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Hosted by BronxNet’s Gary Axelbank, the three candidates in the Democratic primary race who are aiming to fill the seat in redrawn Senate District 34, participated in a debate aired on BronxNet on Aug. 8 to discuss the issues affecting residents in the district, the candidates’ respective policy positions, and if elected, their goals for the district. Zoning and development took center stage.

 

Christian Amato served as a board member and as a co-chair of the transportation committee on Bronx Community Board 11, and is a former deputy chief of staff for State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who represents current Senate District 34 until the end of the year.

 

Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez currently represents Assembly District 80 which broadly covers Allerton, Parkside Housing Project in Williamsbridge, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway, Little Yemen and parts of Bedford Park and Norwood, Van Nest and Morris Park. She previously worked as the Bronx regional representative for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and with former assemblyman and city councilman, Mark Gjonaj. John Perez is a community activist, a retired U.S. army combat veteran, and a former assembly district leader.

 

The redrawn district, which becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2023, covers the neighborhoods of Westchester Square, City Island, Ferry Point, Pelham Bay, Parkchester, Clason Point, Throggs Neck, Country Club, Castle Hill, Soundview and parts of Morris Park, Pelham Parkway and Eastchester.

 

The debate began with the candidates highlighting what made each one distinctive from their opponents in the race. Amato said in part, “I think the thing that makes me unique in this race is that I’m a lifelong resident of this district. I’ve been serving this community, not just as a community organizer but in our local government, and also as a board member on Community Board 11, [and] various local organizations like the Liberty Democratic Association.”

 

He added that during the pandemic, he formed a $5.5 million partnership with Driscoll Foods to bring over 500,000 pounds of fresh produce to the community to combat growing food insecurity, as well as one million masks and sanitizers. He said he can connect the community to resources, and that’s how he’d like run his senate office, if elected.

 

Perez followed up saying in part, “I’ve worked my entire life either in government or under government contract, working in the city council. I founded “Nos Quedamos” community organization from the ground up, for the community’s needs. From there, [I] transitioned over to
become the project manager for the Bronx Local Development Corporation in the East Tremont section with the store owners…From there I transitioned over to the army, and I spent the last 20 years in the army.” As reported, Nos Quedamos [We Stay] is a nonprofit based in the South Bronx which focuses on sustainable community development.

 

For her part, Fernandez said in part, “I’ve been working in this community for more than 10 years as a volunteer to a legislative staffer, to then the Bronx regional director for the governor to now the assembly member, and I’ve dedicated my life to public service.” She said for 10 years, she has been working with the community, speaking with them, and bringing their concerns to Albany to make sure they were addressed and results were delivered. “I know I bring experience to this election, and I intend to keep that same motivation that I’ve had for the last 10 years to listen to my community, to be on the ground, and to deliver for them,” she said.

 

The conversation then transitioned to the controversial issue of rezoning and development, displacement and the need to address homelessness. The Adams administration has proposed a new development at 2549 Bruckner Boulevard, located northeast of the Cross Bronx Expressway in Pelham Bay, comprising 95 affordable apartments, a new supermarket, and other amenities which has been opposed by some community groups. The candidates were asked for their view of the proposal, and if not in that location, where they would suggest placing the new housing development.

 

Perez said in part, “The residents are clearly opposed to any rezoning that is going to compromise the integrity of the community as it is. Building a facility to hold that many people, that big of a structure, is going to impact, somewhat negatively, to the community. It is not going to be able to support the population.” He said while some schools were preparing to take in more students, it would also have an impact on the local police precinct which also covers Co-op City and divides their police force in that area.

 

“So, we have to take a lot of consideration into that, but the community’s opposed to it, so I stand with the community, and I’m opposed to any zoning that is going to compromise that integrity,” he said. Perez agreed that the community had a responsibility to find a suitable location for such an affordable housing project, adding that he had worked on coming up with solutions in the past in the South Bronx through his work with Nos Quedemos. He said there existed other places within District 34 for this purpose, though he did not say where specifically.

 

Fernandez said it was no secret that affordable housing and good housing in general was needed. “But for this particular project, I have concerns with the density that it will bring to the community,” she said, adding that leaders had to be smart about where to place such affordable housing. “Do we have schools to support the families that are coming in here? Do we have proper amenities nearby? Can our hospital support a new influx of a population?” she asked.

 

The assemblywoman also agreed that the community had a responsibility to find a suitable location for such housing but said the reason the chosen location was not suitable was due to lack of transportation around it and suggested a better location might be around the proposed MetroNorth stations in Morris Park and Parkchester/Van Nest, which she suggested would also ease parking oversaturation.

 

Amato said the the job of elected officials is to fight projects which don’t meet with the neighborhood character of communities. “Of course, we need affordable housing,” he said, adding that it was important that the 40,000 Bronxites who will become senior citizens in the next 5 years not to get displaced from their neighborhoods. “A senior citizen should be able to go and shop in their community and see their friends,” he said.

 

He said he was a supporter of senior housing, housing for young people and reducing homelessness but said the Bruckner project was out of step with what the community wanted. He added that the sewage system was not adequate particularly when it came to storms and that local infrastructure in terms of sewage, schools and transportation had to be prioritized before more housing is built.

 

The candidates were then asked about another controversial housing project to be located at 1900 Seminole Avenue on the grounds of Jacobi Hospital in Morris Park, called the “Just Home” project. There are plans to repurpose an existing structure on the campus with a mix of 70 affordable housing units. Of these, 50 would be devoted to formerly incarcerated individuals at Rikers Island who have complex medical needs and who have been sentenced to a maximum of a year, and others who are pre-trial detainees who have complex medical needs and who have not been convicted, but are being held in custody at the jail because they can’t make bail. Preference for the remaining units would be given to residents of Bronx Community Board 11.

 

Perez said having worked with the community on the topic, he said, “It is the worst possible thing that you can bring to this community, to bring in incarcerated or people that are aging out of the prison system, or they’re sick and they just need somewhere to go.” He alleged there were students from Albert Einstein College of Medicine who were also opposed to the project. Norwood News is attempting to connect with the students to corroborate this point and will update this story accordingly with any relevant updates.

 

Fernandez said she also stood with the community in terms of addressing the real concerns that residents had about the project which she said had drawn a lot of emotion. Asked by Axelbank if, by not proceeding with the project, it would create worse problems for the community, Fernandez said, “Well, that’s the point of this project. There is a crisis in New York City with homelessness, with individuals that may be getting released from prison and do not have the stability of housing, of family, of seeking healthcare. Then they become the homeless individuals that we see on our streets.” She said the aim of the project was to help them on a path to stability and safety.

 

Amato said through Bronx Community Board 11, he had had the benefit of hearing from Jacobi directly on the project and said the Fortune Society, a nonprofit helping individuals involved in the justice system rebuild their lives by providing innovative services and advocacy, had been doing great work on the issue. He acknowledged nonetheless that residents were rightfully concerned about the project, citing its impact on property values. “We have to be considerate of those who have invested in our community as well,” he said.

 

Norwood News obtained a copy of a letter reportedly sent to employees of Jacobi Medical Center about the proposed Just Home project by CEO, Christopher Mastromano, wherein he specifies that the project is still subject to approval by various parties and is in its infancy. We reached out to a representative of NYC Health + Hospitals, the public hospital system which owns Jacobi Medical Center, for a comment on the project in light of all the recent discussion around it.

 

A spokesperson for NYC Health + Hospitals Health System said, “NYC Health + Hospitals has long recognized that stable, affordable housing is critical to the health and well-being of every New Yorker.  We are excited to help provide some of our most medically fragile patients the opportunity to receive dignified housing and high-quality services on the NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi campus through the Just Home project.”

 

The candidates were then asked about the equality amendment legislation voted on by the State legislature in June, but which needs another legislative session before it can be made law. Drafted to protect abortion access in New York State in response to the recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to overturn Roe vs. Wade which provided abortion access, candidates were asked if more legislation was needed to help those who may wish to travel from other states to New York to seek an abortion.

 

Fernandez agreed that more legislation was needed, though she added, “I’m very proud of the legislature that I’ve been a part of to help advance women’s reproductive health and the right to access reproductive health.” She said during her time in the assembly, the Reproductive Health Act as well as additional contraceptive legislation was passed. She said there were also proposals around funding abortion services which were still under discussion, including directing tax returns towards funding abortion services.

 

Amato responded referencing his support in helping to oust former State Sen. Jeff Klein from office in 2018, and facilitating the passage of the Reproductive Health Act which was championed by Klein’s replacement and Amato’s former boss, Biaggi. He agreed on the codifying of Roe v. Wade into law in New York State, and with legislative proposals which would allow people to help fund reproductive care through their tax returns, and on making it easier for out-of-state Americans to access abortion care in New York.

 

“I’m proud that my campaign has been overwhelmingly supported by a multiracial coalition of women across this district, and I’m determined to defend reproductive rights here in New York,” he said.

 

Perez said, as a Christian, he had a lot of reservations on the topic though he said he was on the fence on the topic. “I do feel that in some cases, abortion is necessary, but just because you woke up one day nine months later, and you decide to abort your child, well…”

 

Both the other candidates and Axelbank corrected his statement by saying that abortion was not authorized after 9 months. Perez dispute the point, saying there was no timeframe mentioned in the law. He repeated that he agreed with abortion in some cases but “not just because you feel like it, or you just don’t want to carry that responsibility anymore.”

 

According to findlaw.com, a legal abortion is statutorily legal in New York State if it is based on the consent of the pregnant female and if it is carried out within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or after 24 weeks if necessary to preserve the mother’s health, or if the fetus isn’t viable.

 

Fernandez characterized Perez’s rhetoric as dangerous. “Every abortion is a decision made by that woman and the doctor, and it is a decision that is private. And any reason that it should be is dignified, so you cannot say that a woman just wakes up one day and decides she doesn’t want her baby,” she said.

 

Meanwhile, Amato said, “Our job as legislators is to defend the rights of all our constituents, and it’s crucial that we stand with women. it’s crucial that we protect their bodily autonomy, and it’s incredibly important for us to be open and holistic in how we think about public health. As men, we have to defend women. We can’t scrutinize on whether or not they’re going to seek an abortion.”

The remainder of the debate focused on climate change, budgeting/funding and crime, with the candidates defending their respective policy positions, shared during a previous debate, as reported.

 

The candidates then shared their closing statements, with Amato saying in part, “I’m fighting for the collective humanity of our district, fighting for climate change, fighting for infrastructure, and fighting to make sure that our kids and families in this district have a place to call home. As your state Senator, I’ll be ready to serve you on day one…”

 

Perez said, “I don’t have a long story. I don’t have anything rehearsed. All I can tell you is that on the 23rd, come out and vote for the best person that you think is going to meet our community’s needs. Take the time to invest, but overall come out and vote, whether it was for
me, Christian Amato or Nathalia Fernandez.”

 

Fernandez, wrapped up, saying, in part, “I have always prioritized our youth, our seniors, and the uplifting of this community. I will continue to address climate resiliency, I will look at our property taxes to make sure that our commercial businesses are not being taxed out, that everyone has a possibility for a future of being a homeowner in this district, and that everyone can succeed working, living, and thriving in this district.”

 

Election Day is Aug. 23 and early voting started on Aug. 13. Voters are reminded to check their polling site prior to heading to the polls as it may have changed. For more information, click here.

 

Your poll site may have changed. Check your voting card before you go to vote.