Cacchione, Peter V., 1897-1947

Peter V. Cacchione was (d.1947) was a New York City councilman for the Borough of Brooklyn from 1942-1947. He introduced or supported legislation supporting price ceilings on rent, food, transportation and utilities. Cacchione was a supporter of city employee wage increases and the increase of state aid for New York City, and was opposed to segregation in housing, discrimination in employment, and sales taxes.

Peter V. Cacchione (d.1947) was a New York City councilman for the Borough of Brooklyn from 1942-1947. He introduced or supported legislation supporting price ceilings on rent, food, transportation and utilities. Cacchione was a supporter of city employee wage increases and the increase of state aid for New York City, and was opposed to segregation in housing, discrimination in employment, and sales taxes.

Peter V. Cacchione (Nov. 1, 1897-Nov. 6, 1947) was a labor leader, communist and New York City councilman. He was born of immigrant parents in Syracuse, New York in 1897, and grew up in Sayre, Pennsylvania. After graduating from high school in 1915 he worked as a railroad trainman and repairman, and at other blue collar jobs. In 1932 he moved to New York, where he joined the progressive movement and in 1935 was elected National Commander of the Workers' Ex-Servicemen's League. In 1936 he became chairman of the Communist Party in the Bronx. After moving to Brooklyn, he took advantage of New York City's newly instituted proportional representation system and ran (unsuccessfully) for city council on the Communist Party ticket in 1937 and 1939. He was elected in 1941, reelected in 1943 and 1945, and served until his death in 1947, two days after proportional representation was repealed. The New York City Council refused to seat the Communist Party's choice to serve the remaining fourteen months of Cacchione's term, his campaign manager (and biographer) Simon W. Gerson (Pete: the Story of Peter V. Cacchione, New York's First Communist Councilman, 1976).

Peter V. Cacchione (November 1, 1897 - November 6, 1947) was a labor leader, communist and New York City councilman. He was born of immigrant parents in Syracuse, New York in 1897, and grew up in Sayre, Pennsylvania. After graduating from high school in 1915 he worked as a railroad trainman and repairman, and at other blue-collar jobs. In 1932 he moved to New York, where he joined the progressive movement and in 1935 was elected National Commander of the Workers' Ex-Servicemen's League. In 1936 he became chairman of the Communist Party in the Bronx.

After moving to Brooklyn, he took advantage of New York City's newly instituted proportional representation system and ran (unsuccessfully) for city council on the Communist Party ticket in 1937 and 1939. He was elected in 1941, reelected in 1943 and 1945, and served until his death in 1947, two days after proportional representation was repealed. The New York City Council refused to seat the Communist Party's choice to serve the remaining fourteen months of Cacchione's term, his campaign manager (and biographer) Simon W. Gerson.

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