FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com june 27, 2013 • THE QUEENS COURIER 19 ▶politics COUNCIL DISTRICT 24 Blishteyn is the ‘citizen candidate’ BY MELISSA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com A Fresh Meadows attorney wants to breathe life back into stunted small businesses in his district. Alex Blishteyn, a Republican candidate for City Council, said he has seen too many shops close their shutters in the 23 years he has lived in District 24. “I remember that area when small businesses were flourishing,” he said. “You could walk up Kissena Boulevard and people would be going in and out of stores.” Now, Blishteyn said, local stores are being “overregulated and overburdened” with city taxes and regulations. “They’re not being allowed to operate,” he said. “That’s why we’re seeing a lot of them shut down. They’re being nickel-and-dimed to death.” The first-time candidate has raised about $16,000 so far in his bid to replace Councilmember James Gennaro, who is stepping down after reaching his term limit. District 24 stretches from Fresh Meadows to Jamaica. “I think that the community is not well represented,” said Blishteyn, 35. “We need a voice for the people who actually live in that area, one who actually represents the residents of the area. I haven’t found that to be the case.” Blishteyn, who calls himself the “citizen candidate,” said education is at the top of his agenda. He added that instituting a voucher program and tax credits for private school tuition would give parents more school choices for their children. “I’ve never been a political activist,” Blishteyn said. “I’m the regular guy who really has had enough with what’s happening with our city.” Blishteyn is supported by past and present GOP lawmakers including Councilmember Eric Ulrich and former Congressmember Bob Turner. Other candidates in the District 24 race include former Assemblymember Rory Lancman, who leads in fundraising, Andrea Veras and Mujib Rahman. Endorsements continue rolling in MAYOR 32BJ SEIU endorsed City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Plumbers Local Union No. 1 and the Muslim Democratic Club of New York endorsed Comptroller John Liu. The Professional Staff Congress of the City of New York, Educational Justice PAC and Councilmember Andy King endorsed Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. Teamsters Local 237 and the New York Dominican Officers Organization endorsed Bill Thompson. CITY COUNCIL The United Federation of Teachers endorsed Austin Shafran for District 19. State Senator Michael Gianaris and Assemblymember Aravella Simotis endorsed Paul Vallone for District 19. Photo Courtesy of Alex Blishteyn GOP City Council candidate Alex Blishteyn has his eyes set on District 24. TAGS: Alex Blishteyn, City Council, District 24, Fresh Meadows, attorney, election, Republican, GOP Photo Courtesy of Alex Blishteyn GOP City Council candidate Alex Blishteyn has his eyes set on District 24. Anthony Weiner WEINER’S COMING UP POLL SAYS HE’S MAYORAL FRONT RUNNER BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA ctumola@queenscourier.com A new poll shows Democratic mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner as the front-runner in the race, only one month after announcing his bid. The NBC New York/Wall Street Journal/ Marist Poll, released on Tuesday, June 25, found one quarter of registered Democrats would vote for the former congressmember in the primary. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn came in second with 20 percent, followed by former Comptroller Bill Thompson, at 13 percent, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio at 10 percent and city Comptroller John Liu at 8 percent. In earlier polls, Quinn was the candidate to beat. A May 28 Marist poll showed Christine Quinn with 24 percent and Anthony Weiner with 19 percent. But even with Weiner in the lead, a primary runoff, which is required if a candidate receives fewer than 40 percent of the vote, seems likely. Though the new poll found Weiner would lose in a runoff against Quinn, he still has gained ground. Tuesday’s poll found that Quinn would win 44 percent to 42 percent, with 14 percent undecided. Last month, the Marist poll showed the Council Speaker beating him 48 percent to 33 percent, with 18 percent undecided. CANDIDATE’S PLAN TO CLEAN UP CORRUPTION One candidate has a plan to clean up the city council. Austin Shafran, who is running in the District 19 race, believes the key to fighting government corruption is to limit politicians’ outside influences, and take the power out of their hands and put it into the local community. “Our community isn’t getting the fair share we deserve because of the corrupting influence of outside business interests. For our voice and our needs to be heard at City Hall, we must clean up the corruption and create an honest and effective government that gets things done,” said Shafran. His three-point proposal targets conflicts of interest for councilmembers and their employees, and makes sure funding is fairly distributed among districts. Shafran would like to prohibit all outside employment from which city councilmembers receive income. The ban would make the position “fulltime” and eliminate outside corrupting interests, he said. Councilmembers would still be allowed to derive profits from stock and bond investments, personal and family trusts, retirement funds or through inheritance, he said. Another plan point would eliminate conflict of interests arising from lobbyists. “We need to take the ‘who you know’ out of government,” said Shafran. His proposal bans city-registered corporate lobbyists and their firms from lobbying family members who are elected to public office and elected officials they work for as campaign staff or consultants for the duration of the term immediately after the most recent election cycle. His final point ensures local communities have a final say in what projects receive funding from the city council, and every district receives an equal share. “It’s the taxpayers’ money,” he said. Shafran said his campaign “is about protecting our neighborhoods through public service,” and that is why he is proposing his plan. PHOTOgraPHers WanTed! The Queens Courier is looking for a talented pair of eyes to join our team. experienced, knowledgeable Photographers should contact Toni Cimino at editorial@queenscourier.com
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