Sponsored by AARP
This week, the race for District 19 heats up as city council hopeful Ben Chou faces incumbent Vickie Paladino. The news team dives into each candidate’s vision for tackling New York City’s pressing challenges surrounding public safety and livability.
Q: Over the next four years, what specific policies or initiatives would you implement to make New York City a more livable place for people as they age — particularly in areas such as transportation, public safety, and accessible public spaces?
Chou: Because of my background in public safety, my top priority will be ensuring the well-being of all residents — especially our older adults. That means paying our first responders what they deserve, with a focus on fair compensation for police officers and EMTs. It also means providing EMTs with the funding they need for critical equipment and long-overdue vehicle upgrades.
On transportation, I will advocate for expanding Access-A-Ride so more seniors and people with disabilities can rely on it to get where they need to go. And here in our neighborhoods, I’ll fight to expand curb cuts and sidewalk repairs, improve bus shelters, and advance traffic calming measures in high-pedestrian areas. Together, these improvements will make our community safer, more accessible, and more age-friendly.
Paladino: My office funds several transportation programs throughout the district catering to seniors, particularly through Commonpoint Queens, who have been great partners. I would like to broaden these programs to reach even more seniors and plan to do so in my next term. I’ve also distributed funding to local senior centers for facility upgrades and activities. I’ve renovated parks across our district to include senior-friendly activities like bocce, and have a long list of projects for my next term as well. Additionally, my office also hosts the city’s first Veteran’s Resource Center, providing care and guidance for our area veterans, many of whom are seniors. We also host special events in my office for this community as well, including a ‘Vetsgiving’ luncheon that gets bigger every year.
Q: What steps are being taken to improve neighborhood safety, walkability, and access to essential services for aging residents?
Chou: Unfortunately crime is soaring in our district — all seven major felonies are up since 2021 by 44.7% in Precinct 109 and 37.8% in Precinct 111. (Compared to 2019, before the pandemic, the increases are even worse: 59.1% and 59.7%.) By raising the starting pay for police officers, we can attract new recruits, address the hiring crisis, and make our streets feel more like the neighborhoods I grew up remembering.
At the same time, I’ll advocate for expanding Access-A-Ride and investing in long-overdue sidewalk improvements across our district, so seniors and people with disabilities can move through our neighborhoods safely and with dignity.
Paladino: Nobody takes public safety more seriously than I do. I’ve delivered on opening a satellite precinct to relieve the overworked 109th, serving exclusively College Point, Whitestone, Malba, Beechurst, and Bayside. This is providing our district with a massive boost in manpower and equipment, and reducing response times. Walkability is less of an issue here; we’re a car-oriented district to be sure, and seniors need access to parking as well as ambulatory services.
The city is currently waging a war on cars and parking, which is negatively impacting the mobility and options of our seniors. I’m committed to ensuring our district remains accessible for the modes of transportation seniors depend on most — cars and access-a-ride services.
Q: How does your office plan to enhance public spaces, parks, and community centers to better serve the needs of older adults and promote social engagement?
Chou: Parks are the lifeline of our community, yet they’ve been underfunded for far too long. I’ll fight to increase the Parks Department budget to 1% of the overall City budget so we can add more benches, shade structures, and accessible walking paths that make our green spaces welcoming for everyone. I’ll also push to expand programming at senior and community centers—bringing more cultural events, wellness activities, and exercise classes that keep our older adults healthy, connected, and engaged.
Paladino: I’ve allocated tens of millions of dollars towards renovating our parks and public spaces —from Bowne Park to Cunningham to Francis Lewis Park and others — I’ve ensured our seniors and all our residents have access to the best green spaces in the city. Not only have I allocated these funds, but I’ve personally kept these projects on track. When I first came into office our parks were a mess, and renovation projects were in disarray, I’ve completely turned that around. And in partnering with other groups like Commonpoint, we have a lot of exciting new options for seniors coming up in the next four years.
