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The Race ...
City Council
District 9
Harlem Central, Manhattan Valley and Morningside Heights
Know something we should know? Let us know at campaign05@gothamgazette.com
General Election Results
Inez Dickens
Primary Results
Inez Dickens
The Incumbent:
There is no Incumbent posted for this race.
General Election Challenger(s):
Daryl G. Bloodsaw
Will Brown
Inez Dickens
Woody Henderson
Primary Election Challenger(s):
William A. Allen
Rodney Carroll
Yasmin H. Cornelius
Inez Dickens
Cynthia Doty
Woody Henderson
Ronnie Holly
Virginia Montague
- William A. Allen has not filed
- Daryl G. Bloodsaw
- Will Brown
- Rodney Carroll
- Yasmin H. Cornelius
- Inez Dickens
- Cynthia Doty
- Woody Henderson
- Ronnie Holly has not filed
- Virginia Montague
Feature Articles ...
Fighting for the Future of Harlem
June 20, 2005
On 125th Street in Harlem, one of ten candidates running for an open City Council seat launches her campaign to the beat of African drums and Islamic prayers. Another hands out pamphlets to early-morning joggers near Columbia University. And another says he plans to walk every street in the neighborhood.
"I may not have the money of some of the other candidates," said William Allen, a Democratic leader for the 70th Assembly District who has run for the seat twice before. "But I've got a great pair of walking shoes."
Each candidate is heeding the advice of outgoing Councilmember Bill Perkins, who is being pushed out of City Council by term limits and is now running for Manhattan borough president. Perkins said the most important qualifications for the job are being "accessible, visible, and effective."
"People want to be able to reach you, talk to you, and touch you," said Perkins. "The subway and bus system are very valuable… for me, [they] serve as an office."
The candidates agree on more than their grassroots campaign strategies. All said the district faces serious challenges in public education, economic development, affordable housing, health and the environment.
More specifically, there is consensus among the candidates on the Marriott Hotel development, currently under construction at 125th and Park Avenue, and Columbia University's plans to expand. Every candidate said both lacked community input.
Bill Perkins opposed the hotel in the City Council, claiming the building's 34 floors were excessive for the area and that the apartments (which will go for $600 a square foot) are too pricey for long-term residents in a neighborhood where the average individual income is $17,000.
"There must be more of a relationship between developers and the community in which they're building," said Yasmin Cornelius, the district manager for Community Board 10 in Harlem. "We don't want this to be 42nd Street."
All candidates repeatedly called for "responsible development" in future projects. Construction, they said, should include architecture that fits with the existing height and character of the neighborhood and affordable housing to meet the needs of long-term residents. Five candidates also mentioned the need to create more incentives for "green" - or environmentally sound - architecture.
Each of the candidates also criticized the planning process for Columbia University's campus expansion
Cynthia Doty, Democratic leader for the 69th Assembly District, said the university's plans lack community input. She said legal measures need to be taken to ensure that changes.
"We can't assume, just because they're an educational institution, that they'll provide jobs and develop in economically and environmentally sound ways," Doty said. "These things have to be part of zoning law."
Woody Henderson, a former president of the New York chapter of Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network, believes that Columbia University has "choked the economic life out of Harlem by warehousing buildings and property." The ability to grow internally has been "stifled by an outside landowner who, for decades, has left properties unused." Now, as the university is suddenly making plans to develop, he fears that "long-time residents, unable to afford this progress, [will] get pushed out."
Public education was the top issue mentioned by candidates.
Many students in City Council District 9 come from poor homes, and bi-lingual education is a growing need. This means greater demands on teachers. Yet, both certification and teaching experience among the district's educators are well below citywide averages.
Inez Dickens, a Democratic leader for the 70th Assembly District and daughter of the late Assembly member Lloyd Dickens, said salaries must increase to encourage qualified teachers to stay in the area. "Maybe in inner-city schools they need to pay more," she said.
William Allen believes the quality of an area's public education is tied to its rate of incarceration. "Areas with higher incarceration rates should be treated as special districts, with a need for greater resources," he said.
What schools teach is also an issue.
Woody Henderson said he would advocate for the development of a vocational or technical high school in the community "to address a broader range of interests, and to provide kids with more tools to sustain themselves."
Several candidates also suggested the formation of public-private partnerships to aid education.
Daryl Bloodsaw, who works in advertising at the New York Times, told of his work in creating partnerships between area residents and schools. Through the group Concerned Men of Harlem, he brought people inside the schools where help is needed. "One of the brothers with us actually financed the reconstruction of a gym floor, because he saw a need," he said.
Cynthia Doty believes Columbia University, located in the district, could also play a role in public education. "The Morningside Heights area is the center of some of the best educational institutions in the world. Why hasn't there been more outreach to neighborhood schools?" she asked.
Another major issue is health and the environment. A 2003 Harlem Hospital study found that at least one in four children in Central Harlem suffer from asthma, which has been linked to pollution from bus depots in the area.
Arthur Burton, who works for J.P. Morgan Chase, sees air quality and its effects on health as the most crucial issue facing City Council District 9. He says improvements in air quality will provide solutions for health.
"Idling laws in the area's bus depots need to be in effect, and the depots need to be monitored by police," he argued.
Another serious health issue is HIV/AIDS. Infection rates in Harlem (.pdf) are three times higher than the citywide average, and there are nearly three times as many AIDS-related deaths, per year, than any other neighborhood.
Residents presumably have the same access as other New Yorkers to government-funded treatments and programs, but Yasmin Cornelius claims "too many people still depend on the emergency room for their healthcare needs." As a result, preventive medications are often under-utilized and health is neglected until it is too late.
Cornelius, William Allen, and Cynthia Doty said they would push to keep and create area clinics, a vital resource for preventive care.
Inez Dickens said that clinics should change testing policies. "Clinics need to have testing available to young people without parental signatures," she said.
Labor union organizer and social workerRodney Carroll, supports a prevention method for intravenous drug users. "I am 100 percent for needle exchange," he said.
Virginia Montague, who directs Upper Manhattan constituent services for Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields, emphasizes programs and publicity to maintain attention on the issue, particularly among a major risk group: African-American women. "I am concerned that interest in the HIV/AIDS issue is waning," she said.
Of course, before any of these candidates can take action, they have to win the election.
Since all candidates are running on the Democratic ticket, the party's primary election will determine the district's future councilmember. To ensure a place on the primary ballot for the September 13th election, City Council candidates must get at least 900 signatures by July 14th from registered Democratic voters in New York State. This means candidates must connect with voters one-on-one.
Inez Dickens leads in campaign contributions with three times as much as the next candidate, Yasmin Cornelius. Dickens has also garnered considerable endorsements from established area politicians, including former Mayor David Dinkins, former Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton, and East Harlem Councilmember Philip Reed.
But the other nine candidates don't seem intimidated. "That just means I've got to hit the ground running," said Virginia Montague.
CAMPAIGN UPDATE:
Three Democratic candidates have been knocked off the ballot for the Primary. Daryl Bloodsaw, Arthur Burton, and Geoffrey Johnson are no longer candidates for the Democratic nomination, according to the Board of Elections. Daryl Bloodsaw is still on the Independence line. (Updated 8/03/05)
The Incumbent:
There is no Incumbent posted for this race.
Challenger(s):
William A. Allen | Dem |
William A. Allen is the Democratic District Leader for the 70th Assembly District in Harlem and an Executive Member of the Uptown Democratic Club.
Daryl G. Bloodsaw | IND |
Daryl Bloodsaw manages advertising sales in print and interactive mediums. He is currently pursuing a masters in organizational change management at The New School University. His active with the Concerned Men of Harlem and the Abyssinian Baptist Church.
Will Brown | Rep |
Will Brown is a real estate and insurance broker. He served as an appointee of the Pataki administration from 1996 to 2004 as the building manager of the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building on 125th Street. He is the founder of the Harlem Republican Club and has served with a number of civic organizations, including the Ralph Avenue Medical Center advisory board, the Kelly Street Block Association, and Harlem Little League.
Rodney Carroll | Dem |
Rodney Caroll is a union organizer who has worked with SSEU Local 371, the Association of Black Social Workers, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and Labor Council for Latin America. He serves on the organizing committee for the Working Families Party Manhattan chapter. He served as an officer of the Neighborhood Advisory Board #10 of the Department of Youth and Community Development.
Yasmin H. Cornelius | Dem |
Yasmin Cornelius is the district manager for Community Board 10 in Harlem. She produces and co-hosts “Harlem 411,” a public access radio show on WHCR, Harlem Community Radio. She has worked for C. Virginia Fields and served as Manhattan coordinator on Ruth Messinger’s mayoral campaign. Yasmin is the past president of the Mid-Manhattan Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and previous 1st vice president of Community School Board Three.
Inez Dickens | Dem |
Inez Dickens is the Democratic district leader for the 70th Assembly District, the
first vice chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, and daughter of the late Assemblyman Lloyd E. Dickens.
Cynthia Doty | Dem |
Cynthia Doty is the Democratic district leader for the 69th Assembly District and a former president of Three Parks Independent Democrats. She is a member of Neighborhood Advisory Board 7 and treasurer of the Interfaith Assembly for Housing and Homelessness. She worked for nine years as legislative aide to former State Assemblyman Ed Sullivan. In 2004, she coordinated a Kerry/Edwards campaign storefront in district 9.
Woody Henderson |
Woody Henderson is the founder and president of the Organization for Reunification & Rehabilitation of Children and Families. He is also a former court appointed special advocate, vice president of the Columbus House Tenants Association, and vice president of the PS-9 Parent Teacher Association. He has also served as an aide to Reverend Al Sharpton and as president of the New York chapter of his National Action Network. He is also a journalist and documentary filmmaker and hosts a weekly cable TV program called "A Struggle for Justice."
Ronnie Holly | Dem |
Virginia Montague | Dem |
Virginia Montague heads up the Upper Manhattan constituent services office for Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields. She was also chief of staff for Fields when she was City Council member for district 9.
Campaign Trail ...
Below are the latest Campaign Trail items for the District 9 race. For the full Campaign Trail archive, go here
Daily News Endorses Cornelius for Council
September 12, 2005
Yasmin Cornelius, district manager of Community Board 10, has the skill and energy to represent her neighborhood during a time of great transition. (Daily News)
West Side Spirit Endorses Cynthia Doty in District 9
September 8, 2005
In a September of difficult choices at the polls, none is harder than the one in District 9. We think there are two standouts in the field, Cynthia Doty and Inez Dickens, and we wish both could go to the City Council next January. We give a slight edge to Doty, since we think she will be the more effective legislator on behalf of the entire district.
Amsterdam News Endorses Dickens
September 8, 2005
The most important thing that you have to do on Sept. 13, is go out and vote for Inez E. Dickens for the Ninth Council District.
In one of her pieces of literature it says that she's already doing the job for us. Indeed, this is true.
Typical of Ms. Dickens, she has, over the years, sought only those public offices for which one is not paid, such as district leader and county committeewoman. She has left it for others to seek and get the higher offices in the area.
Now that she has decided to run, she has the most prominent of all politicians in the area supporting her. They include former Mayor David Dinkins, former Borough President Percy Sutton, Congressman Charles B. Rangel, former State Comptroller Carl McCall and State Sen. David Paterson.
In one of her pieces of literature it says that she's already doing the job for us. Indeed, this is true.
Typical of Ms. Dickens, she has, over the years, sought only those public offices for which one is not paid, such as district leader and county committeewoman. She has left it for others to seek and get the higher offices in the area.
Now that she has decided to run, she has the most prominent of all politicians in the area supporting her. They include former Mayor David Dinkins, former Borough President Percy Sutton, Congressman Charles B. Rangel, former State Comptroller Carl McCall and State Sen. David Paterson. (Amsterdam News)
Unusually High Number Of Union Members And Officials Running For City Council
August 27, 2005
A larger-than-usual number of union members and officials are running for City Council seats in New York this year, spurred by the strength of their labor organizations and by the support coming from other union groups.
This includes Melissa Mark-Viverito, a researcher for 1199/S.E.I.U., the large health care union, running in East Harlem. Besides Ms. Mark-Viverito, there is Rodney L. Carroll, an organizer for Local 371 of the Social Service Employees Union, who is running for a City Council seat in central Harlem.
In the Bronx, Joseph A. McManus, the coordinator for Steamfitters Local 638 in that borough, is running for a City Council seat. Darlene Mealy, a member of the Transit Workers Union, is running for the City Council in a district in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
All are running in districts where term-limit laws have prevented incumbents from seeking re-election.
One incumbent seeking re-election is Annabel Palma, who was a union organizer with 1199/S.E.I.U. before winning a City Council seat in the Bronx two years ago (NY Times)
New York Times Endorsement: Yasmin Cornelius in District 9
August 21, 2005
Ninth District (Central Harlem, parts of Morningside Heights, Upper West Side and East Harlem): For dramatic change, it's hard to beat this district. Revitalization stretches from end to end, but not all boats are being lifted. Pockets of the area are among the poorest in the city. Health care lags. Longtime residents are increasingly priced out of their neighborhoods.
The candidate to beat here is Inez Dickens, a local party leader and the daughter of a former assemblyman, Lloyd Dickens. She has raised prodigious amounts of campaign cash and has the backing of a host of elected party officials and local clubs. She is the insider in a district that needs something else - like a strong advocate and smart outsider who can help the area cope with the waves of housing development. Better candidates include Virginia Montague, a longtime aide to the borough president, C. Virginia Fields, and Cynthia Doty, who has organized successful efforts to get services in the district and has real passion for change. But Yasmin Cornelius, the district manager for Community Board 10, stands out as the candidate who could best bridge the divide between Harlem and Morningside Heights. Ms. Cornelius is particularly passionate about the problems of the area's many renters, but seems able to work with developers rather than simply fighting inevitable housing expansion. The district's current council member, Bill Perkins, has said that his successor needs to be engaged with people on the street. Ms. Cornelius, who has a local radio talk show, has the goods to get the job done. Our endorsement goes to Yasmin Cornelius.
(New York Times)
Harlem May Elect White Council Member
July 20, 2005
Eight candidates are vying for the City Council seat from Central Harlem, currently occupied by Bill Perkins, who must leave office because of term limits. The large field could boost the chances of Cynthia Doty, a Democratic district leader and the only white candidate in the race. The district is 20 percent white. (New York Times)
Cynthia Doty Speaks Out About Building Collapse
July 16, 2005
Plans to build high-rises on the east and west side of Broadway between 99th and 100th streets were met with community opposition.
Those plans were thrust into the limelight Thursday when a former Gristede's being demolished to make way for a 31-story high-rise at 2633 Broadway collapsed onto scaffolding, injuring six pedestrians.
"This is a wake-up call for everybody," said Cynthia Doty, a City Council candidate who is part of Westsiders for Responsible Development, which opposes Extell's plans.
(Newsday)
Candidates Compete for Perkins' Seat
May 9, 2005
This promises to be a busy politcal summer in Upper Manhattan as candidates run for the City Council seat being vacated by Bill Perkins. (Columbia Spectator)
A District Manager with a Taste for Harlem
April 6, 2005
Few people can say an Amy Ruth’s special is named for them. Don King has braised smothered chitlins named in his honor on the restaurant’s menu, Star Jones a beef lasagna with a small salad, the late great Johnnie Cochran some smothered pork chops and then there’s Yasmin Cornelius’ braised short ribs of beef. The Yasmin Cornelius is named for Harlem’s Community Board 10 district manager, who is a little sheepish about the distinction. “I don’t know why he [did that],” she chuckles.
Cornelius has made community involvement her career and by doing so has become part of a generation of young, self-starting Harlem professionals she calls “the new power generation.”
(Amsterdam News)
Local Leaders Publicly Support Dickens' Bid for City Council
April 8, 2005
When Inez Dickens throws a party, she thinks big. Dickens kicked off her City Council campaign last week on the steps of City Hall with a crowd of cheering Harlem politicians around her—defying the conventional wisdom that they as elected officials should wait until mid-summer, to see who drops out and who fails to get on the ballot, before publicly endorsing a candidate. The crowd was so enthusiastic that an overwhelmed and uninhibited State Senate Minority Leader David Paterson (D-Harlem), let slip, “Do I hear a motion to suspend the election and make it unanimous?” (Columbia Spectator)
Striving to Effect Change, Allen Runs for Third Time
April 6, 2005
William Allen, a Democratic district leader and community development consultant, is running for the Ninth District City Council seat being vacated by Bill Perkins (D-Harlem), and he hopes to address the preservation of communities on a citywide scale. (Columbia Spectator)
Harlem Pols Come Out for Inez Dickens
March 29, 2005
Harlem's political elite turned up at City Hall yesterday to endorse veteran district leader Inez Dickens for the City Council seat being vacated next year by Bill Perkins.
So many influential leaders stood beside Dickens that State Sen. David Paterson joked that there was little reason to hold the election.
Among the luminaries were former Mayor David Dinkins, Rep. Charles Rangel, former Borough President Percy Sutton, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and Councilmen Robert Jackson, Leroy Comrie and Bill DeBlasio.
Dickens said she would step down as district leader in December "since I know I will be elected" — although there could be as many as six other candidates.
Perkins, leaving because of terms limits, is running for Manhattan borough president.
(New York Post)
Full District 9 Campaign Trail Archive
District 9 Campaign Trail in RSS format. 

