FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MAY 20, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 29
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Grant non-citizen New Yorkers the right to vote
BY MELISSA JOHN
It is no secret that throughout history,
Black and Brown people in America
have been shut out of the democratic process
letters & comments
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and eff ectively silenced. Now, we have
an opportunity to create a more inclusive
city by passing Intro 1867, a local law
that would allow nearly 1 million permanent
residents, like myself, who call New
York City home, a chance to vote in our
upcoming local elections.
Th e passing of this law is a fi rst and
critical step in eradicating the inequities
immigrant communities face. Expanding
voting rights is New York City’s opportunity
to take the lead in addressing the pervasive
marginalization immigrants face.
Th is bill would permit Legal Permanent
Residents (green card holders) and those
with work authorizations to vote in municipal
elections for offi ces like mayor and
City Council. Moreover, although municipal
non-citizen voting currently exists in
several other municipalities in the U.S. —
including in California and Maryland —
the passage of Intro 1867 in New York City
would be a catalyst for immigrant suff rage
rights in large cities, especially now, when
immigrants have been so essential during
this pandemic and will be critical to the
country’s recovery.
I myself am a green card holder who
has never had the opportunity to participate
in an election, despite paying taxes
for more than 20 years. Immigrants are
the cornerstone of New York City’s culture
and commerce, yet we continue to have
our political voices stifl ed and denied
power at the polls. And even though we
contribute fi nancially to the neighborhoods
and boroughs we call home, we
cannot fully participate in democracy or
hold our local leaders accountable.
But now more than ever, New Yorkers
have seen fi rsthand the crucial role immigrants
play in our city as essential workers.
Th roughout this ongoing pandemic,
immigrant New Yorkers have risked their
lives to care for the sick as medical professionals
and home health aides; delivered
our groceries; kept gas stations open
and the lights on in our local pharmacies;
and kept medical facilities, residential
buildings and offi ce buildings clean.
Simply put, many immigrants put themselves
and their families’ lives in harm’s
way to help keep countless of their fellow
New Yorkers safe.
Th is June, while registered voters elect a
new mayor, city comptroller, public advocate
and over 30 City Council seats, nearly
1 million of my fellow immigrant New
Yorkers will not have the chance to make
their voices heard in one of the most consequential
elections of our lifetimes.
Th e reality is that without a say in who
our local elected leaders are, we are essentially
being left out of every critical decision
that aff ects our families and communities.
Granting the vote to nearly 1 million
non-citizen New Yorkers will not
only boost voter turnout numbers, but
also make it more diffi cult for local leaders
to ignore our needs. We are hardworking
taxpayers who form part of our city’s
civic fabric and we deserve to have a seat
at the table when it comes to deciding how
our tax dollars are spent. We have the right
to have a voice on how public schools and
hospitals are run and to fi ght for aff ordable
housing in our neighborhoods.
Continuous engagement in the democratic
process is a revolutionary act. Intro
1867 will provide immigrants with the
tools to fully engage in the political process
while moving forward on the path
toward full citizenship. It will also fi nally
create a voting landscape that truly
refl ects the diversity of New York City.
Melissa John is a Trinidadian-born
U.S. green card holder and founder of
RepresentWe, an initiative that provides a
platform for civic engagement to empower
immigrant communities.
PROPOSED
INFRASTRUCTURE BILLS
LACK CRITICAL DETAILS
President Biden’s proposed $2.3 trillion
infrastructure program would
be spent over eight years. It includes
a total of $85 billion that would go
toward transit.
Key components are $55 billion for
transit state of good repair, $25 billion
for transit expansion and $5 billion
for Americans with Disabilities Act
implementation.
Democrats also provide $21 billion
for safety, $25 billion for airports, $17
billion for ports and inland waterways
along with $115 billion for bridges
and roads.
Th e Republican alternative $568 billion
infrastructure program would be
spent over fi ve years. It includes a total
of $81 billion that would go to transit.
Key components are $61 billion for
public transit and $20 billion for rail.
Republicans also provide $13 billion
for safety, $44 billion for airports, $17
billion for ports and inland waterways
along with $290 billion for bridges
and roads.
Both plans have a signifi cant fl aw.
Neither provides anyone with a specifi
c list of proposed projects or estimated
costs to be funded under each
category.
Every year, the Federal Department
of Transportation’s Aviation, Highway,
Transit, Motor Carriers, Maritime
and National Highway Traffi c Safety
Administrations along with the St.
Lawrence Seaway Development
Corporation provide billions in grants
out of their combined $89 billion
budgets. Th ese grants pay for similar
work being proposed under both
infrastructure programs. Th eir local
state, county and city departments or
authorities counterparts do the same.
Who has checked to see how much
money is already available under
these existing federal and other nonfederal
funding sources to pay for the
same proposed work?
Good government must be open
and transparent if we are to understand
what is being proposed. We
deserve to know details like how
much work will cost program by
program and project by project; how
long work will take to complete;
what the benefi ts are for proposed
projects; the cash fl ow plans for
expenditures; and how all of this
additional spending will be paid for.
If work is to be performed over fi ve
or eight years, do potential recipients
need all of these dollars up
front in the fi rst year of the program?
Remember that Washington
already faces a $29 trillion longterm
defi cit. It is anticipated to grow
by a trillion annually for years or
decades to come.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
A NEW PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE
Th e 2021 Pledge of Allegiance
should be the following:
“I pledge allegiance to the fl ag of
the United States of America, and to
the Republic for which it stands, one
nation, under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all, and I will
do everything I can to ensure that
the former president never again gets
anywhere near the Oval Offi ce.”
Robert Berger, Bellerose
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