Norwood News

The Bronx County Green Party, newly established in July 2008, declared its intention to wade into Bronx politics, but is facing an uphill battle.

The party, which has its headquarters in a small Norwood building near Williamsbridge Oval Park, stepped onto the political field last week with a press release blasting proposed MTA fare increases. Party members planned to attend the Bronx public hearing on the fare increases at Lehman College on Feb. 4.

The Bronx Greens point to what they call the “MTA doomsday budget” as symptomatic of a larger problem, which is that many Bronx politicians run for office unopposed. They say the proposed 23 percent MTA fare hike is the fault of sitting politicians who have neglected substantial issues in favor of playing politics over issues like gay marriage (see: Ruben Diaz, Sr.).

“This has got to stop,” said Lukas Herbert, a Green Party official.
The Green Party wants to field candidates in upcoming local elections, Herbert said, but faces a number of challenges. The party lost guaranteed ballot status when it failed to get 50,000 votes in the last gubernatorial election — the required standard for an official party in New York.

Without ballot status, running for office can be difficult, Herbert said. Candidates hoping to run on a Green Party line have to collect a large number of signatures just to get on the ballot.

In addition, the City Council recently extended term limits, which means that in many council districts, potential Green Party candidates looking to run for open seats would now face incumbents.
The party still hopes to recruit candidates for City Council runs in 2009, but the big goal now, said Herbert, is to get enough votes in the 2010 gubernatorial election.