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 member of Community Board 8 and the development corporation, I have fought for affordable – and indeed accessible – housing and transportation.

In the City Council I was co-sponsor of the following legislation that advances disability rights:

Int. No. 0398-2004: Providing standards and specifications for accessible water borne commuter services facilities for disabled persons in New York City. (Enacted)

Int. No. 0624-2003: Providing tax exemptions to the real property tax for certain persons with disabilities. (Enacted)

Int. No. 0667-2005: Providing a rent increase exemption for persons with disabilities.

Int. No. O444-2003: Requiring all for-hire vehicle base stations to have available on demand at least one for-hire vehicle accessible to persons who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids.

Int. No. 0844-2004: Mandating the newly issued taxicab licenses be used only with taxicabs that are wheelchair accessible and that all taxicabs service be wheelchair accessible.

As New York State Attorney General, I vigorously enforced anti-discrimination laws, which included disability rights legislation.

In the New York State Assembly, I was the prime sponsor and co-author of the Flynn-Koppell bill, which provided equal rights for people with disabilities. I was a co-sponsor of legislation requiring accessibility on buses and subways for people with disabilities.
 

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

As a member of the New York City Council’s Transportation Committee, I participated in oversight hearings on the accessibility of mass transit, ferries and taxi services.
 

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

I will continue to sponsor and support legislation to increase the rights of people with disabilities in order to ensure that the disabled have access to housing, transportation, employment, health care and educational opportunities.
 

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, and sign language interpreters for people who are deaf, as well as ensuring that locations are accessible to people who use mobility aids, like wheelchairs and walkers.

I will commit to sponsor events that are accessible, but there are situations where I am required to attend events as an elected official that may not be accessible; therefore, I cannot make such a commitment with regard to events sponsored by others.
 

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

1. ...in your personal life?

2. ...in the workplace?

I have hired a person with disabilities in my District Office who has worked for me for several years. I believe this experience has made more attuned to the difficulties facing the disabled in the workplace.
 

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

I believe reasonable accommodations are a necessity in order to allow people with disabilities to reach their full potential. Such accommodations should include wheelchair accessibility, listening assistance devices, but fundamentally, everything possible, and with in economic reason, should be done to allow people with disabilities to succeed in the workplace.
 

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

I will continue to make myself available for meetings with organizations that are made up of and represent people with disabilities. I will continue to assist the disabled community in my District Offices.
 

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

   Yes, we currently have someone who works in this capacity.
    
   

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

   Yes.
    
   

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

I do not currently have a Disability Advisory Committee, but I will consider convening one in my next term.
 

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 continue to work with advocates of the disabled to create and to support legislation of interest to the disabled community.
 

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?

My district currently has such housing for the mentally and physically disabled. I have never opposed such 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 support such an extension of SCRIE.
 

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

I am willing to entertain any such proposals that would lead to an expansion of the SCRIE program.
 

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 would support a dedicated housing trust fund for the purpose of allowing persons with disabilities to stay in their own homes/apartments. I would support funding such a 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 review the proposed to amendments to the building code and will advocate for strong access provisions.
 

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 reach out to advocates for the disabled to help ensure that appropriate provisions are in place to address this issue.
    
   

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.

   I will study the issue and advocate for the inclusion of visitability is addressed in the new building code.
    
   

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 have consistently supported the expansion of affordable wheelchair accessibility to transportation in NYC and will continue to do so.
 

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 support this legislation will continue to advocate for it in the Transportation Committee and before the full New York City Council.
    
   

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?

My office has received complaints about the Access-A-Ride service. I believe there should be more oversight of this provider. If retaliation and consistently poor service is documented, legal and other action by the City may need to be taken.
 

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

Yes. I believe construction of the Second Avenue Subway should be a high priority of the City.
 

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 am a co-sponsor of Intro. No. 0022-2004 and I will do whatever is necessary to move it forward to a vote.
 

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.
 

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

Yes, if a request is made for this service. Funding should come from an addition to the executive budget for Community Boards.
 

Will you appoint disabled persons to local Community Boards?

If I were presented with a qualified applicant who was a disabled person, I would recommend appointing such an individual.
 

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

I have not been approached by any disabled persons (that I am aware of) requesting such an appointment.
 

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

Yes.
 

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

Yes, I have used and will continue to use discretionary funds to support organizations such as the Institute for Applied Human Dynamics, which serve persons with disabilities.

I have not determined the percentage, but will attempt to do so in the future.
 

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?

I support repairing or replacing unsafe curb cuts and pedestrian ramp and would argue for funds from the New York City budget to pay for such a project. I would support the establishment of timetable for completing this project.
 

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

I believe that NYC should make every effort to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible. Such efforts should include tax incentives and other means to encourage accessibility.
 

Do you believe that landmark buildings can be made accessible without losing their historical integrity?

I believe that landmark buildings should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Wherever possible such buildings should be made accessible with an effort to balance this necessity with maintaining historical integrity.
 

What is your position on efforts to elevate the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) to a commissioner level agency or Commission on Disabilities to enable coordination of efforts of agencies? (A one stop shop for information and assistance.) How would you ensure that city departments/agencies coordinate through MOPD?

I support elevating the MOPD to a commissioner level agency or Commission on Disabilities. I would encourage coordination through such an agency to ensure the City Departments/agencies follow its directives.
 

What implementation/authority should MOPD have, and/or how would you ensure that MOPD have?

I will study such a proposal with an eye toward ensuring that a new agency-level MOPD had adequate authority to achieve its objectives.
 

Since presumably "this" office 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?

The appropriate forum for oversight would be the New York City Council Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services. I would encourage oversight to be conducted in this forum.