Upper East Side Councilmember Candidate Profile: Alina Bonsell ...

Alina Bonsell -- 'The Bombshell' Shaking Up NYC Politics --Is On ...

Meet the City Council Candidates for Manhattan's District 5

Alina Bonsell is from Ukraine. She has a bachelor's degree in business from Hofstra University. She lives in Yorkville.

NYC Council's Firewall Starts in District 5--with a Bombshell Named ...

Alina is a healthcare and pharmaceuticals professional. She worked at Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, and Novartis for over 15 years. She also founded a startup and invested in real estate projects.

Alina Bonsell - Ballotpedia

Alina's campaign for New York City Council Member, District 5 is her first time running for public office.

Opposes a "drastic increase" in minimum wage, saying it would hurt small businesses by forcing closures and layoffs.

Supports passing a Small Business Protection Bill to shield neighborhood shops from "unfair pressures" and support local commerce.

Supports passing a Small Business Protection Bill to shield neighborhood shops from "unfair pressures."

Supports offering strategic tax breaks to landlords for fair small business lease terms.

Supports reintroducing the Small Business Job Survival Act to ensure small business owners have a fair chance at lease renewal.

Supports tax cuts or abatements to help repopulate empty storefronts and protect small business owners and renters.

Supports tax cuts to help repopulate empty storefronts and protect small business owners and renters.

Opposes city-run supermarkets, saying they would "destroy private grocers and provide no benefit."

- Opposes a "drastic increase" in minimum wage, saying it would hurt small businesses by forcing closures and layoffs.
- Supports passing a Small Business Protection Bill to shield neighborhood shops from "unfair pressures."
- Supports offering strategic tax breaks to landlords for fair small business lease terms.
- Supports reintroducing the Small Business Job Survival Act to ensure small business owners have a fair chance at lease renewal.
- Supports tax cuts to help repopulate empty storefronts and protect small business owners and renters.
- Opposes city-run supermarkets, saying they would "destroy private grocers and provide no benefit."

Economy

As of August 5, 2025, Alina Bonsell’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Services

Supports reforming short-term rental laws to allow rentals in buildings where the board approves it.

Plans to rezone and convert unused spaces into affordable housing using "smart grants."

- Supports reforming short-term rental laws to allow rentals in buildings where the board approves it.
- Plans to rezone and convert unused spaces into affordable housing using "smart grants."

Housing & Urban Development

Supports legalizing pepper spray for self-defense.

Supports long-term care solutions for the severely mentally ill homeless population, saying it would "lower crime, increase safety and reduce the burden on our police."

Wants to hire more New York Police Department (NYPD) officers to patrol the streets and subways during the evening hours.

- Supports legalizing pepper spray for self-defense.
- Supports long-term care solutions for the severely mentally ill homeless population, saying it would "lower crime, increase safety and reduce the burden on our police."
- Wants to hire more New York Police Department (NYPD) officers to patrol the streets and subways during the evening hours.

Public Safety

Supports prioritizing boarding for Roosevelt Island residents and installing a public staircase or elevator on the 59th Street Bridge.

- Supports prioritizing boarding for Roosevelt Island residents and installing a public staircase or elevator on the 59th Street Bridge.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Supports expanding funding for animal shelters and preventing euthanasia of animals.

Believes in preserving clean air, water, wildlife, and green spaces while balancing sustainability with economic growth.

- Supports expanding funding for animal shelters and preventing euthanasia of animals.
- Believes in preserving clean air, water, wildlife, and green spaces while balancing sustainability with economic growth.

Energy & the Environment

Supports partnering with New York State to reopen and modernize psychiatric care facilities.

- Supports partnering with New York State to reopen and modernize psychiatric care facilities.

Healthcare

Supports expanding access to tutoring, leadership programs, and cultural enrichment.

Supports building new schools to create smaller class sizes.

Supports expanding access to charter schools and raising the enrollment caps for charter schools.

- Supports expanding access to tutoring, leadership programs, and cultural enrichment.
- Supports building new schools to create smaller class sizes.
- Supports expanding access to charter schools and raising the enrollment caps for charter schools.

Education

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Alina Bonsell

Supports providing targeted tax abatements and incentives to landlords to encourage affordable and fair lease terms.

- Believes in preserving clean air, water, wildlife, and green spaces while balancing sustainability with economic growth.

Alina Bonsell is from Yorkville. She has a bachelor's degree in business from an unspecified university. She is a mother of two.

Alina is a healthcare and pharmaceuticals professional. She worked at Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, and Novartis for over 15 years. She also founded a startup and invested in small real estate projects.

Alina's campaign for New York City Council Member, District 5 is her first entry into politics. 

Buket Urgen

Julie is originally from New York City. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and her law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. She lives in Yorkville with her husband and children.

Julie previously worked as an adjunct professor at Columbia University, a regulatory attorney at Wiley, Rein & Fielding, and a senior regulatory counsel at Colgate-Palmolive. She also founded the nonprofit Wall Street Rising.

Julie Menin currently serves as the council member for New York City Council District 5. She was first elected in 2021 and is serving her first term. 

As a city council member, passed legislation creating a one-stop shop for small businesses to navigate city agencies.

Supports increasing funding for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), especially smaller BIDs in underserved communities.

Passed legislation to expand the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program by facilitating more private-sector partnerships and securing employment opportunities within many city agencies.

- As a city council member, passed legislation creating a one-stop shop for small businesses to navigate city agencies.
- Supports increasing funding for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), especially smaller BIDs in underserved communities.
- Passed legislation to expand the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program by facilitating more private-sector partnerships and securing employment opportunities within many city agencies.

Supports expanding and enhancing green spaces in District 5 by funding park upgrades, streamlining community garden creation, and advocating for universal free swim lessons for children.

Advocates for the containerization of waste, the expansion of composting, and high rates of litter basket service for our District.

- Supports expanding and enhancing green spaces in District 5 by funding park upgrades, streamlining community garden creation, and advocating for universal free swim lessons for children.
- Advocates for the containerization of waste, the expansion of composting, and high rates of litter basket service for our District.

Supports building more supportive housing to assist vulnerable populations.

- Supports building more supportive housing to assist vulnerable populations.

Supports funding new NYPD security cameras on the East Side.

Plans to host town halls with state and local law enforcement to address the rise in antisemitism and other hate crimes.

Introduced legislation to create a pilot program for security cameras and plexiglass for small businesses in high-theft areas.

- Supports funding new NYPD security cameras on the East Side.
- Plans to host town halls with state and local law enforcement to address the rise in antisemitism and other hate crimes.
- Introduced legislation to create a pilot program for security cameras and plexiglass for small businesses in high-theft areas.

Supports increasing fines for idling trucks.

Supports funding transportation safety upgrades along the M79 SBS Crosstown bus lane.

Advocates for the installation of more bus shelters.

Advocates for increased enforcement and regulation of e-bikes.

Advocates for a more robust crosstown bike lane network.

- Supports increasing fines for idling trucks.
- Supports funding transportation safety upgrades along the M79 SBS Crosstown bus lane.
- Advocates for the installation of more bus shelters.
- Advocates for increased enforcement and regulation of e-bikes.
- Advocates for a more robust crosstown bike lane network.

As of August 5, 2025, Julie Menin’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As a city council member, sponsored the Healthcare Accountability Act to reduce and increase transparency for hospital prices.

Passed legislation mandating the Department of Health provide reproductive health services.

- As a city council member, sponsored the Healthcare Accountability Act to reduce and increase transparency for hospital prices.
- Passed legislation mandating the Department of Health provide reproductive health services.

Founded NYC Kids Rise, a program that establishes a college savings account for every public school student in New York City.

- Founded NYC Kids Rise, a program that establishes a college savings account for every public school student in New York City.

Julie Menin

- City Council Members work together to enact local laws, approve the city budget, and oversee land use and zoning regulations. ​
- Council Members oversee city agencies, ensuring they effectively serve the public and address community needs. ​

Passes laws and regulations for your city