NYC Council District 29 Election: Douglas Shapiro Seeks 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 Douglas Shapiro, a financial advisor.

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

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

32

<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>

George Shapiro 75, Amy Geffen Shapiro 72: both former NYC public school teachers; Andrew Shapiro 37; Kylie Davis 30, my wife and love of my life and a former charter school teacher south side of Chicago; Nala Davis Shapiro 0.75 our golden-doodle

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

No

<b>Education</b>

Stuyvesant High School '07, University of Delaware '11, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management '19

<b>Occupation</b>

10 years - currently Chief Financial Officer Advisor. Formerly Research Analyst at the International Monetary Fund. Formerly food stamp 'SNAP' federal consultant for process improvement for USDA

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

N/A

<b>Campaign website</b>

https://www.shapiro2021.com/

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

I’m running to put health and education first in Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens, Forest Hills and Rego Park.
Currently hospital capacity in Queens is the worst per capita in the 5 boroughs. Queens small businesses received one-third the value of loans compared to Manhattan from last year's federal stimulus. The Rego Park library rebuild is many years behind schedule and projects to be massively overbudget. $9 Billion+ will be wasted on new jails, one of which is slated to go in our backyard in Kew Gardens. Continuing with the same leadership that got us to where we are would be a tremendous mistake.
Just during this campaign, our campaign has helped our neighbors make and keep vaccinated appointments when the city neglected the challenges of transportation and the digital divide. We solicited direct feedback, crowd-sourcing novel solutions for both the 'ordinary' and systemic local challenges we face. And we understand exactly how the community prefers to spend discretionary funds.
Central Queens deserves to have a technocratic that will put people first and make policy decisions based on data. I pledge to hold office hours six nights a week to make sure every voice is heard. I'll be a servant-leader who takes direct responsibility for the problems in our community and takes direct action to solve them. Feel free to reach out to me directly day or night at shapiro4nyc@gmail.com if I can ever be of assistance.

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

Fully funding hospitals and education in our community.
Increasing hospital bed capacity in Queens needs to be one of the top priorities as we rebuild from the pandemic. Queens currently has 1.7 beds for every 1,000 residents, whereas Manhattan has three times that capacity. Unsurprisingly, bed shortages led to hospitals like Elmhurst being overwhelmed during the pandemic. Post-pandemic, we must focus on investing in new infrastructure to replace institutions such as St. Vincent. We must fight to maintain and buoy existing capacity in hospitals and health centers. New York City has left Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills empty and idle for the past 10 years, but with some effort it can be rehabilitated into a useful place to deliver wellness services for our community.
Only 52% of the DOE budget goes to school districts. Nearly 20%, or $6 Billion, of that budget goes to central support costs. More resources to our local schools will result in hiring more teachers, preventing detrimental personnel shortages, exactly what we experienced just a few months ago. Preventing schools from hiring more teachers, particularly when they need more, shows an inability to prioritize the most important investment society can make: our investment in our future—our investment in our children.

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

I have a truly deep respect for my opponents, they have been activists, community organizers, and essential workers during the hardest year in memory. Some have also been juggling parental responsibilities and a campaign during this pandemic - truly incredible.
There are two major differences, first is character. I am the only candidate in this race that has refused to accept any contributions from corporations, special interests, real estate, lobbyists, or existing politicians. 100% of my donors are individuals. I have only one agenda: improving our community. I am also the only candidate in this race to attempt to reach out to every city council candidate running, because in order for us to bring more resources into our community, we are going to have to understand what is most important to other communities.
The second is background. I have spent my career fixing public sector problems with smart economic solutions here and abroad. My work experience has shown me that a moral budget can improve everyone’s quality of life. I have a deep expertise in macroeconomics and finance. I am not ideological person, I draw policy conclusions based on data, and what will do the most good for the most people.

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

Voting for a new jail in Kew Gardens was a colossal error in judgment. The local community board (9) unanimously opposed the jail and so did the wider community. Richmond Hill has also been neglected by the incumbent. As a servant-leader I pledge we will have a constituent services office on Jamaica Avenue.

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

The mayor and city council failed to have any vaccine distribution plan. They had ten months to put together a plan and only did so after enormous public pressure in January 2021. The next city council and mayor need to stop passing the buck and take responsibility for the very real quality of life issues in the city. It's okay to not have a perfect plan, but we need to take action, especially during times of uncertainty and press forward.

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

Seniors
We have a moral obligation to support our seniors. Our area has one of the oldest populations in NYC. We must protect and sustain social security, so everyone has economic dignity as they age. Benefits for social security must never go down. Senior service funding at the Department for the Aging, at a minimum must be indexed to inflation to ensure a reliable source of funding for vital programs. We must increase funding for senior centers and make sure virtual social programs remain post-COVID as alternative options for folks with disabilities. We also must expedite vaccinations for homebound seniors. Our transportation options should focus on accessibility and safety rather than efficiency to accommodate our elder neighbors.
Healthcare
Over the next few years we must restore the hospital capacity we lost during the last recession. We cannot neglect investing in preventative health and healthcare infrastructure. We must prioritize these investments for our neighborhood and city. Specifically we should investigate rehabilitating the Parkway Hospital to deliver health services or closer to home.
Public Safety
I led a rally in January to close the Umbrella Hotel. There was illicit activity including shootings, prostitution, and homicides. Since the rally, the Queens DA has arrested a hotel employee associated with the illegal activity and the hotel has closed.
I am saddened by the huge increase in homeless in NYC – thirty years ago there were 8,000 homeless people, now there are over 80,000. Many of our neighbors feel unsafe with the huge increase in the number of folks with severe mental health problems in our area. Excessive rent burden and domestic abuse are the two largest contributors to homelessness. Short-term, the best way to reduce homelessness is simple: unconditionally offer single room occupancy for single homeless people, and small apartments for homeless families. It is the just and humane thing to do. And in the long run the city actually saves money by doing this. This policy reduces homelessness and leads to better outcomes for the homeless person and the city. Longer-term, both the public and private sector must build much more housing in the city to keep pace with our population.
One hate crime is too many. We must prosecute all hate crimes to the fullest extent of the law. Hate is learned, but so is tolerance. We also must have more inter-cultural exchange programs, especially for our young people, so they understand the way different people worship, eat, and live. When you understand and become friendly with people that look different than you, you stop ‘other’-izing them.

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

My career has been focused on getting things done despite bureaucratic obstacles. At the International Monetary Fund I help address economic inequality through policy advice on debt sustainability and prioritizing inclusive growth. I represented the organization during discussions with national leaders and helped make the case that Guinea-Bissau should receive technical assistance. As a federal consultant I helped make sure our neighbors that suffer from food insecurity received their food stamps in a timely manner so poor folks had the necessities to survive. And currently I advise chief financial officers to better run their businesses.

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

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

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

You deserve an empathic and honest local government. Feel free to text me directly anytime at (347) 450-4398‬