A lifelong Brooklyn resident and a dedicated community leader, Henry Butler believes that he is the best candidate to replace term-limited Darlene Mealy as the 41st District City Council Member. A product of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Tompkins Houses and a graduate of Hunter College, Butler wants to continue his community work at the City Council level.
The 41st Council District includes parts of East Flatbush, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Ocean Hill-Brownsville. Butler has been the District Manager of Community Board 3 since 2013, taking over from Charlene Phillips.
“I have a track record of accomplishments. I’m running because [City Council] will be a continuation of what I’ve already done. I have established political relationships and relationships with city agencies. My track record is there for city funded projects, I know how to advocate. This will be a continuation that let’s me do more,” said Butler.
The 49-year-old has a history of community service. As Chair of Community Board 3, he was able to get city funding for renovating the Nostrand Avenue corridor as well as the installation of an elevator at the Utica Avenue Station, according to Butler.
In addition, during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Butler said he organized and mobilized his community into bringing emergency supplies to individuals and families affected by the disaster in the Far Rockaways.
If elected Butler plans to focus on education, health services, senior services and community safety. Brownsville is the poorest neighborhood in the borough with 37% of residents living below the federal poverty line and 16% of the individuals 16 years and older are unemployed, according to the 2015 Brownsville Community Health Profile from the NYC Department of Health. Not to mention more than a quarter of adults have not completed high school, which can severely limit employment and economic success.
Butler goal is to create development programs so that residents within the district can learn skill sets to become eligible for employment opportunities. In addition, he wants to target health issues, in particular the high rates of diabetes, hypertension and colon cancer within the district. According to the study by the NYC Department of Health, 15% of adults in Brownsville suffer from diabetes.
“We have disturbing health numbers within the district as a whole. Whether it’s diabetes, or high blood pressure and hypertension, colon cancer, which just happened to our District Attorney [Ken Thompson] and as well as one of our community board [3] members [Nelson Stoute]. We don’t deserve to suffer from all these illnesses,” said Butler.
The race is currently split eight ways according to the most recent Campaign Finance Board filings which includes challenges from Cory Provost, Democratic District leader in the 58th Assembly District, Alicka Samuel, former chief-of-staff for Assemblywoman Latrice Walker and Kathleen Daniel, who currently works in Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adam’s office.
The primaries will be held September 12 with the general election taking place November 7.
