Manhattan Borough President Candidate Lindsey Boylan Says Her Experience Overseeing RIOC Will Benefit Roosevelt Island Residents During Campaign Visit Yesterday - Watch Video Interview And Learn More About Her Campaign

Lindsey Boylan is a candidate in the June 22 Manhattan Borough President Democratic Party Primary. According to Ms Boylan's web site: 

We need a justice-first Manhattan Borough President. Lindsey is an unapologetic progressive with nearly a decade of experience as an urban planner and public servant, managing public parks and spaces and overseeing housing, economic development, and disaster relief for the State of New York. Lindsey is running for Manhattan Borough President because we need bold progressivism, radical accountability, and executive experience for our City.

Ms Boylan campaigned on Roosevelt Island yesterday afternoon, speaking with residents about their issues and concerns.

Manhattan Borough President candidate @LindseyBoylan is visiting #RooseveltIsland, talking to the @Rooseveltisland and local residents pic.twitter.com/R64AUbXlqv

— Penny Gold, Esq.🏳️‍🌈 (@GoldenPenny1987) June 13, 2021

Loved spending time talking to New Yorkers on Roosevelt Island today. Thank you @GoldenPenny1987 for showing #TeamLindsey around! 🗽🌳🧡 pic.twitter.com/xETpA22e8S

— Lindsey Boylan (@LindseyBoylan) June 13, 2021

I spoke with Ms Boylan yesterday in front of the Nisi restaurant. Ms Boylan was very knowledgeable about Roosevelt Island issues having overseen the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) during her time as the Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Housing for NY State. According to Ms Boylan:

... I oversaw the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation. Alot of the complicated issues was how to age out of Mitchell Lama and one of the last things that I was engaged in was both Westview and thinking through how to preserve as much affordability as possible ...

... One of the goals has to be how can people living on Roosevelt Island benefit the most and feel like they are a part of all of the planning, even that's happening south of the tram and in Cornell Tech, and how do we make sure that the first priority is always people who live on Roosevelt Island and how do we enhance all the things that are wonderful here. 

So I guarantee you, I'm the most experienced with RIOC because I oversaw it when I was the Secretary. Resiliency issues that we are undoubtedly going to be dealing with, infrastructure support, particularly for the walking ways and the waterfront and then integration of Cornell Tech, all those things are stuff I'm very familiar with and it would be so fun to work together to make sure that Roosevelt Island is the place that we all know it can be and continues to be deeply affordable livable in whatever ways I can do that. 

Learn more about Ms Boylan's campaign for Manhattan Borough President at her website.

Ms Boylan's opponents in the June 22 Democratic Party Primary are: 

• Mark Levine (Roosevelt Island Farmers Market Interview here)
  
• Elizabeth Caputo   
• Ben Kallos   
• Brad Holyman (Roosevelt Island Farmers Market Interview here)
  
• Kimberly Watkins 
• Michael Lewyn 

You may ask what exactly does a Borough President do? According to The City:

... A borough president is an advocate for their borough in a number of ways. 

First, they have a sizable chunk of change at their disposal to fund local initiatives, groups and projects like buying technology for public schools, renovating local parks or spearheading community health outreach.

Borough presidents share about 5% of the city budget to fund things in their borough — about $4 billion among them, according to the city’s Campaign Finance Board.

Borough presidents can also introduce bills in the City Council, though they do not get a vote.
They weigh in on land use proposals — in other words, development projects that need public approval — with an advisory vote and written decision. Their input is not binding, but it can be quite influential if they are staunchly for or against a project and lobby Council members or the mayor. 

Working with local City Council members, Borough presidents also appoint all members of community boards, the local bodies that weigh in on everything from new bike lanes to liquor licenses for restaurants. With that power, the borough presidents can exert significant sway over neighborhood-level politics and projects....

Click here for more from The City on NYC Borough Presidents. 

And Gothamist has more on what the Borough President does.   

NYC early voting started yesterday, June 12, and runs thru June 20. Roosevelt Island early voting location is at the Sportspark facility, 250 Main Street. Primary Election Day is June 22. Roosevelt Island Primary Election Day Polling location is at PS/IS 217 (645 Main Street).

This year, NYC has ranked choice voting. This is how it works.