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Boro civic group gathers candidates for new seats

By Adam Kramer

The Queens Civic Congress, an umbrella group of the borough’s civic associations, joined the Citizens Union and the Forest Hills Community House to bring together Democratic candidates vying for three newly created state legislature seats at the first large political event of the election year Thursday.

As a result of the significant population growth since 1990 — more than two million people now inhabit the borough — Queens has been awarded two new state assembly seats and has seen a new state Senate district formed to give minorities a voice.

The event for Queens candidates facing a primary at the state level was scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. at the Kew Gardens Community Center, 80-02 Kew Gardens Rd., Suite 202.

“Conversations with the Candidates” was designed to bring together candidates vying for the 13th Senate District, and the 22nd and 39th Assembly districts in Albany.

The new state 13th Senate District stretches from the Brooklyn Queens Expressway to the Grand Central Parkway and from Horace Harding Expressway to the Grand Central Parkway above Astoria Boulevard. It encompasses Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona and a slice of Woodside.

In this race Charles Castro, Nestor Diaz and John Sabini are vying for the Democratic nomination.

The new Assembly District 22 covers the area centered around downtown Flushing and includes the communities of Queensboro Hill, Linden Hill and Murray Hill.

Candidates hoping to gain the Democratic nomination for the 22nd AD are John Albert, Ethel Chen, Barry Grodenchik, Richard Jannaccio and Jimmy Meng.

The second new Assembly district in Queens — District 39 — follows Roosevelt Avenue from 69th Street in Woodside to 112th Street in Jackson Heights and covers parts of East Elmhurst and Corona.

Democratic candidates for the 39th AD are Isabel Guzman, Francisco Moya, Jose Peralta and William Salgado.

Queens Civic Congress President Sean Walsh said the event gives the community and candidates an opportunity to sit and discuss the issues — ranging from education to crime and from economic development to community facilities — in an informal setting.

“We are pleased to partner once again with the Citizens Union and the Community House to provide the public an opportunity to interact with candidates running for the Legislature,” Walsh said. “Last year more than 400 people participated in these community conversations in Queens where they raised issues with the candidates that might otherwise go undiscussed.”

Reach reporter Adam Kramer by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.