Koppell gets an 'A' for human rights

City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell is one of nine Council Members who received an 'A' grade on the “2011 New York City Council Human Rights Report Card,” which was released by the Human Rights Project at the Urban Justice Center on Nov. 14.

 

The goal of the annual Human Rights Report Card is to provide reliable and accessible information on the performance of City Council representatives in protecting and advancing the human rights of New Yorkers in 2011. Council Members were graded based on their sponsorship of, and votes on, legislation  to advance human rights, as well as their responses to the Human Rights Questionnaire sent to each Council Member in June.

 

The Human Rights Project highlighted Koppell’s legislative priorities including the “Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act,” the “Accessible Taxi Mandate” and improving Department of Buildings access to illegal residential housing conversions as the basis for its rating. The project also noted Koppell’s advocacy on behalf of these measures, as well as his budget priorities, which included the "Children Under Five Mental Health Initiative," the “Geriatric Mental Health Initiative” and helping ensure that teachers were not laid off.

 

“I am very proud to have received an A grade on the NYC Council Human Rights Report Card based on my legislative record at the City Council, and I look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of this vital issue,”  Koppell said.