The “new” City Council was supposed to be the representation of a new age in City government.  It was suppose to be the start of the house cleaning long needed for a bureaucratic system that was rusting from oxidizing professional politicians.

And there were inevitable vacuums formed when term limits forced some people out. Combine that with the change of political power lines created by the census numbers and in some place there was a fear there would be a political “no man’s or woman’s” land this year.

But in the reality of this new world of City politics, I have seen a new and disturbing trend among those who still want to hold on to the power and influence in the communities of color.  Some of the “old school” poles are putting up “puppet” candidates who may live in the community but have no real qualifications to represent the people who live there.

These old school poles are white men who live in affluent Queens neighborhoods and are connected to the Queens Democratic machine. They are also unions with staff and volunteers already trained in the art of campaigning nuances, including fundraising followed by phone calling. They can challenge the people who have less money, even if they have more qualifications. These old school poles will use their money and influence to challenges ballots and wage wars of attrition that beat people out of politics before they even get started. 

It’s all about wielding power, influence and thus money, even if it is at the expense of the residents of our communities. They are not looking out for the interest of our communities but for control of votes in the City Council and the State Legislature.

That will not happen in Southeast Queens. 

Any back door dealings uncovered to fill any spots on a city and local level must be exposed. 

And there is a message to those who would parachute people in to win the seat previously occupied by Pauline Rhodd-Cummings when the regular election comes up: We are watching.

There is a clear difference between “endorsing and propping.”  If you really want to serve the interests of this community then leave those semi-estates in Flushing and Bayside and come south of Hillside Boulevard. If that is unlikely, then keep your hands out of the Southeast Queens cookie jar.

In fact, you should keep those grubby fingers out of all the jars you have your hands in now, such as the newly forming State Assembly seat in Corona and the change of lines in the State Senate. These changes are meant to better serve the people living in those neighborhood and reflect their ethnic makeup.

As of writing this, the deadline for filing with the Board of Elections for the special election for the late Ms. Cummings seat is passing. Most of the people I am aware of  who have expressed interest in filling her big shoes are people who represent Southeast Queens roots.  But I am on the lookout for the “plants”… people whose only claim to fame is that they worked for this elected official or that, they happen to live here and they have the ear of the Queens machine.

To me, this is a legitimate campaign issue to be raised in the future.  If properly debated, it could discourage outside interlopers from attempting to stack the deck and poison the process. Carpet bagging on the local level appears to be the new cash crop of term limits, but it does not have to be a successful harvest.

Do not take for granted that the people who come to the Jamaica station to shake your hand and ask for your support are your neighbors. Question if they have spent more than the time here to sleep, change clothes and go back out to champion the causes of people who couldn’t find this part of the City with a map or GPS.

— Gary Anthony Ramsay is a weekend anchor
and journalist on the all-news
cable station NY1 and along-time resident of Queens.