Paul Vallone, former Queens councilmember, dies at 56
/
Former Queens City Councilmember Paul Vallone, who was most recently serving as the deputy commissioner of the city’s Veterans Services, died over the weekend at age 56. File photo via NYC Council Photography
By Jacob Kaye
Paul Vallone, a former Queens councilmember and member of one of the borough’s most notable political families, died over the weekend of an apparent heart attack. He was 56.
Vallone most recently served as the deputy commissioner of the city’s Veterans Services, an appointment he received from Mayor Eric Adams, who called Vallone “a true public servant and New Yorker” on Sunday.
Vallone followed in the footsteps of his brother, father and grandfather when he first was elected to public office in 2014. That year, he began his first of two terms in the City Council, representing parts of Whitestone, Flushing, College Point, Little Neck, Bayside, Bay Terrace, Auburndale, Beechhurst, Douglaston and Malba in District 19.
Introducing nearly 800 pieces of legislation during his time in the Council, Vallone’s time in office was focused on bringing the Eastern Queens district closer to city services, the former lawmaker told the Eagle several months before his final term ended at the close of 2021.
“When I'm looking back during those eight years, we are handing off a well-oiled, well-funded, steamrolling machine in District 19, and I think that's my greatest accomplishment,” Vallone said.
Vallone was one of the earliest councilmembers to embrace participatory budgeting, offering constituents the opportunity to vote for capital projects they believed should be funded by the councilmember’s office. District 19 consistently saw the highest number of participatory budgeting votes in the city during Vallone’s time in office.
“It was a beautiful way to create community involvement in your own tax dollars,” Vallone told the Eagle in 2021.
Vallone’s career in public office was largely to be expected.
Vallone’s grandfather, Charles J. Vallone, served as a judge in Queens County Civil Court from 1955 until his death in 1967; his father, Peter Vallone, served as city councilmember in Astoria from 1974 until 2001 and was the council’s first-ever speaker; and his brother, Peter Vallone Jr., served as a city councilmember in the same seat as their father until 2012 when he became a judge in Queens County Civil Court.
For nearly 50 years, there was a member of the Vallone family in the New York City Council. That streak ended when Vallone was term-limited out of office at the end of 2021.
Despite his family’s history, Vallone attempted to carve out his own lane by moving out of Astoria and to Northeast Queens.
After a failed bid for the District 19 seat in 2009, Vallone won the Democratic nomination and the general election in 2013. He took over the seat from former Councilmember Daniel Halloran, who had just recently been indicted on corruption charges.
As his second term was coming to a close, Vallone made one final attempt to again follow in the footsteps of his family through a bid for a Civil Court seat in Eastern Queens.
In a major upset, Vallone lost his race against Republican candidate and now-Judge Joseph Kasper in November 2021.
Shortly after losing the election, Vallone was brought on by the mayor to serve in the Adams administration as a deputy commissioner, a role he held until his death.
“The borough of Queens and our entire city mourn the loss of Paul Vallone, a true public servant and New Yorker,” Adams said in a statement on Sunday. “A true son of Queens, he upheld a family legacy through his service in the New York City Council and with the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services. Throughout his time in office, the blue-collar community he represented knew they had a fighter from the neighborhood representing them in City Hall.”
“It was an honor to serve alongside him, and I know New Yorkers will join me in keeping the Vallone family in your hearts today,” the mayor added.
Elected officials and community leaders from across Queens and the city shared their memories of Vallone over the weekend.
“Paul Vallone was the epitome of a public servant, a true champion for Northeast Queens and an unrelenting advocate for veterans,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said in a statement. “But more than anything, Paul was a loving husband, a proud father and a loyal friend to everyone who — like me — had the honor of knowing him.”
Rep. Grace Meng, who shared a number of constituents with Vallone when he was in office, said that she was “devastated” by his death.
“He was a terrific friend and public servant,” Meng said. “But he was also a wonderful person and a great human being.”
“I will always treasure our friendship and working together to improve the lives of Queens residents,” she added.
Vallone is survived by both of his parents, his wife Anna-Marie, his daughters Catena and Lea and his son Charlie.
Visitation will be held at Joseph Farenga and Sons funeral home on Thursday, Feb. 1 from 2 to 9 p.m. The Astoria funeral home is located at 38-08 Ditmars Blvd.
Vallone’s funeral will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Andrew Avelino Catholic Church, located at 35-60 158th St. Following the funeral, a burial service will be held at Calvary Cemetery.
