New York State Assemblyman John Cheng Invites the Public to Join the Consultation Advisory Group to Build the Future of the Community

On the evening of March 21st, New York State Assemblyman Zheng Yongjia held the first neighborhood meeting at the Ga Yi Elderly Activity Center on 8th Avenue in Brooklyn. The meeting aimed to introduce local residents to the services provided by his office, the work content and process of the advisory team, and discuss how to better serve the community.

Zheng Yongjia stated that the establishment of the advisory team is to make up for the inadequacy of one person handling all community affairs. He said, “I hope to establish some committees to represent my interests in Albany and locally, provide me with advice, help formulate laws, promote policies, or pass bills.”

Furthermore, Zheng Yongjia explained that these committees are composed of community residents who regularly meet to reflect local issues and make recommendations. He hopes that through this approach, various community needs ranging from education, housing issues, elderly resources, health, finance and banking, public safety, youth activities, small businesses, to community economic development can be addressed.

During the meeting, Zheng Yongjia also mentioned that the nature of the advisory team is purely voluntary service and does not involve payment. He emphasized, “It is more like a community committee deeply embedded in the community, with members participating as volunteers to help me better understand community issues.”

Attendees shared some local needs during the meeting. For example, someone mentioned that many students at J.H.S. 259 Middle School want to play table tennis, but the school lacks related facilities; someone suggested organizing competitions for children; and some parents expressed their desire for children to participate more in group activities rather than being engrossed in mobile games all day.

The meeting further discussed the operation of the advisory team. Zheng Yongjia plans to hold meetings every two to three months to collect feedback from members in person or online, and develop specific measures to address issues. Additionally, he encourages residents to participate in community building, whether by suggesting improvements to street infrastructure, organizing community activities like table tennis competitions, or proposing legislation. He hopes to achieve project implementation through collective cooperation.

During the meeting, Zheng Yongjia also reviewed the achievements of his legislative work and adjusted the focus of his work based on community needs. For example, the discussion is currently underway on whether to consolidate the over 600 Fiscal Intermediaries (FIs) of the “Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program” (CDPAP) into a single management entity named Public Partnerships LLC (PPL) to streamline management. He noted that the direction of legislation is closely related to direct community participation, and he hopes to make policies more in line with local needs through the recommendations of the advisory team.

Individuals interested in joining Zheng Yongjia’s Consultation Advisory Committee can visit his office at 6904 Fort Hamilton Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11228 to fill out simple personal information, including address, phone number, and skills expertise.