Rafael Salamanca Jr. outlines plan to fix 'mismanaged' Bronx as borough president

Rafael Salamanca Jr. outlines plan to fix 'mismanaged' Bronx as borough president

Noelle Lilley

Jun 4, 2025, 2:15 AM

Updated yesterday

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Rafael Salamanca Jr. has worn many hats in The Bronx, including district manager of Community Board 2 and city councilman for District 17.
Now he's hoping to make his next title Bronx borough president. He says he believes the borough is being mismanaged—and he’s the one who can manage it.
If elected, Salamanca outlined a plan to address safety, housing, clean air infrastructure and green spaces.
“As I'm driving around the borough of the Bronx, I'm realizing that there are parts of the borough of the Bronx that look the same as they were in the 80s and 90s when I was a kid.” the South Bronx native said.
Born to Puerto Rican parents, Salamanca says his dad worked for decades at the Hunts Point docks.
“We need to come up with creative ways as to how do we address the inequalities when it comes to our environment but also sustain these jobs that we have in this community?” he says.
One such creative idea Salamanca has thrown his support behind is connected to the same work his father once did: The Hunts Point Blue Highway.
This is a new plan that aims to use the borough’s waterways instead of highways for some shipments to the busy hub, reducing truck traffic by reportedly 1,000 trucks each month.
The BP hopeful says despite strides in recent years, there are still several issues facing our borough, including illegal dumping, crime and youth violence. Salamanca says that as borough president, he would bring back deputy borough presidents to oversee specific needs like youth development, public safety, parks and more.
“We need someone that's going to help the borough president focus on those issues. And that is how I will manage my administration,” he said. “I will bring a mini City Hall concept to Borough Hall to ensure that we are addressing all issues in the borough of the Bronx.”
Early voting starts is June 14, and primary election day is June 24.