NYC Council District 29 Election: David Aronov Seeks Queens Seat

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Democratic voters in New York City's 29th Council district, which includes Forest Hills, Forest Park, Kew Gardens, Rego Park, and Richmond Hill, will see nine names on their ballots when they vote in the June 22 primary election.

One of those names will be David Aronov, an activist and organizer who co-founded the Bukharian Jewish Union.

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

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

24

<b>Position Sought</b>

City Council - District 29

<b>Party Affiliation</b>

Democrat

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

Forest Hills

<b>Family</b>

N/A

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

No

<b>Education</b>

BA from CUNY Hunter College; MPA from New York University

<b>Occupation</b>

Director of Community Relations - NYC Council (various positions in the office from 2012-2019, most recently as Director of Community Relations)
Queens Lead Organizer - NYC Census 2020 (2019-2020)

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

N/A

<b>Campaign website</b>

www.davidforqueens.com

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

I’m running for office because it's time for a new generation of leadership. I will ensure no neighborhood in our district gets left behind. We're stuck waiting for our fair share and I'll be ready on day one to move our district forward. I have a decade of experience serving this district, helping resolve the issues of thousands of constituents, and believe I can help lead the fight to ensure that we keep our streets clean and safe, stop the construction of a jail in our backyard, and provide universal childcare for all.

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

I believe the single most pressing issue is ensuring that we have a COVID-19 recovery that works for every person in this city, especially here in Central Queens. We need to ensure that we provide support, whether small business, rental or more, to every member of the district, and put the resources there to help them get it. Here in the epicenter of the epicenter, we can build back stronger if given the right tools.

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

I’ve done this job for the past decade. I’ve spoken to and helped our neighbors over the years, and ensured their voice has been heard. I organized a mutual aid system during the height of the pandemic to deliver meals, groceries, and distribute thousands of masks for free to our community. During the vaccine rollout, I scheduled over 200 community members, mostly seniors, for a vaccine appointment. It's time for a new generation of leadership. I’m ready on day one to fight for every member of our community.

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

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

I’m a firm believer in communicating early and often. It’s important to look at our response last March and April and think about what more we could have done to communicate to folks and keep them safe. Many people got left behind in a life or death situation.

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

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. But lately, many small businesses are receiving predatory fines from the city and are struggling to survive. We need to save our small businesses and ensure they can thrive. It’s personal to me. My family has owned and operated a small business in Kew Gardens for the past 25 years. The COVID-19 pandemic ripped through our neighborhoods, closing our small businesses and the many places community members hold dear. In the year ahead, we need to provide real relief, reduce burdensome regulations, streamline the application process for permits/licenses, increase language access, and help implement a Business Improvement District (BID) in this council district.
Separately, I’m fighting to expand resources in our schools. Our schools must fully reopen with the funding necessary so our students can thrive. I will fight to allocate funds and build a new middle school in this council district as well as work to expand Gifted and Talented programs, STEM programming, College Now, and AP courses. I’m a product of the public school system and I know the ins and outs of the NYC DOE having been a student leader. Our kids lost an entire year and we have to ensure they catch up and have educational opportunities to be able to excel in school.

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

With my work on the City Council and on the 2020 Census, I have always fought to ensure our city government works for all of us. I co-founded a non-profit to bring together young professionals, combatted the opioid epidemic, and created a mutual aid network to distribute food and supplies during the COVID pandemic.

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

Never give up. If you've had a bad day, the sun will still rise tomorrow. Keep your head up and move forward.

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

I’m not running for me, but for every single member of the community who hasn’t had their voice heard in government. So many people I talk to have no idea what the City Council does or who their Council Member is. I plan to be responsive and accessible to every single member of this community, with mobile offices, diverse staff, regular town halls, and expanded weekend and evening constituent service hours.