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In the following op-ed, written by Mark Levine, a candidate for the Manhattan Borough Presidency, he outlines why he thinks voters should elect him the next Manhattan Borough President.
New York City is coming back.
I’m running to be the next Manhattan Borough President because I believe we can recover stronger, more just, and equitable Manhattan than we were before, where our public health system supports everyone, residents have a safe roof over their heads, small businesses thrive, we fully embrace a green economy, and every child receives a high-quality education. I know that the better Manhattan we imagine can be a reality; I’ve taken on these inequities throughout my professional career, and I’m ready to continue doing so as the next Manhattan Borough President.
At the start of my career, I taught bilingual math and science at Junior High School 149 in the South Bronx. I then went on to found the Neighborhood Trust Federal Credit Union which offered affordable banking services and personal loans to people often overlooked by large corporate banks in the Washington Heights-Inwood area. Since its opening, the credit union has made $25 million in small loans to low-income families and small businesses in Northern Manhattan.
In 2013, I was elected to the New York City Council, proudly representing District 7. I was first appointed Chair of the Committee on Parks and Recreation, where I secured tens of millions of dollars for local greenspaces and anchor parks. For the last three years, I have served as the Chair of the Committee on Health.
I’ve always viewed my role as a councilmember as a coalition builder: someone who takes the necessary time to learn about issues impacting the daily lives of the people I represent and makes decisions not out of political convenience, but for the good of the district and our city.
That’s how I created hundreds of deeply affordable housing units in District 7 while preserving 115 historic buildings in Morningside Heights. In 2017, the City Council passed my first in the nation legislation, mandating legal representation for tenants facing eviction in housing court or NYCHA administrative hearings; while the original law was intended to be implemented in five years, I fought for a full-phase in by June 1st of this year, broadening eligibility across all zip codes as we face an impending eviction crisis.
As an elected representative, I always put the safety and dignity of my constituents first.
This is the same approach I took as Chair of the Council’s Health Committee when the first positive COVID-19 cases in NYC were documented. While other elected officials played politics in the media, I immediately reached out to experts and used my platform to share science and fact-based information as quickly as possible. I passed legislation to require the City to create a centralized website for scheduling vaccine appointments, I’ve led hearings holding the City accountable for inequitable distribution of vaccine centers, and I’ve pushed the City to release data so that we could truly understand the inequitable impacts of the pandemic.
As Manhattan and our city began to heal and New Yorkers received the vaccine, I knew we needed to combat vaccine hesitancy. I released a roadmap to jumpstart New York City vaccination rates and outlined ways to ensure our classrooms are as safe as possible before schools fully reopen in the fall.
I take our recovery from the pandemic–and the multipronged crisis that came with it–very seriously. As Borough President, you can expect me to continue my work as a Council Member working with community leaders, experts, and advocates across Manhattan centering on an equitable recovery in my first years in office. Specifically, I’ll appoint a Deputy Borough President, designated as the COVID-19 recovery czar, to develop and advance policy based on our lived experiences across the borough.
Together, we will:
There is still so much to be done if Manhattan is going to come back stronger and more equitable on the other side of this pandemic.
I’m ready to take on this endeavor as the next Manhattan Borough President. Let’s imagine a better Manhattan–together.
Mark Levine is a current candidate for Manhattan Borough President. Learn more about his campaign here.
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Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to colin_b30@yahoo.com and mallimadi@gmail.com
We need your advertising support to produce strong journalism, especially during periods of economic instability, so please contact vernon@blackstarnews.com for advertising rates and long term packages.
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