Frustration with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is boiling over in her home district, as residents in Queens and the Bronx express growing resentment over what they see as her self-centered, high-profile political style that leaves local concerns neglected.
Constituents told the New York Post they’re fed up with what they describe as lackluster service from her district offices, which receive $1.9 million in taxpayer funding. One office is open only on a single weekday, while the other is closed on Fridays. Phones frequently go unanswered, and residents are often told to make appointments just to discuss their issues.
Ocasio-Cortez’s town halls, once held monthly, have become rare. When they do happen, locals say it’s nearly impossible to ask a question, and at times she doesn’t even attend in person, opting instead to call in, leaving many constituents feeling ignored and disrespected,
“This woman has done nothing for the community she was once again elected to serve. Now she can’t be a Congresswoman because she’s too busy?” Lauro Vazquez of Woodside, Queens, told the outlet.
Vazquez noted a common sentiment shared throughout AOC’s bi-borough district, that the everyday concerns of constituents, such as jobs, public safety, and traffic, are treated as secondary by a representative more focused on her national profile.
That perception became reality last week at a town hall in Jackson Heights, where Ocasio-Cortez gave a packed auditorium less than an hour of attention before abruptly exiting to a waiting SUV. During the event, she only took six questions, The Post reported.