NEW YORK, New York — A lifelong New Yorker and proud Bay Ridge resident, George Sarantopoulos is stepping into the political limelight with decades of business experience and community involvement under his belt. Running for New York City Council in Brooklyn’s 47th District, Sarantopoulos hopes to represent a diverse area that includes Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Coney Island, and Sea Gate.
Encapsulating over 30 years of experience as a small business owner and entrepreneur, Sarantopoulos says his decision to run was shaped by both his professional background and personal journey. “I’m not running because I need a job. I’m running because I want to give back to the community,” he told Vision Times in an exclusive interview.
“About two and a half years ago, I was diagnosed with [in] between stage three and stage four cancer… it had spread all over my body,” said Sarantopoulos. After months of chemotherapy and hormone therapy, Sarantopoulos’s cancer went into remission. “Last year, my MRI came up completely clean. That’s amazing. And I want to be honest, I prayed a lot and I got lucky. So I wanted to give back to the community. You don’t get a second chance at life if you don’t give something back,” he said.
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A narrow but hard-fought primary win
Sarantopoulos’s campaign gained momentum after a razor-thin victory in the Republican primary for District 47, defeating Richie Barsamian, former chair of the Kings County Republican Party, by just 16 votes. The New York City Board of Elections (BOE) certified the results after a recount and investigation into alleged voter fraud.
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“This certification confirms what we’ve said from the beginning. When every legitimate vote is counted, we win,” Sarantopoulos said following the BOE decision. He also thanked election workers and attorneys “who sprang into action to protect voters, even those no longer with us,” and the BOE commissioners “who voted to refer this matter to the Brooklyn District Attorney.”
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The recount also revealed multiple irregularities, including absentee ballots cast for deceased voters and ballots that could not be attributed to specific individuals. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has since been asked to investigate.
Sarantopoulos will now face Democratic nominee Kayla Santosuosso, chief counsel to outgoing Councilmember Justin Brannan, who is term-limited. The district encompasses parts of southern Brooklyn that have become increasingly competitive in recent years.
Bolstering public safety
Sarantopoulos says one of the top concerns he hears from voters is public safety, an issue he believes the current City Council has failed to adequately address. “People don’t feel safe, right? Whether it’s the e-bikes and scooters that are out of control on sidewalks, whether they’re worried that somebody’s going to hit them over the head and rob them… people don’t feel safe and perception is reality,” said Sarantopoulos.
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To restore order and protect families, Sarantopoulos has laid out a comprehensive public safety plan that includes designating schools, parks, shopping areas, and subways as “Zero-Tolerance Safety Zones.” These areas would have increased patrols, better lighting, expanded surveillance, and stricter penalties for offenses like shoplifting.
He also calls for deploying NYPD officers and trained social workers to remove violent offenders and the severely mentally ill from transit hubs, enforcing fare payments, and cracking down on harassment, assault, and hate crimes, especially those targeting women, seniors, and vulnerable commuters.
In addition, Sarantopoulos supports launching Neighborhood Patrol and Community Watch programs, working with civic groups and retired officers to strengthen local trust “without added taxpayer cost.” His plan also includes a crime task force to target auto break-ins, catalytic converter theft, and organized package theft rings.
He also pledges to protect pedestrians and improve traffic safety by upgrading crosswalks and enforcing traffic laws while opposing Congestion Pricing, which he calls “a tax on working New Yorkers.”
Easing the burden on small businesses
Drawing from decades as an entrepreneur, Sarantopoulos says New York’s regulatory climate has become hostile to small businesses. “Our city is not friendly to small business owners,” he said, adding, “If you start a business in December, you don’t make a dollar but you’re still going to get hit by the city with a $300 tax… even if you don’t make [any money] you still have to pay $300 out of your own pocket.”
He advocates for cutting unnecessary fees, reducing fines, and streamlining permits. To help entrepreneurs adapt, he proposes free educational programs for small business owners on topics such as bookkeeping and digital tools. “I would like to do classes for small business owners for free… and have them become better business owners with the skills they need for the 21st century,” said Sarantopoulos.
Sarantopoulos also supports a business succession program that would allow employees to purchase family-owned businesses at risk of closure through city-backed loans. This way, long-standing establishments can not just stay alive in their communities, but have a real chance to thrive.
Education and the future of New York’s youth
Education is another major pillar of Sarantopoulos’s campaign. A vocal advocate for merit-based learning, he has been endorsed by Place NYC and Asian Wave Alliance, both of which support expanding access to gifted programs. “We need to protect the specialized high schools and we need to expand the gifted and talented programs,” said Sarantopoulos, adding, “We need to not water them down… I would love to see a specialized high school in southern Brooklyn aimed at computer programming or the jobs of the future.”
His education plan calls for the “STEM in Brooklyn” initiative by encouraging public school academies focused on tech, coding, and high-paying STEM careers. He also supports “Workforce Training Partnerships” with unions and local businesses to create apprenticeships in skilled trades such as carpentry and electrical work.
In addition, Sarantopoulos proposes a “NYC Private and Religious School Tax Credit” to ease financial burdens on parents, while promising better support for special education to ensure timely IEP screenings “without bureaucratic delay.” His platform also calls for audits of $37,000-per-student spending to ensure funds are “actually reaching classrooms” and not lining the pockets of corporate interests.
Accountability, infrastructure, and economic renewal
Sarantopoulos has been an outspoken critic of congestion pricing, calling it another way the city “taxes its way out of problems.” He noted, “They said it’s going to go to the MTA, but there’s no accountability where the money’s going… The subway is not getting better. Every time it rains, it’s overwhelmed with water.”
He argues that fixing the city’s infrastructure must go hand-in-hand with reducing red tape and restoring fiscal discipline. His campaign pledges to cut regulations and promote innovation, streamline licenses and inspections, and support emerging industries like crypto and AI. Sarantopoulos also vows to keep taxes low by opposing new tax hikes and supporting tax relief for families and small businesses.
His economic plan includes prioritizing city contracts for Brooklyn-based businesses, promoting fair competition, and offering loan guarantees, tax breaks, and protections for freelancers and startups. “If we want people to build their futures here, the city has to stop punishing the very people who keep it running,” said Sarantopoulos.
A message to the community
Sarantopoulos says his diverse family and lifelong Brooklyn roots give him a broad understanding of the city’s challenges. “I understand your community very well, because I’ve been married to a Chinese woman for 16 years… I was also a communications director for Assemblyman Lester Chang for about six months.”
He lives in Bay Ridge with his wife, their daughter, and their French bulldog, Zeus — and says his campaign, “George for Change NYC,” is about restoring pride, safety, and opportunity to the neighborhoods that built him up.
“I didn’t run because I needed a job. I ran because I felt that we can do better,” vouched Sarantopoulos.
New York’s City Council elections are slated for Nov. 4, 2025. Early voting begins Oct. 25 – Nov. 2. For more information on Sarantopoulos’ campaign, including how to donate and attend upcoming events, please visit his official website here.
Reporting by Ryan Wu.
