Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Julien Segura on housing, even-year elections, and open primary models
4:18:31
·
3 min
Julien Segura, a political activist and strategist from Harlem, testifies on the commission's proposals.
He opposes the first three housing proposals, calling them a "dangerous consolidation of power" that could fuel gentrification.
He also argues that even-year elections would work against voter turnout for down-ballot races.
While a major advocate for open primaries, he opposes the top-two system, believing it would favor large donors, and instead suggests the commission propose a top-four system or a true open primary where independents can choose which party's primary to vote in.
- Segura believes the housing proposals would consolidate power and drown out community voices.
- He argues even-year elections would lead to massive voter roll-off for down-ballot candidates.
- He is a longtime advocate for open primaries but feels the top-two system is the "least democratic" form.
- He urges the commission to consider a top-four system or a semi-open primary instead.
Shane Moynihan
4:18:31
Thank you for having me here.
4:18:33
Thank you for everything.
4:18:37
I'm tired.
4:18:37
I'm sorry.
4:18:38
I'm not gonna be super eloquent.
4:18:40
I did I did prepare a speech this time, sort of, but it's gonna be a little bit all over the place.
4:18:46
I was born in Washington Heights, born and raised in Washington Heights, live in Queens now with my wife and two daughters.
4:18:51
I am the cofounder of the New Leaf Democrats.
4:18:54
I'm a colead at Forward Party, New York chapter.
4:18:58
I don't want to be petty or rude.
4:19:00
I've heard so many hollow arguments tonight, that grassroots power is going to be destroyed if we just let more people vote.
4:19:12
That sounds to me like people just like Richard Richard noted, people have gotten comfortable working in this system, and they've they've gained power, and now they don't wanna give it up.
4:19:24
What about the 43?
4:19:25
Whatever it is.
4:19:26
Close close to half of the city.
4:19:28
They don't they don't they shouldn't have any power.
4:19:31
That's a little absurd.
4:19:33
These people haven't been giving explanations about how how it would decrease the power.
4:19:39
Most, maybe one or two did out of 10.
4:19:42
They haven't explained how it's gonna make money interests, more powerful either, and I'm sure that you guys have all noticed that.
4:19:53
I I really wanna voice that we need top four over top two.
4:20:01
I think that everybody who has testified for the top two, if you put them all in a room and you ask them if they would approve of top four, they would probably say yes.
4:20:11
I I would think 95% or more.
4:20:14
I'm not sure what the advantage of top two is over top four.
4:20:19
I haven't heard anybody say, a reason why.
4:20:22
The whole point is to get more options, more competition so we can hold, candidates accountable and our officials accountable.
4:20:31
Top two does the reverse.
4:20:34
You're trimming it down.
4:20:35
You're leave you're making it so independence, you're making it harder for independence, making it harder for third party candidates to break through.
4:20:44
Why?
4:20:44
Again, like I asked in Queens, just why.
4:20:53
And I agree with Richard also, when he was refuting, Brad Lander's point.
4:21:02
Yeah.
4:21:03
Why not just go go register as a democrat?
4:21:05
What's the problem?
4:21:07
That's not fair.
4:21:08
It's not right.
4:21:09
There's no reason to do that.
4:21:10
I I won't I'm
Sidharth Ghoshal
4:21:13
gonna move on.
Shane Moynihan
4:21:15
Top four, please do top four.
4:21:19
Don't do top two.
4:21:21
Nobody's gonna be mad at you.
4:21:23
You won't and you won't make me and many other people many advocates are gonna come out for this movement, and they're gonna be against top two.
4:21:31
I will come out full force against it because you're reducing the options.
4:21:34
Thank you so much.
4:21:35
Please.
4:21:35
Thank you.