12 NOVEMBER 29, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
EDITORIAL
On Nov. 16, state Senator Jose
Peralta sent out on Twitter
the kind of tweet we’re used
to from local lawmakers this time of
year: a photo of a turkey giveaway held
at his East Elmhurst offi ce.
Politicians usually stake themselves
front and center in a publicity photo;
in this one, the senator seemed content
just to stand among the crowd of more
than 100 who lined up for the shot.
“Over the last nine years, we have
distributed over 5,000 turkeys,” Peralta
tweeted. “I’ve been honored to
represent a community of such loving
and thriving families.”
Sadly, this turned out to be one of
Peralta’s fi nal public statements. He
died just fi ve days later, on Nov. 21,
from an unknown and sudden illness.
He was just 47, and leaves behind a
loving wife, Evelyn, and two sons,
Matthew and Myles.
For such a short life, Peralta made
quite a large impact.
He made history just by being
sworn in to the Assembly in 2003 as
the fi rst-ever Dominican-American
lawmaker in the chamber. Through
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CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Requiem for a senator
ALEJANDRA O'CONNELL-DOMENECH
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his tireless service to the community,
he rose to the state Senate seven years
later, winning a special election for the
seat covering much of Corona, East
Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights
and Woodside.
Peralta spent much of his time in
Albany doing what any good legislator
does for his district: address
the people’s needs. That included
improving local schools, advocating
for gun control, sponsoring initiatives
to combat domestic violence and cleaning
up Roosevelt Avenue – the strip he
famously described as “the new old
Times Square.”
For all the good he did in the district,
Peralta angered many constituents
when he joined the Independent
Democratic Conference, the state
Senate caucus that worked with Republicans
in a power coalition. Few
bought Peralta’s explanation that he
believed his IDC membership would
drive home more resources and
lead to the passage of meaningful
legislation.
The IDC reunited with traditional
Senate Democrats, but it wasn’t
enough to keep Peralta in offi ce. He
was defeated in September by Jessica
Ramos in the Democratic primary.
At the time, because of Peralta’s
youth, the loss seemed to be a bump
in the road. Many thought he would
eventually get another chance in public
offi ce. He would fi ght another day.
But as life often proves in heartbreaking
ways, another day isn’t always guaranteed.
We’re left , instead, to look back not
on what might have been, but on what
was. And the record shows that Jose
Peralta was a good and decent public
servant who did what he believed was
right for his community.
Our hearts are with the Peralta
family, and all those whose lives he
touched.
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COMMENTS:
Photo via Twitter/@SenatorPeralta
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