Yu-Ching Pai (白育青), the Republican candidate for the 20th District of the New York City Council, hosted a campaign dinner at the Bangkok Avenue restaurant in Flushing, Queens.
Pai was born in Taiwan and came to the U.S. over 40 years ago at the age of 8. He is a certified public accountant with 20 years of professional experience.
The 20th District represents Flushing, which is home to a large Chinese-American community.
He is focusing his canvassing efforts and campaign funds on door-to-door visits, mailing flyers and advertisements, and making phone calls to voters. If elected, he pledges to address the following issues in Flushing:
- Protecting and supporting law enforcement and neighborhood safety: Small businesses in the Flushing neighborhood are frequently targeted by thieves who boldly commit crimes and go unchecked. Incidents such as package thefts, shoe thefts, flower and vegetable thefts, trespassing, attempts to open car doors, and other offenses are a constant source of frustration. Thefts on Main Street are numerous, and the number of victims is high. Currently, there are 3-4 patrols, which are organized and scheduled in a way that prevents overlapping, ensuring more efficient crime prevention.
- Simplifying government policies and reducing taxes to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): There is a full commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses by reducing complex and cumbersome procedures and lowering government taxes. Due to traffic and road management restrictions, the likelihood of receiving fines for driving on the streets of Flushing has increased significantly. This greatly impacts the amount of money people spend in Flushing. The revenue generated from these fines is not reinvested in Flushing to assist small businesses in making up the difference. This is detrimental to Flushing’s economic development. Additionally, there should be a long-term plan for managing illegal stalls. Discussions with the community should take place to explore better approaches, such as trying out a configuration with two stalls on each street to assess its effectiveness. The aim should not be to prevent people from legally earning a living. A balanced approach should be sought, collaborating closely with the community to find reasonable solutions. Efforts should be made to reduce taxes and support the development of small and medium-sized businesses.
- Selecting and admitting outstanding students to quality high schools to ensure quality education: Education is a matter of particular concern for the Chinese community, especially regarding issues related to children’s education choices. The issue of sexual identity should be retained by parents, as children have limited understanding of this matter until they mature. There is a need to revert to traditional education methods.
He also stated his commitment to improving the quality of life for the elderly, assisting the government in establishing a robust legal system to safeguard the rights of both landlords and tenants, and more.
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Most of the attendees are distinguished members of the Chinese community who are hopeful for Pai’s success in the election. Four supporters shared their thoughts during the dinner:
Mr. Wang Dingshi, President of the Flushing-based Infinity Fortune Group, expressed his endorsement of Pai’s candidacy, stating, “Pai is a man of great integrity who has made significant contributions to the community. He has stepped forward to run for office during a time when the economy is facing significant challenges and there are urgent social issues to be addressed. We support him and hope for his success in running for city councilman.”
Bestys, the owner of Bangkok Avenue, remarked, “I support Yu-ching Pai because he will be a voice for us. There are many renters in New York who do not pay their rent. I have a friend whose tenant hasn’t paid rent for 7 or 8 years, causing both the landlord and his wife to suffer from depression. The state of law and order in Flushing is also very poor, with incidents such as “zero dollar shopping” and other random thefts. The government does not address these issues, and it encourages criminals to become more audacious. Some innocent people get injured during robberies, which is very frightening. Drugs, prostitution, and gambling also pose a serious threat to the community. The Chinese community generally regards gambling and drugs as particularly detrimental. Suddenly, there are numerous marijuana stores in Flushing, some of which operate without a license, which is illegal. I hope that Yu-ching Bai’s election will enable him to advocate for us, strengthen law enforcement, and protect law-abiding citizens.”
Tom, a marketing manager at Amrita Insurance, stated, “Yu-ching Pai has put forward many constructive suggestions for the community, which have been well received by local residents. I hope he gets elected.”
Phil Wong, President of the Tong Yuan Association, commented, “I have known him for many years. I supported him two years ago, and I have been supporting him ever since. It is very meaningful for him to run for office and serve the community. I believe his chances of being elected are very high, and I urge all Chinese people to vote for Yu-ching Pai on November 7!”
Finally, Yu-Ching Pai told Vision Times, “I want us to live in a safe environment where we shouldn’t have to worry about becoming the next victim of a crime. I want to bring the community together. I want the voices of all walks of life in Flushing to be heard and addressed.”
Readers may learn more about Yu-ching Pai’s platform at his official website, https://www.paifornyc.com/about.
