political profi les District 12
Courtesy of Pamela Johnson
BY PAMELA JOHNSON
Why are you running?
It is time for a CHANGE! Community
residents feel disconnected and
disenfranchised they see politicians
as unscrupulous individuals that have
done nothing for their community accept
line their pockets. People have seen
our community decline everyday they
walk outside to go to work. Stepping
over garbage pan handlers on White
Plains Road, increase crime, and drugs
that can be bought on any corner. The
quality of life is deteriorating and people
want change. Businesses cannot afford
to pay the exorbitant rent on top of
the commercial property tax they pay
to landlords. Which contributes to the
food deserts in our community.
Tell us about yourself, what you do
for a living, your relationship to the
district, and which neighborhood you
live in
I have been the Executive Director
and founder for 20+ years at Urban
Neighborhood Educational Technology
for You, Inc. 501 C (3). Concurrently, for
13 years I have been the Executive Director
of the Eastchester Heights Community
Center and most recently since
2018 I have been a consultant for the
DOE Family Engagement and Community
Empowerment (FACE). These positions
have all been in the Bronx.
I grew up in a NYCHA development
where there were drugs and crime. I
have resided in the North East Bronx
Williamsbridge section for over 40
years. Met and married my husband
from the Edenwald projects and raised
my family in a Mitchell Lama development
off 222nd and White Plains Road.
What are the biggest challenges facing
the district and how will you solve
them?
The biggest problem for our district
right now is the pandemic, zip
codes 10466,10467,10469 and 10475 had
the highest rates in the US. Yet we only
have one testing site that is at Co-op
City. Co-op city is so big that it needs
its own site. There must be another site
for the rest of the district. I would release
the portion of vaccine to the areas
that have been hit the hardest and
has the most cases. We must extend
the mortarium on renters, give landlords
of small commercial units of 10 or
lower interest free loans and tax credits.
Pass the Small Business jobs Survival
Act and throw a lifeline to small
business. We must upgrade the technology
and ventilation systems in our
school buildings. Vaccinate teachers
and students to eradicate COVID-19 in
the school environment.
What will you do differently than
the incumbent?
The incumbent has taken $70,000
from Voters of NYC an undercover
Real Estate group run by Jeffery Leb.
This group single handedly pulls the
strings of politicians. This is pay to
play, and Kevin will should buy stock
in shoe repair because he’ll be doing
a lot of dancing to pay of that $70,000.
At the end of the day the community
loses its voice with Kevin C. Riley at
the helm.
I will honor my oath to the community
and not take dark money. I will
be a candidate with cleans hands not
bought and sold to the highest bidder.
Council District 12 deserves better
leadership with integrity and transparency.
My conscience would not let
me run for this offi ce, if I was beholden
to special interest.
What’s your political experience?
I have been Elected to the School
Board on the elementary and High
School level. As President we brought
in $449 Million dollars to our district
we built six schools in eight years and
received “RESO A” monies totaling $23
million dollars. I was Elected to the
47th Precinct Community Council and
DYCD’s Neighborhood Advisory Board
where we gave out close to 1.2million
dollars to community-based organizations
in Council District 12.
What endorsements do you have?
I am being endorsed by 21 in 21 –
From the devastation of a global pandemic
to the inspiring groundswell of
the Black Lives Matter movement, we
must ensure women are fully represented
on the NYC City Council, leading
us toward a more just and equitable
future.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M 22 ARCH 26-APR. 1, 2021 BTR
Montefi ore Home Care, the
nation’s fi rst hospital-based
agency dedicated to providing
newly discharged patients the
benefi ts of at-home support,
recently became one of the
fi rst NYC locations to vaccinate
homebound patients from
COVID-19. Nurse, Misael Campos,
is seen here vaccinating
Michael Quinones in the Bronx.
Photos courtesy of Montefi ore
Pamela Johnson
Montefi ore home care brings
COVID vaccines house-bound
Montefi ore Home Care nurse,
Misael Campos, gears up to
bring COVID-19 vaccines to
homebound patients in the
Bronx.