Queens electeds welcome Adams administration’s G&T reboot
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | APRIL 22-28, 2022 18
BY BILL PARRY
Assemblyman Brian Barnwell
spoke with QNS to shed some
light on the issues that led him to
decide to end his re-election campaign
Tuesday, April 14.
The 36-year-old — who represents
District 30, which comprises
the neighborhoods of Maspeth,
Middle Village and parts of Astoria,
Long Island City, Sunnyside
and Woodside — told QNS that he
reached the breaking point after
the $220 billion New York state
budget was finalized over the
weekend.
“There were a host of issues,
but guns were the problem for
me,” Barnwell said. “You have
people dying and getting shot in
the street. I wanted to get illegal
possession of a firearm to be considered
for bail, not mandate but
at least considered. Nope. The gun
stuff was the last straw for me.”
Barnwell also said he is frustrated
with the inaction by city
agencies.
“I handle all of my constituent
complaints and city agencies are
just not doing their job,” Barnwell
said. “Not resolving serious
complaints like no heat, no hot
water, mold, etc. The Department
of Buildings not resolving illegal
conversions and then they wonder
why bad things happen. It all goes
back to people playing politics instead
of solving the issue and you
know me — I don’t like playing
politics.”
Democratic District Leader
Melissa Sklarz, a longtime neighbor
of Barnwell’s in Woodside
who mounted an unsuccessful
challenge against him in 2018,
was on a committee that included
Queens County Democratic chairman
Gregory Meeks that selected
Steven Raga to replace Barnwell
on the ballot.
“The committee on filling vacancies
selected Steven Raga as
the best choice for Queens County
Democrats in the 30th AD in the
June primary,” Sklarz said.
Raga is the current executive
director of Woodside on the Move
who served as Barnwell’s chief of
staff for four years.
“I had nothing to do with that
whatsoever; like I said, I don’t like
playing politics,” Barnwell said.
“Steven ran for City Council last
year and I didn’t endorse him. I
guess they picked him but it has
nothing to do with me.”
Barnwell grew up in the Boulevard
Gardens Apartments in
Woodside dreaming of a career
in the military until he was diagnosed
with scoliosis, or curvature
of the spine. Three back surgeries
and metal rods stabilizing his
spine ended his thoughts of serving
in the armed forces.
Barnwell chose public service
instead stunning nine-term
incumbent state Assemblywoman
Margaret Markey in the
2016 Democratic primary before
claiming the seat in a convincing
win over Republican nominee
Tony Nunziato, the current leader
of the Queens GOP.
He will finish out his current
term at the end of the year and is
undecided about what comes next.
”I’m a lawyer and I could return
to practice, but I’m also a
Christian so I might become a
preacher,” Barnwell said. “I already
hear people saying, ‘Oh,
he’s got a corporate job lined up
or maybe he’s going to be selected
to be lieutenant governor,’ and I’m
like, I put thousands into my reelection
campaign and then the
budget came down, and I just said
to myself, I can’t. I’m done.”
BY BILL PARRY
Northeast Queens elected officials
are applauding the expansion
of New York City public school’s
Gifted and Talented programs
across the five boroughs. Mayor
Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor
David Banks on Thursday,
April 14, announced they would
add 100 kindergarten seats and
1,000 third-grade seats, expanding
both entry points to all districts.
“Today the mayor and chancellor
showed once again that they
just don’t talk, they get stuff done,”
Councilwoman Linda Lee said.
“Since the fall, parents, community
leaders and elected officials
have consistently called for G&T
to be restored, and today the mayor
and chancellor demonstrated
that they are listening. By not just
expanding the number of seats
available citywide, but also expanding
programs to every school
district in the city, and allowing
students to test into the program at
later ages, this new program will
prove that we can have equity and
educational excellence at the same
time.”
Lee, whose oldest son is not enrolled
in the G&T program at his
school while her youngest will be
eligible to test in next year, has
been a consistent advocate for the
restoration and expansion of the
program after former Mayor Bill
de Blasio announced in October
that the program would be discontinued.
“I thank the mayor and chancellor
for this announcement and
look forward to working closely
with them to ensure smooth implementation
in the month to come,”
Lee said.
Lee led a rally last October
with concerned parents to protest
de Blasio’s decision to discontinue
the Gifted and Talented program.
Councilwoman Sandra Ung was
among the northeast Queens elected
officials to join Lee’s rally.
“I want to thank Mayor Eric
Adams for listening to those of us
from across New York who have
been calling for the city to expand
Gifted and Talented programs and
give more children access to accelerated
learning, not eliminate
them,” Ung said.
Ung proceeded to call out the
previous administration.
“The former mayor’s decision
to phase out these programs was
never in the best interest of our
students, and I want to thank the
current mayor for making the
common-sense decision to reverse
course and to stand with the parents,
educators and our students.”
State Senator John Liu applauded
the Gifted and Talented
reboot by the Adams administration
but cautioned that there is
still work to do.
“Glad to see some positive
movement on accelerated learning
in public schools, and kudos to the
mayor and chancellor for this step
forward,” Liu said. “An expansion
is welcome news, although it relies
on a lottery and nebulous recommendations
that are cause for concern
to many parents and families.
Going forward beyond this school
year, the administration must be
sure to engage parents and students
who have long called for
more accelerated learning in order
to address these outstanding
issues.”
City Council Speaker Adrienne
Adams added her support for the
expansion of the Gifted and Talented
program.
“All students, regardless of
race, income or the neighborhood
they live in, deserve equal opportunity
to accelerated academic
learning and challenges,” she said.
Northeast Queens elected officials hailed Mayor Adams for the expansion
of the Gifted and Talented program in public schools while slamming the
previous administration for discontinuing it last fall. QNS file photo
Assemblyman Brian Barnwell
said “a host of issues” led to his
decision to to end his re-election
bid. QNS file photo
‘I’m done’: Barnwell explains decision to drop re-election bid
PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews
PoliticsNY.com
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
/QNS.COM
/PoliticsNY.com
