The new head of the City Council’s Republican delegation says he’s committed to leading the fight against Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist agenda and preventing the Big Apple from becoming the Red Apple.
“My goal is to be a voice for Republican, conservative and moderate, middle-of-the road New Yorkers, people who believe in common sense policies, and I think that job has never been . . . more necessary since the election of Mayor Mamdani,” Staten Island Republican David Carr told The Post this week after being elected Council minority leader.
“We are not going to accept policies [like city-run grocery stores] based upon a failed ideological creed, which is socialism. We are committed to doing everything we can to stop that, and we will find allies here in the Council, and beyond, in order to prevent some of these policies from coming into effect.”
Carr, who became the conservative borough’s first openly gay Republican elected official when he joined the Council four years ago, heads a five-person GOP bloc vastly outnumbered by 46 Dems in the Council. Two moderate Democrats, Darlene Mealy of Manhattan and Phil Wong of Queens, often vote in line with the Republicans, forming a seven-member “Common Sense Caucus.”
Carr said he’s hopeful newly elected Council Speaker Julie Menin, a moderate Manhattan Democrat, will give the caucus more of a voice than it’s had in past years.
“I think she’s deeply interested in the quality-of-life issues that we’re all going to raise,” said Carr, 38.
The new minority leader said the delegation’s objectives this session will include pushing legislation aimed at making home ownership more affordable – especially for first-time buyers — and lobbying the state to reform the dysfunctional tax-assessment system that unfairly burdens homeowners in the outer boroughs.
He’s among the growing number of borough pols who support taking a fresh look at Staten Island secession. He supports new legislation by Staten Island Republican Frank Morano that would allow vehicles to turn right after stopping at red lights – like the rest of the state except NYC.
Carr briefly held the title of minority leader last year after ex-Councilman Joe Borelli (R-Staten Island) resigned from the post to accept a job as a lobbyist, but Carr was ousted within weeks after losing a power struggle with Queens Republican Joann Ariola.
Carr was able to reclaim the post after Bronx Republican Kristy Marmorato – an Ariola ally — lost her seat in November, which gave Carr the majority of support from GOP members.
