Assemblymember Rosenthal officially steps down
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Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal looks back on his time in office as he steps down to take a job with a Jewish non-profit. File photo by Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
By Ryan Schwach
Eastern Queens State Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal announced last month that after six-years in office he would be resigning to take a new nonprofit job. On Friday, his resignation became official.
Starting in August, Rosenthal, a Kew Gardens native with two young children, will take over as the vice president for government relations at the UJA-Federation of New York, a well-known Jewish nonprofit.
Though the young lawmaker’s departure will soon spark a likely hotly-contested special election, Rosenthal recently sat down with the Eagle to look back and reflect on his time representing District 27 in Albany.
“It's a bittersweet moment,” Rosenthal said in a phone interview. “I'm excited for the future, but I look back on my tenure as nothing but an absolute positive experience – I mean that with complete sincerity.”
“I'm so grateful I had the opportunity in my life,” he added. “It just didn't define my life…I'm happy I was able to do six-years. I'm proud of what I accomplished.”
Rosenthal took over the 27th District in 2017 after his predecessor, Michael Simonowitz, passed away. After running unopposed in a special election to fill the seat, Rosenthal, at 26 years old, became the youngest member of the Assembly.
He first got his start in local politics as a 20-year-old, working for then-Queens City Councilmember Rory Lancman.
“It's an important chapter in my life,” Rosenthal said. “When you close a chapter you move on to the next one, I'd say it's exciting, but also you look back and you reflect.”
Rosenthal says that in looking back, there are a couple victories that will stick with him.
Specifically, Rosenthal remembers fondly the efforts made to rehabilitate the long-dilapidated Lefferts Boulevard Bridge.
“The Lefferts Boulevard Bridge was a huge local issue in Kew Gardens, that problem we were able to navigate in about two to three years of work, and that that bridge is still up there, the stores are still there,” he said. “That was a local victory.”
He also pointed out work done to help with food insecurity, through the Nourish NY program. Rosenthal also co-sponsored Assemblymember David Weprin’s Religious Protection Act in 2019, which outlawed employment discrimination based on religious attire or facial hair.
Rosenthal was able to get one more win just before stepping out of elected office – the governor last week signed into law a bill of Rosenthal’s that requires colleges to more robustly report on hate crimes that occur on their campus.
“It meant a lot to me both professionally and personally, and I feel gratified that it got over the finish line before I left,” he said of the bill, which was signed into law on Tuesday. “I deeply appreciate the governor signing the bill into law before I left.”
But the very issue that has him leaving office on a high note, is also the issue where he holds some of his biggest regrets.
“I leave office when, unfortunately, you see a rise in hate crimes, you see a rise in discrimination,” he said. “We tried to make a difference and we see that, unfortunately, some statistics and some numbers are still going in the wrong direction.”
As to why Rosenthal has left office with more than a year left in his term, the lawmaker said that sometimes opportunities don’t adhere to one’s life plans.
“Unfortunately the real world doesn't line up sometimes outside the political world,” Rosenthal said. “This is an opportunity that came up, and it was an opportunity where I was able to continue to serve people who need help.”
“It's a very well respected non-profit that does amazing work,” he said of his new gig.
Daniel Rosenthal was first introduced to the State Assembly on Jan. 8, 2018. Screenshot via State Assembly
In his last few weeks, Rosenthal said he’d been thinking about what he’d miss most about his time in office – the frequent interaction with the community and working with civically engaged neighbors.
“They work hard to care about their neighborhood,” he said. “When you work closely with them over a few years, you obviously just build a natural personal relationship, personal bonds.”
“Some of these folks were at my wedding, they were there when I had my first kid,” he added. “They become a part of your life when you're a local elected official.”
Recently, community members have been approaching him and reminding him of issues they’d taken care of together during Rosenthal’s earlier years in office, he said.
“I'm just going to miss working with some of my civic leaders and community leaders over the years,” he said. “The people who stay every night, when people go home, they go out to their local civic meeting or their community board meeting.”
He says he hopes community members feel the same way about him.
“We always tried to show up and focus on the local, quality of life, community issues,” he said. “There are local elected officials for a reason – it's to focus on each local neighborhood's needs and I hope that they feel that way, that we showed up for them.”
Rosenthal’s new role in governmental affairs will put him in political spaces similar to the ones he operates in now. While he’ll likely remain involved in local issues, he looks forward to doing it as more of an outsider.
“I look forward to being a civilian and leaving 311 complaints,” he said.
Although Rosenthal declined to comment specifically about the election to succeed him, he did say he would be paying attention to it.
“I care deeply to make sure that my current constituents will continue to be represented by someone who is responsive, professional and cares deeply about their needs,” he said. “Government can be frustrating and slow sometimes, but persistency is important…and patience is a virtue.”
“That’ll get you over the finish line,” he added.
Regardless of who succeeds him, as he looks to his new role, he said it was “an honor and privilege to be in elected office.”
“I want to thank my constituents for their support over the years,” he said. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve and represent them, and I'm tremendously grateful for that opportunity.”
