Carrozza resides outside boro
Assemblywoman says she is not violating the law because house is temporary
By Nathan Duke
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| State Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza has been living in Long Island, which is out of her district, since earlier this year, but plans to move back in August. |
State Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza (D-Bayside) said she has been living out of her district since earlier this year as she and her husband plan to adopt a child and search for a new home in Bayside.
Carrozza currently owns two homes and two other sites used for office space in Bayside. But she and her husband, William Duke, have been living in a third home she referred to as “an investment property” in Glen Head, L.I., since March.
“There’s no prohibition in New York state election laws against temporarily living outside the district,” she said. “There was no secrecy involved in my owning the house. It was public information and I think it’s a fair subject of inquiry.”
The assemblywoman said she and her husband, who have two children, are planning to adopt a third child, but the Bayside home in which they had lived prior to their move to Long Island did not provide enough room for five people. Carrozza had also promised to rent that home to an Oregon couple for part of the year and did not want to renege, so she has remained in the Glen Head house for the past four months.
She said she will move back into the other Bayside home she owns Aug. 1 because it is rented out through July. The Long Island property currently serves as her husband’s primary residence, she said.
“There’s no requirement that a husband and wife have the same primary residence,” she said of her status as an elected official.
According to property records, the couple purchased the Long Island home for $1.8 million in June 2008.
Carrozza, who was first elected in 1997, said she had planned to purchase another home in Bayside, but a deal fell through earlier this year, forcing her and her husband to stay in Glen Head. The assemblywoman had lived in another home outside her district in 2001 when she was expecting her first child and her home was undergoing renovation, she said.
“At that time, I had also checked with an election law attorney whether it was OK to be temporarily out of the district,” she said. “I was told it was all right as long as I planned to reside in the district.”
John Conklin, director of public information for the state’s Elections Board, said state laws deem that elected officials could live outside their district as long as they intended to return. But an official is also required to live in the district for 12 months before being elected, he said.
Some Community Board 11 members and political opponents said they were upset Carrozza has been living on Long Island.
“It’s unfair,” said Rob Speranza, a retired police officer who ran as a Republican against Carrozza last fall and plans to run again next year. “How can you represent the area if you don’t live in iti It bothers me. It’s wrong.”
A CB 11 member who did not want to be named said he had been told the assemblywoman had pulled her children out of the city school system.
“In order to prove she is violating law, you have to prove she has no intention of returning,” the board member said. “The smoking gun is where her children go to school.”
But Carrozza said she would not publicly discuss where her children attend school for safety reasons.
She has not yet decided what she will ultimately do with the Glen Head property.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
Carrozza currently owns two homes and two other sites used for office space in Bayside. But she and her husband, William Duke, have been living in a third home she referred to as “an investment property” in Glen Head, L.I., since March.
“There’s no prohibition in New York state election laws against temporarily living outside the district,” she said. “There was no secrecy involved in my owning the house. It was public information and I think it’s a fair subject of inquiry.”
The assemblywoman said she and her husband, who have two children, are planning to adopt a third child, but the Bayside home in which they had lived prior to their move to Long Island did not provide enough room for five people. Carrozza had also promised to rent that home to an Oregon couple for part of the year and did not want to renege, so she has remained in the Glen Head house for the past four months.
She said she will move back into the other Bayside home she owns Aug. 1 because it is rented out through July. The Long Island property currently serves as her husband’s primary residence, she said.
“There’s no requirement that a husband and wife have the same primary residence,” she said of her status as an elected official.
According to property records, the couple purchased the Long Island home for $1.8 million in June 2008.
Carrozza, who was first elected in 1997, said she had planned to purchase another home in Bayside, but a deal fell through earlier this year, forcing her and her husband to stay in Glen Head. The assemblywoman had lived in another home outside her district in 2001 when she was expecting her first child and her home was undergoing renovation, she said.
“At that time, I had also checked with an election law attorney whether it was OK to be temporarily out of the district,” she said. “I was told it was all right as long as I planned to reside in the district.”
John Conklin, director of public information for the state’s Elections Board, said state laws deem that elected officials could live outside their district as long as they intended to return. But an official is also required to live in the district for 12 months before being elected, he said.
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“It’s unfair,” said Rob Speranza, a retired police officer who ran as a Republican against Carrozza last fall and plans to run again next year. “How can you represent the area if you don’t live in iti It bothers me. It’s wrong.”
A CB 11 member who did not want to be named said he had been told the assemblywoman had pulled her children out of the city school system.
“In order to prove she is violating law, you have to prove she has no intention of returning,” the board member said. “The smoking gun is where her children go to school.”
But Carrozza said she would not publicly discuss where her children attend school for safety reasons.
She has not yet decided what she will ultimately do with the Glen Head property.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of yournabe.com.
albert wrote on Jul 1, 2009 10:51 PM:
" She did state that she would occupy it as her primary residence so she did lie. "
albert wrote on Jul 1, 2009 10:53 PM:
" Additionally, her children have not attended city schools since last June. They have been in Long Island schools since September. "
PleaseClearify wrote on Jul 2, 2009 2:35 AM:
" Let me get this straight:, from the info in this atricle and the daily news.
1) The Carrozza family owned 2 homes. They lived in the smaller of the two. The family found a 3rd bayside home to buy which was larger than the they were living in.
2) The deal for the 3rd bayside house fell through.
3) The Carrozza family then decided to buy a investment house in Glen Head. They no longer wanted a bigger house in bayside.
4) They closed on the Glen Head House in June 2008. Leaving it vacant until Feburary.
5) The Carrozza family continued living in the tiny bayside house until Feburary because they had promised to rent the house to a oregon couple.
6) In Feburary the Carrozza's moved into the Glen Head House.
7) The Corrazzo plan to move into there bigger bayside house that they already owned on August 1st.
Ann wants use to believe she had no intentions of moving into the Glen Head House but originally her plans were to buy a bigger house to expand her family .
That is so hard to believe, "
1) The Carrozza family owned 2 homes. They lived in the smaller of the two. The family found a 3rd bayside home to buy which was larger than the they were living in.
2) The deal for the 3rd bayside house fell through.
3) The Carrozza family then decided to buy a investment house in Glen Head. They no longer wanted a bigger house in bayside.
4) They closed on the Glen Head House in June 2008. Leaving it vacant until Feburary.
5) The Carrozza family continued living in the tiny bayside house until Feburary because they had promised to rent the house to a oregon couple.
6) In Feburary the Carrozza's moved into the Glen Head House.
7) The Corrazzo plan to move into there bigger bayside house that they already owned on August 1st.
Ann wants use to believe she had no intentions of moving into the Glen Head House but originally her plans were to buy a bigger house to expand her family .
That is so hard to believe, "
PleaseClearify wrote on Jul 2, 2009 2:46 AM:
" I assume the kids go to school
Let me get this straight.
In Sept 2008-Jan 2009 they went to school in bayside?.
In Feb-June 2009 they wen to school in Glen Head?
In Sept 2009 the will go to school in bayside?
Will the DA PLEASE INVESTIGATE???? "
Let me get this straight.
In Sept 2008-Jan 2009 they went to school in bayside?.
In Feb-June 2009 they wen to school in Glen Head?
In Sept 2009 the will go to school in bayside?
Will the DA PLEASE INVESTIGATE???? "
PleaseClearify wrote on Jul 2, 2009 6:29 AM:
" Okay, When exactly did Ann make a legal committment with nice oregon family?
Ann closed on the Glen Head House in June 2008. Exactly when did th oregon family sign a lease? It had to be before June because Ann in the daily news said she the reason the oregon couple could move in was because she was going to purchase a 3rd home in Bayside?
The Carrozza's made a legal committment with an Oregon Family to rent tiny tiny bayside home in Feburary 2009. The legal commitment was made before June 2008.
The Carrozza could not get out the legal commitment in June, 2008 because it was not enough time for the couple to find another place to rent in bayside for Feburary?
Can some one explain this to me? "
Ann closed on the Glen Head House in June 2008. Exactly when did th oregon family sign a lease? It had to be before June because Ann in the daily news said she the reason the oregon couple could move in was because she was going to purchase a 3rd home in Bayside?
The Carrozza's made a legal committment with an Oregon Family to rent tiny tiny bayside home in Feburary 2009. The legal commitment was made before June 2008.
The Carrozza could not get out the legal commitment in June, 2008 because it was not enough time for the couple to find another place to rent in bayside for Feburary?
Can some one explain this to me? "
Anthony wrote on Jul 3, 2009 11:12 PM:
" So we have Carrozza who committed mortgage fraud,Than we have monserratte who is an indicted violent Felon and we have Malcolm Smith Enough said. YEP we need more Democrats running queens.
WHAT A JOKE "
WHAT A JOKE "
HonestyCounts wrote on Jul 6, 2009 3:07 PM:
" Ann is a rich liar and so is everyone in her entourage. She just uses everyone around her all she can to get ahead and so do those in her club and her political cronies. It is sickening. "
Confused wrote on Jul 7, 2009 11:45 PM:
" If Ann Carrozza and Bill Duke were so concerned about renegeing on their tenants from Oregon, why did friends of mine (tenants of Ann and Bill) receive a 30 day notice to vacate their 3 Bedroom Apartment on June 30,2009. They are lifetime Bayside residents with 2 small children and an infant. They clearly have no regard for the residents of Bayside. "
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Joe wrote on Jul 1, 2009 8:29 PM: