The Queens Courier will be holding a debate on Aug. 5 for the candidates of the 23rd City Council District election at the North Shore Towers to increase public awareness of relevant issues and platforms.
“We’re delighted to partner with the North Shore Towers to bring the candidates to our readers and residents of the communities that Mark Weprin had so masterfully represented,” said Courier Publisher Victoria Schneps-Yunis.
Mark Weprin vacated the 23rd District seat in June to become Governor Andrew Cuomo’s deputy secretary of legislative affairs. The district contains all or parts of Bayside Hills, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks, Hollis, Little Neck, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens and Queens Village.
North Shore Towers Political Action Committee chair Felice Hannah is the debate’s organizer and will be hosting that night as well. She has been working with campaign managers and Courier staff to ensure that the candidates will be comfortable at the forum.
“It’s important for residents to meet the candidates in order to get the best person to represent our district,” Hannah said. “We lost a great person in Mark Weprin, and we can’t say we’ll be able to replace Mark Weprin but we at least want to get the best person.”
The debate will be held at the North Shore Towers movie theater to ensure enough space for attendees from both within and outside the North Shore Towers community, and Hannah expects at least 200 people to attend. The debate will also be captured by videographers from the North Shore Towers’ in-house television station for residents unable to attend in person.
Hannah said that North Shore Towers was an ideal place to hold a campaign event because residents of the co-op are very politically involved, and the community even has its own polling site.
“While working the polling site here, I’m able to see how people come out to vote with such vigor and interest,” Hannah said. “We have a sophisticated voting block of people living here, judges, attorneys and others who just want to make sure they’re being represented by the best person possible.”
Hannah is also in the process of planning three-hour meet-and-greet events for each candidate after the debate that will see them walk around the North Shore Towers to field questions and comments from community members.
According to Hannah, property assessment is a big political issue in North Shore community, which boasts an attached country club and its own restaurant in addition to the movie theater. Residents have been fighting to change the property assessment method from the current model which has lead to a high tax rate, and many North Shore residents are also interested in choosing a candidate who will be supportive of their campaign to get a left-turn signal installed in a nearby traffic intersection.
The Queens Courier Debate for the District 23 race will be held on Aug. 5 at the North Shore Towers Cinema at 272-40 Grand Central Pkwy. The event will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.
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