Lower Manhattan is not just a place where employees work and tourists visit.  We need a problem solver in the City Council who understands that we live in New York’s fastest growing residential area.

We need more schools, better parks, less traffic, safer neighborhoods, affordable housing and more social services.  Our district is incredibly diverse, and we need a representative who will listen to all of our neighbors and work for real solutions.

Thank you for taking the time to visit this page and
thank you for considering my candidacy!

• The New York Times:   “This vibrant area from the Lower East Side to Wall Street and TriBeCa deserves a vibrant councilmember. Newcomer Jin “P.J.” Kim is a South Korean immigrant with degrees from Princeton and Harvard Business School. He has worked in business and more recently used his skills to manage and coordinate antipoverty programs.”
• The Daily News: “An activist who has run nonprofit groups, he directed the nation’s largest free tax preparation campaign, gaining 43,000 low-income New Yorkers more than $80 million in refunds. He’s the choice over incumbent Alan Gerson.”
• The New York Press:  ”…we feel it is time for a new era in Downtown politics… he has broad knowledge of the issues facing many of the residents and brings a professional and disciplined approach to fixing these problems… Many of the historic rifts between ethnic and economic factions stand a chance to be reconciled with Kim… We wholeheartedly endorse PJ Kim.”
• Rocky Chin, civil rights attorney and 2001 candidate for City Council District:  ”Jin “PJ” Kim stands out as the candidate who has the most promise in bringing a fresh approach and effective leadership to our district…  Jin “PJ” Kim has provided thoughtful, intelligent responses and presented a progressive vision for making Lower Manhattan a more livable residential community.  He has avoided pandering to different audiences or launching personal attacks…”
• Citizens Union, the gold-standard group for good government and accountability: “Citizens Union prefers Jin “PJ” Kim because of his energy, fresh ideas, knowledge of the evolving needs of the district and his broad base of support.”
• DC 37, New York’s largest public employee’s union with 125,000 members and 50,000 retirees: “The DC 37 Executive Board endorsed this list of very qualified candidates because of their proven record in support of the issues important to the men and women we represent who work so hard to serve New York…”
• Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, a key citywide progressive LGBT organization.
• Streetsblog New York City, a news source and community for people working to improve conditions for cyclists, pedestrians and transit riders: “…the person who is likely to represent you from January 1, 2010 through the end of 2017 will be selected tomorrow by just a few thousand Democratic primary voters. Why not be one of them?… PJ Kim seems young and smart enough that he would pay attention to the thousands of livable streets activists who live in his district. It’s time for a change in District 1.“

We’re very excited that the New York Times has endorsed my candidacy:

This vibrant area from the Lower East Side to Wall Street and TriBeCa deserves a vibrant councilmember. Newcomer Jin “P.J.” Kim is a South Korean immigrant with degrees from Princeton and Harvard Business School. He has worked in business and more recently used his skills to manage and coordinate antipoverty programs. Other candidates include the incumbent Alan Gerson, an honorable public servant who has moved too uncertainly on vital issues; Margaret Chin, a community activist; and Pete Gleason, an anticrime candidate with few other credentials. We endorse Mr. Kim.

September 13, 2009

Dear Neighbor,

Of the 4 challengers to Councilman Alan Gerson on September 15th,  Jin “PJ” Kim stands out as the candidate who has the most promise in bringing a fresh approach and effective leadership to our district.

At each of the candidate forums, Jin “PJ” Kim has provided thoughtful, intelligent responses and presented a progressive vision for making Lower Manhattan a more livable residential community.  He has avoided pandering to different audiences or launching personal attacks. His campaign obtained more signatures on its petitions than any other challenger and he has garnered the endorsement of The New York Times, the NY Press, DC 37 - the City’s largest public employee union, Citizens Union – the City’s premier good government reform organization, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club - a citywide progressive LGBT organization, and Eddie Chiu - a major Chinatown community leader.

Last year, I worked hard to elect Dan Squadon to the NYS Senate (District 25).  He defeated an incumbent who had been in the Senate for 30 years.  Dan Squadron is now making waves and drawing positive notices in Albany.  I mention Dan’s election, because I was disappointed that Margaret – who is making her 4^th run for the council – supported a do-nothing and mediocre incumbent, and not Squadron.  So for all her claims to be a candidate for change, her practice just last year was to be a candidate who supported the status quo.

Alan and the other 3 candidates challenging him – Chin, Gleason & Gregory – don’t offer voters a choice for real change. They are all decent individuals, but District 1 deserves more.  I applaud Jin “PJ” Kim for his success in winning his influential endorsements but more importantly, his commitment to fight for all the neighborhoods of the district – from Chinatown to TriBeCa, the Lower East Side to Battery Park City, and Greenwich Village to Greenwich Street South.

I encourage my friends and neighbors to vote for him on Tuesday, 9/15.

Rocky Chin

Gouverneur Gardens / Mitchell Lama Co-op resident

Civil Rights Attorney

2001 Candidate for City Council District 1