Bronxites Back Bill de Blasio
By Shanika Sealy
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s remarks about the Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio’s campaign being racist did not take away any votes in the community of Morris Park. Many residents said de Blasio was the best candidate in the mayoral race.
“He knows what New York City needs,” said Jean Haynes, 65, a child care provider.
Of 10 residents interviewed, eight admitted that they were pulling the lever machine for de Blasio in the primary elections. Bill Thompson came in second place, and Anthony D. Weiner in third. None mentioned a Republican as a mayoral candidate. “I’m voting for Bill de Blasio because he is more liberal than the other candidates,” said Thomas Gallagher, 74, retired.
The primary reason de Blasio was popular with the residents in this neighborhood was because of his stance on affordable housing. The prices for housing have increased dramatically, said many in Morris Park. “Housing is the biggest issue because I live in a regular tenant building, and the rent is $1100 a month,” said Maria Ortiz, 50, an administrator at Jacobi Medical Center. “The apartments are a piece of crap. The new mayor can work to built better buildings.”
Another Morris Park local expressed similar comments concerning the housing in NYC. “I will vote for Bill de Blasio because he is in a mixed marriage, and he wants to stop the rent increases,” said Mary Mcgrail, 85, a retired city employee. “I remember the days when the rent stayed at the beginning rate. Today, the beginning rate is too high.”
Besides the issues with the cost of housing, de Blasio also discussed stop-and- frisk, gun violence and jobs in his campaign speeches. He strongly supports the law to end the stop-and- frisk policy because it targets young males of African-American and Latino descent in the low-income neighborhoods. Also, he spoke in regards to protecting young children from gun violence and bringing more jobs into the city. “He wants to fix unemployment and bring small business manufactures into the city,” said Gallagher.
One resident felt a different candidate should become the new mayor. She said she has high hopes for Weiner. His sexting scandal was a disgrace, she said, but nobody is not perfect. “Since he messed up, he is trying to get a second chance,” said Mary Williams, 29, a nurse at Lincoln Hospital. “He violated the law. Now he knows what it is to be violated. He will not violate anymore. He walked through the toughest places in the Bronx like Soundview talking to the people.”
Comptroller John C. Liu was a favorite candidate for one Morris Park local, but she admitted that her vote would not help because his polling numbers were low. On the Quinnipiac University website, Liu had the second lowest percentage followed by council member Sal F. Albanese. According to Quinnipiac University, four percent of those polled were voting for Comptroller John C. Liu and one percent for former council member Sal F. Albanese, with eight percent undecided.”
Some residents said Liu and Albanese did not demonstrate strong qualities. “Liu don’t talk a good game,” said Haynes. “I haven’t heard him talk about any changes for the middle class.”