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Elected Officials

Federal Officials

U.S. Senate


Charles Schumer
Kirsten Gillibrand

U.S. House of Representatives

Grace Meng
Gregory Meeks

 

NYC Citywide Officials

Zohran Mamdani
Mark Levine
Jumaane Williams

Queens Boroughwide Officials

Donovan Richards
Melinda Katz

NYC Council Members

Direct District 28 Representation
Tyrell Hankerson
Lynn Schulman


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
Jessica Ramos
Leroy Comrie
Joseph Addabbo Jr.


Neighboring Queens Partners

John Liu
Michael Gianaris

New York State Assembly
Direct District 28 Ties

Andrew Hevesi
Sam Berger
Daniel Rosenthal
Jenifer Rajkumar
David Weprin
Khaleel Anderson

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
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)


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)

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.