Candidate Name: James Vacca

Council District: 13

Contact Person: Jeff Lynch

If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? No office.

Campaign Address: P.O. Box 562, Bronx, NY 10461
Phone: 917-226-2254
Email: jeff.lynch13 @ gmail.com

Endorsements: Bronx Democratic Party, Stonewall Democrats, most major elected officials in the Bronx, and most major unions in the city

1. 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 consider myself a strong supporter of rights for people with disabilities. I have sponsored new vans for several senior centers in my district, enabling the centers to transport seniors with disabilities to and from home and thereby combating the isolation that sometimes afflicts disabled seniors. I have worked closely with United Cerebral Palsy of New York City's "Access to Home" program to outfit several local homes with ramps and mechanical lifts to accommodate residents living with disabilities. I have also forged a deep partnership with Lighthouse International, which advocates for the visually impaired. Together we have sponsored several events in my district to promote the Medicare Low-Vision Demonstration Project and educate local seniors on how to help prevent vision loss.

       

   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 believe strongly that all events open to the public should be accessible to everyone. While my responsibilities as a Councilman sometimes require me to attend events regardless of where they are held, I will make a point to stress the importance of accessibility to all event organizers. I can also commit that any council events I sponsor will be accessible.

       

2. General Questions

    

   1. What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?

       

      My greatest motivation for helping people with disabilities comes from my father, who was blind for the last 35 years of his life. Until his death in 2007, I spoke to or visited my dad every single day. I know firsthand the challenges faced by people with disabilities, whether with everyday tasks around the house or going out to the supermarket to shop, something my dad and I did every Sunday. My father lived a full and happy life despite his disability, but I know he needed extra help sometimes and it's my commitment to help all people with disabilities live and enjoy life to their greatest potential.

       

   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 pride myself on having a diverse and compassionate staff and have always been willing to hire people with disabilities. I have also always been willing to accommodate staff members with special needs, whether related to a disability or otherwise. When I became District Manager of Bronx Community Board 10 in 1980, I inherited an office located at the top of a steep flight of stairs with no handicapped access. As soon as resources became available, I moved the Board to a storefront fully accessible to all local residents - and all potential staff members.

       

   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 have always worked with the disabled community within my district on local issues, and listened to their input on citywide issues. Over my 30 year career in public service, I have often worked with local disabled activists such as Lewis Goldstein, John Rose, Anna Cappell, and Paulette Collins who have been vocal about major issues facing the disabled community. I will also look to the leadership of the 504 Democratic Club when working on important legislation at the City Council.

       

3. 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 have long been supportive of well-managed, properly sited supported homes for people with mental and physical disabilities in my district, including two group homes for mentally disabled adults on City Island that have been lauded by local residents. The only time I have challenged such developments is when the sponsoring organization has a poor track record or when I have felt a given community being asked to house such a development is already overwhelmed by supportive housing facilities.

       

   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 agree to support this change.

       

   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?

       

      While I do not have enough information on the concept of "visitability" to give a definitive answer, I have supported the concept of having some basic accessible features in new residential construction. I would be willing to review further information on this concept and work with the disabled community on this issue.

       

4. 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.?

       

       

      I have found that one of the greatest challenges facing people with disabilities in New York City is transportation, and I support sustained investment in transit projects that increase accessibility. I lobbied during the latest MTA fare hike debate for keeping Access-A-Ride affordable, and I think we were largely successful on that front. Unfortunately much of the city's mass transit infrastructure was constructed at a time when disability rights were far less recognized, so we are playing catch-up. I would gladly support the expansion of wheelchair accessible transportation in NYC.

       

   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 would be willing to consider proposals by the disabled community that would bring on more wheelchair accessible taxis, but would need to further review these proposals.

       

   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?

       

      I worked with many disabled consumers who have had difficulties with AAR, and often intervened myself with AAR to resolve their problems. Regrettably, we all know the poor quality of AAR and I am open to proposals that would improve transportation options for AAR users. The "smart card" proposal that is mentioned above appears to have merit, and I would strongly consider this after further research.

       

5. Civil Rights

    

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

    

   Yes. I have a deep belief in full civil rights for people with disabilities and I pledge to use my position in city government to help protect those rights.

    

6. 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?

       

      Over the past few years, I have worked with my local community board to address the concerns of a disabled board member, so I know the struggles that civic-minded people living with disabilities have in participating in Community Board meetings. I believe community boards should provide reasonable accommodations for any disabled members or attendees.

       

   2. How many people with disabilities have/will you appoint to your local Community Board(s)?

       

      As a Community Board District Manager for 26 years, I served with and supported numerous members with disabilities, including one wheelchair bound member and another with advanced hearing loss. Naturally these members performed with great skill and commitment, and while I have not had an opportunity to appoint any disabled individuals to a local Community Board during my tenure in the Council, I would never hesitate to do so.

       

   3. Will you support the "requirement" and implement, a Disabled Committee on every Community Board?

       

      While I wholeheartedly support the role of Community Boards in aiding and advocating for people with disabilities, I believe Community Board members should decide for themselves how to organize their committees, based on the needs of their service areas.

       

7. 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 worked with many groups within my district, a number of which service people with disabilities. I would not hesitate to continue to do such.

    

8. 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?

       

      For years, as a District Manager and Council Member, I have routinely submitted repair requests for pedestrian ramps to the NYC DOT. While it is difficult to identify every pedestrian ramp that needs repair, my office has always responded promptly to any constituent request to replace or repair ramps.

       

   2. What steps do you think NYC should take to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible?

       

      I would be willing to work with the disabled community to develop proposals that accomplish such a goal.

       

   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?

       

      I would again look to the disabled advocate community for leadership on this issue, and consider any proposals seriously.

       

9. 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 would be open to proposals from the disabled community on how to further coordinate agency action with MOPD.

       

   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 believe that the Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services committee can play an active role in the oversight of city proposals that affect the disabled community. The committee should hold hearings on all the important issues, including the issues above, and work with the administration to improve services where it sees deficiencies.

       

Date: July 12, 2009