It is difficult to find benefit from the ongoing pandemic we face, but one undeniable advantage is that we now have heightened awareness on a number of fronts. One of the most important of those fronts is how much worse a frightening and horrible situation can become under poor leadership.
On Tuesday, June 22, voters will head out to their respective polling sites to choose the candidates they want to represent them in the general election in November. This year it is easy to view the slates for the mayoral, City Council, and comptroller races as more of a cast of characters than as potential leaders. The reason for this view, we feel, lies in the fact that so many of the “candidates” are so ill-suited for the positions they are seeking, or for any public office at all, for that matter.
The Forum has always held fast to the opinion that local politics is the most important building block in a fundamentally successful community. That is our focus here.
Communities involved in the race for the 32nd Council District have a distinct advantage over voters in many other districts. They have a clear-cut choice: Joann Ariola.
She is a candidate that has proven not to draw detrimental party lines around issues which concern voters of mixed political party affiliations in her capacity as leader of the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic, a community activist, and as chairwoman of the Queens GOP.
With more than three decades of professional, governmental and administrative experience, and an indisputable track record of accomplishments, Ariola checks every qualification box.
What she’s done isn’t the only important factor when considering her as your choice to lead South Queens in the City Council; who she is perhaps weighs more heavily. A tireless advocate for community causes. A masterful negotiator and a peacemaking ambassador. She picks her battles expertly and navigates with commitment and caution. Very simply, Ariola will do the job—whatever it takes.
We’ve always believed it was better to express our opinion on why someone is a good fit instead of letting you know why we think someone is no fit at all. But relying on the old adage that “there are exceptions to every rule” and avoiding the one that advises “if you have nothing good to say…” there is a glaring exception in this case that must be stated.
Ariola’s challenger in the Republican primary is Steve Sirgiovanni. The reason we mention him is not because he represents a challenge, but because it’s important to recognize what in fact he does represent.
In the opinion of this newspaper, Mr. Sirgiovanni insulted the voters in the 32nd when he took his notion of candidacy beyond an initial and fleeting consideration over morning coffee alone in his kitchen.
If it’s not obvious that we don’t believe in Steve, please let us look closer at the tip of this iceberg. The prime responsibility of a seated councilmember is to aid constituents in their interactions with City agencies. One of the most crucial services a councilmember can deliver to their constituency, homeowners and business owners alike, is their ability to help navigate effectively through the complex, often torturous agency requirements, red tape and archaic guidelines that illustrate most encounters with the Buildings Department, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and others—in order to solve problems that seriously interfere with quality of life as well as economic sustainability.
Mr. Sirgiovanni is one of the owners of record of a building located at 161-49 Cross Bay Blvd. which formerly housed the Empire Buffet. Recently, the back of the building collapsed and crumbled into the canal. Sirgiovanni erected insufficient construction fencing undoubtedly in violation of proper codes and continues to operate without all necessary permitting. An unsupervised child would not be at all challenged were they to attempt gaining entrance to the derelict site.
We hope that it has become abundantly clear as to the magnitude of insult to which we are referring. Why would a guy who obviously can’t keep his own “house” in order try to convince thousands of voters in the district to trust him with theirs?
Whenever we have to take someone to task it seems we never have to use our own words to bring the message home. So we’ll regale you with a little tidbit from the past where Steve Sirgiovanni reveals, in his own words, why he does not belong in this race or any part of the political arena that is truly for the people.
Years ago, when Sirgiovanni was leasing the building to the Empire Buffet, The Forum received many complaints about the restaurant staff throwing raw food garbage into the parking area after closing. It created a severe problem by bringing a plentiful supply of food for rats. When the newspaper spoke with management at the restaurant and could not get them to agree to stop the practice, we reached out for Sirgiovanni to speak with his tenants; his reply doesn’t speak for itself, it speaks for him: “I don’t want to rock the boat ’ya know. They pay their rent on time.”
This district, every district in this city, needs to be aware that their voice in the council is the one that will be their first responder and virtually the only line of defense if City Hall or Borough Hall imposes constraints on our communities with which we do not wish to live.
The City Council is not an “every man for himself” job, Mr. Sirgiovanni. This time it’s a job for a woman who has never put herself before the good of the community. And we are certain she never will.
Vote in your best interest folks. Vote Joann Ariola next Tuesday and again in November.
