City Council District 31 – Democratic Primary 2013

 
Donovan Richards – Dem
Candidate Questionnaire
Age: 30 Occupation: Member, NYC Council
Education: Vaughn College (AS)
 
Donovan Richards is the incumbent in City Council District 31. After witnessing the murder of his friend, Richards met with then-Councilmember James Sanders Jr. to discuss gun violence. Richards joined Sanders’ office and worked in almost every role before becoming chief of staff. When Sanders left the Council to join the New York State Senate, Richards filled his vacancy by winning a special election in February of 2013. Richards stated that his experience and proven record sets him apart from his opponents. With an interest in good government, Richards stated his top three reform issues were establishing equitable discretionary funding, rules reform in the City Council, and participatory budgeting. Richards claimed that as a member of the Progressive Caucus he would be able to achieve these reforms. Good governance aside, Richards top priorities are jobs, Hurricane Sandy relief, and the improvement of the quality of life in Southeastern Queens. Citizens Union feels that Richards is a highly viable candidate and in addition to being knowledgeable about our issues, he will have the ability to work towards reform in the City Council.
 
Ricardo Brown – Dem
Candidate Questionnaire
Age: 46 Occupation: Self-employed accountant
Education: BS (name of degree-granting institution not provided)

Ricardo Brown is a certified public accountant. He is seeking election to address the many issues facing southeastern Queens and to provide an independent voice in the City Council. With his financial background, Brown believes that he brings a different perspective than his opponents. Brown is generally unfamiliar with issues of concern to Citizens Union but said he supports greater transparency and accountability in government, along with independent budgeting and term limits. Beyond good government issues, Brown wants to end the policy of stop, question and frisk and enhance programs at senior centers by integrating technology. He laments the dearth of supermarkets and believes more community input into development decision-making could address the issue. Citizens Union feels that Brown is an asset to his community; however, he did not demonstrate an understanding of good government issues.

 

Michael R. Duncan – Dem
Has not returned questionnaire
Candidate could not be scheduled for an interview
Back To Top