Candidate Name: Rodrick F. Daley

Council District: 45

Contact Person: Loraine Nelson

If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? The front entrance is wheelchair accessible but the main entrance which is located to the side is not yet wheelchair accessible.

Campaign Address: 1845 Schenectady Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11234
Phone: 718-791-3950
Fax: 718-951-0185
Email: Concernedruddie @ yahoo.com
Website: www.Rdaley.com

Endorsements: Rick Miranda, President of The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; The Reform Party & Bishop Herbert Scott, Pastor of Liberty Hall Cathedral of Praise

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?

       

      As a NYC teacher, I have worked hard to ensure that students with Disability receive the necessary services they require. On the local level, I have done work to make the community meetings accessible to disabled individuals including community board meetings. I have worked with disabled groups on housing, transportation including Access-A-Ride.

       

   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 think that each event has to vary in decision making. All constituents are not disabled. However, public events should be made available to everyone in the public who might have that issue being discussed.

       

2. General Questions

    

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

       

      I have worked in Special Education as a teacher. In addition, I am the Chapter Chair in my school. It is my obligation to ensure that ADA is protected. I have also worked directly with organizations that have students with disabilities including Albertha Johnson and Huntington's disease.

       

   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?

       

      Should I be elected the next City Councilmember for the 45th District, I would take into consideration, the qualifications and the individual's disability when recruiting staff to make an accurate decision. Some considerations include the person's ability to answer the phone and their work ethics. Disabilities come in all shapes and sizes. I believe in fair treatment. Thus, rest assured that all employees will be interviewed for the positions available.

       

   3. How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation through the City Council?

       

      First and foremost, I would liaise with the people who are experiencing the problem. I would work closely with individuals and organization, such as My Time Inc, Huntington Disease Advocacy Group, Senior Centers and hospitals to ensure that all the laws passed truly represents the need of the disabled.

       

   4. What will be your strategy?

       

      I strongly believe that collaboration and partnerships are always the best way to get things done. I will support laws which grant rights to the vulnerable. However, I would be only one member of City Council; therefore, I will work efficaciously with my cohorts to get things done. I currently do this with Coalition for Educational Justice to get legislation and well needed funding on education.

       

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 worked diligently in the past to make sure that this happens including pushing seminars on autistic children. It is important that everyone has access to qualified housing. We have to pass legislation and lobby landlords to incorporate adequate housing for disabled citizens and veterans. Incidentally, this group has now become one of our largest growing members of the homeless population.

       

   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 am a firm believer that we have to work to protect the vulnerable. We have to make sure that housing, education and medical rights are protected. We have to make provisions in the law that would allow for disabled New Yorkers to have housing and not have to worry about getting evicted or put out. I have seen this happen too many times. There is not enough protection under the law. The only way to move towards remedying the situation is to create more laws as is the job of City Council.

       

   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 strongly support incorporating the concept of visitability in the building code; reason being that this is a concept of ensuring that all New Yorkers have a positive quality of life. Access is what I am after for everyone.

       

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.?

       

       

      Absolutely, this should include more subway stations where they have an external Subway outlet. We must also have designated busses to address the need of our mobile disabled.

       

   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?

       

      We have to ensure that everyone has access to mobility. We cannot continue to be prejudice against individuals; hence we have to do what we can to create laws. As a Councilmember, I would ensure that more disabled taxis or on the streets. Not only that but increase fines on cabs and the likes that refuse to pick up a fare because that person is disabled.

       

   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?

       

      I believe that AAR is a necessary way of transportation; henceforth we have to govern the use of their service much better. A Smart Card is important also because it gives the disabled an additional mode of transportation. Therefore I would definitely support the smart card system; nevertheless, I would not get rid of the AAR being that many riders feel safer with them.

       

5. Civil Rights

    

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

    

   Being that I am a union man, I believe it would be my duty to change the civil rights of everyone whether or not they are disabled. We must protect and prevent. We should also make certain that disabled individuals rights are honored. Again we have to look at surveys to address the most needed areas of our inhabitants.

    

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?

       

      I believe that all public meetings should be accessible to everyone to whom it relates, which includes language, wheelchair, interpreters etc. We have to protect everyone.

       

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

       

      Once again, I would look thoroughly at the applications to make a reasonably decision. Rest assured that I would have to look at the overall needs. I do know that special consideration must be given to different individuals who need to have their voices heard.

       

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

       

      I would support this requirement once it has been clearly defined what the Disabled Committee's mission and goal is about. It is clear to me that the disabled have been neglected regularly and they must be properly represented. A specific committee to answer disabled questions, or would the committee designate someone to bring information about community events to the board. We would have to clearly define it. Representation is paramount.

       

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?

    

   It is important to have community involvement and community buy-in. I have made a pledge as part of my platform to work with organizations in our community to support the needs of the community. I will in no way support any program that does not address the needs of the vulnerable including the disabled, children and seniors.

    

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?

       

      This is something that is common with the city; that is unfunded mandates. It would be one of the first things in office that I would do to make everyone feel safe here in the New York City area.

       

   2. What would you establish as a timetable?

       

      Within the first 100 days of office, I would put into legislation, laws that would move us to fair and equitable treatment for everyone. I believe that it is important to follow through and protect our disabled citizens and inhabitants.

       

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

       

      Passing laws alone will not do. I believe that working together within our community to give incentive, contracts, etc. will encourage local business owners to change their thinking on disabled accessibility to their establishments. It does not hurt to have heavy fines for those who do not comply. Again, we need community buy-in. This is why my platform on building partnership and collaboration is ideal. It builds a sense of ownership and unity. My Quaker education has taught me this importance..

       

   4. 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?

       

      One of the more effective ways is to have a safe box to or symbol in the house to denote that a PWD is in the building. Secondly, all public building should have a disabled exit that is use primarily for those in need. Thirdly, PWDs should have the same priority as children and seniors in emergency situations. This MUST BE in writing and strictly reinforced.

       

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?

       

      My first conversation would have to be with the MOPD to identify areas of need. With this list in hand, I would have to ensure that there has to be a fight at City Hall. This fight would ensure that adequate services are given to the disabled individuals in the city. We cannot continue to have unfunded mandates.

       

   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 Mayor's office should have some level of oversight over its Commissioners. However, the City Council should regulate what they can and cannot do. Often times the system of checks and balances don't exist and the government does not do an adequate job. It is imperative that the city council have some grit in terms of protecting the people who it has designed to protect. As a Democrat we should do just that protect the rights of the people.

       

Date: June 5, 2009