Constituents in Queens and the Bronx have expressed their frustration with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, feeling sidelined in favor of her broader, national ambitions.
Her district offices, costing $1.9 million to operate, are not particularly accessible—one is open only on weekdays, while the other closes on Fridays. Ocasio-Cortez’s City Hall events used to be monthly, but now they’re infrequent, leaving little room for public questions. Sometimes she calls constituents or meets in person, but that doesn’t seem to happen often.
Lauro Vazquez from Woodside summed up the sentiment: many believe she has neglected local concerns, favoring national issues instead. Public safety, employment, and traffic are pressing matters they feel have been overlooked.
At a town hall in Jackson Heights last week, where nearly 450 people gathered, Ocasio-Cortez spent only an hour before hastily exiting in a waiting SUV after answering just six questions. The event had been postponed due to her illness after a national tour with Bernie Sanders.
Vazquez noted the canceled events and quipped about Ocasio-Cortez being too busy with high-profile engagements to focus on community needs. Ramses Frias, a Republican City Council candidate, criticized her as an “absent landlord” disconnected from the realities of her constituents.
Critics from areas like Astoria and Jackson Heights emphasize that she is failing to address local issues. Her lack of action on an $8 billion casino proposal near Citifield has also drawn ire.
During the Jackson Heights town hall, Ocasio-Cortez could only shrug off concerns about the casino. She implied it wasn’t within her jurisdiction, which some locals found dismissive.
She did, however, gain media attention for her work at a Houston food bank during a crisis a couple of years ago, but her critics argue that was more of a PR move than evidence of ongoing commitment to her district’s needs.
Local voices, including those of volunteers, echoed a desire for Ocasio-Cortez to be more hands-on. Many are concerned about issues like health care and affordable housing, which they feel should take precedence over a casino project that some deem unnecessary.
One retired nurse questioned Ocasio-Cortez’s priorities, suggesting that her focus on high-profile issues detracts from addressing the everyday concerns of her constituents.
Interestingly, Ocasio-Cortez’s offices have limited hours; one in Astoria is only open on Thursdays, leading to difficulties for constituents seeking assistance. A Spanish-speaking resident, for instance, had to wait outside one office until lunchtime just to ask for help.
Despite her spending over $100,000 on campaign travel in the past year, many constituents feel her focus has shifted too far from local engagement. With looming questions about her potential presidential aspirations, local residents are left wondering about her commitment to the Bronx and Queens.
Polls show she still garners popularity in her district, but voices like that of Councillor Robert Holden argue that she is virtually invisible to those she represents. He lamented that she seems more devoted to turning the nation into something akin to a failed model rather than addressing the needs of her diverse community.
