8 The Courier sun • MARCH 3, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com The race for the Congressional District 7 seat is heating up By Anthony Giudice agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport As Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez prepares to run for her 13th consecutive term in Congressional District 7, she now faces a newcomer from her own party, Yungman Lee. Lee, a 63-year-old immigrant who came to the United States from Hong Kong, China, at the age of 16, will campaign to become the new leader of District 7, which includes parts of Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth, Ozone Park and Woodhaven in Queens, as well as Cypress Hills, Bushwick and several other areas of Brooklyn and parts of Manhattan. Both candidates have extensive financial backgrounds; Velázquez has served her district as the ranking member of the House Small Business Committee and a senior member of the Financial Services Committee, while Lee is the current president and CEO of Global Bank and was appointed first deputy superintendent of the New York State Banking Department by former Governor Mario Cuomo in 1991, a position he held until December 1994. “You acquire expertise based on the committees that you serve,” Velázquez said. “So my two committees are Financial Services — that has to deal with everything pertaining to the financial sector, banking and insurance — and the Small Business Committee.” Velázquez feels her experience in these committees, and the work she did to help restore the economy and auto industry after the recent recession, will propel her to victory. In addition to her work on a national level, Velázquez is involved with the important issues of her constituents on a more local level. Velázquez has been working to get rid of unscrupulous landlords trying to illegally oust long-term residents out of their rent-regulated apartments in Bushwick and Ridgewood. “We’re working with the DA because they are in clear violation,” Velázquez said. “We have a task force between my office and Councilman Antonio Reynoso and it’s really sad that we have to turn our offices into policing all these bad landlords, especially if they are dealing with Section 8 vouchers … but we were able to secure, to fully fund all the Section 8 vouchers during this last budget.” This is Lee’s first time running for public office. “As an immigrant, I have the ability to represent all of the communities in the district,” Lee said. “I have a strong sense of the spirit of service … even as a banker I’m serving the community in a really concrete sense.” Lee wanted all members of District 7 to know, “we will be engaged, we will be present,” he said. “We will be everywhere in every community in the district.” The Congressional primaries will take place on June 28. Photo courtesy Yungman Lee Yungman Lee THE COURIER/Photo by Anthony Giudice Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez Community Board 12 chair has sights set on James Sanders’ state Senate seat By Robert Pozarycki rpozarycki@qns.com/@robbpoz One southeast Queens civic leader is looking to bring her voice to Albany. Community Board 12 Chairperson Adrienne Adams announced on Feb. 25 her candidacy for the state Senate seat currently held by James Sanders, whose district includes most of southeast Queens and the Rockaways. A statement released by public relations firm Bill Lynch Associated Networks touted Adams’ experience in running Queens “second-largest community board,” noting that she’s worked with numerous elected officials, city agencies, law enforcement and clergy members. “The people of Queens are a diverse, vibrant community with distinctive needs,” Adams said. “Too often we are ignored in Albany. We need proper economic development, equal opportunities with regard to MWBE minority- or women owned business File photos Community Board 12 Chairperson Adrienne Adams (top) announced that she’s running for state Senator James Sanders’ seat. enterprise contracts, education equity and criminal justice reform if we are to thrive and prosper.” Adams was born in East Elmhurst and raised in Hollis. She worked as a corporate trainer for Goldman Sachs and is now a child development associate instructor and a professional speaker. Adams was first elected as CB 12 chair in 2013. Sanders, a former City Council member, successfully challenged state Senator Shirley Huntley in September 2012 and won the seat unopposed the following November. He handily defeated two primary challengers in September 2014 en route to being re-elected. Published reports indicated that Sanders may challenge Congressman Gregory Meeks for his Fifth Congressional District seat rather than running for re-election. The Courier reached out to Sanders’ office for comment and is awaiting a response.
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