by Mathew R. Warren
Micah Kellner is the Democratic candidate in the June 5th special election to replace Assemblyman Pete Granis. Mr.Grannis accepted an appointment from Governor Spitzer earlier this year to become Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Mr. Kellner, 28, grew up in New Jersey, but has lived on the Upper East Side for the last 7 years. He graduated from New York University in 2001 and has since worked as an aide for Comptroller William Thompson Jr., Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, and City Council Member Inez Dickens. While working with Comptroller Thompson, Mr. Kellner served as a community liaison on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side.
The following is an interview conducted with Mr. Kellner on May 28, 2007
Why do you feel you are qualified to represent this district?
I’ve been very involved, both in community organizations and working for elected officials. Having worked for Congresswoman Maloney as her housing specialist I helped protect a lot of tenant’s rights. I’ve been the representative out to Roosevelt Island, which is a huge part of the district, as well as out to Community Board 8, which encompasses the whole district. I’ve been involved with grassroots community activists in a lot of different organizations, such as the East 79th Street Neighborhood Association, where we’ve been working to build an Upper East Side historic district, the East 86th Street Merchants and Residents Association, and the Carl Schurz Park Association. I know the issues in the community and I also know how to get things done. I’ve been very succesful in actually solving people's problems and getting results, that’s why I think I’d be the best person to do the job.
What are your main goals and objectives?
My main objective is to first make sure that the neighborhood stays a great neighborhood, that the people who built this neighborhood are allowed to stay here. I want to protect tenants, especially rent stabalized and rent controlled tenants, there are a lot of them in this neighborhood. Seniors, who have lived their entire lives in this neighborhood and have made it great, shouldn’t be priced out. Another goal is making sure that bad concepts like the waste transfer station on East 91st Street get blocked, there are still a lot of ways to stop that from actually becoming a reality and I’m focused on working against it. We also have to build new schools in the neighborhood, there is a real population boom going on now and we have a lack of school seats here. I would really like to follow in Congresswoman Maloney’s footsteps, she had the Upper East Side High School Initiative and got a new Upper East Side High School built, I’d like to get a new grammar school built, because we are going to need the seats. I’d also like to protect the Julia Richman Education Complex, because right now it is under a threat and we really need those classroom seats on the Upper East Side.
How can you serve the people better than your opponent?
I think being a Democrat I understand the people better. I’ve also been involved in the community, as I said. My opponent has never been to a community meeting, he has never been to the community board or local neighborhood association meetings. I don’t think he really understands the unique issues going on in this district and how to solve them, I’ve been involved with them for many years now and I’ve gotten results.
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