A former state lawmaker running for City Council is under fire for billing himself as a champion of police — despite backing legislation to handcuff cops from cracking down on public drug use.
Democrat Tony Avella — who will face off against Republican Councilwoman Vickie Paladino for his old seat in northeastern Queens in November — has written on his campaign website that he “will support the police and oppose any defunding of our police force.”
Yet during his eight-year tenure as a state senator, the veteran pol co-sponsored legislation in 2015-2016 and 2017-2018 to decriminalize the possession and sale of hypodermic needles, effectively giving addicts carte blanche to shoot up in broad daylight.
“It was another tool on the belt that he tried to take away — and was eventually taken away — from police officers,” said retired Sgt. Pete Panuccio, 63.
Albany eventually passed a version of the pro-druggie bill, sponsored by state Sen. Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx), in 2021, after Avella had been voted out of office.
After Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation, the NYPD ordered cops to refrain from arresting anyone shooting up on the city’s streets.
“Avella tried shamelessly placating the left to save his Senate seat in 2018, and failed spectacularly. Now it sounds like he’s tacking in the other direction,” a Democratic strategist said.
Paladino, who beat Avella in the 2021 Council race, similarly ripped Avella’s support for law enforcement as a facade.
“I really don’t think anyone is surprised that a career politician like Tony Avella is completely out of touch with what the constituents of this district actually want, or the impact of what his policies enable,” the councilwoman said.
Avella said he has a longstanding history of advocating and supporting the police, and claimed law enforcement unions did not raise any concerns about the legislation.
He also bashed Paladino over voting in favor of the Fiscal Year 2023 budget that allotted $600,000 for St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction, which runs a needle exchange.
“She says one thing in her rhetoric and votes in the opposite direction by cutting deals behind the scenes,” he said.
Paladino’s campaign brushed off the criticism, claiming she personally did not push for any funding for St. Ann’s in the budget.
“Tony knows full well the difference between what is funded in the general budget and what is funded at a member’s discretion,” a Paladino campaign spokesperson said.
