504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for City Council Nick Simpson's 2009 response)

Candidate Name: Nick Simpson

Council District: 9

Contact Person: Todd Bookman

If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? Yes, our campaign office is wheelchair accessible.

Campaign Address: 166 West 129th Street, New York, NY 10027
Phone: 917-439-2346
Email: nick @ nickforharlem.com
Website: www.nickforharlem.com

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 not previously held public office but I am fully committed to the issues affecting the disabled in New York City. As a chairperson and member of the Manhattan Young Democrats, I have strived to find ways to protect PWDs with respect to affordable housing.
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 will not attend events where concerns are raised and organizers do no make every effort to make the event accessible. However, if I felt that my attendance at an inaccessible event could help spur dialogue on issues regarding disability rights, or if I my attendance could give me greater entry to those in the power to act toward increasing rights for the disabled, I would attend.
General Questions
1. What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?
  
  As an employee at the New York City Housing Authority, I had the pleasure of working with star employees who excelled in their occupations. These co-workers were disabled, yet turned adversity into opportunity and proved to be valuable employees in the department. I am still inspired by their strength and determination.
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 support hiring disabled workers for full-time, part-time and flexible working schedules. I believe proper accommodations are necessary to ensure that disabled employees are able to perform their duties effectively. If elected, my campaign office would be fully accessible for people, both employees and constituents, with disabilities.
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?
  
  As a City Councilmember, I will reach out to the disability community, i.e., community leaders, political organizations, non-profits, the Mayor, City Council, State legislature and other elected and public officials to raise awareness of the legislation in question. Organizing is the key to effective advocacy and I will leverage support from the aforementioned groups to promote the passage of vital legislation in the City Council by consensus building.
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 believe disabled persons who choose to reside in supported apartment/homes and retirement homes should be able to do so and I support the development of these types of dwellings.
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 matching the income eligibility requirements for both DRIE and SCRIE. As Chairman of the Affordable Housing Committee of the Manhattan Young Democrats, I have made rent protections our committee's key priority. As a Councilmember, I will fight to ensure that the income eligibility requirements between DRIE and SCRIE are identical.
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 believe visitability is a vital element that is missing from our building code. All dwellings should be accessible to the disabled regardless of when they were constructed.
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, I will. Mass transit must be available to all New Yorkers.
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 fully support legislation that would require the Taxi and Limousine Commission to overhaul is policies for regulating carbon emissions and ensure that efforts are being made to create an accessible fleet. By assembling a special task force composed of leaders in the environmental and disabled communities, we can create policy that will help the Taxi and Limousine commission impose the much needed regulations that not only preserve the environment but facilitate improved transit options for disabled citizens.
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?
  
  The Access-A-Ride program is a division of New York City Transit and the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which is under the supervision of New York State. As a Councilmember, I would meet with State Assemblyman and State Senators representing constituents in District 9 in an effort to have hearings held by the legislature in response to these complaints. Although AAR is accountable to the state, it serves New York City citizens. By working with the state we can shed light on these problems and remedy them as soon as possible. I will not rest until a hearing is held at the State legislature's offices at 250 Broadway to allow AAR users the opportunity to have their voices heard.
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 will affirm and strengthen civil rights protections for persons with disabilities at every opportunity.
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. Failure to do so is an affront to inclusionary policies and the political process. Measures should be taken so that ALL citizens can participate in Community Board activities.
2. How many people with disabilities have/will you appoint to your local Community Board(s)?
  
  I have not yet been in a position to appoint individuals to local Community Boards. If elected to the City Council, I will nominate individuals based on their merits, skills and experience. I believe that disabled members are instrumental to the diversity of opinion that effective Community Boards need, and as such, encourage applications from disabled members of the community.
3. Will you support the "requirement" and implement, a Disabled Committee on every Community Board?
  
  Yes. I believe this is important and I fully support.
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?

Yes. Councilmembers must use discretionary funds to financially strengthen viable organizations that provide important services and advocate for community interests.
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?
  
  As a Councilmember, I would move to fast track any legislation calling for the repair and/or replacement of pedestrian ramps. A Council hearing would be scheduled with the Department of Public Works or applicable City agency to determine a realistic timetable to ensure that the project is executed safely, cost efficiently and correctly.
2. What steps do you think NYC should take to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible?
  
  Since taxing authority is in the jurisdiction of the State legislature, I would work with the State legislature (State Assembly members and State Senators with constituents in New York City in particular) to create and promote tax incentives for businesses to make their establishments more accessible.
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 ensure that legislation that addresses emergency evacuation procedures for PWDs includes language that takes into account technological advancements in the field. MOPD, Homeland Security, FDNY, NYPD, Department for the Aging and other applicable agencies should have collaborative efforts to assist PWDs in the event of an emergency, i.e., building fire, bomb threats, etc.
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?
  
  First, we must look at the current budget to determine if more funds are needed. I would work with other City Councilmembers to hold the necessary hearing to assess the current state of MOPD. The hearing would be instrumental in assessing the Commissioner's current duties and vision for MOPD. I support legislation that requires MOPD to create and monitor monthly goals and objectives based on 311 complaints from disabled citizens.
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 City Council should conduct periodic hearings with MOPD using the complaints from 311 as a basis for interrogation. This will consistently hold MOPD accountable.

Date: June 4, 2009

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