{{Short description|American lawyer and politician}} {{use mdy dates|date=July 2021}} {{use American English|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Donald Halperin | state_senate = New York State | district = | term_start = January 6, 1971 | term_end = October 4, 1993 | preceded = William Rosenblatt | succeeded = Carl Kruger | constituency = {{ubl |16th district (1971-1972) |20th district (1973-1982) |18th district (1983-1992) |21st district (1993)}} | party = Democratic | birth_date = {{birth date|1945|7|25}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2006|6|25|1945|7|25}} | death_place = Brooklyn, New York, US | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, US }} '''Donald Marc Halperin''' (July 25, 1945 – June 26, 2006) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.<ref name=DonHalperin.NYTobit>{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/nyregion/30halperin.html |title=Donald Halperin, 60, Senator Who Was Deeply Loyal to Brooklyn, Dies |author=Dennis Hevesi |date=June 30, 2006}}</ref>
==Early life== He was born on July 25, 1945, the son of Charles Halperin and Gladys Halperin. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nGOIAAAAMAAJ&q=red+book+donald+halperin+brenda ''New York Red Book''] (1985–1986; pg. 93)</ref> He graduated from Rutgers University in 1967, and from Brooklyn Law School in 1970. He married Brenda, and they had two children. While still in law school, he entered politics as a Democrat.
==Career== Halperin was a member of the New York State Senate<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/03/11/archives/bill-is-proposed-on-transplants.html |title=Bill is proposed on transplants |author=Frank J. Prial |date=March 11, 1975}}</ref> from 1971 to 1993, sitting in the 179th, 180th, 181st, 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th, 188th, 189th and 190th New York State Legislatures. In September 1993, he ran in the Democratic primary for New York City Public Advocate, but came in fifth among six candidates.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/15/nyregion/1993-primary-public-advocate-green-scores-big-victory-over-his-five-opponents.html ''THE 1993 PRIMARY: Public Advocate''] in ''The New York Times'' on September 15, 1993</ref> On October 4, 1993, Halperin was appointed as New York State Commissioner of the Division of Housing and Community Renewal.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/05/nyregion/cuomo-picks-investment-banker-for-municipal-assistance-post.html ''Cuomo Picks Investment Banker For Municipal Assistance Post''] in ''The New York Times'' on October 5, 1993</ref> He remained in office until the end of 1994.<ref>Gov. Mario M. Cuomo and NYS Commissioner David M. Halperin. (1994). ''1994-1995 Programs: Housing Operations.'' Albany, NY: New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.</ref><ref>Gov. Mario M. Cuomo and NYS Commissioner Donald M. Halperin. (1994). ''1994-1995 Programs: Community Development''. Albany, New York: New York State Division of Housing and Renewal.</ref><ref>Gov. Mario M. Cuomo and Commissioner Donald M. Halperin. (1994). ''1994-1995 Programs Rent Administration''. Albany, NY: New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.</ref> Afterwards Halperin practiced law in New York City.
He was among those who, outnumbered 35 Republicans to 26 Democratic state senators, used a 23 day slowdown until concessions were made by the majority.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/05/nyregion/democrats-report-tentative-truce-to-end-4-week-senate-slowdown.html |title=Democrats Report Tentative Truce To End 4-week Senate Slowdown |author=Michael Oreskes |date=May 5, 1983}}</ref> This was not the only time Halperin was involved in influencing outcomes.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/06/06/archives/carey-in-deal-on-drug-bill.html |title=Carey in Deal On Drug Bill |date=June 6, 1979}}</ref> In 1971 the New York Civil Liberties Union ranked him the third most liberal member of the legislature's upper house.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/12/archives/civil-liberties-unit-flunks-legislature-on-voting-record.html |title=Civil Liberties Unit Flunks Legislature On Voting Record |date=October 12, 1971}}</ref>
==Death== He died on June 26, 2006, in the Menorah Nursing Home in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, of lung cancer,<ref name=DonHalperin.NYTobit/> and was buried at the Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Glendale, Queens.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ny-sen}} {{succession box | before = William Rosenblatt | title = New York State Senate <br />16th District | years = 1971–1972 | after = A. Frederick Meyerson}} {{succession box | before = Albert B. Lewis | title = New York State Senate <br />20th District | years = 1973–1982 | after = Thomas J. Bartosiewicz}} {{succession box | before = Thomas J. Bartosiewicz | title = New York State Senate <br />18th District | years = 1983–1992 | after = Velmanette Montgomery}} {{succession box | before = Marty Markowitz | title = New York State Senate <br />21st District | years = 1993 | after = Carl Kruger}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halperin, Donald}} Category:1945 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Politicians from Brooklyn Category:Democratic Party New York (state) state senators Category:Rutgers University alumni Category:Brooklyn Law School alumni Category:Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Category:Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn) alumni Category:Burials at Mount Lebanon Cemetery Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature