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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Thanks so much for listening today. Now we continue our series, 51 council members in 52 weeks, as we're inviting all 51 members of New York City Council on the show, touching every neighborhood of the city in this year when most of Council is new because of term limits, and its majority female for the first time ever, rare in the history of any legislature anywhere to be majority female.

We're going in rough district order. Here on week 32, we arrive in district 32, represented by Republican Councilmember Joann Ariola in the district covering all our parts of Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach and Woodhaven. All listed in alphabetical order there, as the council's bio pages do.

Joann Ariola succeeded Republican council member Eric Ulrich, who was term-limited out and who is now Commissioner of the Department of Buildings for Mayor Eric Adams. Ariola got about two thirds of the vote in her election against progressive Democrat Felicia Singh, who some of you will remember, had attracted a good deal of Democratic support for a council race, including from Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Senator Chuck Schumer. Councilmember Ariola, good to have you. Welcome to WNYC today.

Joann Ariola: It's wonderful to be here. Thank you for the invitation.

Brian Lehrer: Tell us a little bit about yourself first. Where did you grow up and what first got you interested in politics as we ask all the council members?

Joann Ariola: I was born in Ozone Park. I grew up in Howard Beach. I was educated on the Rockaway Peninsula. I worked as a court reporter for the district attorney, then John Santucci. Went on to work as a court reporter in criminal court. From there, I had my two wonderful sons. I have three total, but at that point I had two. Then I went to work in my family's business, they owned a small hotel outside of JFK. By the time my third son came along, our Little League President, [unintelligible 00:02:21] had thrown his hat in the ring and ran against a 32-year incumbent.

They didn't have term limits back then, 32-year incumbent council member named Walter Ward, and his slogan was it's time for change, and he won. It was the first time a Republican had held that seat. I went to work for him, starting as someone who worked part-time, 21 hours a week, and worked my way all the way up to Chief of Staff. From there I went to work with Giuliani, and then for Bloomberg, and then I entered the private sector as Director of Government and Community Outreach for the [unintelligible 00:02:57] Health Network. I've run for assembly, for city council, 2001, this seat, for borough president in 2020, and in 2021, my lucky year, I won the seat.

Brian Lehrer: You're like the dog that finally caught the car. Oh, no, now you're stuck with being in the city council. I'm kidding.

Joann Ariola: Oh, no, no, no. Sticktoitiveness, that's what brings you success.

Brian Lehrer: I don't have to tell you, it's rare enough to be a Republican in New York City, Council is 46 to 5. What makes you a Republican and what do you think makes your district one of the few to vote Republican in repeated city council elections?

Joann Ariola: This district, although predominantly Democrat, is a district of one in two family homeowners. We have co-op owners, we have people who rent, we have small business owners. These are taxpayers. They want safe streets for their cities, they want clean streets for their community. They want educational institutions where their kids can go to school in their own neighborhoods. That was the message. My message was all about public safety, quality of life, and education. That was something that resonated with this district.

This district did not resonate with the far left progressive ideology of my opponent of defund the police, take away the specialized testing for schools or specialized schools, just didn't resonate with the community. I won with quite a large percentage, which included Democrats. The majority of the Democrats were saying to me, "Losing is not an option."

Brian Lehrer: How would you describe the people of your district demographically, and has it changed much or gotten more diverse during your lifetime?

Joann Ariola: It certainly has. The standard is Queens is the most diverse borough. I go further and say that the 32nd Council District is the most diverse district, because you have people from all different religious and ethnic backgrounds. We have rich and vibrant communities. We have mandirs, we have mosques, we have gurdwaras, we have churches, we have synagogues. These are all religious institutions that work together as one. We have communities that are accepting of other communities and their cultural backgrounds. I'm so proud to represent such an inclusive and diverse district.

Brian Lehrer: Are you a pro-Trump Republican? This conversation is mostly about local issues, right? This isn't our city council series, but did you vote for him for president both times or say the election was stolen, or on today's news as in our previous segment, are you accusing the FBI and the court that issued the Mar-a-Lago search warrant of being Banana Republic authoritarians? How Trumpy a Republican are you as a Queens Republican?

Joann Ariola: I consider myself a moderate Queens Republican, and that's why I did garner the support of the Democrats, and I did vote for President Trump. I did support him as President, as I do support the president at any time during my lifetime of voting in this country. I think it's important to support the president no matter who it is. I believe that his policies brought prosperity to our country. I do believe that he was in a position to put our country first and he did that. What's happening now, I will tell you I believe is an overreach of government.

I think that it sets a very bad precedent, because it sets a precedent that current presidents can now have former presidents investigated. It's nothing that I've seen happen in my lifetime and I just don't think it's a good look for America. I think that it's just government overreaching at this point. I don't think that former President Trump should be tried in the court of public opinion. If there is something there, he will go to court and the decision will be made.

Brian Lehrer: One follow-up on that. That's exactly how the process works, isn't it? Before you can conclude that it's an overreach, we would have to wait to find out what was in the search warrant request from the FBI. Chris Wray, the FBI director was appointed by Trump, we would have to wait to see what evidence, if any evidence of any crime they found in the search warrant. At that point, we can say it was an overreach or it was a necessary act of justice in our justice system. Why not wait until that before you conclude one way or another, whether it was an overreach or not?

Joann Ariola: Because all the reports that have come out in the media is that Trump, his organization, and his family have been cooperating. You're right. More will come out. I believe in the justice system.

Brian Lehrer: Do you believe Trump would have or has given over all the classified documents that they're reportedly seeking from him?

Joann Ariola: Listen, I don't think that Hillary gave over all the classified emails that she was asked for. I think that there's always something that a president or presidential candidate has been asked for and they haven't given over. I do believe that it's a lot that's going on here. I want to see what the warrant said. I want to be able to say, yes, this was right, what was done. Until then, you make the valid point. What I'm saying is, we cannot judge him yet in the court of public opinion, because we don't know the answers to all the questions that you just posed.

Brian Lehrer: All right. Back to local issues. I'm asking all the council members, what's the number one reason since you took office that constituents contact your office, actually contact your office and say councilmember Ariola, I need help on something?

Joann Ariola: Top issues are quality of life issues. Loud music, loud motors on cars, there's been dumping in their areas, there's a lot of mentally ill unhoused people on the streets. These are the issues that we deal with on a daily basis, and they are deeply seated in quality of life and public safety.

Brian Lehrer: What would you say are your own local priorities as a member of council? What are you actually introducing bills on or trying to actually get through in terms of legislation or constituent service?

Joann Ariola: I am the chair of fire and emergency management and we've just passed a number of bills and they were signed into law regarding fire safety in buildings. On the Rockaway peninsula, we have large number of cooperatives. I actually live in a co-op myself and these bills had to do with fire safety, which came on the heels of the tragic fire at Twin Parks.

They have to do with making sure that management companies and HPD are providing safety with the fire doors and making sure they latch and making sure that inspections are being done readily. I was shocked to learn that fire inspectors were removed from their job duties during the de Blasio administration to go on COVID detail. Therefore, a lot of buildings had not been inspected, Twin Parks being one of them. We got a slew of legislation for that passed. I always say this to my colleagues. I am in favor, as long as you're not trying to raise taxes or defund the police, we can have a conversation.

Brian Lehrer: My guest is Joann Ariola, council member from District 32 in Queens. I'm going to read the neighborhood list again, all our parts of Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach and Woodhaven. No, I did not memorize those. I was reading them in District 32 as we are in week 32 of our series, 51 council members in 52 weeks as we're inviting all 51 members of New York City Council on the show.

A few more minutes with council member Ariola, one of the 5 Republicans out of the 51 members of city council. If you're in the district, 212-433-WNYC, 433-9692. We may have time for a couple of calls. As a Republican, are there some no votes that as a member of the small minority you're most proud of [inaudible 00:12:20] the majority on?

Joann Ariola: Like I said, I'm most proud of what was accomplished. I'm glad that we were able to restore the budget to the NYPD in this year's budget. I was very proud of that. That was something that my constituents really were counting on me for. I was glad that we were able to restore money to parks, money to the DSNY, all those agencies that had been cut. What I'm also proud of is that I have been entrusted to spend the taxpayers' dollars wisely, and I take that very seriously.

There was recently, after Roe v. Wade was overturned on a federal level, there was a grouping of abortion legislation that came through that would have cost our taxpayers billions of dollars for people to come from other states to our state to receive an abortion, not just that, but for them to get room and board while staying here. Again, if it's going to cost the taxpayer extra dollars, that's just not something I can get behind. We have to take care of our own.

Brian Lehrer: Go ahead.

Joann Ariola: We have to be able to take care of our people. We're having a hard enough time with the taxes that are being collected, taking care of our own people who live here.

Brian Lehrer: I read, and correct me if I'm wrong, that you also voted no on the bill to mandate that city health clinics make abortion pills available to their patients. Did you vote against that?

Joann Ariola: I voted against them to be made available to people from outside the state. Part and parcel was for them to come from outside the state for the abortion pills.

Brian Lehrer: Is this just about saving money and spending only on our own, as you say, or do you support banning abortion in New York?

Joann Ariola: No, banning abortion in New York is a non-starter. That is not happening.

Brian Lehrer: What's your position?

Joann Ariola: I follow the law. The law says that this is a state that you can come and have an abortion in. Okay. I follow the law, but it doesn't mean that we have to pay, taxpayers have to pay for people from other states to come here and have their abortions. That's why I voted no. I'm not going to have the taxpayers from [crosstalk]

Brian Lehrer: It sounds like you would change that law if you could, but you're accepting New York reality.

Joann Ariola: I accept New York reality, but I also believe-- remember, I worked for a healthcare facility, I believe in good healthcare for women and safe healthcare for women, but I just want it to be-- we should worry about taking care of the people in our own state. We don't have the money to be paying extra for people from other states.

Brian Lehrer: I'm going to move on after this one more attempt to follow-up, but when you say good healthcare for women, does that, if you had your way, include abortion services or does it not?

Joann Ariola: I believe that that is up to the person who is-- of course, if it includes abortion services for people who live in New York state and choose to have an abortion, then that is not something that I voted no for. I voted no for people from out of state to come here and have abortions and tax paying New Yorkers to pay for it.

Brian Lehrer: Okay, and also on the budget, do you have a position on the education budget cuts that have been so controversial and are going through the courts now and city council leadership is negotiating with Mayor Adams over whether and how much to restore and they're debating the funding formula. I'm not going to go into all the details again, we've covered it a lot of times for our listeners in the weeds. Do you have a position on that? Were you one of the 40 council members who signed a letter to the mayor asking for restoration of the cuts?

Joann Ariola: I did not sign that letter and the reason I didn't sign the letter is because it was made very clear that when we were doing the budget, that the UFT was on board, the DOE was on board, the education committee was on board, the, what do they call it, BNT the budget negotiating team was on board, the mayor was on board, everybody was on board with this education portion of the budget. In fact, the lobbyists were there from the UFT when the budget was voted on. Then all of a sudden there was this back blow from the DSA portion of the council. Quite honestly, the council-

Brian Lehrer: Democratic socialist

Joann Ariola: -leadership under Adrienne Adams, she is a very fair and just speaker and she revisited it with the mayor. There was additional monies freed up for flexible spending, and the mayor even put out a press release on that. I just don't know what the hubbub was, why there was a lawsuit because all that lawsuit did now was tie up the education dollars. We're going into the school year not knowing what the budget will be.

Brian Lehrer: Are the schools in your district that have declining enrollment, because that was the basis of the budget reduction, not being affected by the smaller budget, as you understand it?

Joann Ariola: We contacted every single principal. Where there was a need, we went in and fought for them. They put in their registration growth paperwork. Some were given loans against what their registration may be. If they meet that registration, that loan does not have to be repaid. There were measures in place. As I said, I don't know what the hubbub was, but we are working with every single principal to make sure that they have every dollar necessary for each child that they have in their classrooms, make sure that they have the supportive learning, especially literacy programs for the kids that are there. Maybe that's why there wasn't such a backlash in my district, because I called them well before they called me.

Brian Lehrer: This is WNYC-FM, HD, and AM New York, WNJT-FM 88.1 Trenton, WNJP 88.5 Sussex, WNJY 89.3 Netcong, and WNJO 90.3 Toms River. We are New York and New Jersey public radio and live streaming @wnyc.org. A few more minutes in our 51 council members in 52 weeks series for today with Republican Councilmember Joann Ariola from district 32 in Southeast Queens and Medi in the district in Ozone Park, you're on WNYC. Hello, Medi?

Medi: Yes. Hi. Good morning.

Joann Ariola: Hi. Good morning to you.

Medi: I want to congratulate you as a Republican being elected in a sea of progressives in and around you. We like the agenda, we like all the things that you talk about. I'm in Ozone Park. I have kids that go to school, went to school and out of school already, and my nieces are going there, nephews are going. We need more libraries in Ozone Park area and parks that we can sit on. The library, the only one that we have, is not nearly enough. I want to hear what is your opinion on this.

Joann Ariola: We can never have enough libraries and parks. In this year's budget, I've allocated millions of dollars towards the restoration of libraries and parks. You're going to see better parks to bring your children to and nieces or nephews and families. You're going to see libraries that are finally getting the facelift that they need so that they can better serve the community. I am always open to more libraries and more parks.

Brain Lehrer: Medi, thank you very much.

Joann Ariola: Thank you.

Brain Lehrer: How's crime in your district recently? Has it seen the spike since 2020 that some other neighborhoods have?

Joann Ariola: It has seen spikes in areas, upticks in car theft or quality of life issues, but most recently we're starting to get gunfire reports validated, where just randomly people are shooting a gun into the air and casings are being found at the border of my district with Speaker Adams and Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers, there have been multiple shootings in precincts that we share. There is an absolute uptick in illegal gun violence.

Brain Lehrer: I'm curious how you think Mayor Adams is doing on crime in your opinion, and also how Queens DA Melinda Katz is doing in your opinion. We all know Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg, takes a lot of heat for being a progressive prosecutor, but Katz ran as a progressive prosecutor too. I'm curious if you, as a Queens Councilmember, think she's doing her job the way you think she should in your borough.

Joann Ariola: I'll speak about the mayor first. I think the mayor's doing the best job he can. He is battling Kathy Hochul on a daily basis to make adjustments to the bail reform laws. When you have 14 to 15-year-olds that are doing-- the gun violence is being perpetrated by 14 to 15-year-olds. There's a real need to reverse the age, to lower the age on someone who can be held accountable for their crime.

I think DA Katz is also bound by those bail reform laws, but she sends out a weekly newsletter and I get it. I will tell you that where she can, she prosecutes. When the judges can, they set bail and then they're incarcerated. Again, they're only doing what they can do within the guidelines of the law that has been set by the state. Kathy Hochul has been immovable when it comes to repealing the bail laws that have really made this uptick in crime happen. They are doing the best with what they have at their disposal.

Brain Lehrer: People say Alvin Bragg is going further than the bail law requires and other state laws require. Your perception is that Melinda Katz as Queens DA is not, if I'm hearing you right.

Joann Ariola: Correct. Alvin Bragg is a completely different-- I have called for his removal. Alvin Bragg, if it were up to him, he wouldn't lock up anyone. That's why we have called on Kathy Hochul to remove Alvin Bragg. She has not done that. It shows perfectly with Jose Alba and that was such a misjustice. I call it the injustice system when you take Jose Alba as a case in point. This is a man who has since gone back to the DR because he's having a very hard time getting over what happened to him here in New York-

Brain Lehrer: In fairness, Alvin Bragg would certainly-

Joann Ariola: -thanks to Alvin Bragg.

Brain Lehrer: -disagree that he's not in favor of locking anybody up, but one more call from the district. Yolanda in Neponsit, you're on WNYC with Councilmember Joann Ariola. Hi, Yolanda.

Yolanda: Good morning. Just a quick question. What is being done regarding the noise pollution and the speeding and patrolling that should be going on Beach Channel Drive? It seems like every day it gets worse and worse with the cars speeding along the Beach Channel Drive and these mufflers or lack of mufflers. What is being done about this? Anything about the speeding and the noise pollution?

Joann Ariola: Hi, Yolanda. Absolutely. That is a focus for me. In fact, Beach Channel Drive is where one of my offices are. I'm at 114-12 Beach Channel Drive. I see it. I've worked with our commanding officer, deputy inspector for [unintelligible 00:25:18] We've actually put together an operation for the speeding vehicles, for the ATVs that have been terrorizing our district, I'm sure you saw them, the dirt bikes that have been coming through our district and making sure that we have enough police on patrol to address that issue. I will say, and I will knock on wood right now, that for the last four Sundays, those conditions have subsided, if not ceased.

Also, there are a lot of speed cameras along Beach Channel Drive, Yolanda, you know that, but what's happening is a lot of the cars that are doing the speeding have the paper plates or plates from another state that are not registered to the car. Again, our mayor has now called an all out war on this type of behavior. You're going to see our police being more empowered, thanks to Mayor Adams, to really address the speeding cars, the loud music, the loud mufflers.

There is legislation, by the way, that was passed against the loud mufflers. We'll be able to make arrests in that area beyond [unintelligible 00:26:37] and also empower the police to do their job so that our quality of life is not disturbed. I'm at the forefront of that, Yolanda, believe me.

Brain Lehrer: If you've gotten the drag racing and those over loud cars to cease the last four Sundays, then the rest of the city should take a lesson from whatever you're doing there in District 32, because we get that same complaint from all over the city. Last thing, as you know, we're inviting every member of council to bring a show and tell item from their district. Something that you think people from everywhere else might not know about but should know about in your district. What have you got from District 32?

Joann Ariola: I sent you, actually, I think it was a picture of my dad and I thought it was something they don't know about me, not just the district. What people don't know about me is that I really got my community service chops from my parents, because they were always very involved in the community and organizations, whether it was where their business was or where they lived. I look up to my dad who has now passed. In fact, he's the only picture on my desk of my family. His pictures are on a credenza, but I look to him for guidance and I always get the message because he taught me to always put the community first and to do what's best for the community. A thing about my district that you might not know or you might know is we have some of the best pizzerias in town. I know my Staten Island colleagues or Brooklyn colleagues might disagree, but--

[laughter]

Brain Lehrer: The pizza. That's incredibly sweet about your dad. We leave it there at the end of week 32 in our series, 51 council members in 52 weeks with the member from District 32, Joann Ariola, thank you so much for coming on with us and all this conversation.

Joann Ariola: Thank you. It was a pleasure.

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