District 19 Council Moman Vickie Paladino is on her approach to serving one other time period in workplace after declaring victory within the Nov. 4 election in opposition to Democratic nominee Ben Chou.
Unofficial outcomes present the Republican incumbent and present Metropolis Council Minority Whip received 57.8% of the votes, in response to the town’s Board of Elections. This win marks the council member’s third consecutive time period in workplace. She was first elected to signify the district in 2021 and was re-elected in 2023.
Metropolis council members usually serve four-year phrases, however an exception was made through the 2021 election because of redistricting following the 2020 census. Phrases in 2021 and 2023 had been restricted to 2 years, however returned to 4 years this election cycle.
District 19 represents neighborhoods together with Auburndale, School Level, Whitestone, Bay Terrace, Beechhurst and elements of Flushing, Bayside and Douglaston.
As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, 97% of the votes had been tallied exhibiting Paladino had received over 24,000 of the practically 42,000 votes forged within the election.
Council Member Vickie Paladino delivered a speech to her supporters after declaring victory within the Nov. 4 election.Photograph by Ramy Mahmoud
The council moman celebrated her victory at her marketing campaign workplace in Bay Terrace surrounded by household, mates, employees and supporters. Paladino got here dancing out of her workplace round 10 p.m., as “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera blasted on the audio system, and delivered a passionate speech to attendees. Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s victory was introduced simply earlier than her personal, and he or she opened her speech claiming it was a “planned attack on the middle-class, white neighborhoods.”
“Mamdani who?” she proclaimed to her supporters as they cheered. “Not my mayor.”
She stated she refused to barter on the “betterment” of her district and requested her supporters to belief that she would struggle for his or her pursuits, advising her opponents to “buckle up.”
“I will never do you wrong, not ever,” Paladino stated. “I love my district, I love the people who live in this district, and I can’t ask for better… This is a victory for northeast Queens. Be proud. Be very, very proud.”
Paladino, 71, ran on a extremely conservative platform and claims to “[deliver] a voice of reason and common sense compromise,” on her marketing campaign web site. In accordance with her biography on the Metropolis Council web site, her legislative priorities lie in public security, assist for the NYPD, preservation of high quality of life, training, assist for small companies and authorities transparency.
Since taking workplace, the council member has sponsored laws that helps veteran companies, eliminates charges for firearm licenses and permits, delays Native Legislation 97 greenhouse gasoline emission discount necessities, tracks funds spent on migrants and requires a examine on the feasibility of offering mother and father with a $10,000 tuition reimbursement per scholar to cowl the price of nonpublic education.
The outspoken political determine has additionally gained media consideration after referring to college students on faculty campuses protesting the struggle in Gaza as “monsters” and calling to “slay” them in Could 2024, referred to as for Mamdani’s deportation this previous June, and was kicked off the Council’s Committee on Psychological Well being, Disabilities and Dependancy in Could 2023 after claiming Drag Story Hour NYC was “grooming” youngsters and exposing them to “sexual content.”
Chou, an NYC firefighter who grew up in Douglaston, spent the night watching the election outcomes alongside mates, household and supporters from his marketing campaign workplace in Bay Terrace, as effectively. He stated it was not the outcomes he was searching for, however he hoped Paladino would do good for the district.
“I’m grateful to everyone who voted for me, supported me, and everyone on my team,” Chou stated. “It doesn’t stop my commitment toward integrity. I work for the community and I care for the community. Tomorrow morning, I’ll be at the firehouse in my work uniform and be on my way responding to emergencies.”
Chou, 34, ran on a progressive platform of neighborhood, affordability and security. Born in Flushing to middle-class Chinese language-Burmese immigrants, Chou stated their values of exhausting work and training impressed his option to turn out to be a firefighter and ultimately run for metropolis council.
His marketing campaign web site detailed his plans to forestall hate crimes, make investments extra money in parks and public areas, construct a brand new specialised highschool, enhance wages for paraprofessionals, repair the property tax system to lift taxes on luxurious residences and decrease taxes for middle-class owners, shield co-op homeowners from bearing the price of Native Legislation 97, shield healthcare for retirees, totally fund CUNY and enhance wages and advantages for EMTs and entry-level law enforcement officials.
Leveraging his expertise as a firefighter, Chou claimed nobody was higher positioned to struggle for sources, staffing and coaching for first responders. He stated his plan was to construct belief to enhance public security quite than fearmonger. His agenda included “cost-effective” crime deterrents by means of a pilot program that would supply free motion-sensor lights to owners and tenants, improved visibility at pedestrian crosswalks and investments in infrastructure to struggle flooding and shield in opposition to excessive warmth.
Chou acquired endorsements from Stonewall Democrats of NYC, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Membership, Voters for Animal Rights, Deliberate Parenthood of Larger New York, Mothers Demand Motion and the Himalayan Democratic Voice.
The 2 campaigns sparred earlier within the month when Paladino’s son, Thomas Paladino Jr., was filmed verbally berating and accusing Chou’s marketing campaign volunteers of harassing Paladino voters at a polling web site at St. Luke’s Church, in Whitestone, on Sunday. Nonetheless, the volunteers denied they had been harassing Paladino voters, as did Chou’s marketing campaign spokesman Tom Glinkowski.
Within the weeks main as much as the election, Chou referred to as out Paladino on social media for her “big money” donors Andrew Esposito and Chris Karalis of Apex Improvement Group, which requested a zone change at a web site on twenty fourth Avenue, in Bay Terrace, to construct an eight-story, 200-unit residence constructing. Whereas Paladino claimed she didn’t need something constructed on the web site “right now,” Chou raised issues over what “right now” meant and frightened the donors might affect her to assist the mission regardless of it partially being in a FEMA flood zone.
