Last Saturday, Senator
Gianaris visited the local Roosevelt Island Farmers market to meet and
talk with Roosevelt Island residents.
According to Senator Gianaris:
... I've crossed this bridge hundreds of times. I've been here for events. I've had friends who've lived here and now I get a chance to be the representative for Roosevelt Island as the Deputy Leader of the Senate.
I'm looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work on so many of the issues. I've already heard a bunch this morning about RIOC and the problems of administration here on Roosevelt Island so looking forward to working with all the great people. It's a
great community...
In addition to Roosevelt Island, Senator Gianaris' 12 District includes parts of Astoria, Long Island City, Woodside and the Upper East Side including Gracie Mansion, home of NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
More on Senator Michael Gianaris at this prior post and his website.
... How does the proposed NY State legislative redistricting impact
Roosevelt Island representation?
Roosevelt Island's long time Manhattan/Bronx
State Senator Jose Serrano
will no longer represent the neighborhood. Instead, Queens
State Senator Michael Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader of the State Senate, will represent Roosevelt Island
in the proposed redistricting....
... I just wanted to start to get to know you all. As Lynn mentioned, the
redistricting lines have changed and the district that I currently represent
is taking on Roosevelt Island and parts of the Upper East Side up in the 90s
and even though I won't officially be representing the area until January 1,
I will be running for office for re-election...
Roosevelt Island was a place I've been too many times in my life. As you're
all very much aware, the only bridge connecting you all to the rest of the
city comes right into the historic Long Island City border so I've
ridden my bike through your island many times.
I visited the park, I've been to events there and I will consider it an
honor if I get the chance to represent the area and you can count on seeing
me there often.
Lynn and I spoke a little bit earlier today and she mentioned the Saturday
market is something I have to come to so we're gonna put that on my agenda.
I don't think I can come this weekend but I will be there in short order and
if any of you are there I will get to say hello in person ...
... I really look forward to collaborating with all of you on issues of
importance to Roosevelt Island. Most people in the City I think when
they think of Roosevelt they think of the Tram and the Spider-Man movie and
there's a lot more going on there than just that so it's up to the rest of us
to educate everybody else...
I asked Senator Gianaris about his views on the Roosevelt Island Operating
Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors vacant seats, residents voting for RIOC Board
members and the recently introduced legislation introduced by Assembly Member
Rebecca Seawright and current State Senator Jose Serrano about the RIOC Board
governance.
Screenshot From Feb 17 CB 8 Roosevelt Island Committee You Tube Video
Senator Gianaris replied:
... This is my first introduction to Roosevelt Island activists and
community leaders. I know about RIOC. I've heard a lot about it but before I
dive into that detailed question I'd love to talk to you and to the Board
and Lynn and develop some more background and actually that's
something I'd like to ask Senator Serrano his views on as well.
But I'm just starting to get to learn about a lot of this stuff and I know
enough to know that the whole RIOC administration question has been
lingering for quite some time so I just want to get kind of educated up on
it before I give you a specific answer to that but I'm happy to sit with you
and hear you out on how you think it should be handled ...
About the Seawright/Serrano RIOC legislation, Senator Gianaris said:
... It sounds like if the people who represent the Island want that change
then it's likely something I'd be supporting as well but again i just don't
want to get ahead of myself on the substance...
And:
...One thing
that I would ask you all to avail yourselves
of as it relates to my role in the Senate is I happen to be the Deputy Leader. Senator Serrano is
the Chairman of the Conference so he's
kind of third or fourth in line too so he's no slouch but I do have
probably more ability to be effective
legislatively than the average Senator. So, if there's something as it relates to RIOC for example, I may have a greater ability to get
that done, a new experience in the past
so we should definitely put our heads
together on that and see what we can do.
Ms Shinozaki adds:
That sounds very exciting. I know that
the the
community has chafed at different
periods because
they felt that who was participating in the Board didn't necessarily
represent the community
and there has been a lot of movement
over the years to try to get more people
on the Board that live in the
community because they feel that they
understand the issues
intimately because they live here. I'm sure that's something that we
can continue to discuss with you
in terms of how to move forward on that.
Democratic dominance in state politics is about to reach a whole new level
as the decennial redistricting process approaches its conclusion.
Albany Democrats are expected to approve new legislative lines for the state
Senate and Assembly that benefit their incumbents while making it harder
than ever for Republicans to regain any of the electoral ground they have
lost in recent years....
How does the proposed NY State legislative redistricting impact Roosevelt
Island representation?
Roosevelt Island's long time Manhattan/Bronx
State Senator Jose Serrano
will no longer represent the neighborhood. Instead, Queens
State Senator Michael Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader of the State Senate, will represent Roosevelt Island
in the proposed redistricting.
The Boundaries for Senate District 12 have also changed. Occupied by Deputy
Majority Leader
@SenGianaris, it pushes West out of Queens and into Manhattan. So it now includes
Roosevelt Island ( about 12,000 people ) and a portion of the Upper East
Side all the way to 5th Ave.
pic.twitter.com/huG7tWVzQR
NYC Congressional incumbents, like Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Rep. Adriano
Espaillat, got districts that made their reelection more likely.https://t.co/7UBWH1Rcqs
Up first: New York's got a brand new map of legislative districts, courtesy
of Democrats in the State Senate.
@SenGianaris
joins to talk about the state's new electoral geography, and what it means
for NYS politics.
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
