He announced on Sunday that if elected to the City Council, he would donate his $112,500 salary to area groups such as senior centers, schools and community facilities “to help alleviate some of the financial burdens of many of our community groups and assist them in keeping their important programs operational.”
But perhaps more importantly in his quest to be elected, Koo has garnered the unlikely support of several area Democratic leaders and organizations. They include Terence Park, a leader in the Korean community and co-founder of the Democratic Organization of Flushing; Pauline Chu, a former school board president and a state Democratic Committee member; and Ethel Chen, president of the Flushing Asian Democratic Association. Chen’s son, James Woo, was beaten by Chou in the Democratic primary.
Former Democratic candidate, Isaac Sasson, who also lost to Chou in the primary, has endorsed Koo.
The owner of Starside Pharmacy, Koo was born in Taiwan and has used the American dream as a theme of his campaigns. He came to the United States in 1971 and held low-paying jobs to put himself through pharmacy school, then moved to New York from New Mexico in 1981. He worked at New York Hospital Queens and bought his first store in 1991.
Today, Koo is a member of Community Board 7, chairman of the Flushing Chinese Business Association and active with the Flushing Business Improvement District.
Chou, 46, runs her own tutoring academy and founded and is president of the Chinese American Parent-Student Council of New York City, a group with 600 members. She has been endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers and area Democratic leaders including Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-Queens, Nassau).
With five Democratic candidates competing in the September primary, Chou was the surprise victor, taking 24 percent of the vote. She raised $320,000, while Koo is not far behind with $313,860.
Despite far fewer endorsements than Koo, Chou believes she is the stronger candidate in a predominantly Democratic district. She worked for two years as a special assistant to Councilman David Weprin (D-Hollis) and that experience, she says, gives her a boost.
Chou has described her opponent as a friend with whom she has some philosophical differences. “The voters have to make a decision on who can best serve the community,” she said.
The Democrat was born in Taiwan and moved to Queens 23 years ago. She earned her master’s degree at St. John’s University and taught at Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates and Queensborough Community College in Bayside.
A former resident of Bayside, she served on the District 26 school board and later on the Community Education Council. She and her husband moved to Flushing last year.
The Democratic officials supporting Koo call Chou untested and inexperienced, while they say Koo has shown leadership abilities in many areas.
Other Democrats, like Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Little Neck), call Chou smart and personable and someone who works tirelessly for the community.
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