Political outsider hopes to bump mainstay White
Posted on July 15, 2009 by Ivan Pereira in City Council, District 28
Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones may not have any experience in the political world, but the lifelong Jamaica resident and community activist said his knowledge of the neighborhood’s needs is what makes him the best candidate to take City Councilman Thomas White’s (D-South Ozone Park) seat.
Jones, who works as a security guard at Citi Field, said issues like foreclosure, crime and a weak education system spurred him to seek elected office. The Democratic candidate said that for too long residents have not been properly represented in local government and the only way to change it was to take politics to the streets.
“You have people here who don’t like politicians because they only come out here during election time,” he said.
White represents the 28th Council District, which includes Jamaica, Rochdale Village, Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park. Other candidates who are challenging the incumbent in the Democratic primary are Lynn Nunes, Mireille Leroy, Ruben Wills, Steven Jones, Joseph Marthone and Robert Hogan, according to the campaign finance board.
Jones has been going door-to-door over the last couple of weeks not only to gain signatures to put himself on the ballot for the Sept. 15 primary, but also to get to know what issues matter to them. One of the biggest problems Jamaica residents have on their minds is the large number of displaced youth.
Jones said too many children and teenagers have no place to go after school and waste their time by loitering around the streets.
“You talk to these young adults, they say we have nothing to do. We need community centers and vocational centers to help them,” he said.
Another issue that he sees as pertinent is poor relations between civilians and the police. Jones said too many officers pose as threatening law enforcement officials and scare the community.
He said as councilman, he would work with the precincts to do more activities with the youth and have them treat the neighborhood with respect.
The candidate said the area’s young population has always been important to him and that is why he served on School Board 29’s Community Council. During his tenure, from 1993 through 2002, Jones helped create new schools in southeast Queens, including Gateway to Health Science High School in Jamaica.
“I wanted to ease overcrowding,” he said.
Jones also worked for President Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008. During his volunteering, Jones said he was moved by Obama’s approach to politics and wanted to bring the same down-to-earth leadership to his own community.
“Each and every elected official is supposed to say the community is my boss, not the other way around,” he said.
Jones has already begun that journey over the last couple of weeks during his drive for signatures to get on the ballot. Although he said he does run into the occasional skeptic who does not recognize him as a political leader, the candidate said many southeast Queens residents take a liking to him.
“I’m from the neighborhood. I know their pain,” he said.
