504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for State Senator Simcha Felder's 2008 response)

Candidate Name: Simcha Felder

Candidate for State Senate District: 21

Campaign Name: SimchaNY

Campaign Address: 1016 41st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219

If you have a campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? One of two offices is

If you are an incumbent, is your district office wheelchair accessible? Yes

Campaign Manager: Y. Phillip Goldfeder

Phone: 718 - 853 - 3303

Fax: 718 - 483 - 8341

Email: ypgoldfeder @ simchafelder.org

Website: SimchaFelder.org

Previous elected offices held: Currently New York City Council Member - 44th District; Chair, Committee on Governmental Operations

Previous appointed offices held: Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Legislative Liaison to the Comptroller of the City of New York; Tax Auditor at the Department of Finance

Key endorsements to date:

Political leaders: Mayor Michael Bloomberg

ACTION SHOWS COMMITMENT!
1. While in public office/prior to this campaign, what have you accomplished in regard to advancing disability rights? This can include work towards accessible housing, transportation, employment, health care, education, and including people with disabilities in the political process?
  
  As Chair of the Governmental Operations Committee and a Member of the Mental Health Committee, I have jointly held multiple oversight hearings of the Board of Elections attempts at interim implementation of accessible voting technologies for voters with disabilities. I am an outspoken critic of BOE's "super poll sites" as an effort to appease courts and I provided a forum for advocates to speak on the record about these problems. Locally, I directly assisted voters to ensure "accessible" poll sites truly accessible for voters. I have been a critic of barriers to Access-a-Ride and helped persons with disabilities maneuver red tape to receive necessary service. I introduced a bill to reduce barriers to disability parking permits for people with disabilities and held an oversight hearing with Council Member Liu and the Transportation Committee. Additionally, I have held events at accessible locations in the district for people to get access to the services of the Department of Motor Vehicles and sign up for reduced-fare Metrocards without having to leave the neighborhood. I joined colleagues in voting in favor of Intros 158, 339, 352, and 354 regarding accessible taxis. Finally, I have fought to provide funding for elevators in public schools and special education programs for low-income families in nonpublic schools, including better access to No Child Left Behind Title 1 funding.
2. Will you commit to only attend and/or sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities including providing written materials in alternate formats, providing assistive listening systems, and sign language interpreters as well as ensuring that locations are physically accessible?
  
  I will do my best. I cannot promise to only attending these events, but will make sure accessibility is a priority.
GENERAL QUESTIONS:
1. What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?
  
  I am very close to my older sister, who is manic depressive, and who I often cared for as a child. Additionally, I live blocks from my very elderly parents, including my father, who suffers from Alzheimer's. In the workplace, I have in the past employed adults with multiple disabilities enrolled in a local day programs.
2. Are you willing to hire and to provide reasonable accommodation (e.g. flex or part time) for staff members with disabilities?
  
  Yes.
3. How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation through the State Legislature? What will be your strategy?
  
  My track record in the Council will show that I am adept at forging broad bases of support for issues important to me and pushing legislation accordingly. It is this ability to work with my colleagues to get things done that I will bring with me to Albany to push legislative initiatives.
CIVIL RIGHTS
1. What will you do at the State level 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?
  
  It is my belief that it is the state's responsibility to enforce the law to the letter and the legislature's responsibility to hold it accountable for doing so. Unfortunately, when Federal Courts undercut the power of a law, it weakens the ability of a legislature to hold the state accountable. To that end, I will be a voice in support of enactment of the 1990 law to the letter in New York State, in spite of Federal Court decisions.
2. How would you change the laws of New York State to protect the rights of its citizens with disabilities?
  
  I have no new proposals for Statewide legislation, but remain receptive of proposals from the community.
MEDICAID

While the State is focused on reducing the costs of Medicaid and other programs, persons with disabilities need to continue to have access to the services and supports they need and choose.
1. Would you oppose proposals which would negatively affect eligibility, benefits, coverage, and/or access to services for Medicaid beneficiaries and eliminate the systemic bias that leads to unwanted placement in nursing homes and other institutions?
  
  Yes.
2. Would you seek to promote comprehensive long term care reform that will not reduce coverage or access to services?
  
  Yes.
3. Would you increase rental/housing subsidies to participants in the new Nursing Facility Transition and Diversion Medicaid waiver program?
  
  Yes.
HEALTH INSURANCE
1. Timothy's Law was designed to end health insurance discrimination by enacting parity in coverage for people with biologically-based psychiatric disabilities. However, returning veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are not covered. Do you favor amending Timothy's Law to provide coverage for PTSD?
  
  Yes, we need to do everything possible to protect our veterans, especially those suffering from PTSD, to ensure that they are able to reintegrate into the workforce.
2. Under Kendra's Law, a state-funded Medicaid grants program was established to provide medications for eligible individuals with psychiatric disabilities upon release or discharge from institutions to 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 coverage gap that blocks access to treatment?
  
  Yes.
3. Would you expand Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program (EPIC) to provide the same level of eligibility and coverage to persons with disabilities under age 65?
  
  Yes.
HOUSING
1. 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. Do you support the creation of a housing trust fund for persons with disabilities?
  
  Yes.
2. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires housing developers to set aside a certain percentage of accessible units for persons with disabilities when federal funds are used for construction. Do you favor incorporating these provisions into State law so that the Dept. of Housing and Community Renewal can be empowered to enforce these provisions?
  
  Generally, I do not support carve-outs, but I do believe that it is appropriate for the government at every level to have certain expectations for how government funding is spent in private developments and that this is an area that deserves strong consideration.
3. Visitability sets guidelines to ensure newly constructed multi-family dwellings have basic accessible/adaptable features to permit people with disabilities can visit, and for residents to "age in place," without having to move out when age and/or disability set in. Do you support incorporating the concept of "visitability" in the New York State Building Code?
  
  No.
4. What is your position on expanding DRIE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) to have the same income eligibility limits as SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption)? Currently SCRIE's income cap is $27,000, while DRIE's is $18,600.
  
  I am in favor.
VOTING ACCESS & HAVA

With the recent decision to acquire voting machines that attempt to meet the accessibility standards of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), many poling places in New York State remain inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Do you favor the elimination of provisions in Section 4-104 (1-a) of the NYS Election Law allowing waiver of polling place accessibility standards?

I do not believe the state should waive accessibility standards. Voters with disabilities should have the same level of access to democracy as all other voters, which means the ability, should they wish, to vote in accessible poll sites on accessible machines.
EDUCATION
1. 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, with the caveat that there may be instances where it would be appropriate for schools within proximity of each other to combine these services.
2. How do you propose dealing with a school district that deny civil rights to disabled students even after the State Division of Civil Rights affirms the student's rights such as to use an assist animal?
  
  The State Division of Civil Rights should have all the tools necessary to enforce its decisions, even if that includes the authority to withhold State funding.
TRANSPORTATION
1. Do you favor an expansion of accessible transportation options for people with disabilities in NYS?
  
  Yes.
2. Will you support Assembly Member Kellner's proposed bill requiring NYC to transition to a 100% accessible taxi fleet?
  
  Yes, provided the transition is on a reasonable timetable.
3. Do you support legislation requiring car services, and all shuttle services to purchase wheelchair accessible vehicles or otherwise ensure that they have the capacity to serve persons with disabilities?
  
  No. I believe it will be much more difficult to enforce and regulate such a provision, as well as an added burden on a fleet that is not allowed to pickup hails. That said, I think the City and TLC could work to provide incentives for car services to do so.

Date: July 29, 2008

Printer-friendly version of this questionnaire
(Link opens in a new browser window)

For other candidates running for State Senator and State Assembly positions, go to the Questionnaires section