Meet the City Council’s New Members: Paul Vallone

Paul Vallone is the latest member of the Vallone political dynasty to take a seat on the City Council. His father, Peter Vallone Sr., was Speaker from 1986 through 2001, and his brother, Peter Jr., was just term-limited out of office after 12 years. Though his last name is one of the most well-known in city politics, Paul is certain that anyone who meets him will realize he is distinct from the other members of his close-knit family. 

“I think when people spend two minutes with me, five minutes with me, they smile and say, ‘Wow, you’re very different from your brothers and your dad—in all good ways,’ ” said Paul. “I’m the smiling Vallone, the one who always gets yelled at in class for talking too much.”

One distinction that immediately sets him apart from the other Vallones is his district. Years ago, much to his father’s chagrin, Paul moved to northeast Queens, leaving the family stronghold of Astoria. The district, which Paul points out has the “highest centralization of seniors outside of Florida,” is a particularly good fit for Vallone, who practices elder law and is intent upon using his expertise in the field to be a leading advocate for seniors across the city.

Another defining aspect of his district is its diversity. Once a largely homogenous white suburban area, northeast Queens has in recent years attracted large populations of immigrants from around the world. Vallone has embraced this diversity— one of the keys to his victory, in his opinion—and intends to showcase it at his inauguration, with members of every community attending and religious leaders of all faiths and denominations coming to offer blessings.

“I want to use that kickoff to show that this is going to be a brand-new, inclusive City Council office,” Vallone explained.

While Paul is the newest Vallone in the Council, it is quite possible he will not be the last. At his victory party on election night, his 6-year-old son, Charlie, grabbed the mike from his father and thanked the crowd for voting for his dad. As everyone cheered, Paul remarked, “Well, there’s your next Councilman.”