It has been less than a month since U.S. Rep. Greg Meeks (D-Jamaica) has taken up his role as the new chair of the Queens County Democratic Party, and progressive county committee members are already demanding swift action in bringing the party to the 21st Century and to make the party more “democratic, transparent, inclusive, accountable, and accessible.”
Last Thursday, 43 members of the party’s progressive wing released an open letter to Meeks with a laundry list of reforms for the party including proposals for procedural updates, new eligibility and term limit requirements for hyper-local elected officials, suggestions on how to better communicate with the public and hyper-local leaders, annual financial disclosures, an outline of primary election duties and an update to judicial nominations.
The progressive signatories were from nine assembly districts located in Forest Hills, Corona, Maspeth, East Elmhurst, Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Flushing, and Rockaway Beach.
“We, the undersigned members of the Queens County Democratic County Committee, are writing to request a meeting with you, the new Chairperson of our Democratic Organization’s Executive Committee, to discuss the attached list of proposed constructive changes to the current procedures and activities of our County Committee,” said the joint statement. “Democrats will continue to win elections only when our Party itself truly practices these principles of democracy.”
Meeks has seen the letter and seems interested in some of the reforms, but has not been specific on which ones appealed to him or when he will be meeting with the members who signed it.
“I have read the letter and found several of the suggestions compelling,” said Meeks. “From the very onset of my Chairmanship of the Queens County Democratic Party, I have called for a collaborative spirit in discussing and bringing in new ideas from diverse perspectives. I am pleased to see that constructive engagement begin.”
For a read of the entire letter with a detailed list of the demands click here.
