Candidate Name: William C. Thompson, Jr.
Contact Person: L. Joy Mitchell, Political Director
If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? Yes
Campaign Address: 99 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-608-6555
Fax: 212-608-5628
Email: info @ thompson2009.com
Website: thompson2009.com
Endorsements: (Political, Community & Labor) Congressmen Joseph Crowley, Charles Rangel & Anthony Weiner; New York State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Bill Perkins, Jose Peralta & Eric Schneiderman; Assembly Members Michael Benjamin, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Adriano Espaillat, Herman Farrell, Jr., Deborah J. Glick, Carl Heastie, Micah Kellner, Vito J. Lopez, Daniel O'Donnell, Peter Rivera, Keith Wright; Council Members Maria Baez, Inez Dickens, Julissa Ferreras, Helen Foster, Melinda Katz, John Liu, Miguel Martinez, Annabel Palma, David Weprin & David Yassky; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.; Bronx County Democratic Committee, Democratic Committee of Richmond County, Democratic Organization of Queens County, Kings County Democratic Committee, New York County Democratic Committee, 57th Assembly District Democratic Organization, Alice Wragg Kornegay Democratic Club, Ansonia Independent Democrats, Audubon Reform Democratic Club, Barack Obama Democratic Club, Broadway Democrats, Community Free Democrats, Concerned Democratic Coalition, C.O.D.A., East Harlem/El Barrio Democratic Club, East Side Democratic Club, Eleanor Roosevelt Democrats, Fred Samuels Democratic Club, GLID, Gramercy-Stuyvesant Independent Democrats, Harry S. Truman Democrats, Independent Neighborhood Democrats, Lambda Independent Democrats, Lenox Hill Democratic Club, Liberty Democratic Association, Lower East Side Democratic Club, Martin Luther King Jr. Democratic Club, McManus Midtown Democratic Association, Northern Manhattan Democrats for Change, Progressive Association for Political Action (PAPA), Sojourner Truth Democratic Club, Stonewall Democrats, Tioga Carver Democrats, Tilden Democrats, United Democratic Organization, Uptown Democratic Club, Village Independent Democrats, West Harlem Independent Democrats; International Association of Machinists District 15, Local 94 of the International Union of Operating Engineers; Former Mayor Hon. Mayor David Dinkins, Hon. Fernando Ferrer (Former Bronx Borough President), John Gulino (Chair Democratic Committee Richmond County), Tasso Manessis, President-Pan Gregorian Fund, Dean Angelakos, Dr. Steve Gounardes, Former President-New York Dental Association, Dino Ralis - Broadway Merchants Association, Helen & John Psaras - Brooklyn Homeowners Association, Stella Kokolis President-Federation of Greek American Teachers, Nicholas Chahales & George Patsalos President-Aegean Travel Group
Action Shows Commitment!
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?
Every New Yorker seeking to live and work in our great city deserves to have full access to all we have to offer. Shutting people out just doesn't make sense-financially or morally-and we must ensure that our city is not only accessible for people with disabilities, but welcoming, as well. I think my actions as New York City Comptroller reflect this deeply-held belief.
First, I have held numerous forums and roundtables-calling together leaders of the disability community-to listen to concerns and create plans of action. In addition, during my tenure as Comptroller, I have:
Held press conferences and testified to protest the Mayor's plan to dramatically increase Access-A-Ride fares.
Joined with disability rights leader Alberta Orr to call on the U.S. Department of Treasury to accept the court decision finding that U.S. currency discriminates against people with limited vision.
Issued an audit finding that the New York City Department of Education was not effectively monitoring, tracking, or documenting the provision of special education.
Held an annual event to honor outstanding leaders in the disability community.
Issued reports on barriers in access to healthcare, including translation services, income, and lack of primary care, all which impact on the disability community.
Hired disability rights activist Susan Scheer as my Deputy Director of Policy Management.
I am also a member of the Taxis for All campaign steering committee and my office is currently conducting an audit of the City's Access-A-Ride program.
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)?
Since taking office in 2001, I have made it a point to ensure that every event sponsored by my office is accessible to people with disabilities. I will continue to enforce this policy when I am Mayor and will strongly encourage all organizations to do likewise.
General Questions
What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?
As City Comptroller, my office actively uses the 55-A program and we currently have three 55-A designated employees. We also have physically disabled employees (non 55-A) in a number of our bureaus on many levels of our organizational structure including our Deputy Director of Policy Management, among others.
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?
See above. Every job from First Deputy Mayor on down.
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 I have in the Comptroller's Office, I will continue to work closely with members of the New York City Council to seek passage of legislation that advances the interests of the disability community and to deter legislation that runs counter to those interests. For example, I have been a strong advocate for legislation introduced in the Council requiring that all taxicabs and livery service cars be accessible to people with disabilities, including individuals with visual and hearing impairments. I have also publicly stated that I support Council legislation that requires the boards of cooperative associations to disclose the reasons for rejecting an applicant; this type of sunshine would go a long way toward preventing discrimination.
To advance needed legislation (or block unwanted legislation), I will continue to work closely with not only the Council but also with community-based organizations such as the Disability Network of New York City and DIA to educate Council members, their staffs, and the public about the issues underlying the proposed policies./P>
Neither Mayor Bloomberg nor his predecessor have ever met with the leadership of disability community, although they have met with other communities. What would you do to have more direct contact with our community?
It is sad that Mayor Bloomberg has never taken the time-over the course of more than seven years in office-to meet with leaders of the disability community. When I am Mayor, this will change. As I have during my tenure as City Comptroller, I will hold forums and roundtables to-first and foremost-listen to the concerns of people with disabilities in our City. I will also ensure that the disability community has representation on a broad array of City agency advisory boards, and I will instruct my Commissioners that I expect this input to be incorporated in any relevant policy decisions. I believe that New York City can and should be a model for the nation on issues of policy affecting people with disabilities, and this can only happen if we follow the motto of ADAPT: "Nothing about us without us."
Housing
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 fully support creating parity between SCRIE and DRIE both for income levels and for purposes of eligibility documentation. I recognize that that there will be a financial impact for the City, but we must accept this in order to achieve a level of equity that is absent in the current arrangement.
What have you done/accomplished in regard to extension of SCRIE or similar programs? What alternative programs will you propose to allow persons with disabilities to stay in their own homes/apartments? Perhaps a dedicated housing trust fund should be established for persons with disabilities? Would you provide a data base of available accessible housing?
As you know, the issue of parity between SCRIE and DRIE is one that can only be addressed through State legislation. Over the years, numerous pieces of legislation have been introduced in the legislature to end the disparity, but none have had any chance of passage because of the City's ongoing objection. As Mayor, I would work with the State legislature to put an end to this impasse and enact legislation to address this inequity.
As Comptroller, I have long-supported the investment of pension fund monies into the creation of affordable, accessible housing. I have also sought to create affordable, accessible housing through other means, as well. One example is the New York City Housing Trust Fund, which I helped create with funding from Battery Park City Authority revenues. I have consistently fought to ensure that the funding flows to the City and that it is used for its intended purpose. I have also supported a rethinking of the 421-a program to make sure that it produces affordable housing where it is needed.
As Mayor, I will instruct my housing commissioner and commissioner of buildings to devise a plan-similar to my New York City Housing Trust Fund plan-to both preserve existing affordable, accessible housing and to create new capacity, with a special emphasis on housing for individuals with disabilities who have extremely low incomes (e.g., SSI). The City cannot do this alone and we will engage private developers to work with us to meet these goals.
I will also make compliance with the accessibility provisions of the City's building code a priority, so we can increase the availability of accessible housing not only through new construction but by taking advantage of opportunities to increase access during major renovations and rehabilitations.
I know that past attempts to create a database of accessible housing have not been successful, and organizations like CIDNY have stepped in to try to fill the need. I would build upon past efforts and work to create a comprehensive, up-to-date database of available accessible housing that integrates information that is now only available on an agency-by-agency basis. This type of database would serve as the foundation of an accessible housing inventory and could be used as a basis for developing a targeted plan to create additional accessible housing to fill particular categories of unmet need (e.g., geographic shortages, room size, etc.)
The general definition of what's "affordable"
in housing doesn't apply to many, particularly those who receive SSI or SSDI. Government-funded housing programs, such as those of H.P.D., are required to set aside apartments for people with disabilities, but these apartments go largely unfilled, regardless of whether the individual is eligible for rent subsidies such as Section 8 and Nursing Home Diversion voucher, because the minimum income required is $17,000 or higher. What would you do to increase the housing supply for persons with disabilities who don't meet minimum income requrements?
As noted above, I am committed to forming a partnership between my Administration and developers to implement viable policies to increase the supply of apartments for low-income people with disabilities. The economic downturn, which has come at the tail end of a housing boom, has created excess housing inventory. My office is already looking to make some of that housing affordable to individuals in low-to-moderate income brackets.
The City Human Rights Law currently permits civil penalties to be assessed against discriminators to vindicate the public interest, but these penalties are seldom if ever assessed against housing providers who have failed to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Will you commit to imposing such penalties so as to create a greater incentive for housing providers to comply with the law?
I am very disappointed with the record of the current Commission on Human Rights, which has not provided visible leadership on these issues. While I always favor negotiation and education as first steps in addressing discrimination violations, I recognize that for those who show a consistent pattern of violations, stronger sanctions, including financial penalties, may be needed to induce a change in behavior.
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 have been in close contact with advocates in the disability community regarding this issue, and I know that the City's plans for ensuring the safety of people with disabilities during emergencies are incomplete and, in some cases, inadequate. I am particularly concerned about the need for: evacuation chairs in high rise buildings; accessible transportation to move people to designated safe havens; and ensuring that people have access to essentials such as their medication, durable medical equipment, and other supplies if they must remain out of their home for any extended period of time.
The problems encountered by people with disabilities during and after September 11th have been well-documented. All relevant City agencies such as the Fire Department, Police Department, and the Office of Emergency Management need to look closely at those experiences and make sure current emergency preparedness plans reflect the lessons learned.
I will also look to increase the number of people with disabilities working on preparedness issues at City agencies to ensure that the emergency preparedness plans reflect the insights and knowledge of the community. In addition, each borough should have a coordinator that understands the local issues and challenges related to emergency preparedness facing people with disabilities.
What would you do to ensure that "Visitability"
is enacted in New York City? Visitability = 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.
I support the concept of "visitability"
, which simply reflects basic common sense. People with disabilities should be able to visit friends and family in their homes just as people without disabilities are able to do. And, as our population ages, seniors should certainly be able to stay in their own homes and make any necessary accessibility modifications as easily and inexpensively as possible.
Isolating people in their homes or forcing them to move because of the onset of a disability is unacceptable and counter-productive-not only for the individuals themselves but for their friends, family, and the communities in which they live. As you know, the City recently adopted a new building code. As Mayor, I will have the appropriate City agencies evaluate the impact of the new code-including the access provisions-and make recommendations on requirements that need to be strengthened, such as visitability.
Will you develop new and renovated housing for people with disabilities?
Absolutely. See answers (b) and (c) above.
What efforts are you willing to commit to assuring that people with disabilities do not become homeless - are able to stay in their own apartments with adequate supports?
We must take every step possible to prevent any individual, including individuals with disabilities, from being forced to leave their home. That is why I have launched a set of initiatives designed to help individuals facing foreclosure remain in their homes. For individuals with disabilities, income security is a significant risk factor for homelessness.
The best solution, of course, is a well-paying job. If someone is unable to work, either temporarily or permanently, we must ensure that they are aware of and receive all the benefits and supports to which they entitled to help them cover the costs of remaining in their home. In addition to financial resources, individuals may also need a personal care assistant or other aide to help them with the activities of daily living. We also need to look at ways to support family caregivers, who may be sacrificing some or all of their own income to help provide support to a relative with a disability.
Employment
People with disabilities have one of the highest rates of unemployment and underemployment as a result of both physical and attitudinal barriers. What have you done in your present office to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities?
As mentioned previously, we actively use the 55-A program and currently have three 55-A designated employees. We also have physically disabled employees (non 55-A) in a number of our bureaus on many levels of our organizational structure including our Deputy Director of Policy, among others. We make a special effort during our EEO Training and Operations programs to encourage those with disabilities to be undaunted in their pursuit of employment and promotional opportunities, and we are always receptive to requests for accommodations.
Would you ensure that all 55-A Non-Competive job slots are filled?
If the positions are funded and can be filled by 55-A personnel, they should be. One workable way that the 700 citywide positions can be filled is to have the Citywide EEO Office of DCAS work collaboratively with the MOPD to manage the usage of the 55-A program to identify appropriate slots that may be available and to publish utilization rates, agency by agency.
What else would you do as Mayor to increase the employment of people with disabilities in both City government and the private sector?
First-to attract a more diverse applicant pool-outreach to groups that provide resources to the disabled community should be strongly encouraged as a regular part of any recruitment process. Second, increased employment opportunities would be afforded by encouraging creative alternate work schedules such as the use of job sharing, compressed work schedules, and telecommuting, all of which would offer both flexibility and support for those with special needs.
Organization
Although Mayor Bloomberg elevated the Director of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities to Commissioner-level, he failed to increase the Office's budget and responsibility. How would you ensure that city departments/agencies coordinate through MOPD?
Agency heads take their cues about what is expected from the Deputy Mayor to which they report, and the Deputy Mayors take their direction from the Mayor. As Mayor, I would make clear to all my Deputy Mayors that one element of their performance evaluation will be the degree to which they have ensured that the agencies under their purview have adopted and implemented policies and procedures to promote the full inclusion of individuals with disabilities. MOPD would then be given the resources it needs to serve as an internal consultant to all City agencies, providing advice and technical assistance to help agencies achieve true inclusion.
What implementation/authority should MOPD have, and/or how would you ensure that MOPD have?
As noted above, MOPD's first role should be as a resource to City agencies. If, after a process of discussion and negotiation, the head of MOPD felt that an agency's policies and procedures ran counter to the goal of full inclusion, I would expect the issue to be raised first with the appropriate Deputy Mayor. If the matter could not be resolved at that level, I, as Mayor, would make the ultimate judgment, and empower MOPD to execute my decision.
Since presumably MOPD is a Mayoral Office, how would you enforce and do oversight regarding the work of the office and be certain of the implementation and its efforts?
I would ask the head of MOPD to develop a strategic plan for the Office with implementation milestones. I would then oversee the work of the office through regular face-to-face meetings and reports from MOPD regarding its activities and progress in meeting those benchmarks.
Accessibility
Under Mayor Bloomberg, the City settled with the United Spinal Association and agreed to install curb cuts -- pedestrian ramps, on all corners which presently don't have one. However, no provision has been made to repair or replace those current ones which are unsafe. How would you ensure that curb cuts-pedestrian ramps - are provided on or repaired on streets that need them? What would you establish as a timetable?
As Comptroller, I have been concerned about the quality of our City's pedestrian ramps. In some cases where the ramps are less than ideal, they are, nevertheless, in compliance with the requirements in effect at the time they were constructed. In others, actions taken subsequent to their construction, such as street resurfacing, have rendered the pedestrian ramps unusable. In some cases, however, it is clear that the original work was not performed correctly.
The first step is for the City to make sure that the contract specifications are written in a way that ensures that the ramp is designed to match the requirements of the particular corner on which it is installed. The second step is to more closely monitor the work of the contractors at the time the pedestrian ramp is installed. This will help ensure that the remainder of the ramps installed, pursuant to the settlement agreement, are compliant. Beyond that, we also need to prioritize the repair of ramps that are not usable and develop a plan that puts ramps in the remaining corners where they are missing within a reasonable time period.
What steps do you think NYC should take to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible?
I support the One Step Campaign and, as Mayor, I would have the City Human Rights Commission reach out to business owners and work with them to eliminate or modify the entry to their store, and wherever possible, to make it accessible. In addition, the City needs to work with businesses to better understand the obstacles to creating access and work to eliminate them.
For instance, one area where the City may be able to help is in easing the permit process to carry out accessibility modifications. The City may also be able to provide no interest or low interest loans to help businesses achieve compliance and see if opportunities exist to support access through tax incentives. Providing technical assistance, such as offering disability sensitivity training to a business's employees, is another way in which the City can help businesses attract more customers with disabilities.
Do you believe that landmark buildings can be made accessible without losing their historical integrity?
Yes. The federal government has ably demonstrated that historical buildings can be made accessible in a way that both meets the needs of visitors with disabilities and preserves their architectural integrity.
Transportation
Would you support an expansion of affordable wheelchair accessible transportation in NYC, including taxi, livery service, express buses, airport shuttle service, more accessible subway stations, etc.?
Absolutely. I have called for a one hundred percent accessible taxi fleet for many years now, and I serve as a steering committee member on the Taxis for All Campaign as a means of promoting that policy to both the current Administration, the taxi industry, and the public. I have reached out to the Mayor through letters and appearances at press conferences urging him to have his TLC Commissioner implement this requirement. I also fully support the creation of more accessible subway stations.
Making the stations accessible is only the first step, however. Keeping the stations accessible requires better maintenance of the elevators and escalators than we have seen from the MTA in recent years. And, of course, I would also have my appointees to the MTA Board focus more attention on ways to address the vertical and horizontal gap between the platform and the train that prevents many individuals who use wheelchairs from using the subways, even if they do have elevators.
Increasing numbers of individuals with disabilities are traveling for work and pleasure, and I want to ensure that New York City is at the top of their destination list. If we are to compete successfully with other destinations, it is critical that visitors with disabilities have easy access to all forms of transportation, including airport shuttle service, taxis, buses, and subways.
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 would have the TLC implement a requirement for a one hundred percent accessible yellow taxi fleet and enforce existing requirements that livery taxis provide meaningful access to individuals with disabilities.
Access-A-Ride has denied rides to many eligible consumers, caused unnecessarily long trips, and has left many consumers stranded at the curb. What would you do to improve the quality of service for those who must use Access-A-Ride? Would you support the use of a "smart card"
where Access-A-Ride consumers can obtain taxi or local car service transportation at a lower cost than a para-transit and receive better service?
I would instruct my appointees to the MTA Board to require regular detailed reports from the Transit Authority on the management of the Access-A-Ride program, including a variety of indicators that speak to the quality of the service. As you know, many riders do not call to complain about service problems, so looking at complaint figures and ratios alone does not tell the whole story. I would require both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the service, including rider diaries and undercover ride-alongs by TA employees.
Do you favor the construction of the Second Avenue Subway? If so, is this a priority?
Yes, I do support the Second Avenue Subway. As a newly constructed subway line, access for people with disabilities will be incorporated in the design as per the relevant legal requirements. Funding shorfalls already appear to have slowed the construction schedule. Bus rapid transit is a priority, which will provide faster bus service for people with disabilities who cannot use the subway and need to travel longer distances.
Civil Rights
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?
Yes. As noted above, I will encourage a more active and visible role for the City's Human Rights Commission. In addition, all City agencies will uphold civil rights protections to the full extent of the law.
Long Term Care
The Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP): Enables self-directing senior citizens and younger disabled persons (or their surrogates) receiving home care under Medicaid to recruit, hire, train, supervise and (if necessary) discharge their workers, with the home care agency servicing as a "fiscal conduit"
to pay salaries, taxes and benefits based on information provided by the consumer and worker. Although CDPAP is a product of the disability rights movement, HRA no longer allows consumers to serve on the Boards of provider agencies and has encouraged agencies to move away from the "self-directing"
model to the more traditional "medical"
model. Currently only about 2,500 consumers and their surrogates are enrolled in CDPAP. Would you, as Mayor, seek to reverse that policy and strengthen and expand CDPAP? Please describe strategy and time frame for such policy change.
I fully support the goals of the CDPAP program, and I would direct my HRA Commissioner to restore consumer self-direction to its former status in the home care service continuum. I would also require the Commissioner to fully educate current and future home care enrollees about the availability of this option. Prior to ramping up the program, the HRA Commissioner will initially need to review thoroughly the past history of this program and ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to maintain managerial and fiscal integrity.
Education
Children with disabilities often attend schools with segregated placements, insufficient supports to function in a regular classroom, or travel in poorly maintained buses to attend schools far from their homes because their neighborhood school is inaccessible, cannot or will not provide an appropriate education. Months have passed before an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is developed or implemented. What will you specifically direct the Chancellor to do to assure that the policies of the Department of Education are more user friendly to children with disabilities and their parents? Provide time frame.
The current Administration has just begun an evaluation of the special education system, led by someone who is neither an educator nor has any expertise in issues related to children with disabilities. As my audit has demonstrated, children enrolled in special education have not been receiving the supports and services to which they are entitled in a timely manner and, in some cases, at all. Quite simply, this must be put to an end.
In my audit, I spelled out a series of recommendations for improving the delivery and monitoring of related services. In addition, I have criticized the Administration on several occasions for the mismanagment of the system's bus services, both for general education and special education services. It is not acceptable for children to have to cross busy roads to reach a bus stop or to travel for excessive amounts of time to attend school. And it is nothing short of horrific that any driver or matron would mistreat a child with a disability under their supervision.
I am particularly disappointed that this Administration granted the new small schools that are the centerpiece of its educational reform plan the right to keep children with special education needs from enrolling during the first two years of the school's operation. And even after two years, many of these schools do not enroll special education students in numbers commensurate with their proportion in the overall school population.
I will tell my Schools Chancellor-in no uncertain terms-that his or her performance in regards to special education is just as important as it is regarding general education, and I will evaluate the success or failure of the Chancellor accordingly. In my Administration, the education of each and every child will be a priority and the policies and practices of the Department of Education will reflect that goal. For example, parents will be made aware of all the educational options available for their child in language they can understand and with sufficent time to make an informed decision.
Education will start on the first day of the school year and children will not be left to languish at home or in an inappropriate placement until adminstrative details are worked out months later. I will also direct the Chancellor to review the current practices for denial of services, in light of the fact that the vast majority of parents win their cases on appeal.
Do you support a name change for the IEP Diploma, which really isn't a "diploma?"
Yes. The current name is confusing and misleading to parents and students.
As a result of cutbacks in Federal funding, programs serving students with disabilities in the CUNY system are being eliminated and these students often do receive mandated supports and services. What would you do, as Mayor, to assure that disabled students in the CUNY system have the required services to assure their academic success?
CUNY, like all higher education institutions, is required to adhere to all relevant laws concerning the provision of reasonable accommodations, including any mandated supports and services. It is the job of the Coordinator of Disability Services for the system to ensure that each campus coordinator is carrying out those responsibilities effectively. Therefore, I would look to the Chancellor to review the performance of these key staff members and to make sure they have the support and resources needed to carry out their duties.
Date: June 7, 2009