On July 8th, Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for Mayor of New York City, visited the Chinatown’s Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Manhattan to emphasize his policy proposals to several community leaders. His proposals include pausing the establishment of new homeless shelters, opposing the construction of a neighborhood jail in Chinatown, reducing property taxes, and improving the quality of life for New York City residents.
Accompanied by former State Assembly candidate Sharon Liao and Kenneth Paek, Sliwa met with chairpersons including Zhu Chaoran, representative Su Huanguang from the Eastern United Consolidated Benevolent Association, Wu Jianshi from the Taishan Ningyang Association, Deng Xueyuan from the Kaiping Association, and Huang Jianzhong from the New York Chinese American Veterans Association at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association.
Sliwa highlighted the efforts of his Guardian Angels organization, which has patrolled Chinatown daily since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to help combat hate crimes against Asians. He criticized the delayed response from the city government and police at that time, stating that community self-help became the last line of defense in protecting neighborhoods.
Regarding community safety issues, Sliwa criticized the city’s loose management of repeat offenders and the homeless. He cited the example of a shelter at 61 Chrystie St where five individuals with histories of sexual assault were housed without notifying nearby residents, impacting community safety. He pledged to freeze all new shelter establishments if elected mayor and review the shelter system. Sliwa also explicitly opposed the construction of the neighborhood jail in Chinatown, stating that the Chinese community has endured too much pressure and unfair burden.
On the issue of housing and rent, Sliwa acknowledged the real and urgent housing pressures faced by young people. He pointed out the close correlation between rising rents and property tax increases, leading many small landlords to raise rents to cope with taxes, creating a vicious cycle. He advocated for reducing property taxes to alleviate the burden on small property owners and mitigate rent pressures. He emphasized that solving housing issues cannot rely solely on slogans but must involve adjustments to the actual economic structure.
He also reiterated his opposition to the city’s “Yes in My Backyard” massive development project, believing that such initiatives only benefit large real estate developers and do not improve housing supply, squeezing out vulnerable communities. He promised that if elected, he would return land zoning planning authority to community boards and the city council.
Sliwa expressed profound respect for Chinese family values and educational culture. He shared how he used the hard work ethic of Chinese students as an example to inspire his own children during their education and observed how many Chinese parents work multiple jobs to support their children’s supplemental education, all for a better future for the next generation. He pledged to promote more gifted programs and charter school resources to provide diligent students with the opportunities they deserve.
If elected mayor, Sliwa stated he would appoint the first-ever Chinese deputy mayor in New York City’s history. He urged the Chinese community to actively vote and wield their influence. He said, “The Chinese community is the fastest-growing demographic in New York City and will soon see a Chinese mayor and governor. But before that happens, please give me a chance.”
Responding to the recent Democratic primary where socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani unexpectedly won, Sliwa remarked that if the incumbent mayor, Eric Adams, governs effectively, “Mamdani would never have stood a chance.” He emphasized that the primary was a vote of no confidence in the status quo but does not mean socialism is the solution.
Sliwa stated, “Many people come to America in search of freedom and hope, not to relive communism. America does not need communism, absolutely not. What we all believe in is the American flag, symbolizing democracy, freedom, and the right of people to choose. We do not want socialism, we do not want communism. We want freedom, democracy, America. That’s Sliwa’s stance.”
Addressing concerns that the presence of four “non-left” candidates may dilute votes and lead to Mamdani’s victory, Sliwa reiterated, “I will not withdraw.” He said that regardless of external pressure, he will persist.
“This is a democratic society, where people fundraise and support me. At this critical moment, I will not tell them ‘I decide to withdraw,'” Sliwa emphasized, letting the people decide is the essence of democratic elections. “We cannot let billionaires decide who becomes mayor. The people they supported like Andrew Cuomo lost, and now they are supporting Eric Adams who will also fail. People do not like these politicians. People like me, and many young people like Zohran. This is a real battle.”