Yoni Hikind

Yoni Hikind

Personal

Profession

Social worker

Contact

Personal website

Yoni Hikind was an Our Neighborhood Party candidate for District 44 representative on the New York City Council in New York. He was defeated in the general election on November 7, 2017.

District 44 incumbent David G. Greenfield (D), who was running unopposed in 2017, withdrew from the race after the primary filing deadline. Hikind, who announced his candidacy after Greenfield withdrew and the filing deadline had passed, could not file for the primary election. He created a new political party, Our Neighborhood, under which to run in the November general election.

Biography

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Hikind earned a degree in social work from Yeshiva University. His professional experience includes work as a social worker, as a therapist, and as a legislative aide for New York Assemblyman Peter Abbate (D).

Elections

2017

See also: Mayoral election in New York, New York (2017) and Municipal elections in New York, New York (2017)

New York City held elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, and all 51 seats on the city council in 2017. New Yorkers also voted for offices in their boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

Primary elections were scheduled for September 12, 2017, and the general election was on November 7, 2017. Under New York law, candidates who run unopposed in a primary or general election win the nomination or election automatically, and their names do not appear on the ballot. Kalman Yeger (D) defeated Yoni Hikind (Our Neighborhood) and Harold Tischler (School Choice) in the general election for the District 44 seat on the New York City Council.

New York City Council, District 44 General Election, 2017
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Kalman Yeger	66.86%	11,334
	Our Neighborhood	Yoni Hikind	28.64%	4,854
	School Choice	Harold Tischler	3.95%	670
		Write-in votes	0.55%	93
Total Votes				16,951
Source: New York City Board of Elections, "General Election - November 7, 2017," accessed January 2, 2018

Campaign themes

2017

Hikind's campaign website highlighted the following issues:

“	Constituent Services At the very foundation of everything I will ever do for our community is the continuation of my father’s visible legacy, which a majority of people in our district can attest to. I will receive EVERYONE with abundant patience and an unwavering commitment to putting all available resources to work for YOU. Whether you are dealing with personal housing issues, all types of government benefit programs, or unjustified civil penalties, my primary goal is to serve as a personal conduit between you and that impersonal bureaucracy which can be daunting for individuals. No issue will be too big or too small. Sanitation Penalties It’s a fact: Our community receives a disproportionate number of sanitation violations. For homeowners struggling with mortgage payments, bills, and just making ends meet, a fine of several hundred dollars can be devastating. My goal is to work with the mayor to require that sanitation violations contain photographic proof to back up each claim of a violation. This removes all doubt and is an easy and necessary fix. Requiring photographic proof of a violation is already policy in many cities in the United States. Public Safety School Security - While our neighborhood has thankfully been relatively safe and secure, we’re all sadly aware of what is happening in the world we live in and how tragedy can strike at any moment. While many of our schools now have security guards paid for by the City of New York, schools with less than 300 students are ineligible for this vital benefit. I intend to change that. ALL of our children should be safe at school and security must be provided by the City of New York. Neighborhood Security – Thanks to my father, neighborhood security has vastly increased with the Lieby Kletzky, A"H Security Camera Network. I am committed to updating the cameras with the most sophisticated and updated technology available so that our neighborhoods are even safer. Senior Care The elderly are a vital part of our community and they are also the most vulnerable. Many seniors have difficulty just getting by balancing their various basic necessities and medical care. I am committed to finding every way possible to enhance community programs and senior centers, which are central to elevating the energy and quality of life for our seniors. This is personal for me. I am lucky to have been able to accompany my grandmother, Frieda Hikind, of blessed memory, who was a Holocaust survivor, to such centers and programs where I observed firsthand how they were crucial to keeping her engaged, energized and optimistic. My goal is to show our senior community they are not relics from a time past, but an essential part of our children’s future. Non-Profit Funding Although our representatives have been able to secure funding for our non-profit institutions, we are not getting our fair share. With a rapidly growing community and evolving needs, there are so many volunteer goodwill organizations that are doing life-saving work that the government simply cannot do. Consequently, these grassroots organizations deserve every ounce of support and funding to accomplish their missions. There are many potential sources of funding; it will be my job to navigate the labyrinth of government in order to identify new potential sources. Child Care The lack of free or affordable options for child care and after-school programs burdens thousands of families. This is despite the tens of thousands of free pre-kindergarten and after school slots that the city added for people off all incomes, including the recent rollout of 3-K—free child care for kids up to three years of age. Unfortunately, our community largely skipped these services due to various issues. It's unacceptable that parents should have to pay a large portion of their wages for babysitting and private day care. I will bring together parents, providers and the city, to take a fresh look at how we can provide low-cost, or free, child care and after-school services to all families regardless of income. Special Ed Working together with parents, schools and government officials, we've made great strides towards making it easier for families to secure special education services at schools and centers of their choice. However, we still have work to do to further alleviate the hassles parents of special-needs children face when attempting to get the best services available. My goal is to work with all parties involved so that we can streamline the process so that our children's special needs are being met. Property Tax Assessments Homeowners—especially owners of newer condo units—are often hit with exorbitant tax bills due to an unequal tax assessment system. Families that are living check to check to keep their roofs over their heads often find themselves paying much higher tax rates than wealthy families in other neighborhoods. As councilman, I will assist families in disputing unfair and high assessment rates, and also advocate for fundamentally reforming the tax assessment system so that it is fairly implemented across the board. Affordable Housing The most challenging issue facing our community is affordable housing. Promises have been made by many in the past with little results. It's truly a critical issue, but I don't believe in giving up. The impossible is indeed possible given patience and fortitude. I am determined to see that our community receives its fair share of affordable housing units, and while we may not find a perfect solution, I am committed to finding answers that will work. Traffic Congestion We have a growing and expanding community, resulting in extremely congested streets. That makes coordinating garbage collection with school pickups and drop-offs a continuous challenge. We’ve made a lot of progress in having sanitation do one pickup on Shabbos, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. I am determined to continue pursuing ways for the Department of Sanitation to change the remaining scheduling conflict. In addition to sanitation traffic, I am also committed to finding creative solutions for easing traffic and circulation in our neighborhood, including instituting night-time deliveries to commercial establishments. Combating Racism Whether it's anti-Semitic vandalism, or bigotry-fueled violence, I will push for tougher enforcement and penalties for hate crimes so that we can keep our community safe from evil forces that seek to undermine our quality of life.	”
—Yoni Hikind's campaign website, (2017)

Recent news

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Yoni Hikind - Google News

See also

New York, New York	New York	Municipal government	Other local coverage

External links

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