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City Council Candidates Forum on Immigrant Rights

About Us - General
On behalf of the Coalition, Center of Cultures, New York City Chapter of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), Queens Community House, New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) and Make the Road New York, we wish to extend our thanks to the hundreds of attendees at the City Council Candidate Forum for District 25 on Immigrant Rights held on Monday, May 11th at 7 PM at the Diversity Center of Queens. The packed room and overflowing crowd confirmed our belief that in addition to the broader issues of housing, education, health and economic opportunity facing every New Yorker, there were other urgent and specialized issues specific to our community—issues of respect, justice and quality of life for immigrants and their families—that required our concentrated attention.
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First candidate forum for District 25

Activities - Queens

Three City Council candidates face off in debate
BY CLAUDIA CRUZ - Wednesday, April 22, 2009 12:31 PM EDT
From the tone of the first candidate forum, District 25 incumbent Councilmember Helen Sears has her work cut out for her.

“Here’s an example of walking the walk and talking the talk,” said challenger Daniel Dromm about Sears’ efforts to help the disabled community in the district. “Helen’s district office is not even handicap accessible.”

Dromm, a district leader in Jackson Heights, and fellow candidate Stanley Kalathara, a business owner, lawyer, and president of Indo-American Democratic Committee, did not mince words when describing Sears’ work in the district for the last eight years.

Sears, who has represented parts of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Rego Park, Woodside, and Corona, spent more time defending her record on issues such as the local economy, education, crime, youth and recreation, and Con Ed, among others, than talking about her goals if re-elected.

Sears pointed to her years on the transportation committee in the City Council and how she helped get medallion taxis to become wheelchair accessible. She highlighted her continuous battle for a ramp at the Jackson Heights Post Office and the success of getting an elevator in the 74th Street/Roosevelt subway station.

“It took 15 years to get an elevator in there,” she said. “It works and it doesn’t, but it’s better than what we had.”

Dromm pointed to his history of standing up for special education students and working with the 82nd Street Business Improvement District to get ramps in front of stores. Stanley Kalathara said concisely, “I agree with both and I’ll do a better job.”

The friendly banter between the three out of five candidates – Alfonso Quiroz and Mujib Rahman did not attend – kept the approximately 50 intergenerational and international crowd engaged. Assemblymember Jose Peralta, who publicly endorsed Dromm this past March, yielded his time to audience questions.

“What are you going to do about getting a high school in the district?” asked one person. “Would you vote for resolution 245 that grants the right to vote for non-citizens?” asked another. “Why did you vote against the lead paint resolution?”

More than once Sears found herself on her own. She said that Ivan Lafayette had led the charge for a new high school but that “geographically we’ve got no space.” Kalathara responded that Sears was “always shifting responsibility,” and Dromm said that it was important to be creative like building up or consider eminent domain.

Both Kalathara and Dromm favor the passage of resolution 245. Sears responded, “I’m here to tell you that I’m not sure where I’m on this. I haven’t given it much consideration.”

A heated debated ensued over Sears’ vote against the lead poisoning bill of 2004.

“Yes, I was one of the few who voted against and I’ll tell you the same thing I said then ‘It’s absurd that I’d want lead in children,’” said Sears, who said the city has targeted areas where incidents of lead poisoning was high versus applying the law to the entire city. She instead favored a law that would ban the importing toys from countries with no lead bill. “The fact is that it was a very bad bill.”

Dromm and Kalathara agreed that Sears had not done enough. “You see, this is what politicians do, politics as usual. Just give an answer, did you support or not support,” said Kalathara. “I don’t really think you focus on the community.”

After the forum, the feedback from the crowd was consistent.

One 30-year resident of Jackson Heights, who did not want to give her name, said that Kalathara was funny and that despite voting for Sears in the past, this year she’ll vote for Dromm.

Mary Jo Brookes, a resident of Jackson Heights for 19 years, thought the candidates did well. “They gave good answers,” she said.

Bing Wong, a resident of Elmhurst for 20 years, said that Kalathara’s statements would make people remember him. He then added more analysis on the forum.

“Helen Sears did not do a good job,” Wong said. “But the [Queens County Democratic] Party must support her. She’s the incumbent."

Frequently Asked Questions

About Us - General

What is the New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights?

The New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights is a broad and growing coalition of individuals and organizations working to enact city legislation that will give immigrants the right to vote in municipal elections.

What do you mean by “resident”? Who will benefit from this campaign?

All documented New York City residents of voting age would be granted the right to vote by this legislation without regard to citizenship status. Allowing immigrants greater civic and political engagement would better ensure that elected officials in New York City represent the needs of ALL of their constituents. All New Yorkers would benefit from a more representative City government.

Is resident voting unconstitutional?

There is nothing in either the U.S. or the New York State Constitution that prevents us from extending the franchise to non-citizen residents.

Is resident voting administratively possible?

In parts of Maryland residents already vote in local elections. Legislatures in San Francisco and Washington, DC are considering similar measures. We know that it can be done cheaply and easily here in New York City because everyone with a child in the public school system could vote in school board elections before school boards were disbanded in 2003.

Isn’t there already legislation in New York City Council?

Yes. The Voting Rights Restoration Act (Intro. 245) was submitted to the City Council on April 5, 2006 by Council Member Charles Barron. The legislation has a number of co-sponsors and supporters in City Hall and broad support.

Is resident voting politically possible?

Yes. A significant number of New York City Council Members support resident voting rights. The Coalition represents a large number of organizations, including several unions, which together represent hundreds of thousands of New York City residents. With a broad coalition movement we can be successful!

If immigrants get the right to vote, would they still be motivated to become citizens?

There are many reasons that individuals seek citizenship. Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections, be granted a U.S. passport, or be eligible for certain government benefits. In fact, politically engaged immigrants who have the right to vote will be more likely to seek citizenship.

How can I, or my organization, get involved?

To endorse the campaign to expand voting rights, or to get involved with this issue, please contact the Center of Cultures.

Restoring Voting Rights for Non-Citizens

Press - Published

By Leah Lotto

(NYC, September 7th, 2008) A broad coalition of New Yorkers gathered on the sunny steps of City Hall this afternoon to express their support for Intro 245, legislation that would grant the right to vote to non-citizens in city elections, enfranchising over 1.3 million voters.

A dozen speakers, including City Council Member Robert Jackson, 5 Council candidates, and several community organization representatives championed the legislation as a means to give political voice to silenced New Yorkers. Two candidates for City Council (2009), Julissa Ferreras of District 21 and Daniel Dromm of District 25 in Queens, highlighted the injustice in their districts, where over 35% of the adult population is unable to vote. Such a figure is appalling "in any democracy worthy of the name" according to Chris Wells, spokesperson for New Humanism.

Brad Lander, a candidate in District 39 in Brooklyn focused on the contribution immigrants make to the New York economy, filling necessary jobs and paying more than 18.6 billion dollars a year in taxes. Supporters in the crowd held signs asking "Why don't immigrants have a voice about how their hard earned tax dollars are spent?"

Non-citizens in the crowd wore surgical masks with the word 'voiceless' covering their mouths, to represent their exclusion from the political process. Some waved flags declaring "Voting is a Human Right."

The press conference was organized by the New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights, a coalition of over 60 community organizations working towards universal suffrage in New York City. As today's event showcases, support for the movement is growing, and hopefully soon we will see an end to the disenfranchisement of one in every five New Yorkers. David Andersson of the Center of Cultures reminded us in his opening remarks of the wisdom of Nelson Mandela, "It always seems impossible until it is done."

Did you know…?

About Us - General

More than 1 million adult New York City residents can't participate in local elections. That is 20% of adult New Yorkers and more than the population of 11 states! Is this really democracy?

Every year, immigrants pay $ 18.2 billion in New York State income taxes at the exact same tax rate as their citizen neighbors. This is taxation without representation.

More and more immigrants are joining and supporting labor unions, but can’t effectively demand that their elected officials support the legislation suggested by their union to provide affordable housing, high-quality education and access to health care in our neighborhoods.

Immigrants voted in all elections for the first 150 years of U.S. history. Non-citizen parents voted in school board elections in New York City for more than 40 years until school boards were disbanded in 2003.

There is nothing in either the U.S. or the New York State Constitution that prevents us from changing the law to allow immigrants to vote.

In over 40 countries around the world and in 6 cities in Maryland, immigrants can vote.

The Voting Rights Restoration Act (Intro 2006-245) was reintroduced into the New York City Council in April of 2006. The bill currently has a number of legislative supporters.