504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for State Senate Adriano Espaillat's 2010 response)

Candidate Name: Adriano Espaillat

Candidate for Senate District: 31 (Manhattan)

Phone: 917-825-8642

Email: adrianoforstatesenate@gmail.com

Website: www.adrianoforstatesenate.com

Endorsements:

Congressman Charles Rangel
New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz
Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal
State Senator Eric Schneiderman
State Senator Bill Perkins
Councilmember Inez Dickens
Councilmember Melissa Mark Viverito
Councilmember Oliver Koppell
Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez
District Leader Marc Landis
District Leader Maria Luna
District Leader Joan Paylo
District Leader Randi Martos
District Leader Bruce Feld
District Leader Earl Scott
District Leader April Tyler
District Leader Aneiry Batista
District Leader Manny de los Santos

If there is a Campaign office(s), is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes, we have several offices that are being used throughout the 31st District that are wheelchair accessible.
How have you incorporated people with disabilities into your campaign?

Yes.
If you are not an incumbent,
1. Is your present office/work place accessible to people with disabilities? If not, what have you done to rectify the inaccessibility?
  
  My Assembly District Office is accessible.
2. If the present district office is inaccessible, do you intend to find an accessible office?
  
  The incumbent's district is accessible.
3. What oversight have you performed regarding implementation of programs/legislation passed previously?
  
  Allocated multi-modal budget monies to create curb side access and allows public sites to become more accessible to persons with disabilities.
What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?

For many years, I have been active in working with local groups to bring wheel chairs and crutches to distressed areas of the Dominican Republic and have assisted people abroad in poor neighborhoods to obtain prosthetics. I have also lead medical teams to conduct dozens of cataracts operations for persons that were visually impaired.
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?

All applicants will be considered for all general and administrative positions based on their skills and the needs of the position. Persons with disabilities would be welcomed and encouraged to apply for any staff position and all reasonable accommodations will be made.
While in public office and/or 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 used discretionary funds to create curbside access and allow public sites to become more accessible to persons with disabilities. I have also been one of New York State's leading advocates for affordable housing safeguards and for stricter fines and penalties against landlords who unscrupulously try to evict tenants, particularly tenants who live with disabilities.
Will you commit to only attend and/or sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities including providing written materials in alternate formats, providing assistive listening systems, and sign language interpreters, as well as ensuring that locations are accessible to people who use mobility aids, like wheelchairs and walkers?

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

Yes.
How do you propose your active involvement/availability to the disability community?

I have always been active in struggles to advance disability rights. That will only increase if I am elected to the Senate. I am especially committed to safeguarding the rights of the disabled to safe and affordable housing. I believe that one of the major issues facing the disabled New Yorker is the lack of safe, accessible, affordable housing. I will work with the Governor and my colleagues in the Senate to craft legislation that increases the opportunities of disabled New Yorkers to receive priority consideration in NYS-sponsored affordable housing projects.
1. Will there be a specific person in your office responsible to this community?
  
  Yes.
2. Will have regular office agenda meetings on these issues?
  
  Yes.
3. What would you do to have direct contact with our community?
  
  Cultivate relationships with leaders within your community to keep me and my staff up to date on issues and events of importance, reach out to community on regular basis as experts to obtain information on specific issues, hold regular meetings in the community to keep them updated on general news but also news of importance to your community.
How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation? What will be your strategy?

As I have in the past, I will continue to bring together key people from the disability community be part of the process from start to finish. I will seek their advice on advocating for and crafting legislation that is vitally needed.
How would you change the laws of New York State to protect the rights of its citizens with disabilities?

I will work with members of the disability community to ensure that there is adequate, affordable housing for people with disabilities. I will continue to fund community-based services for people with disabilities. And just as importantly I will work to increase access for the disabled to private businesses and apartment building that are currently not ADA-compliant.
While the State is focused on reducing the costs of Medicaid and other programs, persons with disabilities need to continue to have access to the services and supports they need and choose.
1. Would you oppose proposals which would negatively affect eligibility, benefits, coverage, and/or access to services for Medicaid beneficiaries and eliminate the systemic bias that leads to unwanted placement in nursing homes and other institutions?
  
  Yes.
2. Would you seek to promote comprehensive long term care reform that will not reduce coverage or access to services?
  
  Yes.
3. Would you increase rental/housing subsidies to participants in the new Nursing Facility Transition and Diversion Medicaid waiver program?
  
  Yes.
Would you expand Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program (EPIC) to provide the same level of eligibility and coverage to persons with disabilities under age 65?

Yes.
Will you support moving funds from nursing homes to moving patients out of nursing homes and back into the community?

Yes.
We are in the midst of a housing crisis. Accessible, affordable housing is in short supply. People with disabilities are being priced out of the market. Do you support the creation of a housing trust fund for persons with disabilities?

Yes.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires housing developers to set aside a certain percentage of accessible units for persons with disabilities when federal funds are used for construction. Do you favor incorporating these provisions into State law so that the Department of Housing and Community Renewal can be empowered to enforce these provisions?

Yes.
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 New York State Building Code?

Yes.
At present: SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) Household income cap is $29,000. DRIE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) is $19,284/single and $27,780/2 or more. What is your position on increasing DRIE income eligibility to match SCRIE?

Yes. What is more, I would not only support the match but also increase the income cap.
While localities have acquired voting machines that attempt to meet the accessibility standards of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), many poling places in New York State remain inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Do you favor the elimination of provisions in Section 4-104 (1-a) of the New York State Election Law allowing waiver of polling place accessibility standards?

Yes.
Despite Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with disabilities face problems when pursuing higher education. These statutes do not specify how students should request accommodations or assistance in asserting their rights under the law. Will you support a fully funded office of disability services on each SUNY and CUNY campus to assist students with disabilities in securing accommodations?

Yes.
How do you propose dealing with school districts that deny civil rights to disabled students even after the Sate Division of Civil Rights affirms the student's rights such as to use a service animal?

Yes.
Do you support legislation requiring car services, and shuttle services to purchase wheelchair accessible vehicles or otherwise ensure that they have the capacity to serve persons with disabilities?

Yes.
Will you or do you support Assembly Member Kellner's proposed bill requiring New York City to transition to a 100% accessible taxi fleet?

Yes.
Persons with disabilities have historically been under-represented within the Democratic Party leadership. According to the 2000 census, persons with disabilities comprised 20.6% of New York State residents and 23.1% of those 18 years and older. Previously, we were told that only those groups included in the Voting Rights Act were included in the goals and timetables for delegate selection. Yet the lesbian and gay communities were included for the first time at the 2000 convention and again at the 2004 and 2010 conventions. Would you support a campaign to set a goal that 10% of the total New York State Delegation to the 2012 Democratic National Convention be comprised of persons with disabilities.

Yes.

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