504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for City Council Annabel Palma's 2009 response)

Candidate Name: Annabel Palma

Council District: 18

Contact Person: Meghan Lynch

If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? There is no campaign office

Campaign Address: Parkchester Station, P.O. Box 537, Bronx, NY 10462
Phone: 347-386-0958
Email: TeamPalma @ me.com

Endorsements: 1199, 32BJ, Stonewall Democrats, Local 1500, DC37, Working Families Party, Bronx County

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?
  
  I have always been a strong advocate and supporter for those with both mental and physical disabilities. Every person deserves the appropriate care, education and accommodation to live a happy, healthy and full life.
  
  Below is a list of legislation that I have either sponsored or supported while at the City Council:
  - Int 0685-2008 - Human Rights Law (protected class; affirmatively further fair housing) A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the City of New York, in relation to the human rights law.
  - Int 0670-2007 - Equal Employment Practices Commission. A Local Law to amend the NYC charter, in relation to the Equal Employment Practices Commission.
  - Int 0627-2007 - Duty of an owner to refrain from harassment of tenants and remedies for the breach of such duty. A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to the duty of an owner to refrain from harassment of tenants and remedies for the breach of such duty. (Became a Law)
  - Int 0554-2007 - School bus safety. A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to school bus safety.
  - Int 0444-2006 - Increasing the maximum qualifying income for the Disabled Homeowner's Exemption. A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing the maximum qualifying income for the Disabled Homeowner s Exemption. (Became a law, went thru her Committee
  - Int 0403-2006 - Requiring gasoline retail outlets to post signs informing disabled drivers of their rights pursuant to the ADA. A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring gasoline retail outlets to post signs informing disabled drivers of their rights pursuant to the ADA.
  - Int 0378-2006 - Increasing the accessibility of taxicabs for people with disabilities. A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to increasing the accessibility of taxicabs for people with disabilities.
2. Will you commit to only attend / sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities (PWDs 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 fully support accommodation for those with disabilities and promise to provide the above mentioned accommodations to the best of my and my staff's ability.
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 a dedicated caretaker and advocate for my cousin, who is mentally challenged. Additionally, I started my career in a Nursing Home caring for the disabled, which installed a strong sense of the challenges facing that, and other, disabled populations.
2. What type of jobs would you be willing to hire and to provide reasonable accommodation (e.g. flex or part time) for staff members with disabilities?
  
  All jobs.
3. How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation through the City Council? What will be your strategy?
  
  I am always open to hearing how I can support the disability community, particularly with legislation. I am happy to have my staff explore an issue of concern or interest to see if there is a way we can introduce, change or fix a law. If an advocate or advocacy group has an idea for legislation, it would be my honor to introduce that to the council and move it forward. I am also happy advocate on behalf of the disability community to other elected officials in the State Senate and Assembly.
Housing
1. What is your position on the development of supported apartments/homes and retirement homes for the persons with mental and/or physical disabilities in your district?
  
  I support these and similar projects fully with proper planning, development plans and community outreach.
2. What is your position on making DRIE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) and SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) programs income eligibility comparable? (At present a individual senior or household income eligibility is $28,000. While the income for a younger disabled individual is capped at $19,284 and $27,780 for a household?)
  
  I would support any changes to SCRIE and DRIE that would benefits those with disabilities; particularly considering the downturn in the economy, I understand the importance of protecting our more vulnerable populations and protecting those programs that benefit them - including raising the income eligibility thresholds to better reflect the high cost of living in NYC.
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 Building Code?
  
  Absolutely.
Transportation
1. Will you support an expansion of affordable wheelchair accessible transportation in NYC, including taxis, livery service, express buses, and shuttles, more accessible subway stations, etc.?
  
  Absolutely.
2. Efforts to secure a 100% accessible fleet of medallion taxis have been hampered by opposition from Mayor Bloomberg and the taxi industry. The current emphasis is on creating a 100% "green" fleet. What would you do to assure that taxis and community car service vehicles are both "green" and universally designed for wheelchair access?
  
  There is no reason that the taxi fleet cannot be both 100% accessible and 100% "green"... and that should be the goal.
3. Access-A-Ride (AAR) users experience unnecessarily long trips, causing workers to be late for work, have their pay docked and possibly losing their jobs. AAR leaves consumers stranded, lies that a vehicle is coming and penalized riders as a "no-show" when the vehicle never arrived. Riders who complain report they are subject to retaliation. What would you do to improve the quality of AAR? Would you support the issuance of a "smart card" so that Access-A-Ride users can use accessible cabs/livery service at a reduced cost and receive better service? Would you support the issuance of a "smart card" so that Access-A-Ride users can use accessible cabs/livery service at a reduced cost and receive better service?
  
  The IBO has a great report on the issue of including cabs/livery service as part of Access-A-Ride - I fully support this and would hope New York soon joins Chicago, Miami and other cities that do this. It would be a great benefit to all involved.
Civil Rights

Do you pledge to use your office to affirm or strengthen, rather than weaken, civil rights protections for persons with disabilities?

Absolutely.
Community Board
1. Do you support requiring all Community Board meeting and function be accessible, including requiring sign language interpreters and large print format material?
  
  Yes.
2. How many people with disabilities have/will you appoint to your local Community Board(s)?
  
  I have actively lobbied the Borough President's Office and the Community Board members for disabled members to be appointed to Community Board 9.
3. Will you support the "requirement" and implement, a Disabled Committee on every Community Board?
  
  Yes. This perspective must be considered.
Discretionary Funds

Will you use your discretionary funds to support organizations serving people with disabilities or service organizations seeking to make their programs accessible to people with disabilities?

I have and will continue to do so.
Accessibility
1. Under Mayor Bloomberg, the City settled with the United Spinal Association and agreed to install pedestrian ramps, on all corners which presently don't have one. However, no provision was made to repair and/or replace existing ones which are unsafe. How would you ensure that pedestrian ramps are provided or repaired? What would you establish as a timetable?
  
  I thought that is what the SCOUT program was for! Yes. This is long over due and should be a priority for both the Mayor and DOT.
2. What steps do you think NYC should take to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible?
  
  I would suggest an emphasis on the increase in business / opportunity to improve their business.
3. How would you ensure that emergency evacuation for PWDs provisions are put in place to improve survival rates of PWDs in the event of fire, attack, blackout, or other emergency situation?
  
  This should become a priority and responsibility of OEM.
Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD)
1. Mayor Bloomberg elevated the Director of the (MOPD) to a Commissioner without any increase in budget or responsibilities. How would you ensure that city departments/agencies coordinate through MOPD?
  
  The MOPD should be asked to weigh in as often as possible to decisions made by other agencies to make sure the most responsible decision is being made.
2. How do you believe the City Council should enforce and do oversight regarding the work of the office and be certain of the implementation and its efforts?
  
  The MOPD should be given status similar to the Comptroller's Office and the IBO - (virtually) free of politics and a commitment to allowing the MOPD to advise and do its job without pressure from the Council or the Mayor.

Date: June 4, 2009

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

For other candidates running for City Council positions, go to the Questionnaires section