As current District 30 City Council Member Robert Holden reaches his term limit, several candidates have stepped forward to run for the seat representing Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Elmhurst and Rego Park.
Among them is Dermot Smyth, who cites more than 16 years of experience in New York City’s political and labor landscape as a key qualification for the role.
Smyth began his career as a public school educator, teaching at I.S. 5 The Walter H. Crowley School of Leadership in Elmhurst. During his tenure there, he became active in the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the union representing the majority of New York City’s public school educators. He was elected as a union representative at the school and later worked with UFT leadership on legislative advocacy and member services.
In that capacity, Smyth supported policy initiatives and helped oversee health and benefit programs for approximately 25,000 union members and their families.
“We have one of the largest unions in the city, so our involvement in the political arena is everywhere,” Smyth said.
While Smyth expressed respect for those seeking public office for the first time, he believes his long-standing experience working with city and congressional leaders, mayors and private stakeholders positions him well to serve District 30 effectively.
He argues that the role of a City Council member should not be seen as an entry-level political position, citing the growing complexity and responsibilities of the office.
“I’ve started to notice over the past several years that many local offices—whether it’s City Council, state Senate, or state Assembly—are increasingly viewed as entry-level positions, and that’s a problem,” Smyth said. “The City Council now has oversight of a $115 billion budget and significant legislative authority that directly impacts working families across the city.”
Through his work in the labor movement, particularly with the United Federation of Teachers, Smyth said he has cultivated strong working relationships with elected officials and labor organizations. Several of those groups have endorsed his candidacy for City Council.
Among the local leaders and organizations to endorse Smyth are Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Congressmembers Tom Suozzi, Grace Meng and George Latimer, State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, the Queens County Democratic Party, UFT, the New York City Central Labor Council, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Local 831 of the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, 32BJ SEIU, the New York City District Council of Carpenters, the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, District Council 37, the New York State Nurses Association, the Machinists Union, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Communication Workers of America District 1, LIUNA-NY, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and the Solidarity PAC.
Smyth emphasized the importance of effective community representation and said his campaign has actively engaged residents to better understand their priorities. One of the most frequently raised concerns, he noted, is the need for safer streets and cleaner public spaces—particularly local parks.
“Clean parks are one of the biggest issues of all the doors I knocked on that young parents will talk to me about,” Smyth said. “I raised my daughter in the public parks, and it is that way for most young children growing up in New York. Parks are extremely important. Very often, the parks are not safe, the parents have told me. There’s broken bottles, sometimes drug paraphernalia and a whole lot of other used stuff that shouldn’t be there. They want to be able to go over there and know that their kids are going to be safe. I have that as an absolute priority.”
If elected, Smyth said he hopes to bring significant improvements to District 30 and its surrounding communities. He anticipates being one of fewer than 10 new members on the 51-seat City Council, and acknowledged that incoming council members often face challenges in securing resources. However, he believes his existing relationships with elected officials and labor leaders would help him advocate effectively from day one.
Smyth describes himself as a moderate Democrat, emphasizing what he views as a balanced approach to governance.
“I do believe you can be caring and compassionate while at the same time being rational and reasonable,” Smyth said. “We have to make sure we’re allocating resources, funding and focus in a way that represents everyone in the city.”
He said the election will come down to which candidate can best secure necessary resources for the district, while also preventing the introduction of policies or developments that residents do not support.
Education is a central focus of Smyth’s platform. As a former educator and advocate for public school staff, he said ensuring schools have the resources they need remains a personal priority—and one shared by many residents.
“Education is extremely important to me, and I know from talking to countless people in the district that it’s a vital issue to them as well,” Smyth said. “I always say that a school is like another room in the house where a child grows up. Parents need to feel confident in the schools they send their kids to.”
Smyth said he intends to bring what he calls “rational, reasonable and mature leadership” to the City Council. He reiterated his belief that the position should not be viewed as a stepping stone.
“This is not an entry-level job,” he said. “This is a position where you don’t just impact your own district—you end up shaping policy for the entire city. We need qualified, experienced people in office to make sure the issues we protest don’t happen in the first place. I’m running to make a meaningful difference.”
