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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline February 05, 2021 | The Indian Eye 31

moral responsibility to serve motivated me to run, says district 23 city

council candidate harpreet singh toor

Our Bureau need somebody who has the ex- nity response has been very pos-

New York perience and also who has [got- itive and the community offered
ten] things done with the elected more than what he expected for
olitical activist Harpreet officials previously.” fundraising. He said: “In Asia,
Singh Toor who has been While campaigning, Toor got there’s a saying — either you suc-
Pserving Queens residents a chance to talk with constitu- ceed collectively or you fail indi-
for the past 30 years wishes to ents about issues within the dis- vidually. And I intend to succeed
bring his influence to the local trict. He cited the Covid-19 pan- collectively.”
government as he recently an- demic as the most pressing issue. In 2010, Toor ran for City
nounced his run for City Council “Right now, [the] pandemic is the Council after the death of former
in District 23. Toor has been serv- topmost issue. But not only the Councilman Thomas White Jr
ing Queens residents for the past pandemic, the distribution of the prompted a special election. He
30 years by supporting the Sikh to run. Toor said: “For us, be- vaccine is the biggest issue be- wasn’t elected to the position.
community through fighting ing Sikh and performing public cause the guidelines are not that The nine other candidates in
for the rights to wear religious service actually is the moral re- clear. Sometimes it’s rare but the race are Steven Behar, Seth
garb in the workplace, a street sponsibility.” He explained that it is happening … that they did Breland, Christopher Padil-
co-naming, and more. Toor is the duty to serve the community not have enough people to get la-Fuentes, Sanjeev Jindal, Jaslin
one among the 10 individuals without expecting anything in re- the vaccine. That shows the lack Kaur, Linda Lee, Debra Mar-
in the race to replace current turn is in their DNA. of understanding [and] manage- kell, Mandeep Sahi, and Koshy
Councilman Barry Grodenchik Toor also told QNS that while ment,” said Toor. Thomas. The District 23 seat
who is set to leave office by the considering the pandemic situ- He highlighted other district includes the neighborhoods of
end of 2021. ation, he feels there is a lack of issues are the aftermath of clos- Bayside Hills, Bellerose, Doug-
While speaking to QNS, Toor leadership within the City Coun- ing restaurants, small businesses, laston, Floral Park, Fresh Mead-
stated that public service is an cil and that the City Council is and health facilities due to the ows, Glen Oaks, Hollis, Hollis
important tenet in Sikhism and actually the first line between pandemic and managing student Hills, Holliswood, Little Neck,
further added that his commit- the government and the constit- and teacher safety within schools. New Hyde Park, Oakland Gar-
ment to service motivated him uents. He said: “Overall, they Toor told QNS that the commu- dens, and Queens Village.

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