New York City is at a crossroads—and our community knows it. From rising crime to overdevelopment, from classrooms focused on politics instead of academics, to congestion pricing that punishes working families, it’s clear City Hall has lost touch with the people it’s supposed to serve.
That’s why I’m running for City Council: to bring common sense back to local government and fight for the neighborhoods we call home.
I’m proud to be the only Democrat in this race endorsed by our Council Member Bob Holden, a leader who has never backed down from a fight for what’s right. Councilman Holden has been a voice of reason in a City Council dominated by extreme ideology—focusing on public safety, quality of life, and bread-and-butter constituent services. He’s shown what it means to lead with integrity and fight for the people, not special interests. I will continue that work—and bring the same no-nonsense, results-driven approach to City Hall.
Public safety will be a top priority. We must hire more police officers, repeal reckless bail reform laws, and crack down on the surge in shoplifting and lawlessness plaguing our streets. We need to rehire school safety agents and crossing guards—positions that were wrongly eliminated during the de Blasio years—and bring real security back to our schools and street corners.
We also have to fix a broken system that prioritizes outside agendas over the needs of our residents. That starts with repealing New York City’s sanctuary status, closing migrant shelters that are draining our resources, and ending the warehousing of the homeless in local hotels and neighborhoods. These are failed policies, and we must put our residents first.
In education, I’ll fight to restore academic excellence. That means defending the SHSAT, restoring and expanding Gifted and Talented and honors programs, and ensuring that classrooms focus on real learning—not social justice fads. Our goal must be to lift up every student, not bring down standards.
And when it comes to development, I strongly oppose the “City of Yes” zoning overhaul. It’s nothing more than a green light for overdevelopment, flooding, and the erosion of the character of our neighborhoods. I’ll work to protect our community from being turned into a developer’s playground.
I will also fight the opening of any cannabis dispensaries in our neighborhood and close the illegal pot shops. Our children and our families deserve better than to have their streets turned into open-air drug markets.
We also need to stop the city from wasting money on boondoggle projects that communities don’t want. That includes unnecessary bike lanes and road redesigns, which do more to disrupt than to improve. Also, nuisance mandates such as composting that make life needlessly more difficult. It’s time to focus on what works—not what looks good on paper.
Throughout my life, I’ve been in the trenches—organizing with parents to preserve what works in our schools, standing with neighbors to stop reckless rezonings, protesting shelters we don’t want, and showing up when our voices weren’t being heard. Now, I’m ready to bring that same fight to City Hall.
With your support, I’ll continue the strong, community-first leadership that Councilman Holden has provided, and I’ll never stop fighting for our shared values: safety, fairness, and common sense.
No other Democrat in this race has my experience—or will fight for you the way I will. We don’t need newcomers or lobbyists representing us at City Hall. We need someone who’s been here, earned your trust, and is ready to get to work on day one.
Phil Wong is a Democratic candidate running for New York City Council District 30, which encompasses Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Elmhurst, and Rego Park in Queens. He is a long-time resident of Elmhurst, having lived there since 1976 after emigrating from Hong Kong. Wong has been actively involved in local civic affairs, serving as the Budget Director for outgoing Council Member Robert Holden. He has also held the position of President of the Community Education Council (CEC) for School District 24, where he advocated for maintaining the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), expanding gifted and talented programs, and enhancing educational services for families in the district.
