Susan Zhuang ★ Endorsed Candidate
Democratic
Age: 37
Occupation: Chief of Staff, Assembly Member William Colton
Education: Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (B.S.), SUNY Oswego (M.A.), University of Southern Indiana (M.B.A.)
To read this candidate’s responses to Citizen Union’s questionnaire, click here.
Susan Zhuang has worked for William Colton, the longtime Assembly Member who represents some of the neighborhoods in this new council district, since 2015 and she is now his chief of staff. She has told CU that her work in the Assembly taught her how to “cut through the red tape” while building a strong constituent services operation. If elected, Zhuang’s top priorities would be to improve public safety by increasing the number of Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking officers, expand school programming for special needs and gifted students, and address quality-of-life and affordable housing for seniors. In her candidate questionnaire answers, Zhuang supported most of CU’s reform priorities but differed on the question of open primaries, saying it could allow improper actors to interfere and weaken general election candidates’ appeal. Zhuang supports improving transparency within government and called to establish an independent ethics oversight agency with power to investigate pay-to-play issues and big corporate spending. CU was impressed with Zhuang’s emphasis on constituent work, her understanding of needs in the district, and her ability to elucidate the interplay between issues like public safety, education challenges, and language barriers. Citizens Union believes she is well suited to navigate city government to leverage resources for her community. We therefore endorse her in this race.
Ying Tan
Republican
Age: N/A
Occupation: Volunteer, Senior Social Services
Education: N/A
To read this candidate’s responses to Citizen Union’s questionnaire, click here.
Ying Tan, a mother of two and a community activist, has spent the last seven years volunteering in senior social services. She was first prompted to get involved in local politics after the City proposed to reform the Gifted and Talented program admission process. The media reported that Tan lives in Queens, but she told CU she plans to move her permanent address back to southern Brooklyn. Her campaign focuses on improving services for senior citizens, education, and public safety. Tan supports some CU reform priorities, like moving municipal elections to even-numbered years, opposes others, like open primaries, and was inconclusive about issues like ranked choice voting. Citizens Union appreciates Tan’s dedication to her community.
Vito LaBella
Conservative
Candidate did not respond to requests for a questionnaire or interview.