Know Your Candidates: Marty Golden

November 2, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

State Sen. Martin Golden. Photo courtesy of Golden’s office

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Marty Golden, a retired police officer, was a Bay Ridge business leader when he decided to make his first foray into politics back in 1997. At the time, he owned the Bay Ridge Manor catering hall and was a leading member of the Fifth Avenue Board of Trade. He ran for Bay Ridge’s City Council seat and won.

In 2002, Golden ran for state Senate against Democratic incumbent Vincent Gentile and won.

He hasn’t lost an election since.

Golden is now running for his ninth term in the state Senate in a race that could determine if the Republicans maintain control of that legislative chamber. His challenger is Democrat Andrew Gounardes, a lawyer and Bay Ridge civic activist.

Golden has referred repeatedly to his record in the Senate, pointing out that he has sponsored numerous pieces of legislation, brought back millions of dollars in funding to the district for senior citizen centers, schools and other projects and has sponsored outdoor concerts in parks and mobile labs for mammograms.

One of the bills, called “design-build,” will help expedite major roadway repair projects, like the rebuilding of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, he said.

Golden, who is a member of the Capital Review Board of the MTA, said he is fighting for passage of a bill to create a so-called Lock Box to prevent New York state from siphoning money from the MTA and putting it toward other uses.

Golden has also sponsored legislation to crack down on property owners who illegally convert one and two-family homes into multi-unit buildings without city permits, a process known as illegal home conversions. Golden said his bill would increase the penalties against landlords who get caught.

Golden is a longtime resident of Bay Ridge, where he lives with his wife Colleen. They have two sons, Michael and Patrick. — Paula Katinas