IVAN C. LAFAYETTE
34th Assembly District (Includes parts of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and
Corona)
E-mail: lafayei@assembly.state.ny.us
Albany office:
LOB 824, ALBANY 12248
518-455-4545
District Offices:
33-46 92ND ST. APT 1-W, JACKSON HEIGHTS, 11372
718-457-0384
AND
50-07 108TH STREET, CORONA 11368
718-760-0044
Ivan Lafayette, Democrat, was elected to the New York State Assembly in
November, 1976. He was born in Monticello, Sullivan County, New York. He
at tended public schools in Brooklyn and Brooklyn College. He served in
the U.S. Army from December, 1952 until December, 1954.
He and his wife, Bertine (nee Rabin) have made their home in Jackson Heights
since 1956. They have three sons. Jonathan, an Advertising Correspondent
is married to Leslie (nee Eisenstein) and they have a daughter, Sara and
a son, Michael. Son Mark, an attorney, is married to Lisa (nee Orgera);
they are the parents of triplets, Marissa, Gregory and Eric. Son Richard,
a Medical Doctor, is married to Suzanne.
Throughout his legislative career Assemblyman Lafayette is proud to have
been a sponsor of hundreds of Assembly bills that are now New York State
laws. The ones that are particularly noteworthy are the nationally acclaimed
Truth In Testing Law for college applicants as well as his Uninsured Motorist's
Law, which enhances penalties for motor vehicle traffic infractions. Other
accomplishments include the law that requires banking institutions to be
responsible as to interest payments; as well as the Omnibus Racing &
Wagering Law. He is also responsible for the Social Service Law that increases
support for the needy, as well as the expansion of the Open Meetings Law.
Laws expanding SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemptions) and additional
tax relief for limited income seniors are other ways in which the Assemblyman
has shown that he cares about his constituents.
Ivan Lafayette has a long history of involvement in civic and community
affairs. He is the Honorary President of the Jackson Heights/Elmhurst Kehillah,
Trustee of the North Queens Homeowner and Civic Association. He is on the
Board of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, Woodside on the Move and
the Boy Scouts of America. Assemblyman Lafayette is the former President
of the Jackson Heights Community Federation. He was a Board member of the
Corona Preservation Senior Center and the Community Education Resource Center,
Area Policy Board 3 and 4 and a member of the Executive Committee of the
Health Planning Agency, Sub-regional B, Past President of the Jackson Heights
Chapter of B'nai B'rith. Mr. Lafayette belongs to Congregation Beth Hillel,
the N.A.A.C.P., Post 209 of the Jewish War Veterans and the American Legion.
He is also a member of the Astoria Heights Homeowners and Tenants Association,
the Kiwanis Club of Woodside, an Advisory Board member of the Jackson Heights
Community Development Corporation and the American Cancer Society.
Mr. Lafayette is an honorary member of the Samaritan Half-Way House, Italian
Charities, Father Bellini Society, the Ollantay Center for the Arts and
Queens Council on the Arts. He also served on the Faculty Advisory Board
of LaGuardia Community College Secretarial Science Department.
Mr. Lafayette was the impetus in the formation of the Air Services Committee
for LaGuardia and Kennedy Airports under the Office of Economic Development
Corporation.
Mr. Lafayette has received numerous awards and citations from groups such
as: the NYC Coalition of School-based Drug Prevention and Education Programs,
Federation of Italian/ American Democratic Organization, the Woodside Houses
Tenants Patrol, twice by the Boy Scouts of America, St. Gabriel's C.Y.O.,
Italian Charities, Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Queens Independent
Democrats, Local 504 Air Transport Workers Union, numerous Block Associations,
the Langston Hughes Library, the Jackson Heights/Elmhurst Volunteer Ambulance
Corp., twice by the North Queens Homeowners and Civic Association, Junction
Boulevard Merchants Association, B'nai B'rith, Jewish War Veterans, Father
Bellini Society Long Island Board of Realtors, Jackson Heights Community
Development Corp., Rachel Carson Liberty and the John F. Kennedy Democratic
Clubs, former Lieutenant Governor, Alfred Del Bello, Councilmen Peter Vallone
and Joseph Lisa, Congressman Tom Manton, Senator George Onorato, the Woodside
Senior Assistance Program, the Catherine Sheridan Senior Center, the Steinway
Senior Center and the East Elmhurst/Corona Civic Association, Elmjack Little
League, which he was a former umpire and the Lexington Center for the Deaf
honored him with their Award of Merit.
Since 1988, Assemblyman Lafayette participated in the Mayor's Adopt-A-Class
program and adopted a seventh grade class at J.H.S. 141 Q. They too gave
him a Certificate of Merit for all of his hard work. This year his adopted
class is from the Joseph Pulitzer, I.S. 145 school in Jackson Heights. Mr.
Lafayette also received a special award from William Cullen Bryant High
School for his outstanding commitment towards public education.
Ivan Lafayette is a former Democratic District Leader and State Committeeman.
He is past President of the John F. Kennedy Democratic Club and a member
of the Liberty Democratic Club.
Mr. Lafayette is the former Chairperson of the Administrative Regulations
Review Commission and also served as the Chair of the Assembly's Subcommittee
on Automobile Insurance Standards and Co-Chair of the Democratic Study Group.
Assemblyman Lafayette is the Chairman of the Assembly's Majority Steering
Committee. From January 1991 until December 1992, Mr. Lafayette served as
the Chairman of the Assembly's Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs and
Protection, responsible for the Auto-Bumper Quality Label Law. From 1985
until December 1990 he served as Chairman of the Assembly's Standing Committee
on Racing and Wagering. Through the Assemblyman's efforts, New York State's
Racing and Wagering Industry was enhanced with commensurate growth in State
and local revenues. Mr. Lafayette is Chair of the Sub-committee on Auto
Insurance. He is a Senior Member of the Assembly's Ways & Means Committee,
the Banks Committee, as well as the Commerce, Insurance and Transportation
Committees.