Angel Rodriguez, the current councilmember for the 38th District in Southwest Brooklyn that includes parts of Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, Wyckoff, Gowanus and Red Hook, has run a thriving tax and small business consulting company in Brooklyn for 20 years. He was born and raised in Brooklyn. Councilman Rodriguez is a product of the N.Y.C. public school system and C.U.N.Y. His mother migrated to the U.S. from Lares, Puerto Rico. He is married and the father of 2 teens, both of whom are in the public school system.

The councilman’s emphasis on youth programs is evident in council initiatives for area youth, including programs to ensure that all school age children have health coverage, building or refurbishing computer labs throughout the council district, passage of legislation to safeguard city children from accidents stemming from laser pointers, and sponsorship of numerous athletic, educational and cultural activities for area youngsters.

Councilman Rodriguez’ financial expertise has made him an integral participant in the city’s budgeting process. He is the budget negotiator for the Black and Latino Caucus and was the representative of the 2001 caucus, the group of councilmembers eligible for re-election and the expected leadership of the next council, to the council’s budget negotiating team for the Fiscal Year 2002. He continued to espouse sound fiscal practices while ensuring that funding for critically needed social, educational and cultural programs were spared the mayor’s budget axe.

Councilman Rodriguez is in the forefront of the battles for a safer environment.

(Statement reprinted as supplied by the candidate; cut for space requirements.)