By Phil Marius

Stapleton

Staten Island is changing fast. New development is happening all around our small Island. In St. George, billions of dollars are entering the area in the form of the New York Wheel, an outlet shopping mall, apartments and a hotel. Our politicians, and the developers with whom they work, openly praise the "Brooklynification" of our neighborhood -- "North Shore Renaissance" they call it.

Practically no good-paying, permanent jobs have been created by the developments. Our community is lacking in health care centers and community centers. Our waterfront on the North Shore is nearly completely inaccessible, and the proposed expansion of access is minimal. The area will see an influx of cars, but no infrastructure improvements have been made, and the promised North Shore Railway has been abandoned by our politicians. In anticipation, landlords on the North Shore have raised rents dramatically. Even with all of these wrongs, our politicians still praise these projects as right.

These developments have all been forced on our community. We did not ask for these things. I feel it is my duty to give our community the opportunity to have its voice heard and make its members the leaders in determining their own future. Despite the fact that some may feel the Democratic Party will not benefit from a primary election, the people of our district deserve a choice. Not only do they deserve a choice on who will represent them, but they deserve a choice on the type of representation they prefer.

If you prefer that the future of your community be determined without you, then vote for one of my opponents. But, if you want real benefits for our community in the form of an economy that works for you to address systemic racism and sexism, to expand health care centers and community centers and their range of services, to have reliable transportation, public schools that work for our students, and a North Shore Renaissance for all, then I, Phil Marius, am your candidate.

(Phil Marius is a Democratic candidate running to represent the North Shore of Staten island (District 49) in the New York City Council.)