Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 12, 2006

Senator Schumer Calls For Queens Post Office To Be Renamed In Honor Of Dr. Leonard Price Stavisky

A Respected Public Servant and Academic, State Senator Stavisky Tirelessly Championed Education and Served Queens

Schumer’s Letter to Senate Committee Urges the Renaming of Queens Post Office in Honor of Stavisky’s Contributions to His Community

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs calling for the United States Post Office in Flushing, New York to be designated the “Dr. Leonard Price Stavisky Post Office” in honor of Dr. Stavisky’s remarkable career as a public servant and champion of education. Dr. Stavisky enjoyed a notable career in both politics and academia, serving as Deputy to the President of the New York City Council from 1954 to 1960, and in the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate until his untimely death in 1999. Due to Dr. Stavisky’s lifetime devotion to improving the quality of education, Senator Schumer wrote a letter urging the renaming of a Queens post office so Dr. Stavisky will be memorialized in his beloved hometown.

“Dr. Stavisky dedicated his life to serving the people of Queens and promoting education as the great equalizer that can level the playing field for every New Yorker regardless of class, race or gender,” said Senator Schumer. “It is only fitting that Dr. Stavisky be memorialized in his hometown.”

“Leonard was nationally recognized as an expert on educational issues and as someone who published extensively as a scholar in Black History, but it was his role as a legislator that he relished. Leonard and Senator Schumer served together on the Assembly Education Committee, so it is appropriate that Senator Schumer is sponsoring the bill. Evan, Kristen and I are grateful to him for his support and leadership in naming the Mitchell-Linden Post Office after Leonard,” Senator Toby Stavisky noted.

In addition to spending decades in the NYS Assembly and NYS Senate, Dr. Stavisky also served as Commissioner on the Education Commission of the States and Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures, diligently working to improve the quality of education. Dr. Stavisky was an authority on education policy, spending more than 30 years working and teaching at universities including Columbia University, the State University of New York, the City University of New York, Colgate University, and Long Island University. He was also an active member of the Flushing, Queens community, where he founded the North Flushing Senior Center and served on the Boards of Directors of numerous local organizations.

Earlier this year, Congressman Gary Ackerman introduced legislation to honor Dr. Stavisky by naming the post office in his community after this well known and sorely missed New Yorker. Congressman Ackerman’s H.R.5923 was received by the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on September 26, 2006. The Senator’s letter urges the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee to consider discharging this bill as soon as the Senate reconvenes so that it may be adopted by unanimous consent as soon as possible.

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