Opinion: We Need Experienced, Ethical, Hard-Working Public Servants

Southern Brooklyn is facing a historic moment. Our residents and small businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic. Now, President Biden’s stimulus will bring billions of dollars to the City.

Facing such crisis and opportunity, we need experienced, ethical, hard-working public servants. Coney Island, Gravesend and Bensonhurst are lucky to have had such a public servant as their City Council Member for the past 7 years — former public-school teacher Mark Treyger. It has been my honor to work alongside Mark in the City Council, and I hope voters in the 47th District will elect Ari Kagan to continue the great investments Mark has made in the neighborhoods.

Like Mark, Ari has a decades-long record of commitment to Southern Brooklyn, long before he got involved in politics. Ari has served the community since he immigrated here from Belarus in 1993.

As a long-time community journalist, Ari knows how to get to the bottom of problems in our neighborhoods. As a public servant who’s worked for members of Congress, City Comptrollers, and most recently the City Council, Ari knows how government works and how to get things done for constituents.

Ari’s neighbors know he is a real problem-solver and mensch, who has always stepped up for Southern Brooklyn in crisis. He led relief efforts when our neighborhoods were rocked by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. When the pandemic hit last year, he led food and mask distributions all across Southern Brooklyn and helped people get unemployment insurance to make it through the tough economic times.

Ari has most recently served as Mark Treyger’s District Director. He has worked with Mark and community members to restore B64 bus service to Coney Island, make safety and education improvements to Lafayette High School, and save a Gifted and Talented program in a local elementary school. Ari is also the person you call when the trash isn’t picked up or a pothole isn’t filled. He gets problems fixed, big and small.

Ari knows his neighbors, and we know him. We know that he takes public service seriously; it’s not a game to him. We know that he’ll get things done, and he’ll never embarrass the district.

That’s why all the local Council Members — Mark Treyger, Justin Brannan and myself — are endorsing Ari. It’s why our teachers’ union, nurses’ union, largest city workers’ union, and so many District and Community Leaders are endorsing Ari too.

We can count on Ari Kagan, just like we’ve counted on Mark Treyger. I know that, if elected, Ari will bring four more years of experience, ethics, and results to Southern Brooklyn.

Alan Maisel, City Council Member, 46th CD