Talk about taxation with no representation.
Since former City Councilmember Rafael Espinal (D-Cypress Hills, Bushwick, Ocean Hill and parts of Brownsville and East New York) resigned in January, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson‘s (D-Manhattan) office has for all practical purposes wiped the district out of existence.
The official city council website page for District 37 lists a district address, 1945 Broadway in Ocean Hill, which has been shuttered, and the district map, which is on every other city council district page, has been wiped clean. The phone number for constituent services, (718) 642-8664, is working with a recording and takes messages.
And as the city’s budget was finalized yesterday, there is still one district in Brooklyn left without any representation in city council– District 37. While Johnson’s office has done questionable outreach to represent the district’s constituents, which is ranked the sixth most impoverished district of the 51 city council districts, it is not his fault they have no representatives in city government.
Democratic District Leader Darma Diaz was all geared up to run in April 28 special election to succeed Espinal when the coronavirus pandemic ravaged the city and forced its cancellation.
“I think it was the right decision to cancel the special election, we did not want to further endanger people. From the governmental aspects of it, I definitely respect it right. On the fact of no representation, that’s another story,” said Diaz.
On top of that, Diaz ended up challenging the validity of her opponent’s nominating petitions, a case that went all the way to the State Supreme Court and was eventually unanimously overruled in May by the State Appellate Court. She was the only candidate left standing after all the other candidate’s names were taken off the ballot.
Then on June 23, even though Diaz was the official Democratic nominee, the pushed back primary elections ironically didn’t include Diaz’s name on the ballot because she didn’t have any opponents.
It left many of her constituents confused as to why they couldn’t vote for her or why she isn’t the councilwoman now, said Diaz. She said she’s still being approached as if she had the job already and unfortunately has to inform people otherwise.
“Honestly, I’m trusting the Speaker’s [Corey Johnson] office and staff that they are looking out for the best interest of the district,” said Diaz, “It’s an adjustment period for everyone between COVID, Black Lives Matter, the riots. It’s been a lot for the city to undertake at one time.”
While Diaz said she still tries where she can to field questions and unofficially handle problems presented to her by getting the right people’s attention, this series of events has left already disenfranchised neighborhoods bereft of an elected champion. “I’m just trying to get the community issues on record so that when the city gets back in order, these issues are not imagined,” she said, using her four years as a district leader and eight years in government to find solutions during this odd purgatory.
The 37th District hasn’t had a council member since January, and won’t have one until next January after the winner of the November 3 general election takes office. That winner must also run again in the citywide 2021 primary and general election, in which the winner will have a four-year term starting in January 2022.
In the meantime, the neighborhoods within this district have been missing out of any local constituent services or have any say legislation that impacts them such as legislation about affordable housing, and most recently, about police reforms.
Diaz said she has not spoken to Speaker Corey Johnson, but has been in contact with his staff.
A City Council spokesperson said, “The Council’s Community Engagement Division has been helping with constituent services for District 37 in Espinal’s absence and will handle those services going forward to make sure the needs of the neighborhood are met until the new member takes office in January.”
Editor’s Note: The Phone number listed on the website does take message from Constituents. A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the phone number was out of service.
