Announcing his long shot bid in July for the 30th Assembly District covering Woodside, Maspeth and Middle Village, Nunziato is no stranger to rough-and-tumble Queens politics.
Growing up in Woodside in a family of Queens florists, including his cousin, Councilman Eric Gioia, Nunziato had a contentious tenure on Community Board 5, where he chaired its Environmental Committee with a zeal for green issues unmatched by many in his own party.
Calling out Markey’s vote against the commuter tax, Nunziato characterized the four-term assemblywoman as a cog in the county and state Democratic machine.
And like many others in Queens, Nunziato is deeply cynical about the borough’s rapid development. “Even the dumbest teenager who plays Sim City knows if you don’t do the substructure before you build up... it’s devastation,” he said.
Read more: Markey Challenger Betting on Some Flower Power, Queens Chronicle, 9/4/08