MIDDLE VILLAGE, New York — As the race for New York City’s Council District 30 heats up, Paul Pogozelski is emerging as a formidable candidate. As a community leader with a track record of rolling up his sleeves and getting things done, Pogozelski is focusing his campaign on restoring parks, supporting small businesses, and championing safety and education in the district.
With the primary election slated for June 24, Pogozelski sat down with Vision Times in an exclusive interview to discuss what sets his campaign apart — and how he hopes to be an advocate for all residents of Middle Village.
From small business to community advocate
Pogozelski brings a wealth of experience to his campaign, having spent over two decades running a trucking and logistics business before transitioning to civic leadership.
Reflecting on his decision to move into public service, he said, “After COVID, I decided to shift gears a little bit. I was either going to get back immersed into trucking or sell my business and spend more time with the family. So that’s basically what we did in 2022.” This decision then allowed him to invest more deeply in the Middle Village community, where he’s lived since 2017.
One of Pogozelski’s most notable contributions is his work in revitalizing Juniper Valley Park’s roller hockey rink. The facility — once plagued by vandalism, crime, and neglect — was transformed into a hub for families and young athletes under his leadership. “The roller hockey league was really the inspiration for all this,” he said. “It built a beautiful community of about 120 families from Ridgewood, Maspeth, Glendale, and Middle Village.”
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In addition to the rolley hockey league, Pogozelski revitalized the Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association — a civic organization established in 1933. Under his leadership, the association regained its 501(c)(4) status and expanded its membership to include younger families. “It’s about bringing new energy into the neighborhood,” he said.
But Pogozelski’s efforts extended beyond sports. He collaborated with local politicians like congresswoman Grace Meng to organize neighborhood cleanups and secure funding for park improvements. His stewardship philosophy is clear: “If you have more people involved, you’ll see an uptick in benefits for every little community around the neighborhood.”
Prioritizing safety and education
At the core, Pogozelski is committed to improving educational opportunities for all children in his district. As a father of three, he understands the challenges families face when it comes to accessing high-quality education.
During the pandemic, he and his wife took on homeschooling to address gaps in their children’s education caused by remote learning. “The systems were better years ago when it was bottom-up. Everything in this country was better when it was bottom-up instead of top-down,” he said, while emphasizing the need for vocational training and extracurricular programs like music and art to inspire students and build inroads in other creative areas.
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He hopes to champion specialized high schools and gifted-and-talented programs, which are particularly valued by the district’s growing Asian-American community. “If they’re willing to work the hardest and they’re getting the best grades, they should be getting the best opportunities,” he said, adding that “everyone should be striving” to achieve a stronger family unit.
Pogozelski has also highlighted the importance of addressing the long-term impacts of remote learning. “A lot of students were falling below reading level and math level because of the pandemic,” said Pogozelski, adding, “At the end of the day, we have an obligation to the children and to the community [in raising] proper and intelligent people who want to do better.”
A catalyst for community change
Pogozelski’s campaign places a strong emphasis on enhancing the safety and cleanliness of public spaces. He highlights Juniper Valley Park as an example of what’s possible with active community involvement. “Juniper Park was voted one of the best parks in all of New York City last year. It’s because of the amount of stewards and volunteers that take care of it,” he noted.
While improvements have been made in strides, Pogozelski also acknowledges the many challenges faced by other parks in the district, such as vandalism and underfunding — and aims to replicate Juniper’s success across other neighborhoods in Queens.
Recognizing the skyrocketing cost of living in the district, Pogozelski is also addressing the need for affordable housing and support for businesses to continue thriving. He is keen on finding solutions that balance quality of life with accessibility to bolster small business owners. “We need real affordable housing, but also quality affordable housing,” he emphasized.
For small businesses, Pogozelski proposes working with landlords to reduce vacancy rates and create mixed-use properties with lower tax rates. “It’s better to have businesses operating. If you have people patronizing these businesses, then you have less crime as well,” he said, adding, “ trying to get funding for cheaper rent means you’d have less vacancies.”
Grassroots campaigning at the core
As the Asian population in District 30 grows, Pogozelski is committed to fostering inclusivity and collaboration among all residents. He highlighted the importance of learning from the Asian community’s values, particularly their strong family ties and work ethic. “Taking care of your elders and the strength of the family in the Asian community is one of the best things that we should champion more than anything else,” he said.
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Pogozelski’s approach to leadership centers on viewing our differences as strengths rather than weaknesses, “respecting our elders,” and listening to each other. He believes in empowering the community to take ownership of local issues — from parks to education — and in working closely with all residents to implement meaningful change. “I grew up with a best friend from Taiwan, and I remember his family arguing about who is going to take care of grandma and grandpa,” he said, “And that’s something that we’ve lost.”
With the primary election on the horizon, Pogozelski remains focused on earning the trust and support of his constituents. “I’m not looking for anyone’s endorsement except for the voters,” he stated. “I’m doing this because I care about the community.”
New York City’s Primary Election will take place on June 24, 2025. For more information on Pogozelski’s campaign, please visit his official website here.
With reporting by Ryan Wu.
