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About·How Local Government Works·Data Sources·Privacy·Terms·Official Council District Site

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Simcha Felder
District 44BrooklynDemocrat

Simcha Felder

NYC Council Member · Since 2022

District profile →Legistar Official site

What This Office Can Do

  • Proposes and votes on city laws
  • Approves or rejects the city budget
  • Holds agencies accountable through public hearings
  • Directs discretionary funds to local projects

Background

Simcha Felder is a lifelong Brooklynite who grew up, married, and raised four children in the district he represents. A Certified Public Accountant with an MBA from Baruch College, he has held roles in the NYC Comptroller's Office, the State Assembly, and the NYC Department of Finance. First elected to the City Council in 2002, he has focused on cutting red tape and making local government more accountable.

Career
Certified Public Accountant; Deputy Comptroller for Budget, Accounting, Administration, and IT in the NYC Comptroller's Office; roles in the State Assembly and NYC Department of Finance; college management instructor
Education
MBA in Management from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business; Certified Public Accountant

Policy Priorities

  • Government accountability — Focused on cutting red tape, streamlining services, and making local government more accountable to residents
  • Parking and sanitation reform — Passed laws to reduce unfair parking and sanitation tickets and sponsored the five-minute grace period for parking violations
  • Quality-of-life ordinances — Helped end the nuisance of unsolicited circulars and menus delivered to residents
  • Community development on city-owned land — Transformed empty city-owned lots into community assets including housing, playgrounds, and a Hatzolah Volunteer Ambulance garage
  • Parks and green space investment — Secured millions in funding to build parks, renovate local schoolyards, expand green spaces, and plant thousands of trees across the city

Issue Stances

Sourced from public statements, council votes, and news coverage via AI research. Verify with primary sources.

Issue Stances

💰
Budget & FiscalAccountability and efficiencyFocused on cutting red tape, streamlining government services, and reducing unfair fines; background includes serving as Deputy Comptroller for Budget
🌱
ClimateLocal green space expansionSecured funding to expand green spaces and plant thousands of trees across the city; renovated local schoolyards and built parks
🏘️
HousingCommunity land reuse for housingTransformed empty city-owned lots into housing and other community assets in the district
🕊️
Israel & GazaStrongly pro-IsraelSimcha Felder (Orthodox Jewish Democrat) issued a statement on the one-year anniversary of October 7 expressing grief over unimaginable atrocities and concern for hostages. In 2026 he stormed out of the first meeting of the Councils Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, calling the refusal to define hate unconscionable.

Documented Positions

Sourced from public statements, votes, and news coverage. Only documented positions are listed.

LGBTQ+ Rights2006

Felder has stated personal opposition to homosexuality on religious grounds. In 2006 he backed Christine Quinn for City Council Speaker but left the chamber rather than cast his vote for her, citing his faith.

Source →
Immigration2014

As a State Senator, Felder cast a deciding vote against the New York Dream Act in 2014.

Source →
Policing & Public Safety2013

Felder has stated that ending stop-and-frisk was a mistake.

Source →
Reproductive Rights2013

Felder opposes abortion. As a State Senator in 2013 he voted against a hostile amendment that would have attached a pro-choice bill to unrelated legislation; the measure failed by one vote.

Source →
Israel & Palestine2007

Felder has consistently supported Israel. As a Council member he was part of a group that repeatedly blocked renovation plans for UN headquarters, calling the body anti-American and anti-Israel. As a State Senator he supported Iran divestment legislation and anti-BDS laws.

Source →

Legislative Record

3Bills Sponsored
0Introduced
Int 0001-2026

A plan regarding security perimeters adjacent to places of religious worship

Jan 29, 2026Enacted
Int 0175-2026

A plan regarding security perimeters adjacent to educational facilities

Jan 29, 2026Vetoed
Int 0796-2024

A Local Law to amend the New York city building code, in relation to providing community boards and elected officials with notice of sidewalk shed permits

Apr 11, 2024Enacted
Track all NYC legislation →View voting history →

Conduct & Ethics

✓No conduct or ethics incidents on record

Data sourced from NYC Legistar, NYC Campaign Finance Board, NYC Conflicts of Interest Board, and curated public records. This page is a permanent record of Simcha Felder's service in District 44.