Watch Roosevelt Island Fireside Chat Interviews With Candidates Running For NYC Council District 5, Manhattan Borough President, District Attorney & Democratic Party District Leader - Early Voting Thru June 20 At Sportpark, Primary Election Day June 22 At PS/IS 217 & Learn About Ranked Choice Voting Too

 As previously reported:

Joyce Short and Ellen Polivy, two long-time Roosevelt Island activists, founded the Political Engagement Group (PEG) in order to revive Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s concept of “Fireside Chats,” right here on Roosevelt Island. Their aim is to provide voters on the Upper Eastside and Roosevelt Island with a personal view of the people, their platforms, and their interests in our communities, in order to help their neighbors make enlightened decisions when they cast their votes on June 22nd. 

Click here to view the Roosevelt Island Fireside Chats on You Tube with:

• Kim Moscaritolo- Candidate for City Council Representative
• Julie Menin- Candidate for City Council Representative
• Rebecca Lamorte- Candidate for City Council Representative
• Billy Freeland- Candidate for City Council Representative
• Tricia Shimamura- Candidate for City Council Representative 
• Chris Sosa- Candidate for City Council Representative  
  
• Brad Hoylman- Candidate for Manhattan Borough President 
• Ben Kallos- Candidate for Manhattan Borough President
• Mark Levine- Candidate for Manhattan Borough President
• Tali Farhadian Weinstein- Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney
• Eliza Orlins- Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney
• Lucy Lang- Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney
• Liz Crotty- Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney
• Dan Quart- Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney 
• Alvin Bragg- Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney
• Diana Florence- Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney
• Esther Yang- Candidate for Manhattan District Leader 

NYC early voting 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.

You're Invited To Roosevelt Island Political Engagement Group Virtual Zoom Fireside Chat With Manhattan Borough President Candidate Mark Levine Tonight, May 3 - Watch Prior Chats With NYC Council Candidates Billy Freeland,Julie Menin And Rebecca Lamorte

As previously reported:

Joyce Short and Ellen Polivy, two long-time Roosevelt Island activists, founded the Political Engagement Group (PEG) in order to revive Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s concept of “Fireside Chats,” right here on Roosevelt Island. Their aim is to provide voters on the Upper Eastside and Roosevelt Island with a personal view of the people, their platforms, and their interests in our communities, in order to help their neighbors make enlightened decisions when they cast their votes on June 22nd.

“What better place to recreate FDR’s concept that began 88 years ago, almost to the very day we’ll begin; Monday, March 15th at 8:00 PM,” said Joyce Short. “We’ll be interviewing candidates each Monday and Wednesday evening, at either 7:30 or 8 PM, for Mayor, Borough President, District Attorney, City Council, and Democratic District Leader....

The next Roosevelt Island PEG Fireside Chat is tonight, May 3, with Mark Levine who is a candidate in the June 22 Democratic Party Primary for Manhattan Borough President.

Contact jm_short@ymail.com for Zoom link to the PEG Fireside Chat with Mark Levine and to send questions. 

According to Mr Levine's Manhattan Borough President campaign website:

City Councilmember Mark Levine is a leading voice in New York City for tenants rights, public health, and equity in our schools, transit, parks, and housing. 

Mark has twice been elected to represent the 7th Council district–one of the most diverse in New York City–covering West Harlem/Hamilton Heights, Morningside Heights, and parts of the Upper West Side and Washington Heights....

ICYMI: My conversation with @TweetBenMax on @MNN59 about my campaign for Borough President, and our plan for the come-back of Manhattan and NYC:https://t.co/WYcVEewf8N

— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) April 21, 2021

Learn more about Mr Levine's campaign for Manhattan Borough President at his website.

Mr Levin's opponents in the June 22 Democratic Party Manhattan Borough President Primary are: 

• Lindsey Boylan   
• Elizabeth Caputo   
• Ben Kallos   
• Brad Hoylman  
  
• 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 the Gothamist has more on what the Borough President does.

Watch earlier Roosevelt Island Fireside Chats with NYC Council Democratic Party Primary Candidates to represent Roosevelt Island and the Upper East Side: 

Billy Freeland,


Julie Menin


and Rebecca Lamorte.

You're Invited To Roosevelt Island Political Engagement Group Virtual Zoom Fireside Chat With NYC Council Candidate Billy Freeland Monday March 29 - Watch Prior Chats With Candidates Julie Menin And Rebecca Lamorte

As previously reported:

Joyce Short and Ellen Polivy, two long-time Roosevelt Island activists, founded the Political Engagement Group (PEG) in order to revive Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s concept of “Fireside Chats,” right here on Roosevelt Island. Their aim is to provide voters on the Upper Eastside and Roosevelt Island with a personal view of the people, their platforms, and their interests in our communities, in order to help their neighbors make enlightened decisions when they cast their votes on June 22nd.

“What better place to recreate FDR’s concept that began 88 years ago, almost to the very day we’ll begin; Monday, March 15th at 8:00 PM,” said Joyce Short. “We’ll be interviewing candidates each Monday and Wednesday evening, at either 7:30 or 8 PM, for Mayor, Borough President, District Attorney, City Council, and Democratic District Leader....

The next PEG Fireside Chat is 8 PM Monday, March 29, with Billy Freeland, a Democratic Party candidate to represent Roosevelt Island and the UES in NYC Council District 5.

Contact jm_short@ymail.com for Zoom link to the PEG Fireside Chat with Billy Freeland and to send questions.

I then volunteered with the Haki Compost Collective. Composting is a big part of our climate justice plan! Landfills are the third-largest source of methane emissions. And methane is 84x more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting is a green alternative!#GreenNewDeal 🌎 pic.twitter.com/cf2aJJlEol

— Billy Freeland (@BillyFreelandNY) February 6, 2021

I spoke with Mr Freeland at the Roosevelt Island Farmers Market.

Here's PEG Fireside Chat with Roosevelt Island & UES NYC Council CandidatesJulie Menin

and Rebecca Lamorte.
>
Contact jm_short@ymail.com for Zoom link to the PEG Fireside Chat with Billy Freeland, to send questions and more info.

Roosevelt Island Activists Joyce Short and Ellen Polivy Revive FDR's Fireside Chats For Series Of Interviews With Political Candidates This Election Cycle Starting March 15 With Tricia Shimamura And March 17 With Julie Menin - Both Candidates Seeking To Represent Roosevelt Island And Upper East Side In NYC Council District 5

Roosevelt Island residents Joyce Short and Ellen Polivy report: 

Announcing PEG’s Fireside Chats with Candidates

Joyce Short and Ellen Polivy, two long-time Roosevelt Island activists, founded the Political Engagement Group (PEG) in order to revive Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s concept of “Fireside Chats,” right here on Roosevelt Island. Their aim is to provide voters on the Upper Eastside and Roosevelt Island with a personal view of the people, their platforms, and their interests in our communities, in order to help their neighbors make enlightened decisions when they cast their votes on June 22nd.

“What better place to recreate FDR’s concept that began 88 years ago, almost to the very day we’ll begin; Monday, March 15th at 8:00 PM,” said Joyce Short. “We’ll be interviewing candidates each Monday and Wednesday evening, at either 7:30 or 8 PM, for Mayor, Borough President, District Attorney, City Council, and Democratic District Leader. Our first interview will be with Tricia Shimamura, candidate for City Council Representative. On Wednesday, 3/17, at 7:30 PM, our guest will be Julie Menin, also a City Council candidate.”

Each interview will be broadcast on Zoom and Facebook live. They will each be recorded and posted on the “PEG Fireside Chat” You Tube channel. To participate, simply request the Zoom link by emailing Joyce at jm_short@ymail.com. Participants will be able to ask questions on the Zoom chat, and in person if time permits. Sessions are estimated to last 40 minutes. 

Starting this week meet these candidates for City Council

TRICIA SHIMAMURA, Monday, March 15 at 8pm

JULIE MENIN, Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 pm

RSVP for the full schedule and zoom links: JM_Short@ymail.com

I recently spoke with both Ms Shimamura

and Ms Menin

while they were campaigning at the Roosevelt Island Farmers Market.

Mark your calendar - upcoming PEG Fireside Chats include: