Roderick Watson

Roderick Watson

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Watson, 45, served on the City Council from 2016 through 2017. He was elected as a Republican, but changed parties to become a Democrat in 2016. He said he did not like the GOP’s positions on race relations.
• Watson is a medical social worker for the New York State Veterans' Home in St. Albans, Queens. He received an undergraduate degree in sociology from Hofstra University and a master's degree in social work from Stony Brook University.

ISSUES:

• Watson wants the city to find other sources of revenue so that the city does not have to rely on local and state aid.
• Watson said he was unhappy with the tax hike approved last year. He said the city should have found temporary union concessions and waited for stimulus money to come before raising taxes.
• Watson wants to bring more transparency to City Hall because information isn't being given to the public in a forthright and timely manner.