Public servant announces candidacy for NE Queens council seat
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | AUG. 14-20, 2020 7
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BY BILL PARRY
A career public servant from northeast Queens
is hoping to make a jump from Borough Hall back to
City Hall. Douglaston native Richard Lee formally announced
his candidacy to represent District 19 as City
Councilman Paul Vallone is term-limited out in 2021.
A community advocate with an accomplished record
of public service and policy expertise, Lee is committed
to fighting for the people of northeast Queens
and moving diverse communities forward.
“My years of public service working to address
quality of life issues, helping constituents access public
services, fighting for fair funding in our schools, and
advocating for a more responsible budget has prepared
me to be the City Council Member our community will
need as we recover from these unprecedented times,”
Lee said.
Born into a Korean-American immigrant family,
Lee grew up in Douglaston and is a product of New York
City public schools. He currently serves as Budget Director
for the Queens borough president.
Lee is tasked with overseeing capital funding projects
as well as drafting the Borough President’s response
to the Mayor’s budget. He has consistently highlighted
the funding inequities of residents in Queens,
particularly those in northeast Queens.
“We live in a diverse district with diverse needs.
As a son of immigrant parents, Richard understands
the struggles that our first-generation neighbors face,”
Northeast Queens community activist Malini Shah
said. “Richard is a hard-working proven leader whose
commitment to working people is clear from his record.
He’s the fighter Northeast Queens needs in the City
Council.”
Before joining the Office of Queens Borough President,
Lee served as Budget and Legislative Director in
theNew York City Council to the Deputy Majority Leader,
overseeing a wide range of policy issues and guiding
community groups through the convoluted city budget
process. Prior to that, Lee was a community organizer
with Asian Americans for Equality, fighting for tenant
protections, small business support, senior services,
immigration reform, and funding equity for northeast
Queens communities.
“With his vast legislative and fiscal experience and
a deep understanding of how local government works,
Richard will be a tremendous Councilman for Northeast
Queens,” long-time Bay Terrace community leader
Warren Schreiber said in announcing his support for
Lee’s candidacy. “I support Richard because he has
shown competent evenhanded leadership that is mindful
of today’s enormous challenges. Richard has been a
champion for our community’s seniors, delivering help
to Northeast Queens seniors that will lead to a more enriching
and fulfilling life.”
Vallone’s district represents Bayside, Bay Terrace,
Auburndale, Beechhurst, College Point, Flushing, Little
Leck, Malba and Whitestone. Victor Dadras, a community
leader in Douglaston and Little Neck, architect
and urban designer, announced his support for Lee’s
candidacy.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy
and our local community. They create good-paying
jobs, expand opportunity, fuel prosperity, and foster
innovation across the country. And they deserve a government
that actively supports them, especially right
now, when small businesses are bearing the brunt of
the economic havoc caused by this pandemic,” Dadras
said. “That’s why Richard’s candidacy is so important.
Northeast Queens needs a visionary leader who will
work hand-to-hand with our small business leaders to
get the necessary aid for them to survive, rebuild and
thrive, once again.:
Lee also announced that through the NYC Campaign
Finance Board’s Matching Funds Program, the
campaign has already met the maximum threshold for
matching funds. To learn more about Lee, visit his website
here.
“I’m running for City Council because I believe that,
together, we will be able to rebuild the small businesses
that serve as a backbone of our community, address
the historic underinvestment in our students and preserve
the continuity of merit, ensure the needs of our
seniors so they can age gracefully, redesign a community
oriented transit system, and bring accountability
in government when it fails to address the needs of our
residents,” Lee said.
Richard Lee announces he’s running for Councilman
Paul Vallone’s seat in northeast Queens.
Courtesy of Lee campaign
/QNS.COM
