504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for State Senator Martin Connor's response)

Candidate Name: Martin Connor

Campaign Manager: Marty Algaze

Phone: 917-526-3195

Campaign Name: The Connors Committee

Campaign Address: 161 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201

Contact Person: Marty Algaze

Email: MartyAlgaze@aol.com

State Senate District: 25

Please describe any experience with disability you have had in your life or career.

My older brother (now deceased) was disabled. I grew up with him and developed a real appreciation for issues surrounding persons with disabilities.
Is your campaign headquarters accessible to persons with disabilities? If you are an incumbent, is your district office accessible to persons with disabilities? If you are in private practice, is your office accessible to persons with disabilities? If not, what have you done to ensure access?

Yes. Yes. Yes.
How will you incorporate people with disabilities into your campaign?

I will happily have such people as workers in my virtually all-volunteer campaign. I will also campaign with anyone who wants to hit the streets with me.
Are you willing to hire and use flex-time and job-sharing if necessary?

Yes. I have in the past.
Seventy (70%) percent of people with disabilities of working age are unemployed at any given time, no matter how well or poorly the economy is doing. How will you use your office to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities?

I will publicize opportunities to the community and use my good office to assist anyone in finding employment.
What will you do to reverse the negative impact of recent decisions in Federal Courts which are undercutting the powers of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities in New York State? How would you change the laws of New York State to protect the rights of its citizens with disabilities?

I believe we need state laws that carefully track ADA and constitutionally avoid federal preemption concerns.
Currently, over 130,000 people reside in nursing homes and other care facilities in New York State. In 1999, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) found in L.C. v Olmstead that individuals with disabilities have a right to live in the most integrated setting. What will you do to encourage Olmstead implementation in New York?

I will advocate for funding in the Budget for implementation and insist that new legislation afford the widest possible opportunities for integrated living.
We are in the midst of a housing crisis. Accessible, affordable housing is in short supply. People with disabilities are being priced out of the market. What would you do to develop a housing policy that would lead to the development and maintenance of accessible, affordable and integrated housing stock?

As part of my overall push for new programs to create affordable housing, I will be sure to insist on accessible and integrated housing for people with disabilities.
Timothy's Law was designed to end health insurance discrimination by enacting parity in coverage for people with biologically-based psychiatric disabilities. To address cost concerns raised by small businesses, the agreement directs the state Superintendent of Insurance to develop a methodology that would hold businesses with 50 or fewer employees harmless from any increase in insurance premiums that result from this measure. It also requires the state Insurance Department and the Office of Mental Health to conduct a two year study to determine the effectiveness and impact of mental health parity legislation in New York and other states. What would you do to help small business?

Small businesses should be provided with tax credits to offset costs due to mandated health insurance cost.
Under Kendra's Law, a state-funded Medicaid grants program has been established to provide medications for eligible individuals with a psychiatric disability upon release or discharge from institutions. This will help eliminate some of the problems associated with the Medicaid coverage gap. Do you support Medicaid Presumptive Eligibility legislation which would eliminate the standard 45 days without coverage, and thus without access to treatment?

Yes, I have supported this in the past and will continue to do so.
By passing the Help America Vote Act of 2002 the U.S. Congress has tried to ensure that people with disabilities will, by 2006, be able to cast an independent, private ballot for the first time. What will you do to ensure successful implementation HAVA?

This year's stopgap measures cannot be repeated. We must have fully integrated and accessible polling sites and technology.
Disabled children in grades K-12 are entitled to receive a "free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment," but there have been major problems. Most often, schools are not physically accessible and not accommodating their students' needs. What do you propose to correct this problem?

First, insist on compliance with the law. Secondly, work to insure that the new construction we have authorized be carried out to assure accessibility and sufficient capacity.
Despite Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with disabilities face problems when pursuing higher education. These statutes do not specify how students should request accommodations or assistance in asserting their rights under the law. Will you support a fully funded office of disability services on each SUNY and CUNY campus to assist students with disabilities in securing accommodations?

YES.
What is your position on expanding DRIE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) to be the same as SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) to low-income, eligible persons with disabilities under the age of 62 on the same basis and income level (currently the SCRIE's income cap is $25,000, while DRIE's is $17,000)?

I fully support this.
Do you support the extension of Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) to low-income persons with disabilities regardless of age? What would you do to ensure this?

Yes - publicize and fight for this the same as we did to get expanded EPIC.
What would you do to expand accessible transportation options for people with disabilities in NYS?

Increase funding for various options as I have done in the past.

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