UES Council Candidates Face Off In Person: Important Takeaways

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — With four weeks remaining until the city primary election, the seven Democrats vying to represent the Upper East Side in the City Council got together on Tuesday for their first in-person forum.

The District 5 forum, hosted by Carnegie Hill Neighbors and moderated by NY1 reporter Roger Clark — an Upper East Sider himself — was held at St. Thomas More's Church on East 89th Street in front of a small audience.

Quizzed about their stances on development, public safety and the city's recovery from the pandemic, the candidates agreed on a host of issues — but key differences between them also emerged.

Here are a few quick takeaways:

The candidates

First, here's who participated: Billy Freeland, an attorney, activist and community board member; Rebecca Lamorte, a labor organizer, activist and community board member; Julie Menin, the city's outgoing census director, former city commissioner and Community Board 1 chair; Kim Moscaritolo, a journalist, activist and community leader; Tricia Shimamura, a social worker, community board member and former staffer for U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney; Christopher Sosa, a former journalist and state senate staffer; and Marco Tamayo, an architect and community board member.

Crime, police and public safety

One of Clark's first questions was about safe streets, asking candidates to weigh in about the future of the NYPD and the citywide uptick in violent crime.

Sosa tied the crime rise to the pandemic, saying the city should treat it as a temporary problem while addressing the root causes of violence. Shimamura called for a "community-centered approach to public safety" and suggested removing police from places where they are not needed, like public schools.

Moscaritolo focused on cutting off the pipeline of guns into the city, Freeland agreed and called for more violence-prevention programs, and Lamorte said the city should focus on socioeconomic needs like housing, healthcare, jobs and education.

Menin sought to distinguish herself from her rivals, calling for a "laser-like focus on public safety" and saying she and Tamayo were the only candidates who do not want the NYPD's budget to be cut by more than than $1 billion. Tamayo staked out the most pro-police position, saying violence would get worse "if candidates continue with anti-police rhetoric."

Blood Center development

Unsurprisingly, the candidates were unanimously opposed to the New York Blood Center's controversial tower and rezoning.

Sosa criticized the ULURP process for allowing the project to move forward; Shimamura said the mid-block rezoning would set a "catastrophic" precedent throughout the city; Moscaritolo, Freeland and Lamorte all praised the community's mobilization against it; while Menin suggested that the whole project was illegal as a "spot rezoning."

Where did differences emerge?

One outlier emerged when Clark asked the contenders whether they supported a 210-foot height cap on new buildings along avenues East of Lexington — a proposal pushed by Community Board 8.

Moscaritolo was the lone candidate who said she was "not sure" about imposing a blanket ban, saying she worried it would stifle the construction of new housing.

"Committing to an across-the-board height cap on every single building could have unintended consequences," she said.

When it came to the NYPD budget, Freeland implied that Menin had been inconsistent in her opposition to defunding, noting that she had voiced support for "substantial" cuts to the department. (Menin responded, saying she wanted the cuts to come from overtime pay.)

Asked about how the city should treat minor crimes like fare evasion and loitering, most candidates agreed that such offenses should not be prosecuted aggressively.

Shimamura was the only one who mentioned "activated streets" as a solution to petty crime, saying that parks, clean sidewalks, and "flourishing restaurants and small businesses" would attract neighbors and deter mischief.

And when it came to public schools, Sosa was the only candidate who called for abolishing the SHSAT exam that governs admission to the city's specialized high schools. (Other candidates called for using the test alongside other criteria.)

Top accomplishments

Asked about their biggest accomplishments in the district, Freeland cited his opposition to the infill project at the NYCHA Holmes Towers and his support for the Queensboro Bridge's new pedestrian path.

Lamorte also mentioned the NYCHA controversy, as well as her advocacy for people with disabilities, which she said had "injected accessibility into every conversation in the neighborhood."

Menin cited her work lowering business fines as consumer affairs commissioner and her shepherding the city's 2020 census outreach, while Moscaritolo noted her founding of the group Yorkville Buy Local and work as legislative committee chair for New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

Shimamura mentioned her opposition to the NYCHA infill and her role in pushing along the Second Avenue Subway as U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney's deputy chief of staff. Sosa stressed his work in the State Senate to push for the passage of the DREAM Act, and work with CUNY Law School on a program to provide free immigration law help.

Tamayo, finally, said he had testified in support of the Park Avenue Historic District and advocated for a new East River Esplanade.

Parks, bagels, pizza

A lightning round asked each candidate to name their favorite park, bagel shop, and pizzeria in the district. Here's each one:

• Tamayo: Delizia / H&H Bagels / Carl Schurz Park
• Sosa: Williamsburg Pizza / Tal Bagels / Carl Schurz Park
• Shimamura: San Matteo / Orwashers / East River Esplanade
• Moscaritolo: Delizia / Bagel Bob’s / Carl Schurz Park
• Menin: San Matteo / Bagel Bob’s / Carl Schurz Park
• Lamorte: Delizia / H&H Bagels / Carl Schurz Park
• Freeland: San Matteo /Tal Bagels / Carl Schurz Park

Ben Kallos, who has represented District 5 since 2014, is running for Manhattan Borough President. Fellow incumbent Keith Powers is seeking re-election in neighboring District 4.

Follow Upper East Side Patch for more coverage of the District 5 race ahead of the June 22 primary, including candidate responses to the issues raised in our neighborhood survey.