Judge Noach Dear (born 1953) is a New York State Civil Court Judge (and a former member of the Taxi and Limousine Commission for New York City). Appointed to the T&LC in 2002, Dear was slated to serve a seven year term. A former member of the New York City Council from 1983–2001, Dear headed the powerful Transportation Committee and opposed commuter vans, otherwise known as "dollar vans," as a transportation alternative while in office.[1]
While representing City Council District 44 Dear served as an advocate on a host of subjects, including strong support for the state of Israel and concern for the issues impacting the primarily Jewish-and heavily Orthodox-residents in his community, which included Midwood, as well as large swaths of Borough Park and Bensonhurst.
Dear was widely seen as a political rival of Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who represents many of the same constituents that Dear once represented while in office, and comes from an Orthodox Jewish heritage.
Term-limited out of office, Dear launched an uphill campaign for the New York State Senate seat now held by Kevin Parker in 2002. In a five candidate field Dear narrowly lost to Parker by a margin of 909 votes. [1] Dear also ran in a Democratic congressional primary that chose the successor to Charles Schumer in 1998, which saw him face three other candidates, including the eventual winner, Anthony Weiner. After losing that primary Dear went on to contest the general election as the Republican nominee, a race in which he was overwhelmingly defeated.
On January 5, 2009, his successor for city council Simcha Felder has resigned following his appointment to the position of Deputy Comptroller.
| Preceded by Susan Alter |
New York City Council, 32nd District 1983–1991 |
Succeeded by Walter Ward |
| Preceded by New district |
New York City Council, 44th District 1992–2001 |
Succeeded by Simcha Felder |