Brian Barnwell is looking to be the voice of a district he has called home all his life and one he says needs a big change and new leadership.
The 29-year-old Woodside resident and lawyer has announced that he will run next year for the seat in the state Assembly representing District 30, which covers the neighborhoods of Maspeth, Woodside, Middle Village and parts of Astoria, Sunnyside and Long Island City.
The seat is currently held by Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, who was first elected in 1998.
“I just feel like it’s time for a change. I feel like we need some new energy where people are going to go out and engage the community and bring the community voices into the conversation,” Barnwell said. “Everyone is getting pushed out. The teachers are being thrown under the bus. The students are being thrown under the bus. The middle class is just being destroyed and we can’t take it for granted anymore. So I want to be the voice of the middle class, because I am in the middle class.”
Barnwell’s desire to run for office was fueled recently when he began working as the director of special events for Councilman Costa Constantinides, and experienced many residents coming into the district office complaining about various issues – including affordable housing.
This made him realize that there needed to be a change and he would be that change.
Republican or Democrat? Don't know. They didn't bother to ask and it doesn't matter anyway.
17 comments:
Anyone who can dump that county hack Markey, I would vote for.
Brian is a really good guy and is as down to earth as thee come. When he says he wants to be the voice of the middle class, he truly means it. He has my vote!
Would love a breath of fresh air instead of that tired old hack. Brian has my vote. Don't care what party he represents -- just want him to represent the people of his district. Markey only rears her ugly head around election time, then disappears until the next election. I hope Brian gets out there and listens to the needs of the people. I'm rooting for him.
Now that the spin doctors are out in force here is the real background you should remember when you go into that booth:
Markey is cursed with common sense, not a good trait when you have to deal with that gonzo Astoria crowd. They sometimes inadvertently work at cross purposes.
For example, when she had the backbone to do the right thing on the Steinway Mansion, giving along with Queens Borough Hall and the business community sympathetic supoort, the Astoria pols were hiding.
This guy works for Costa, who along with the others in that "Newtown Ave Crowd" ignored pleas to do something about the issue of the multiple lots ready for developmental on the property - an issue raised repeatedly well before the property was sold.
Whatever you think of her, she is better than where her opponent comes from and what her opponent represents.
She is one of the last of the old school pols from the neighborhood.
"Whatever you think of her, she is better than where her opponent comes from and what her opponent represents."
So it's better to represent the machine? Not following here. She's had ample opportunity to represent the basic needs of her constituents and she has failed miserably. It's time to give someone else a shot. Eric Ulrich once worked for Dennis Gallagher and Tony Avella once worked for Leonard Stavisky, so "where he comes from" is not necessarily where he's going.
Yes, she mentioned the Steinway Mansion in her newsletter - and it was not even in her district!
Brought down big-wigs from Albany to see the place - and the community was embarrassed when no one from the community's ruling class showed up.
As to her opponent, I know nothing ... except that he works for Costa. 'Nuff said.
Affordable housing???
Sounds like he is for more homeless shelters
Remember - politicians are just lawyers that can' t make it in the real world
Welfare for the over educated
Mrs. Markey has done nothing for her district and it shows by the very reason somebody mentions above about the Steinway Mansion. The fact that she doesn't represent the area in question, shows that she does nothing for her district. She should have other things to put in her newsletter and not have to rely on a mansion outside of her district. You could argue that because she is head of tourism that it is her concern, well then it just shows another aspect of Mrs. Markey's career. Doing nothing and merely showing up in the background to wave at the camera. She is a machine politician who votes how she is told by the establishment.
It is time for a change. Notice the positive comments about Mr. Barnwell and the negative ones. Those who know Mr. Barnwell say he is a good guy, those who don't know him, blame him for working for somebody else. What is Mrs. Markey's excuse for being terrible then? She works for herself.
Affordable housing = homeless shelters. I would love to know how much your rent is? No wonder why your comment is anonymous. You probably work for Mrs. Markey or Steinway Mansion.
Mrs. Markey has done nothing for her district and it shows by the very reason somebody mentions above about the Steinway Mansion. The fact that she doesn't represent the area in question, shows that she does nothing for her district. She should have other things to put in her newsletter and not have to rely on a mansion outside of her district. You could argue that because she is head of tourism that it is her concern, well then it just shows another aspect of Mrs. Markey's career. Doing nothing and merely showing up in the background to wave at the camera. She is a machine politician who votes how she is told by the establishment.
It is time for a change. Notice the positive comments about Mr. Barnwell and the negative ones. Those who know Mr. Barnwell say he is a good guy, those who don't know him, blame him for working for somebody else. What is Mrs. Markey's excuse for being terrible then? She works for herself.
Affordable housing = homeless shelters. I would love to know how much your rent is? No wonder why your comment is anonymous. You probably work for Mrs. Markey or Steinway Mansion.
Old Hack Markey and her family has benefitted personally from her 16 years in Albany. Investigate all of the "benefits" she has gotten for herself, husband and son.
How can this Najmi character be trusted considering the company he keeps?
Remember that comment? The fact that this kid hangs with that Newtown Ave crowd leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe he is a good guy, we have no record.
The fact is that Markey did the right thing - remember she is the state wide chair of the committee for things like the Steinway mansion, so it it on her watch ... while people within the community did nothing for the community's effort to save the place, but compounded their mistake by saying nice things about the people that did what they did to that property.
This is inexcusable. It is reflective of an attitude anathema to this blog.
That record will stay with them thought their public life - and anybody that associates with them like this unfortunate fellow.
Besides, don't use the word 'hack' when the pols of Astoria are being discussed. Not smart at all.
He doesn't "hang out" with that crowd, he is employed by them. You gotta learn the ropes somewhere.
Mrs. Markey is the chair of the committee and yet has done nothing to save the mansion except taken a photo. That is all she does, takes photos. You also failed to mention whether or not you were associated with the mansion or Mrs. Markey. It is obvious that you are.
Mrs. Markey is the chair of the committee and yet has done nothing to save the mansion except taken a photo
Not true. She did plenty like the Masepth Town Hall work. You do not see Astoria politicians do this - look at the 1829 Astoria Institute or the millstones in Queens Plaza - or just about anything did they did (medical building on Ditmars?)
The unwritten code among pols are you are their serf - not good for someone else to meddle in their waters as they own you. That Boro hall, the business community and Ms Markey got involved showed that everyone thought this was a no brainer - the behavior the the Astoria pols (and their staff) was a big shock to everyone. The inside story in queens political circles is that that Astoria crowd are a bunch of wackadoobles best avoided.
Ms Markey discovered that and now she has got this kid to contend with as payback. The fact is she is liked by the community and is old school. She will get reelected.
Marge Markey did not do what she claimed with Maspeth Town Hall. 1) It's not landmarked or even on the national register. 2) She took credit away from people like Peter Chahales and Larry Forgione for saving and restoring it.
you bring up about maspeth town hall and ignore your first point about the mansion. you applauded her for showing up at a mansion photoshoot. nothing has changed since then. so as with everything else, she showed up, took a photo and did nothing meanwhile making people like you think she has done something. if the mansion is not saved then she did nothing.
markey is a pawn of the democratic organization. once again you fail to answer any questions of whether or not you work for ms. markey or steinway mansion. clearly you are biased and either work for markey or for the mansion.
although i do believe you are right that she will win because she is a machine politician. she will have crowley and those politicians and the unions with her that crowley brings. you do realize that she is in with the machine right? you do realize that she has been backed by them and put into power by crowley correct? it has been that way for close to 20 years. markey replaced crowley after the county organization put crowley in congress. i love how you dont say markey is a stooge of crowley, but yet somehow tie this kid into a machine because he worked for a councilmember you do not like. sounds biased and unfair and shame on you.
other than crowley and his stooges backing her, there is no reason why a 70+ year old person who spends most of her time in her summer resort outside of her district should be re-elected. although she will be.
her reelection is exactly what is wrong with politics and the machines that come with it. very sad.
I'd have a lot more respect for these comments if those souls didn't hide behind "anonymous"
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