504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for City Council Dodge Landesman's 2009 response)

Candidate Name: Dodge Landesman

Council District: 2

Contact Person: Erich Reimer

If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? We're currently working out of our home, but the apartment itself is wheelchair accessible.

Campaign Address: 4 Lexington Avenue, Apt. 15m, New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-741-3227
Email: Dodgeforcitycouncil09 @ gmail.com
Website: www.Dodgeforcitycouncil.org

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?
  
  Since I'm new to the process, I've only recently made my mark politically, but I've had some experience within the disability field. First off, I have a learning disability myself, and after I left my school, I tutored those same old children from that school.
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)?
  
  Yes.
General Questions
1. What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?
  
  I've volunteered my time by tutoring children with learning disabilities, I babysit an autistic child, and I'm learning disabled myself.
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?
  
  I'd like to promote disabled people within the political community, so I'd consider them for top level jobs, perhaps even chief of staff.
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?
  
  There needs to be an advocate for the disabled, and I would be that advocate. I think I can garner enough media attention due to my age (18) to put awareness on issues focusing on the disabled. With that focus, I'd pressure our fellow lawmakers to pass laws for the disabled. I will also create an advisor specifically for disabled affairs. I will choose someone who's directly from that community and who has a severe disability so I can assure they have the most empathy when dealing with those issues.
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 such development, and I'd increase funding for those homes and housing as well.
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 support such an exemption for both the seniors and the disabled.
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?
  
  I fully support that concept of visitability.
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.?
  
  Yes, and I'd increase funding for more access.
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?
  
  I'd take away funding for such "green" taxis, and move that funding to make them wheelchair accessible. To me, (though it may not be terribly popular) fighting for the disabled is more important than saving our environment. I think that takes precedence.
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?
  
  Yes.
Civil Rights

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

Yes.
Community Board
1. How many people with disabilities have/will you appoint to your local Community Board(s)?
  
  I would focus on at least 4, perhaps even more.
2. Will you support the "requirement" and implement, a Disabled Committee on every Community Board?
  
  Yes.
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 would, and I'd increase them dramatically.
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 would establish a timetable, and fine the mayor for not implementing the these wheelchairs if the timetable is not met.
2. What steps do you think NYC should take to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible?
  
  We should put requirements on these restaurants. Right now there is a mandatory health code that these establishments require. I think there should be a mandatory disabled code as well.
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?
  
  I'd increase the budget within the city council, and take the mayor to task for cutting these services. As a councilperson, I can bring attention to that issue, due to the fact that people will be following me to see if I can prove myself.
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?
  
  I think we should have the most control, and that it's too much under the mayor's and private jurisdiction. More hands should be put into the council so the disabled could truly get what they deserve.

Date: June 5, 2009

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