I asked Bob Zuckerman, who is running for City Council in the 39th district, some questions in an email about what he considered highlights and low points of the campaign. I asked him about lessons learned. This was his free flowing response.
campaign. I haven't had adequate time to
catch up on sleep yet – much less, reflect on what I regret, or what I'd do
differently; right now, I'm focused on the finish line. I'll be happy to sit down with you and reflect
on the race after September 15th. I will say that I’ve
been impressed and humbled by the people I’ve spoken with all over this district
– from Columbia Street to Fort Hamilton –and by how much they love and care
about their neighborhoods and their communities.
As far as a high point in the campaign, one small, yet sweet moment stands
out. While calling voters in Windsor Terrace last week, I spoke to a man
whose door I had knocked on months before. He told me his 8 year-old son
Zack had met me at the subway station and that I was a "minor celebrity"
in their household. Zack and I chatted briefly on the phone, and bonded
about having names that start with the letter Z.
The accomplishment I'm most proud of is having received the endorsement of
Congressman Anthony Weiner, someone I have respected and admired for years as a
champion for the progressive values I hold close to my heart. Congressman Weiner is a tireless fighter for
middle-class families, affordable health insurance and small businesses. To
have him come to Park Slope, the neighborhood he grew up in, to support my
candidacy was a real honor.
What makes me stand out from the rest of the pack is that I'm offering bold
ideas for Brooklyn and a new vision for how we govern in City Hall. I
have innovative ideas for solving problems in our communities and improving our
quality of life.
I'm the only candidate in this race focusing on
how to bring jobs back to Brooklyn and how to re-open our closing storefronts.
I’m running to help the mom and pop shops on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope, not
the big corporations on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. I have a plan to help small business owners
purchase their storefronts so they aren’t subject to escalating rents.
In the next few years, we have the chance to
improve our environment and our economy at the same time. I want to create New York’s first Green
District around the Gowanus canal – bringing in thousands of new green jobs in
alternative energies, and serving as a model for sustainable development and
design.
Speaking of the environment, I will fix the
parking mess and the congestion that’s choking our streets by creating a
borough-wide residential parking permit plan that will allow residents to find
parking near their homes. The money from
the permits would be reinvested into new transportation alternatives, including
free shuttle buses for our neighborhoods.
You hear a lot of talk about reform these days,
but I'm the only candidate in this race with the ideas, passion, and know-how for
bringing real reform to City Hall. I was the first candidate in the race
to organize against the extension of term limits – calling a press conference
for all City Council candidates at City Hall — the first candidate in the race to call
for making City Council a full-time position, and the only candidate with who
will bring the City Council to you with a mobile office that will visit a
different neighborhood one night a week.