한국계 케빈 오툴 NYNJ 항만청 커미셔너 된다

한국계 정치인 케빈 오툴 뉴저지주상원의원(공화)이 뉴욕뉴저지 항만청(NYNJ Port Authority) 커미셔너로 지명됐다.

뉴저지 크리스 크리스티 주지사가 27일 케빈 오툴 주상원의원을 뉴욕뉴저지 항만청 이사회(Board of Commissioners)의 커미셔너로 지명함에 따라 한국계 최초의 항만청 커미셔너가 탄생할 전망이다.

뉴욕뉴저지 항만청 이사회는 항만청 의장을 포함, 모두 10명의 커미셔너로 구성돼 있다. 뉴욕한국일보에 따르면 오툴 의원은 “크리스티 주지사에게 감사를 드린다. 항만청 이사가 된다면 최선을 다해 역할을 수행하겠다”고 소감을 밝혔다.

주상원의 인준(認准)을 마치면 오툴 의원은 2011년 크리스티 주지사가 임명한 팻 슈버 이사의 자리를 물려받게 된다. 민주당에서도 로레타 와인버그 주상원의원(민주)이 캐런 터널 정치 고문을 지명한 것으로 알려졌다.

오툴 의원은 아일랜드계 아버지와 한국계 어머니 사이에서 태어났으며 지난해 정계 은퇴를 선언한 바 있다.

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1990년 시다 그로브 시장으로 정계입문

Senator Kevin O'Toole was born on October 5, 1964 in Cedar Grove, NJ. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and Public Administration from Seton Hall University and his Juris Doctorate from the Seton Hall, School of Law. Senator O'Toole currently serves on the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Senate State Government Committee. He also serves as a member of the Ramapo College Board of Governors.

During his collegiate career, Senator O'Toole served a college internship in the office of former Congressman Joseph Minish and thereafter as a legislative aide to Senator John V. Kelly; Chairman of the Essex County Republican Committee. Mr. O'Toole had also served a clerkship in the office of the State Attorney General.

Prior to being elected to the New Jersey Senate in 2007, Senator O'Toole served in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001, as Mayor of Cedar Grove in 1990, 1993 and 1995, and as Councilman of Cedar Grove from 1989-1996.

During his time in the legislature, Senator O'Toole has sponsored laws to reform welfare, strengthen our state's domestic violence statutes, increase penalties on businesses and individuals who engage in discrimination, preserve our state's drinking water supply through the preservation of Sterling Forest and mandate insurance coverage for mammograms and for those being treated for breast and cervical cancer.

Senator O'Toole has also instituted the New Jersey Prepaid College Education Expense Program, which would allow parents to start education savings accounts to enable them to pay for their child's college education at today's prices. He has also sponsored legislation to ban 'Pay-to-Play' tactics, which would prohibit campaign contributions from vendors who have government contracts and also legislation which established funding for full-day kindergarten programs in the Abbot school districts.

Senator O'Toole and his wife Bethany have two children, Kevin Jr. and Ryan Marie.