NYC Council Election: Austin Shafran Seeks Bayside Seat

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Democratic voters in New York City's 19th Council district, which includes College Point, Whitestone, Malba, Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, North Flushing, and Auburndale, will see 6 names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election.

One of those names will be Austin Shafran, president of Metropolitan Public Strategies.

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

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

41

<b>Position Sought</b>

NYC Council District 19

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Democrat

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

Bayside

<b>Family</b>

Jennifer (wife), Mason (son - age 5), Teddy (son - age 5 months)

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

Yes, my wife has worked at various levels of city and state government for more than a decade and currently works in city government now.

<b>Education</b>

Attended P.S. 169, I.S. 25, St. Francis Prep, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Queens College

<b>Occupation</b>

Government Relations & Public Affairs Strategist - for the past 7 years, previous to that I worked for: U.S. Congressman Gary Ackerman; NYC Council Finance Chair David Weprin; NYS Senate Democratic Conference; and as Deputy Commissioner for the state's economic development agency under the Office of NYS Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

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

Former District Leader

<b>Campaign website</b>

www.AustinShafran.com

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

As someone raising two young boys in the same neighborhood I grew up in while caring for senior parents, and having worked at the highest levels of government and run a successful small business, I have a unique mix of professional and personal experience to help our communities. Especially at a moment when we are facing unprecedented challenges post COVID, such as rising crime rates, skyrocketing property taxes, overcrowded and underfunded schools with parents like me shut out of the decision making process, seniors being left stranded without crucial services and many local businesses are shuttered, I was deeply moved to do anything I can to help the community that raised me and where I'm raising my family. My experience as a problem solver, team leader and coalition builder - across years of work at the highest levels of the public and private sector - combined with my deep connection to this community give me a unique skillset to both understand the what our area needs and how to get it for us.

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

Public safety. Keeping our streets and schools safe is the most pressing issue facing our community in this moment and one I'm particularly concerned about as a father of two young children. I've met with law enforcement community members from our area, and together we came up with a plan that reinvests resources in public safety tools to keep our families safe. I would work with state officials to fix the bail laws, expanding judicial discretion to deny bail based on the severity of the charges, past criminal history and/or flight risk; push for mandatory jail time if arrested with a loaded weapon during a crime or committing assault as a hate crime; invest in specialized and more frequent training; fund mobile police and localized anti-gang/gun units; empower the NYPD to seize cars with modified mufflers caught drag racing; and vehemently oppose the removal of NYPD safety agents from schools and the closing of firehouses in our area.

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

I humbly believe that I have the right experience that our community needs right now, and as someone who's not only been raised in this area but is raising his own family and helping care for senior parents here I am deeply motivated to fight and deliver for our area.

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

The problem we've seen is not with the current office holder, who's done very good things like starting a senior transportation program - something I will continue and expand on - but rather the issue lies with city hall and the de Blasio administration once again shutting our community out of the services we need while pushing an agenda that would severely impact quality of life in our area.

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

Our current Council Member handled the COVID crisis thoughtfully and both he and his staff maintained a ubiquitous presence throughout the district, despite the Council Member personally being very sick with COVID. His office posted regular updates on important health, education, public safety, senior and transit and commercial news, alerts and helpful resources and kept a regular presence in the office without jeopardizing the safety of staff members or constituents. I would look to replicate that public presence but I would also fight for a permanent vaccination center or satellite offices to administer regular testing and booster shots as needed, as well as significantly augment and expand on the network of communications and community advocacy tools by adding more direct communications with district households by mail/newsletter, zoom and telephone events, as well as operationalizing a mobile office in multiple locations throughout the district (outside by covered) to ensure that local area residents always have an avenue to contact their council member and make sure their issues are being addressed in real time.

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

• KEEP OUR STREETS & SCHOOLS SAFE by restoring police resources and stopping the removal of NYPD safety officers from schools
• PASS A 2% PROPERTY TAX CAP for homeowners and reform and reduce property tax assessments for co-ops and condo owners
• INCREASE SCHOOL FUNDING, reduce class sizes and give parents and educators more input in policy making decisions
• COST-FREE SENIOR TRANSPORTATION to provide free car rides for seniors
• FIGHT AGAINST OVERDEVELOPMENT and stop the elimination of one-family zoning
• SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES by cutting sales and payroll taxes and phasing out certain fines, fees and license requirements

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

I started my professional career as a teacher (and have been endorsed by the teachers union UFT), and then I worked for more than a decade at the highest levels of City, State and Federal government, first as a Community Liaison to former Congressman Gary Ackerman (who's endorsed me) and then as Communications Director for NYC Council Finance Chair David Weprin (who's endorsed me), where I helped oversee the allocation of millions of dollars in Capital and Expense Budget grants for nonprofit organizations across the City and throughout Northeast Queens. Then, after serving as a senior official for the NYS Senate Democrats I was appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to serve as Deputy Commissioner for the State’s Economic Development Agency where I helped manage business recovery and rebuilding efforts after Super Storm Sandy, including nearly $1 billion annually in job creation and business development projects across the state. Lastly, for the past 7 years, I've run a successful small business, serving as President of one of the state’s premier government relations firms, where I've led successful efforts on Universal Pre-K, Paid Family Leave, a $15 Minimum Wage, a 2% Property Tax Cap, School Safety, and Clean Energy Development. I'm also very proud to serve as a volunteer coach for my son’s Bayside Little League team and since the start of the pandemic I've helped distribute thousands of facemasks and PPE to local community organizations.

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

Listen, learn and then act, and do something you love or for someone you love doing it for.

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

Motivation is important. It drives what we do in life and often times how well we do it. Raising two kids and helping care for my parents in the same neighborhood where I grew up gives me a deep motivation to do anything I can to help families in our area. Having the most ambitious plan to keep our streets and schools safe, increase funding for our schools and reduce class sizes, start a cost-free senior transportation program, and provide tax relief for families and local businesses is what our campaign is about because that's what we need to help solve the problems facing our community.