I don't think not living in the district that you're trying to represent is a technicality. After all, we are talking about LOCAL races- the entire idea behind local gov't is that people living in a neighborhood should represent that neighborhood. Of course, living a block or two outside the district is a special (and a bit of an extreme case), but you have to draw the line somewhere. For example, if I live on the NY side of the border between NY and NJ, does it mean I am entitled to argue that I'm a resident of NJ to claim lower taxes because it's a "technicality?"
In the case of Grace Meng, her father is currently under federal investigation for election fraud. Furthermore, a central criticism is that, it's not that Grace just lives a block or two outside the district, but that the Meng family has only had a residential address in Flushing to exploit the Asian-American population electorally while enjoying the benefits of a swanker Bayside neighborhood. I don't think that's just a technicality... If true, I think it's a pretty big issue actually.
I don't think not living in the district that you're trying to represent is a technicality. After all, we are talking about LOCAL races- the entire idea behind local gov't is that people living in a neighborhood should represent that neighborhood. Of course, living a block or two outside the district is a special (and a bit of an extreme case), but you have to draw the line somewhere. For example, if I live on the NY side of the border between NY and NJ, does it mean I am entitled to argue that I'm a resident of NJ to claim lower taxes because it's a "technicality?"
In the case of Grace Meng, her father is currently under federal investigation for election fraud. Furthermore, a central criticism is that, it's not that Grace just lives a block or two outside the district, but that the Meng family has only had a residential address in Flushing to exploit the Asian-American population electorally while enjoying the benefits of a swanker Bayside neighborhood. I don't think that's just a technicality... If true, I think it's a pretty big issue actually.