life and education

Martins is a first-generation American, born to parents who emigrated from northern Portugal in the 1960s. He was raised in Mineola. Upon graduation from Chaminade High School, he continued his schooling at the collegiate level and received a bachelor's degree in political science from American University in 1988. Additionally, Martins received a Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law in 1991.[5]

Political career

Mayor of Mineola

Martins was elected Mayor of the Village of Mineola, New York in 2003. As Mayor, Martins instituted a Debt Management Plan to stabilize the village's finances, facilitated downtown revitalization and economic growth and passed Eight (8) Consecutive Balanced, Fiscally-Responsible Budgets.[5] Martins led the development of the Village's first ever comprehensive master plan [6] which received a Smart Growth Award from Vision Long Island.[7] Martins also enacted policies to increase transparency by allowing the Village of Mineola board meetings to be televised and by enabling village documents to be viewed by the public on the Village's website.[5] During his tenure, Martins was named one of Long Island Business News' "Top 40 Under 40." [8]

New York State Senator

Martins won election to the New York State Senate in 2010 as the representative for the Seventh Senate District (SD-7). As a Senator, Martins supported numerous tax relief measures; he voted for the law creating New York State's property tax cap, voted to cut income taxes for middle-class homeowners, voted to repeal the MTA payroll tax for small businesses and schools, and supported repealing the tax in its entirety.[9][10]

He authored laws reducing busing costs for school districts;[11] creating a truss notification system to improve safety for volunteer firefighters;[12] establishing a new state fund to help homeless veterans;[13] enhancing law enforcement’s ability to investigate opioid prescription fraud; and expanding education provided to children about the dangers of heroin and other illegal drugs.[14]

When in the Senate, Martins repeatedly led Long Island's 31 state legislators in the number of bills sponsored which were ultimately passed by both houses of the State Legislature.[15][16]

Martins was highly critical of the New York State Education Department's implementation of Common Core when in the Senate[17] and called for the resignation of the State's Commissioner of Education for cancelling public forums on the issue with parents and teachers.[18]

In February 2016, Martins and Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel called for new state funding to support a comprehensive groundwater study for Long Island to help protect its drinking water.[19] An expanded version of their proposal was adopted by Governor Andrew Cuomo.[20]

Martins has continued to be vocal about urging officials to take action in response to incidents of anti-Semitism against students and faculty on CUNY campuses since leaving office[21][22][23] and sponsored legislation that would prevent New York from entering into a state contract or investment with those seeking to economically harm Israel or other American allies through boycotts.[24]

During his time in the Senate, Martins served as Chairman of the State Senate's Labor Committee [25] and was Co-Chair of the Senate's Task Force on Workforce Development,[26] where he was instrumental in developing legislative, budgetary and policy recommendations to connect people with in-demand jobs.[27] He previously chaired the Senate's Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee and the Senate's Local Government Committee.[28] In addition to Chairing the Labor Committee, Martins was a member of the following Senate Committees: Finance, Health, Insurance, Transportation, Energy & Telecommunications, Banks, Civil Service & Pensions, Corporations, Authorities & Commissions, and Social Services.[29]

Martins was appointed to serve on the New York State Financial Restructuring Board for local governments, which was tasked with delivering targeted restructuring strategies and long-term solutions to help New York's municipalities under fiscal distress,[30] as well as the New York State Mandate Relief Council, which was created to help reduce costs for local governments and school districts by eliminating or reforming regulations.[31]

Martins is a recipient of the Association for a Better Long Island's 2016 Distinguished Leadership Award [32] and was named one of the 50 Most Influential Long Islanders by the Long Island Press in 2011.[33]

2016 U.S. Congressional Campaign

Martins ran in the 2016 Election to represent New York's 3rd Congressional District (CD-3) in the United States House of Representatives, and received the endorsement of the Republican Party, Conservative Party and the Independence Party.[34][35] Martins was among the first in the country to be named one of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Young Guns for 2016.[36] Martins was defeated by Democrat Thomas Suozzi in the general election. Suozzi won 53% of the vote to Martins' 47%.[37]

2017 Nassau County Executive Campaign

On April 26, 2017, Martins announced that he would be seeking the position of Nassau County Executive. Martins received the GOP Nomination for County Executive and was uncontested in the primary. He sought the office that had been held by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano since January 1, 2010. [38] Martins ran against the Democratic nominee, County Legislator Laura Curran. Curran won the November 7th, 2017 election, with 51 % of the vote, to Martins' 48%[39].

In a November 5 editorial, The New York Times termed Martins' campaign material "odious" for its use of race-based fear tactics.[40] The New York State Republican Party financed the mailer.[41]

Personal life

Martins is a member of the County Seat Kiwanis Club and the Long Island Portuguese Lions Club.[1] He is a recipient of the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the Lions Club's highest honor.[42] He was honored as the 2012 Portuguese Man of the Year during Nassau County's first ever public event recognizing the Portuguese Community on Long Island.[43] He and his wife, Paula, have four daughters.[44]

Election results

Laura Curran (DEM) - 147,102

Jack Martins (REP - Reform Party - TRP - CON) - 139,204
Jack Martins (REP - IND - CON)...152,304
Thomas R. Suozzi (DEM)...171,775
Jack M. Martins (REP - IND - CON - Tax Revolt Party (TRP))...40,465
Adam M. Haber (DEM - WFP - GRE - Women's Equality Party(WEP))...31,552
Jack M. Martins (REP - IND - CON - Tax Revolt Party (TRP))...58,039
Daniel S. Ross (DEM - WFP)...53,987
Jack M. Martins (REP - IND - CON)...42,928
Craig M. Johnson (DEM)...42,477

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jack M. Martins: Biography". New York State Senate. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  2. ↑ Epstein, Reid (December 20, 2010). "Appeals court backs Martins State Senate win". Newsday. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Tom Suozzi victorious over Jack Martins in race to fill Steve Israel's Congressional seat - QNS.com". qns.com. Retrieved 2016-11-10.
  4. ↑ Curran wins Nassau executive race as Martins concedes, Newsday, November 8, 2017
  5. 1 2 3 Kerr, Kathleen (December 4, 2010). "Martins leaving Mineola for Albany". Newsday. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Comprehensive Master Plan for the Village of Mineola" (PDF). November 2005.
  7. ↑ "Village of Mineola Honored for Master Plan". Mineola American. June 23, 2006.
  8. ↑ "40 Under 40 Awards 2007". Long Island Business News. January 2, 2007.
  9. ↑ Walter, Geoffrey (December 15, 2011). "How Do You Spell Relief? T-A-X C-U-T-S". Mineola Patch.
  10. ↑ Santa, John (February 9, 2012). "Martins leads MTA tax repeal initiative". New Hyde Park Herald Courier. The Island Now.
  11. ↑ Nash, Jackie (October 25, 2011). "Schools cut bus costs, rev up savings". LI Herald.
  12. ↑ O'Reilly, Anthony (September 25, 2014). "Cuomo signs bill to protect firefighters". The Island Now.
  13. ↑ Brodsky, Robert (December 31, 2014). "New year brings new laws for Long Island residents". Newsday.
  14. ↑ "Senator Martins Announces Legislative Agreement on Measures to Combat Heroin & Prescription Drug Epidemic". June 19, 2014.
  15. ↑ Roy, Yancey (June 30, 2014). "Martins tops LI delegation in bills passed, ranks second overall". Newsday.
  16. ↑ Jacques, Rich (July 18, 2013). "Report: Martins Tops All LI Lawmakers in Getting Two-house Bills Passed". Port Washington Patch.
  17. ↑ "Emotions High At Common Core Forums On Long Island". CBS New York. November 13, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Resume Common Core forums: Martins". the Island Now. October 17, 2013.
  19. ↑ Barrios, Jennifer (February 15, 2016). "Nassau County groundwater study needed, legislators say". Newsday.
  20. ↑ "Cuomo plan includes $6 million study for Long Island drinking water". the Island Now. February 25, 2016.
  21. ↑ "State Sen. Martins: No place in colleges for people who want hate". Varney & Co. March 18, 2016.
  22. ↑ Lipsky, Seth (March 9, 2016). "New York's leaders must stand up to anti-Semitism at CUNY". New York Post.
  23. ↑ Martins, Jack (September 14, 2016). "CUNY's cockamamie excuses for blinking at anti-Semitism". New York Post.
  24. ↑ Gormley, Michael (January 20, 2016). "Senate acts first to boycott companies that boycott Israel". Newsday.
  25. ↑ "Senate Republicans Name New Committee Chairs". Politico New York. January 22, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Senate creates workforce development task force". Legislative Gazette. March 24, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Senate Task Force on Workforce Development Report" (PDF). May 24, 2016.
  28. ↑ "Martins Takes Over Senate Commerce Committee, His Second Chairmanship". Newsday. March 21, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Senators and Committees". January 13, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Governor Cuomo Announces Appointments to Financial Restructuring Board and Launch of FRB.NY.GOV". September 12, 2013.
  31. ↑ Callegari, John (January 24, 2012). "Martins to sit on NY Mandate Relief Council". Long Island Business News.
  32. ↑ "ABLI Calendar of Events". 2016.
  33. ↑ "Long Island Press 2011 Power List". 2011.
  34. ↑ Brand, Rick (March 8, 2016). "Jack Martins wins GOP, Conservative backing for Congress". Newsday. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  35. ↑ Brand, Rick (March 12, 2016). "Jack Martins Backed By Independence Party for House Seat". Newsday. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  36. ↑ "NRCC Announces 1st Round of Young Guns". Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  37. ↑ "New York U.S. House 3rd District Results: Thomas Suozzi Wins". The New York Times. November 16, 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  38. ↑ http://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/jack-martins-to-run-for-nassau-county-executive-1.13519136
  39. ↑ Election Results: De Blasio Wins Second Term as New York City Mayor, The New York Times, November 8, 2017
  40. ↑ Willie Horton, Updated for the Trump Era
  41. ↑ Jack Martins gang mailer spurs protest, Robert Brodsky, Newsday
  42. ↑ "Portuguese Lions Club e 'Leos' Club assinalaram mais um ano de actividade". Luso Americano. November 2, 2014.
  43. ↑ Tedesco, Richard. "County Honors Martins on Portugal Day". Williston Times. The Island Now. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  44. ↑ Epstein, Reid J. (December 20, 2010). "Appeals court backs Martins State Senate win". Newsday. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  45. ↑ "General Election Results, US Congress: November 8, 2016" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. November 9, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  46. ↑ "General Election Results, State Senate: November 4, 2014" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 15, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
  47. ↑ "General Election Results, State Senate: November 6, 2012" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 31, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  48. ↑ "General Election Results, State Senate: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 13, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
New York State Senate
Preceded by
Craig M. Johnson		 New York State Senate, 7th District
2011–2016		 Succeeded by
Elaine Phillips
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