Candidate Name: Lynn Nunes
Candidate for Senate District: 10 (Queens)
Contact Person: Mel Gagarin
Campaign Address: 115-13 Jamaica Avenue, Richmond Hill, NY 11418
Phone: 718-850-6915
Fax: 718-850-1515
Email: lynnnunes01@aol.com
Website: www.nunes2010.com
Endorsements:
If there is a Campaign office(s), is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes.
How have you incorporated people with disabilities into your campaign?
YES.
If you are not an incumbent,
Is your present office/work place accessible to people with disabilities? If not, what have you done to rectify the inaccessibility?
Yes.
What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?
On a personal level, my grandmother is disabled and I along with my family provide direct and constant care to her.
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 would be willing to hire senior staff and community liaison positions.
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 worked with organizations that serve the disabled community to advocate for people with disabilities. I have been a vocal supporter of legislation and policies that take into consideration people with disabilities, for example during my council campaign I supported working to ensure that any new developments in the district be ADA compliant.
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?
I will do my best to attend events that are accessible and will make it a priority to ensure any event I sponsor is located at an accessible venue.
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?
Will there be a specific person in your office responsible to this community?
Yes.
Will have regular office agenda meetings on these issues?
Yes, disability issues will also be addressed in my legislative agenda. Not only will we meet on these issues I look forward to working with the community to help shape effective legislation addressing the community's needs.
What would you do to have direct contact with our community?
I would appoint a member of my staff to be a liaison to the community, I would also hope to work with the 504 Democratic Club and maintain a working relationship once I am in office.
How will you work closely with the disability community to assure passage of vitally needed legislation? What will be your strategy?
I am not just asking for this club's endorsement but am looking to form a partnership. I would like to work in tandem with the club to identify legislative priorities and devise a strategy that will bring these bills to the floor of the Senate.
How would you change the laws of New York State to protect the rights of its citizens with disabilities?
I would consult with members of the community to identify key laws which currently underserve or currently leave out citizens with disabilities and make legislative changes to ensure full protection.
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.
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.
Would you seek to promote comprehensive long term care reform that will not reduce coverage or access to services?
Yes.
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?
I support increasing the DRIE income eligibility so that it matches SCRIE.
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?
I would introduce legislation to ensure the enforcement of current law with stiff penalties for non-compliance.
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.