Editors note: The previous headline was not a reflection of any views held by Kelly Mena, our Senior Editor or any other reporters at Kings County Politics. We are sorry for the insensitive headline and are aware that it was inappropriate. It has been updated and dealt with.
City Councilman Antonio Reynoso (D-Williamsburg, Bushwick) on Monday announced in an email to his most loyal and closest supporters his bid to be the next Brooklyn Borough President.
“I guess some of my supporters have Twitter and social media but I sent out an email to my closest supporters just letting them know my intention to run,” said Reynoso.
Reynoso told KCP that he intends to officially announce June 18 and hold his first fundraiser around the same time. With Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams term-limited, the 2021 Democratic Primary for the position is expected to be a political free-for-all with several term-limited city council members besides Reynoso reportedly also eyeing the job at borough hall.
This includes Council Members Rafael Espinal, Robert Cornegy, Laurie Cumbo, Mark Treyger, Chaim Deutsch and Mathieu Eugene.
Reynoso is one of the 35 Council members set to be term-limited in 2021 out of 51 seats. The banner political citywide election year is set to pin many elected officials into competitive races in the larger boroughwide and citywide elections including all borough president positions, NYC Comptroller and Mayor.
The 36-year-old Reynoso is in his second term in the New York City Council being first elected in 2014 to represent the 34th District.
Reynoso was born and raised in the Los Sures section of Williamsburg to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. Reynoso graduated from LeMoyne College with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
He got his start in politics as a Community Organizer for NYC ACORN, and like City Councilmember Carlos Menchaca, was a protege of U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez. Reynosa went on to become former Councilmember Diana Reyna’s Chief of Staff in 2009. Most recently, Reyna was the previous Brooklyn Deputy Borough President until stepping down in December 2017.
Reynoso in recent months has been championing education reforms, alternative forms of transportation and as Chair of the Council Committee on Sanitation has been a leader in waste management reform.
In particular, commercial trash haulers have struck and killed multiple people over the past two years and have been exposed for unsafe labor practices. An investigative series from ProPublica detailed the cover-up of a worker’s death and the difficult labor conditions that workers face at private haulers.
In March, Reynoso introduced a bill that aims to reform the private waste industry by creating an exclusive zone system for haulers. Reynoso’s legislation calls for the New York City Department of Sanitation to split the city up into 20 or more zones, each of which will be serviced by just one waste hauler, according to Commercial Observer.
On the downside, Reynoso has not returned repeated email and phone inquiries from KCP concerning his alleged involvement with non-profits in the taking of Latino property in his district through the city’s controversial Third Party Transfer program.
“I announced to my closest supporters today at 8 in the morning. So we are in the beginning stages of the development of the campaign. I am looking forward to building out my vision and presenting it to the residents of Bushwick, so stay tuned. It’s just the first day,” said Reynoso.
