Elected Officials
Elected Officials
U.S. Senate
Charles Schumer
Kirsten Gillibrand
U.S. House of Representatives
Grace Meng (6th Congressional District)
T 718-358-6364
Gregory Meeks (5th Congressional District)
T 718-725-6000
NY Governor
Kathy Hochul
NYC Citywide Officials
NYC Mayor
Zohran Mamdani
NYC Comptroller
Mark Levine
(212) 669-3916
Public Advocate
Jumaane Williams
Email: gethelp@advocate.nyc.gov
Hotline: (212) 669-7250
Queens Boroughwide Officials
Donovan Richards
718-286-3000 or info@queensbp.nyc.gov.
Melinda Katz
T 718.286.6000
NYC Council Members
Direct District 28 Representation
Tyrell Hankerson
Tyrell Hankerson (28th City Council District)
T: 718-206-2068
Lynn Schulman
Lynn Schulman (29th City Council District)
T: 718-544-8800
Neighboring / Frequent District 28 Partners
James Gennaro
Phil Wong
Joann Ariola
Robert Holden
Francisco Moya
Sandra Ung
Vickie Paladino
Selvena Brooks-Powers
Nantasha Williams
New York State Senate
Direct / Overlapping District 28 Areas
Toby Ann Stavisky
Toby Stavisky (16th State Senatorial District)
T 718-445-0004
Jessica Ramos
Jessica Ramos - Chair of Committee on Labor
District 13
Phone: 718-205-3881
Fax: 718-205-4145
Email Address:
Leroy Comrie
Leroy Comrie (14th State Senatorial District)
T 718-765-6359
Joseph Addabbo Jr.
Joseph Addabbo (10th State Senatorial District)
T 718-738-1111
Neighboring Queens Partners (New York State Senate)
John Liu
John Liu, Chair of the NYC Education Committee
T 718-765-6675
Michael Gianaris
Phone: (718) 728-0960
Email: gianaris@nysenate.gov
Office Contacts:
Scheduler
Email: gianaris@nysenate.gov
Email: gianaris@nysenate.gov
New York State Assembly
Direct District 28 Ties
Andrew Hevesi
Andrew Hevesi (28th State Assembly District)
T 718-263-5595
Sam Berger
Sam Berger (27th State Assembly District)
T 718-969-1508
Jenifer Rajkumar (38th State Assembly District)
Jenifer Rajkumar
T 718-805-0950
David Weprin
David Weprin (24th State Assembly District)
T 718-454-3027
Khaleel Anderson
Khaleel Anderson (31st State Assembly District)
T 718-322-4958
Neighboring / Frequent Education & Community Partners
Nily Rozic
Steven Raga
Ron Kim
Catalina Cruz
Clyde Vanel
District 28 Education Leadership Often Working With Elected Officials
Quentin Mezetin - President of District 28 Community Education Council
Mabel Muniz-Sarduy
Andre Spencer
Understanding our elected officials, their roles, and who they are.
It is important for you to know the roles our elected officials play, especially when they are campaigning, because some will campaign, taking credit for others' work, and it is important to know who does what. It is also important to know what questions you should ask of your representatives when they are running for office, at public debates, or at candidate forums.
Although this is tailored to Ozone Park, the roles and responsibilities apply to all elected officials, regardless of the area they represent.
There is a lot of confusion about what elected officials actually do and how their decisions affect our daily lives. Many people assume all politicians have the same powers and responsibilities, but that is not true. To help residents better understand who represents Ozone Park and the surrounding communities, we put together this detailed civic information guide explaining:
✔️ Who represents us
✔️ What each office actually does
✔️ What powers they have
✔️ What they DO NOT control
✔️ Where to contact them. Understanding government responsibilities helps residents know who to hold accountable for issues affecting our neighborhoods.
UNITED STATES SENATORS (Not Term-Limited)
Senators represent the entire State of New York in Washington, D.C.
Senator Chuck Schumer (D) Term Ends: January 3, 2029 Official Website: https://www.schumer.senate.gov/
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D) Term Ends: January 3, 2031 Official Website: https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/
WHAT U.S. SENATORS DO:
✔️ Draft and vote on federal laws
✔️ Confirm Supreme Court justices and federal judges
✔️ Approve cabinet appointments
✔️ Secure federal funding for infrastructure, transit, housing, and disaster relief
✔️ Assist residents dealing with federal agencies like Social Security, Medicare, VA, and immigration services
WHAT U.S. SENATORS DO NOT DO:
❌ Fix potholes or streetlights
❌ Control the NYPD or sanitation
❌ Operate NYC public schools
❌ Set NYC property taxes
❌ Handle local zoning issues
UNITED STATES CONGRESS MEMBERS (Not Term-Limited)
Find Your Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Congressman Gregory Meeks (D) – District 5 Term Ends: January 3, 2027
Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D) – District 7 Term Ends: January 3, 2027 Not Seeking Re-Election
WHAT CONGRESS MEMBERS DO:
✔️ Vote on federal laws and the federal budget
✔️ Secure funding for transit, housing, NYCHA, NYPD, FDNY, and infrastructure
✔️ Conduct oversight investigations of federal agencies
✔️ Help constituents resolve federal agency issues
WHAT THEY DO NOT DO:
❌ Set NYC laws
❌ Operate subways or buses
❌ Manage schools or local agencies
❌ Fix local streets or sanitation problems
❌ Pass New York State laws
NEW YORK STATE SENATORS (Not Term-Limited)
Find Your NYS Senator: https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator
NYS Senator James Sanders Jr. (D) – District 10 Term Ends: January 1, 2027
NYS Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. (D) – District 15 Term Ends: January 1, 2027
WHAT NYS SENATORS DO:
✔️ Create and vote on New York State laws
✔️ Approve the state budget
✔️ Oversee MTA funding and housing laws
✔️ Pass rent regulations and tenant protections
✔️ Allocate funding for schools and local infrastructure
WHAT THEY DO NOT DO:
❌ Manage local city services
❌ Operate sanitation or police departments
❌ Vote on federal laws
❌ Run NYCHA day-to-day operations
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS (Not Term-Limited)
Find Your Assembly Member: https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/
Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato (D) – District 23 Term Ends: January 1, 2027 Not Seeking Re-Election https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Stacey-Pheffer-Amato
Assembly Member David Weprin (D) – District 24 Term Ends: January 1, 2027
Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson (D) – District 31 Term Ends: January 1, 2027
Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar (D) – District 38 Term Ends: January 1, 2027
WHAT NYS ASSEMBLY MEMBERS DO:
✔️ Draft and pass state legislation
✔️ Negotiate the state budget
✔️ Fund schools, transit, and public services
✔️ Help residents navigate state agencies like DMV and public utilities
✔️ Secure funding for local projects and organizations
WHAT THEY DO NOT DO:
❌ Operate city agencies
❌ Control daily subway operations
❌ Manage NYPD or FDNY
❌ Handle trash collection or pothole repairs
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS (Term-Limited)
Find Your NYC Council District: https://council.nyc.gov/districts/ •
NYC Council Member Ty Hankerson (D) – District 28 Term Ends: January 1, 2030 Can Run One More Time https://council.nyc.gov/district-28/
NYC Council Member Lynn Schulman (D) – District 29 Term Ends: January 1, 2030 Cannot Run Again
NYC Council Member Joann Ariola (R) – District 32 Term Ends: January 1, 2030 Cannot Run Again
WHAT NYC COUNCIL MEMBERS DO:
✔️ Pass local NYC laws
✔️ Approve the NYC budget
✔️ Influence zoning and neighborhood development
✔️ Conduct oversight hearings on city agencies
✔️ Help residents resolve city-related problems
✔️ Secure funding for parks, libraries, schools, and nonprofits
WHAT THEY DO NOT DO:
❌ Directly manage city agencies
❌ Run the NYPD or FDNY
❌ Declare emergencies or executive orders
❌ Pass state or federal laws
❌ Operate the MTA or school system directly
WHY THIS MATTERS
Understanding which level of government handles which issue is critical for civic engagement and accountability.
Examples:
Potholes & garbage -NYC government
Rent laws & MTA funding - NY State government • Immigration & Social Security - Federal government
When residents know who controls what, communities become stronger, more informed, and more effective in demanding action. Please share this educational guide so more residents understand how our government actually works and who is responsible for the issues affecting our neighborhoods every day. Stay informed. Stay engaged. Vote in every election.