Assembly District 40 – General Election 2012

Candidate News Links
– Dems Endorse Kim for Vacant Assembly Seat
– Ron Kim Makes it Official For Meng’s Seat

A third-generation Flushing native, Ron Kim is running to represent the community where he first served as a staffer to then-Councilmember John Liu and later in working for Assemblymembers and two different gubernatorial administrations. He is running now to represent the working-class, immigrant communities of Flushing in which he grew up. On reform issues, Kim strongly supports redistricting reform, and while lamenting the incremental progress in last year’s redistricting deal, he would vote for the constitutional amendment implementing an independent redistricting commission as a needed first step. He also supports campaign finance reform as a means to both increase voter engagement and create a more level playing field for candidates. He is focused on using technology to make government more performance-driven, thereby increasing the government’s efficiency and responsiveness to its constituents. He strongly backs the DREAM Act and raising the minimum wage. He also wants to bring resources back to his community, stating that economic development will happen, but that it must be shaped to benefit the community being developed. Kim sees no perceived or actual conflict of interest if lobbied by clients of the Parkside Group, his former employer. He expressed pride in representing non-profit clients which he believes lack access to government decision-makers. Citizens Union is impressed with Kim’s political and community experience, and his clear vision for how he will achieve his goals if elected, though he needs to be more sensitive to a possible perception of conflict given his ties to a lobbying group. He is supportive of reform issues and recognizes the need to serve all constituencies in this diverse district. Citizens Union endorses Ron Kim in this race.