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 served from 1998-2000 as Chairperson of the Assembly Taskforce on People with Disabilities, during that tenure and since I have authored and advocated for laws to serve all New Yorkers equally. From passing a law to ensure college students with disabilities have access to electronic versions of textbooks to creating special protections for service dogs involved in vehicular accidents, I have sought to improve the laws of New York State to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities. Most recently after a decade of fighting, the New York State Legislature passed a compromise of my legislation to expand the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) program to people with disabilities.
 

What oversight have you performed regarding implementation of programs/legislation you have passed (in first term or in previous offices)?

During my tenure as Chair of the Taskforce on People with Disabilities I issued reports detailing non-compliance with the ADA and assisted in bringing many city offices into ADA compliance via my report "Access Denied." Since passage of my legislation to mandate publishers allow access to electronic versions of textbooks for college students with disabilities, I have worked to ensure implementation and tracked the manner in which schools are complying with the law.
 

What implementation/ strategy do you have for your future programs and legislation to help constituents with disabilities?

I will continue to build on my initiatives as Chair of the Taskforce on People with Disabilities. As Borough President, I will issue investigative reports aimed at exposing injustices to the disabled community. By raising public awareness, I believe we can encourage building developers and owners to comply with existing regulations. I will also appoint a liaison to the community who will keep the Borough President’s office directly in touch with challenges, and the technology evolving to help us meet them.
 

Will you commit to only attend or sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities? NOTE: This includes: providing written materials in alternate formats for people with low vision; providing assistive listening systems for people who are hard-of-hearing; sign language interpreters for people who are deaf; as well as ensuring that locations are accessible (including bathroom facilities) to people who use mobility aids, like wheelchairs and walkers.

I will commit to sponsor only such events, but in the interest of disseminating information, and raising public awareness, I will attend other events.
 

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What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities?

1. ...in your personal life?

   I have hired a staff member with a learning disorder – and I count as friends many people from disabled community.
    
   

2. ...in the workplace?

   In my time as an Assemblymember, I have met thousands of people across New York State who have disabilities. I have even had the opportunity to work with many people with disabilities in my office.
    
   

What special accommodations do you believe/think are needed in the workplace?

All locations should be accessible, including bathroom facilities within the building. This includes ramps and elevators when necessary. Alternative telephone systems should be available for the hard of hearing, and well as alternative written materials for the visually impaired.
 

How do you propose to implement your active involvement and/or availability to the disability community?

I will meet regularly with disabled community organizations, and make myself available to the community at all times. I want my office to be a haven for the disabled community, both to address the issues not being sufficiently handled by the legislative government, and to craft innovative solutions to Manhattan’s problems.

I will use the powers of advocacy of this job to hold press conferences, public forums and hearings to educate the public about the distinct issues facing the disabled community. I will hold roundtable discussions for small businesses that will include information on how to ensure that every business can meet the needs of the disabled community.
 

1. Will there be a specific person in your office responsible to this community?

   Yes. I will appoint a community liaison whose chief responsibility will be addressing the issues of the disabled community in Manhattan.
    
   

2. Will have regular office agenda items and meetings on disabled community issues?

   Yes. As I have in the Assembly, I will keep these issues at the top of my agenda.
    
   

Do you/or will you, have an active Disability Advisory Committee? Explain its duties, responsibilities and powers.

Yes. I will have a Disability Advisory Committee within the Borough President’s Office, which will work to identify the issues affecting Manhattan’s disabled communities and proactively craft innovative solutions. I will consult with this committee on new land use and development proposals to ensure that the needs of the disabled community are addressed by new construction.
 

How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation through the City Council? What is your strategy during your first term?

I will make the passage of this important legislation a priority in my office. As Borough President, I will introduce legislation in the City Council, and then work with my colleagues there to see it passed. I will hold regular meetings to foster a dialogue between Councilmembers and the disabled community to ensure that vital laws are passed.
 

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What is your position on the development of supported apartments/homes and retirement homes for the mentally disabled in your borough? Please also explain same for physically disabled. What strategies will you utilize?

I absolutely support this kind of development. As Borough President, I can use my role in the land use review process to negotiate Community Benefits Agreements. In exchange for certain amenities, which can include housing units specifically designed for the physically and mentally disabled, I can leverage community support and other incentives.
 

What is your position on extending the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) to low-income, eligible persons with disabilities under the age of 62 on the same basis and income level (currently the income cap for seniors is $24,000, but for persons with disabilities it has been set at $17,000)?

I sponsored the legislation to expand the SCRIE program to people with disabilities at the same income level as senior citizens for many years. This past legislative session, through compromise, we were able to pass a starting point on which to build for income parity with seniors for this vital program. The SCRIE program started at a low level and was brought up over the years to be the successful program it is today, I believe we can do that with the new program.
 

How will you develop realistic income levels for individuals and couples with disabilities to avail themselves of the SCRIE provisions?

I believe after a successful year of the expanded SCRIE program, we will be able to show that the most realistic, and easy to implement, income level will be at par with the income level for seniors.
 

What alternative programs will you propose to allow persons with disabilities to stay in their own homes/apartments? (i.e. protection from rent increases or undue eviction (harassment) and make funds available to make appropriate accommodations in present living environment). Another example: perhaps a dedicated housing trust fund should be established for making those housing accommodations. If so, how would you fund same?

I will advocate for protection from rent increases to be made available to persons with disabilities. I will make my office available (and publicize this well through pamphlets and Internet material) to complaints regarding harassment and undue eviction. I have extensive experience fielding constituent complaints regarding the same from my time as an Assemblymember. I will look into the dedication of funds to a housing trust to aid persons with disabilities. We may be able to fund something of this nature through use of the PILOT program.
 

New York City is in the process of adopting a new building code. How would you advocate for the strongest possible access provisions?

I will meet with community organizations for the disabled and hold public hearings to identify strong access provisions. I will then advocate (through meetings with city leaders, press conferences, and writing letters to newspaper editorial boards) for their inclusion in the building code.
 

1. Emergency evacuation for people with disabilities: what would you do to ensure that provisions are put in place to improve survival rates of people with disabilities in the event of fire, attack, blackout, or other emergency situation?

   I will issue an investigation into Manhattan’s residences and offices to ensure that emergency provisions for people with disabilities have been adopted. I will publish the findings in a report and then follow up regularly to see that improvements have been made.
    
   

2. What would you do to ensure that "Visitability" is enacted in New York City? Visitability is the movement towards establishing guidelines providing that newly constructed multi-family dwellings have basic accessible/adaptable features that permit friends and family with disabilities to visit, and for residents to "age in place," without having to move out when age and/or disability set in.

   As Borough President, I will use my vote on the land use and zoning process, which affords a Borough President recommendation on all new construction, to negotiate agreements whereby developers include these provisions in new buildings. I will also instruct my appointment to the City Planning Commission to work towards these same goals.
    
   

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Will you support, and what strategy will you utilize, to implement an expansion of affordable wheelchair accessible transportation in NYC, including taxis, livery service, express buses, airport shuttle service, more accessible subway stations, etc.?

I will absolutely support the expansion of accessible transportation. And as Borough President, I will use the bully pulpit to advocate for these services. I will direct my community liaison to identify areas of transportation that could especially benefit from improved access.
 

1. Efforts to secure a 100% accessible fleet of medallion taxis have been hampered by opposition from Mayor Bloomberg and the taxi industry. Wheelchair accessible taxis are present in many cities as a result of strong support from local Mayors and City Councils. What would you do to assure that all New York City residents, commuters and tourists have access to an important form of public transportation, our medallion taxis and community car services?

   I will hold meetings with the taxi industry and city leaders to negotiate an agreement to make the fleet accessible. I will advocate to extend incentives to car services that include accessibility provisions.
    
   

Access-A-Ride has denied rides to many eligible consumers; cause unnecessarily long trips, causing workers to be late for work and consequently be docked pay and even lose their jobs; routinely leave many consumers stranded at the curb, lying to their clients that a bus is coming and calling consumer a "no-show" when the bus has not shown. Consumers who complain are often subject to retaliation. What would you do to improve the quality of service for those who must use Access-A-Ride?

The MTA must work harder to make Access-A-Ride a quality service. I will advocate for set standards for Access-A-Ride service, and hold the MTA and employees accountable if these standards are not met.
 

Do you favor the construction of the Second Avenue Subway? If so, is this a priority?

I believe right now our priority should be securing and maintaining the system we have (including improving accessibility at all stations), but I have always supported the construction of the 2nd Ave subway, and hope in the near future we can proceed.
 

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The Local Civil Rights Restoration Act (Intro 22) seeks to protect the vigor and independence of the City’s Human Rights Law against the attacks of an increasingly conservative State and Federal Judiciary. Although there are 38 Council sponsors, 32 civil rights and allied organizations, in favor of this legislation, and three hearings have been held, Mayor Bloomberg continues to oppose the most central aspect of the bill, the need for City Human Rights Law not to be restricted as federal and state civil rights law gets cut back. Would you work to assure its passage? Please describe your strategy.

I support the passage of Intro 22, and I will work with City Councilmembers to assure its passage.
 

Under the Bloomberg Administration, the Corporation Council intervened on the side of the city of Sacramento when it sought to challenge the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding the requirement to maintain accessible sidewalks. Do you pledge to use your office to affirm or strengthen, rather than weaken, civil rights protections for persons with disabilities?

Absolutely.
 

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Do you support making sign language interpreters available for Community Board meetings? If so, how would you fund this?

I would make sign language interpreters available at any community meeting necessary. I have sponsored legislation, which has passed the Assembly many times, to provide interpreters or hearing devices at all public meetings. I would set the bar by providing this access at all meetings necessary. I will use my operating budget to ensure this is feasible (?)
 

Will you appoint disabled persons to local Community Boards?

Yes. I believe Community Boards must reflect Manhattan itself – a diverse group of individuals that undoubtedly includes disabled persons. Having a member of the disabled community as a voting member of the board will help negotiate agreements on development proposals that address issues of accessibility.
 

How many have you/ or will you appoint to Community Board?

As an Assemblymember, I have not had any Community Board appointments. If elected to Manhattan Borough President, I will fill every vacancy still open when I take office.
 

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

Yes.
 

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Please Specify: Have you used (or will you use) your discretionary funds to support organizations serving persons with disabilities or service organizations seeking to make their programs accessible to persons with disabilities?

I have provided capital money to Adaptive Design and have supported other groups, such as Coalition for the Homeless, which help the disabled through the delegation of funds.

Also I fought Governor Pataki's efforts to cuts Medicaid programs, which many disabled people rely on. And I fought the Governor’s attempts to end psychiatric care on state health programs.
 

If so, what percentage of your discretionary funds went to such organizations?

40% of our discretionary money goes to groups that entirely work with the disabled, or groups in which the disabled represent a significant portion of their numbers.
 

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