New congressional district in Inwood

After learning that his Inwood community will no longer be in the 4th Congressional District and have Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola) as its representative, Inwood Republican Club Leader Frank Mistero said although he can work with anyone, he would like Inwood to be represented by Nassau County congressional leaders.

The March 19 decision to adopt a new map was done by a three-judge federal court panel after lawmakers failed to draft a redistricting plan that reflected the 2010 census results.

Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans), who represents the 6th congressional district that includes Far Rockaway, Jamaica, and the southeastern majority of Queens, has spent the last 13 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and will now represent Inwood in the new Fifth Congressional District as well.

According to Mistero, Meeks will now represent 90 percent of Inwood. “The issue I see is how you support two Republican candidates in this area,” he said. “It’s not an easy task. It doesn’t make my job easier but I will do what I have to do and would rather be included in Nassau County.”

Meeks said he is going to work hard with the residents of Inwood to handle any issues, including immigration. “It doesn’t matter where you are, we need to make sure federal institutions are working for folks,” he said. “I look forward to working with Nassau County elected officials and doing what I have to do be of help and I’m very anxious to get it done.”

Despite Meeks’ anticipation to go out and serve the residents of Inwood, some longtime Inwood residents think the community will be split between Long Island and Queens as a result of the change.

Pete Sobol, an Inwood resident, said his only concern is dividing the community he’s lived in for 25 years. “I’m not happy when Inwood is broken up into different pieces,” he said. “It’s a small town and we should be together not broken up.”

When asked his response to resident concern of Inwood being split and no longer apart of Nassau County, Meeks said he is here to represent people. “The people of Nassau County know they’ll have a champion in me and an advocate on their behalf,” he said. “I will be visible in their communities and I look forward to sitting down with people in the community and going to represent them based upon what their needs are. They will be a central part of what kind of services we render to people and a central part in the reform process.”