Melinda Katz

Early life

Melinda Katz grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, and still resides there with her two children, fathered through IVF by radio personality and founder of the Guardian Angels Curtis Sliwa. On February 14, 2015, the New York Daily News reported they had separated on Election Day 2014 two years after they had announced plans to marry.

She comes from a Jewish family with a long history of civic involvement. Her father, the late Maestro David Katz, was founder of the Queens Symphony Orchestra in 1953, and her mother, the late Jeanne Dale Katz, founded the Queens Council on the Arts.

Katz graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (summa cum laude), where she was named a Commonwealth Scholar, and later earned a law degree from St. John's University School of Law. She was recruited by the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, where she worked as an associate for several years before running for the New York State Assembly. In 1995 the New York Daily News named her "one of the one hundred up-and-coming young leaders for the 21st Century."

Political career

During Katz's tenure in the New York City Council (2002 to 2009), she represented the 29th Council District, which includes Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens and parts of Maspeth, South Elmhurst and Richmond Hill. Katz served as Chair of the Standing Committee on Land Use, which was responsible for approving rezoning measures that will ultimately give an extreme makeover to wide-ranging pockets of the city, including, Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Jamaica. As chair of the committee, Katz oversaw the rezoning of 6,000 city blocks, including the Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning in 2005. Prior to being elected to the New York City Council, Katz was Director of Community Boards for the Office of the Queens Borough President (1999–2002), and served as a Member of the New York State Assembly representing Queens' 28th District (1994–1999), which included Forest Hills, Rego Park, and parts of Middle Village and Glendale.

During her tenure as an Assembly Member, Katz authored sixteen bills that became laws, including some crucial health care initiatives. She wrote the law requiring HMOs to provide women direct access to gynecological care without forcing them to first see a primary care physician. She also was the Chair of the Sub-committee on Urban Health. Additionally, she has carried several bills to increase penalties for various forms of assault, and has been a long-time supporter of working men and women. In June 2009 she was the only woman running in the Democratic Primary for New York City Comptroller.

In 2012 she announced her plans to run for Queens Borough President in 2013. She was endorsed by Congresswoman Grace Meng, Councilman Leroy Comrie and the 1199 Hospital Workers Union.

Personal life

Katz was in a relationship with Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels, and separated from him in 2014; they have two children together, conceived in vitro over the previous five years. She is named in a court case involving Sliwa, accused by his ex-wife Mary of diverting money to Katz while still married to Mary, as part of a plan to build a "nest egg" with Katz prior to moving in with her.