NYC Council District 22 Election: Leonardo Bullaro Seeks Seat

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Democratic voters in New York City's 22nd Council district, which includes Astoria, Rikers Island, parts of Jackson Heights, Woodside and East Elmhurst, will see six names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election.

One of those names will be Leonardo Bullaro, a program director at the Department of Education.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles. Bullaro's responses are below.

<b>Age (as of Election Day)</b>

43

<b>Position Sought</b>

City Council

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Democrat

<b>Neighborhood of residence (i.e., East Village, Astoria, etc.)</b>

Astoria, Woodside, Jackson Height, East Elmhurst

<b>Family</b>

N/A

<b>Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?</b>

No

<b>Education</b>

B.S. Finance (NYU) and Master Public Administration (Columbia University)

<b>Occupation</b>

Education Leader with 15 years in public schools, non profit and government

<b>Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office</b>

N/A

<b>Campaign website</b>

votebullaro.com

<b>Why are you seeking elective office?</b>

I am running for City Council to make government work for the people and to face the challenges of health and economic crises in a manner that builds back better. Focused on what matters to people and their families so that we can have thriving communities, I know that the promise of opportunity that brought my immigrant family to Astoria is out of reach for too many today. I want to renew the American Dream, so that all New Yorkers can get a good-paying job, start a business, get a quality education, have an affordable home, raise a family, and retire and live with dignity.

<b>The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.</b>

Housing affordability, as the cost of living in District 22 continues to climb and is forcing long-time residents to leave or face financial challenges that threaten their quality of life. My platform for addressing this issue is comprehensive and addresses this need by planning for an increase in the overall housing stock without changing the character of our neighborhoods. First, my platform calls for common sense additions through legalizing basement apartments and subsidizing homeowners to make the conversion to safe, legal dwellings. Second, the use of strategic zoning is an effective tool for solving the housing affordability crisis. District 22 has no zoning for mid- to high-rise buildings. With an analysis driven by the community’s input, strategic zoning will increase the number of housing units and drive down rents. Third, with that zone map in place, I intend to work with “strategic developers,” which includes community development corporations, land trusts, and faith-based developers who are drivers of affordable housing and related social benefits. I will prioritize development by such “strategic owners” that ensure that both homeownership and rental opportunities are affordable and the mix of commercial and community spaces developed serves all residents.

<b>What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?</b>

Throughout my career I have always used innovative approaches to solve persistent societal issues. In 2004, I co-founded a media-themed high school that used the lens of media production and media literacy to teach you people about themselves and the world. In 2008, I expanded an after school workforce development program that used design thinking to teach young people important 21st century skills like critical thinking, communication and collaboration. And in 2012, I was a Project Director at the NYC Department of Education managing $10 million dollars in innovation grants from the federal government.

<b>If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)</b>

N/A

<b>How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?</b>

The early stages of the pandemic was a challenge for many. Government did would it could based on the information it had. If I was a local official I would have:
Provided more technical assistance to Queens small business owners on how to receive a Federal PPP loan, as my discussions with business owners evidence that only a small percentage understood the loan requirements and the application process.
I would have called for the release of low level inmates on Rikers due to COVID-19 social distancing protocols to lower the number of infections there.
Provided better and more timely communication on how to find COVID-19 test sites as they became available “online,” thereby increasing their use and health experts’ knowledge of the spread
Produced an aggregated list of services for food banks, medical assistance and financial support and used my office to communicate that widely to those in need.

<b>Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.</b>

My platform covers a broad spectrum of policy issues but they all have a common theme - that human-centered design and community input should drive public policy.
Quality of life and affordability issues - I plan to create more housing stock, while maintaining the character of our neighborhoods, to ensure that residents of all ages can have a safe and affordable place to live as well as drive to reform NYCHA and return public housing to a livable standard. Similarly, combating food insecurity is critical to ensuring the well-being of residents of all ages but especially our older residents, who also need services to prevent isolation.
Public safety - while making smart reforms and ensuring accountability, I will work to provide law enforcement the resources it needs to keep our neighborhoods safe and reduce gun violence.
Rebuild a vibrant and equitable economy - help more people get living-wage jobs with benefits by expanding career and technical education, skills training, and both pre- and apprenticeship programs. This also includes both job and small business opportunities that arise from creating a clean energy economy.
Please visit my website’s Platform section to see details of these and several other issues I will address as a Member of the City Council.

<b>What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?</b>

Examples of my accomplishments that evidence my ability to be a Council Member both relate to ensuring educational opportunities for youth and preparing them for a productive future. The first example was my work to address the “education gap” by starting a public high school that used a more inclusive and innovative curriculum focused less on standardized tests but instead delivered skill sets to provide students with the capabilities they needed for real success in the world of work. The second example was the creation and delivery of an innovative program for at-risk high school youth that used a “project-based learning” curriculum to deliver relevant classwork and practical skills while reducing dropout and discipline rates. In both of these examples, my work was focused on innovating within the system to better deliver the intended outcomes of preparing people for success and giving them the tools to realize it for themselves.

<b>The best advice ever shared with me was:</b>

My Karate instructor always says “If you get knocked down seven times, get up eight”.

<b>What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?</b>

I am a proven problem-solver who has tackled serious issues and worked both inside of large government agencies as well as outside of them to innovate new solutions and advocate for their adoption and use. In addition, I have experience managing multimillion dollar projects through layers of government, which prepares me for roles in both creating budgets for programs but also for performing oversight of city agencies to ensure they deliver on funded programs for the benefit of my constituents.