Thursday: Madison-Marine Civic To Host “Bottom-Up” Political Panel With Council Candidates

The Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association is exploring a new format for a political panel it will hold this Thursday evening that aims to generate bottom-up solutions to local problems, and urge local City Council candidates to implement them.

The panel, called “Talkin’ Politics,” will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at the Carmine Carro Community Center in Marine Park (Fillmore Avenue between Madison Place and Marine Parkway).

The panel discussion will feature three separate groups – the candidates, the media, and concerned citizens.

The media panel will includes Sheepshead Bites’ Ned Berke, the New York Times’ Michael Powell, and Gotham Gazette’s editor, Cristian Salazar.

The members of the media are tasked with asking the citizens panel about community issues and wishes, and the citizens will reply as if they were in the role of the councilman. The candidates will ask follow-up questions or make brief comments in response.

At the end of the panel, the candidates will make concluding statements regarding commitments to resolving issues raised during the forum.

Two candidates in the race for the 48th Councilmanic District – Democrat Chaim Deutsch and Republican David Storobin – will be in attendance. Working Families Party candidate Igor Oberman will not.

UPDATE (October 16, 2013): Working Families Party candidate Igor Oberman has confirmed his participation.