H H H H H H PRIMARY VOTERS’ GUIDE 2021 H H H H H H
Who’s running for Bronx
Borough President?
As the city’s poorest borough,
the Bronx’s problems
have only been exacerbated
by the COVID-19 pandemic,
which decimated small businesses
and wreaked havoc on
the local economy.
Yet, even before the pandemic,
the borough had been
dealing with multiple systemic
problems — including
environmental racism that
situated highly-polluting factories
in low-income areas
populated mostly by minority
New Yorkers, and porous
public health care capacity
that led to a lower life expectancy
and higher rates of comorbidities.
With term-limited Borough
President Rubén Díaz
Jr. leaving Bronx Borough
Hall at the end of the year,
the race to replace the twoterm
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J 36 UNE 18-24, 2021 BTR
beep has heated up —
with fi ve candidates presenting
different visions for how
they would wield the offi ce’s
power.
The fi ve candidates running
are Councilmembers
Fernando Cabrera and Vanessa
Gibson, Assemblymember
Nathalia Fernandez,
retired NYPD lieutenant
Samuel Ravelo, and State
Sen. Luis Sepulveda.
The borough president has
the power to appoint members
of the local community
boards, as well as weigh in
on local land use issues, such
as approval or disapproval of
rezonings, which has become
a hot-button issue between
those looking for more affordable
housing, and those
fi ghting against gentrifi cation.
Additionally, the borough
president can serve as a highprofi
le voice to bring attention
to the issues they care
about, and those that plague
their constituents.
Here is an indepth look at
the candidates for Bronx borough
president, in alphabetical
order by last name:
Bronx Bourgh Hall
The NYC Primary is June 22 - Learn About Every Candidate