By Betsy Scheinbart
With a dozen candidates vying for one seat, the race to succeed City Councilwoman Juanita Watkins (D-Laurelton) is one of the most crowded contests in Queens.
Watkins, who has represented Councilmanic District 31 since 1992, is barred from seeking re-election this year by term limits. The district covers a huge swath of southeast Queens, including Laurelton, Rosedale, Far Rockaway, Arverne, Edgemere, Bayswater, parts of Springfield Gardens, Cambria Heights and South Ozone Park.
Last week’s TimesLedger report featured Democrats James Blake, Amanda Clarke, Sikiru Fadairo, the Rev. Henrietta Fullard, David Hooks and Carol Howell. Also running are Republican Everly Brown and Democrats Charlotte Jefferson, Edward Lewis and James Sanders Jr. as well as Independent Rosalind O’Neal.
One other candidate, Janey Moran, has registered with the city’s Campaign Finance Board, but could not be reached for comment.
Republican Everly Brown is a developer from the island of Jamaica who is now a Rosedale resident. He ran for the same seat in 1997 and has also run for state Assembly, both unsuccessfully. He appears to be the only Republican running in the heavily Democratic area.
“For the last decade the Democrats have taken this district for granted and I am sick and tired of that,” Brown said.
His priorities for the district are similar to those of his Democratic rivals: education, especially the correction of overcrowding in School District 29, economic development and the construction of more lower-income housing.
Charlotte Jefferson, who worked for Gov. Mario Cuomo for nine years, has also served as a Democratic district leader in Laurelton, where she lives. She received the Queens Democratic Party’s endorsement for the council seat.
“My top priority is children and families because I am very concerned about the school situation,” Jefferson said. “The community has to get on board and do its share.”
Jefferson said she would like to be an advocate for southeast Queens and the Rockaways, which she said are in need of leadership.
Edward Lewis, an assistant commissioner with the city Department of Parks and Recreation, lives in Springfield Gardens. He has been involved in local politics for 30 years and served as the city’s director of African-American and Caribbean Affairs for Mayor David Dinkins.
He said his top priorities are improving education, creating jobs and improving residents’ quality of life.
“We need to find jobs for our youth,” Lewis said, so they can “build up their lives and so they can be productive citizens.”
Rosalind O’Neal, who is running as the Independence Party candidate, is a teacher at Springfield Gardens High School and a United Federation of Teachers delegate.
“After being on the school leadership team, I saw why someone is needed at a higher level with more authority to make sure education is taking place the way it should take place,” O’Neal said.
In addition to education, the Laurelton resident said her priorities for the district include eliminating toxic waste sites, giving every child health insurance and helping the immigrant community.
James Sanders Jr. is a resident of Arverne and vice president of School Board 27. He is a former assistant district manager for former U.S. Rep. Floyd Flake, who represented southeast Queens.
“I am running because there is so much more that can be done,” Sanders said. “I have sat on the school board for more than 10 years and it dawned on me that most of the problems of the schools are there before the children get to school.”
His goals for the Council also include support for community development, improving transportation and ending police brutality and predatory lending.
Reach reporter Betsy Scheinbart by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 138.
