Made for Manhattan: The Case For Lindsey Boylan
Lindsey Boylan is running to be Manhattan’s next borough president and here’s why that’s a great thing.
Back in June of 2020 when the New York Primary elections took place, several battles were being fought in the name of progress. Many had hoped, in these dark and uncertain times, that change was going to hit New York like a 7th inning home run at a Met’s game. While we may have had victories like Jamal Bowmann unseating Elliot Engel in NY-16 or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fending off Michelle Caruso-Cabrera in NY-14, we experienced an unfortunate loss when progressive NY-10 hopeful Lindsey Boylan failed to unseat the nearly 30-year incumbent, Jerrold Nadler, despite a strong campaign run. While her congressional run ended in defeat, it marked a new beginning which, hopefully, will result in a much-deserved victory.
On November 23rd, 2020, Lindsey Boylan announced her bid to be elected in 2021 as the President of the Borough of Manhattan. Boylan believes that she can bring some strong ideas and solutions with her previous experience in urban planning and management, overseeing various public spaces (Bryant Park, Herald Square, Greeley Square, etc. ), leading NY’s efforts in providing relief to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, and oversight of New York’s chief economic development agency. For the better part of a decade, Lindsey has displayed endless compassion, empathy, and ardent commitment to developing solutions for urban, economic, and housing issues.
So, what does Lindsey plan to bring to the table in 2021, one might ask? She wants to make the city of Manhattan more livable by via expansion of outdoor dining, parks, and open spaces. She wants to prioritize renewable energy and build more environmentally friendly infrastructure. She is very supportive of small businesses and wants to provide immediate rent relief to help them during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lindsey also wants to utilize her previous experience in urban planning as well as her experience as an economic aide to Governor Andrew Cuomo to make housing more affordable, repairing the housing system (which continues to have a lasting negative impact on communities of color to this day), & achieve strong economic recovery throughout the borough of Manhattan.
Manhattan has had a housing problem for quite some time now due to gentrification, landlords and property managers taking advantage of tenuous laws, the lack of regulation regarding affordable housing, & the housing system as a whole catering not to the working class but, the silk-stocking and wealthy. For decades, Manhattan (as well as NYC as a whole) has had a rather unfortunate history of forcing low-income residents out of their homes and doing away with said homes in exchange for fancy and palatial buildings that those working themselves to the bone on an average wage cannot afford, even if 3 tenants were to make $20/hour. Being forced out due to gentrification might be considered an act of mercy to other Manhattan residents on a low income due to the egregious living conditions. Those who still have a roof over their head in these homes have no security, utilities that work shoddily, and neglectful landlords. Lindsey Boylan wants to make housing more affordable by holding landlords and property managers more accountable and provide affordable and liveable shelter for all residents of Manhattan.
Bodegas are the backbone of New York City especially in the borough of Manhattan. They are not only a cultural staple for the big apple but, Bodegas provide a vast majority of the food supply to both residents and visitors of New York. These small businesses, as essential and vital as they are to New York’s economy, have been rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Lindsey Boylan understands this and has always been supportive of small businesses. She wants to provide rent relief to these businesses so that they can make it through the monumental challenge that is the COVID-19 pandemic. Lindsey is also supportive of a $2,000/month universal basic income. That $2,000/month UBI could certainly help those businesses and the residents who have immensely struggled during the pandemic.
Lindsey Boylan is neither a celebrity, a deity, nor a superhero. She is a mother with a heart and a plan. That plan is to make the beautiful city of Manhattan more livable, more environmentally friendly, & recover economically. She is a leader that will fight alongside us in the street as she has during many protests (including both World Pride and Black Lives Matter). She is a leader who is not afraid to face anyone be it Twitter trolls, 30-year congressman Nadler, or even her former boss, Governor Andrew Cuomo. Lindsey Boylan is the leader that Manhattan needs because, despite her experience on the inside, she gets us. Lindsey Boylan is not a politician, she is a public servant with compassion, courage, and acumen. Lindsey Boylan is made for Manhattan.
