CANDIDATE PROFILE: CHARLES OBER

With less than two weeks remaining before the Special Election in the 30th City Council District, Democrat Charles Ober hopes that his experience in the community and change from politics as usual will help propel him to victory.
“I felt that I could bring to the City Council a real sense of what people in the neighborhoods want and not necessarily what must be best politically,” Ober said.
Throughout the past several years, Ober has been very involved in the western Queens community. He is currently the Vice President of the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association; member of the Board of Directors and Spokesperson for the Ridgewood Restoration Corporation; President of the Ridgewood Democratic Club; member of the Legislation Committee of the Queens Civic Congress and Past President of Queens Pride House.
In addition to his community ties, Ober cited a number of issues that he has brought to the attention of City Council representatives and how he has worked with them to get the issues resolved.
Ober believes that infrastructure neglect, community planning and quality of life are three of the main issues that are currently facing the neighborhood. He said that he is not against development, but he believes major changes need to occur at the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) regarding the self-certification policy which is currently in place.
Meanwhile, Ober also said that a primary concern is regaining the constituents’ trust in the aftermath of the scandal involving former Councilmember Dennis Gallagher as well as the misuse and hiding of Council funds. He called for more transparency and greater enforcement within the Council as to where the money goes.
During the campaign, Ober has been critical of the Queens County Democratic Organization, which endorsed fellow Democrat Elizabeth Crowley for the seat. However, he said that if he wins the election, he would not be beholden to any political organizations.
“I’m selling myself as a community activist and a person with a financial background who has a record of accomplishment different from a lot of the insiders from local political circles. “If that is what the voter wants, they have that choice, and I am selling it to them,” Ober said.
Ober plans to spend the days leading up to the June 3 Special Election doing the same things he did while collecting signatures - meeting and talking with voters to find out what issues are important to them.
“I have to sell myself on who I am, and I’m going to do everything that I can to make sure all the potential voters know who I am,” Ober said.