Bronx City Council Candidate: Daryl Johnson

Running for: City Council, 16th Council District, The Bronx

Year Running: September 2009 (Democratic Primary)

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Website: http://www.daryl2009.com/

Candidate Bio:

Daryl Johnson is a longtime Bronx resident who has resided in the Morrisania neighborhood of City Council District 16 for nearly 20 years. He was born in Brooklyn and raised by a single mother who worked hard to educate and send her two sons to both public and parochial schools in the city. Daryl has been a successful risk brokerage professional for more than 10 years and is Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer of a major brokerage firm in Manhattan.

Since 1996, Daryl has been President of the Morris Avenue Tenants Coalition, a community-based organization representing over 60 families and local businesses in the Morrisania and West Bronx communities. As President of one the largest resident coalitions in the Bronx, Daryl works to improve the environment and quality of life for all residents. By working closely over many years with elected representatives at all levels, including — the NYPD, NYC Dept. of Education, Dept. of Sanitation, Parks & Recreation, Dept. of the Aging, Dept. of Health and local Community Boards among other organizations — Daryl has effectively communicated, improved, expanded or brought new services to the community and by extension has lessened the burdens on local government with community-based solutions.

Daryl has proved himself to be a responsible and dedicated leader in this community of approx. 200,000 by serving as the “go-to” resource on residential and business issues. Daryl is committed to engaging the community to get better access to government. He has new and fresh Democratic ideas for addressing challenges in our community and improving the overall delivery and quality of city and other services.

Daryl is known for taking on the tough issues when others could not, or would not…and then getting results! He is a smart, caring and truly effective individual committed to answering to the needs of people.

Candidate Statement:

I’m NOT running for myself…but for YOU and I mean it!

I live here in this community and win or lose I’m not going anywhere. As City Councilmember, I will make a difference that you can see with your own eyes. I didn’t just up and start serving my community because I wanted to run for City Council. In fact, running for office never even entered my mind. Believe me, I’m content just being an ordinary resident here, I would actually prefer to continue just to ride the D and 4 trains home like you and go about my life. However, as a resident like you who genuinely cares about this District, I refuse to accept that the needs and will of the people of this District and City continue to be ignored...and that’s why I am running — not to work alone for my own interest but to engage my community for talent and more importantly ideas. I don’t have all the answers and anyone who claims they do has told you the first lie. I will aggressively recruit talent from our own community to work with the community. I can assure you that as your City Councilmember, you won’t have to look for me because I plan to come to you, in your neighborhood, at your time, to help you.

Like most of you, I’ve become disgusted with politics. You vote for and elect someone to represent you and your family, they tell you they are Democrat like you and they care about you and your issues. Then what happens, they (politicians) get in and if your area is anything like our District, you never see or hear from him or her again until the next election.

For too long some elected representatives have clearly been in this for themselves and not for you and me — the residents and voters. They will tell you and try to fool you into thinking that they’ve made a difference — but we’ve all got eyes and know when someone has been spoiled by the trappings of politics. This “do-nothing” culture will end when I am elected as your representative. I promise to lead and always be accountable to this community.

Every voter whether they voted for one side or the other is owed honesty. In order that I can be a more effective human being and then public servant, I must first be honest with myself and next with you — my neighbor and friend. I’m in this contest to make a difference for you and your family and not myself. My mother always said to me that in this world you can be a leader, a follower or you can get out of the way…I choose to lead.

Thank you for your support.

Daryl