Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that the special election will be held March 24 (Mayor’s Office)
Jan. 3, 2019 By Christian Murray
The special election for Queens borough president has been set for March 24, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last night.
Five candidates are vying for the spot that was exited by Melinda Katz when she became Queens District Attorney Jan. 1.
Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer, Donovan Richards and Costa Constantinides seek the job along with former Council Member Elizabeth Crowley and Anthony Miranda, a retired NYPD sergeant and police reform advocate.
On Monday, Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman dropped out of the race to get behind Donovan Richards who has the backing of the Queens County Democratic party. Both are African Americans from south east Queens.
The candidates now have 12 days to secure 2,000 valid signatures in order to get on the ballot.
The borough president appoints half the members of the 14 community boards in Queens; gets an advisory say on proposed rezonings; allocates millions of dollars on parks, education and other programs; and is an advocate for the borough.
The position pays $179,200 per year.
Katz’s deputy, Sharon Lee, is currently serving as acting borough president.
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There was a time decades ago when the Queens Republican Party was alive and well. Up until the 1980’s, Queens Republicans routinely qualified candidates for all Congressional, State Senate, Assembly, Boro President and NYC Council seats. During Mayor Rudy Guilian’s term in the 1990’s, they elected three NYC Council members Tom Olgibene, Mike Abel and Alfonse Stabile. Today the last GOP public official from Queens is NYC Council member Eric Ulrich. Due to term limits, he will serve until December 31, 2001. With over 125,000 registered Queens GOP voters, can they obtain 2,000 signatures to quality a candidate for Queens Borough President in this non partisan special election? Edgar Nathan was the last GOP Queens borough president who served from 1942 – 1945. Nat Hentel was the last GOP District Attorney in 1970.
Six Democrats running in this special election are going to split the vote which could give one Republican a chance to win. You would think that Republicans would find a candidate. Not doing so, will result in the remaining Queens Republicans continuing on the same path of an old fashion street corner telephone booth into extinction .
Larry Penner
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