Professional Documents
Culture Documents
3. Improvements to Public Education What will be your top 3 legislative priorities as a Council Member in the upcoming legislative session? 1. Improvements to Public Education 2. Holistic Approach to Criminal Justice 3. Charter Reform 4. Budget priorities: Please list your top three budget priorities of 2013: 1. Support of Youth ProgramsOST, Beacons, and Childcare. 2. Gun Violence Task Force 3. Improvements to Public Education What will your top 3 budget priorities be as a Council member in the upcoming legislative session? 1. Education 2. Crime and gun violence 3. Charter Reform 5. Have you used participatory budgeting to allocate your discretionary funds? Why or why not? Yes. I am proud to be one of the first NYC Council Members to engage in the participatory budgeting process. I firmly believe that PB empowers a community and gives them an opportunity to learn about and influence the budget process in its entirety. This is knowledge that needs to be shared with the community so that they too can take a leadership role in addressing the issues of their neighborhoods. Anytime we can get more New Yorkers involved in their government and raising their voices, it will have a positive impact on how government serves them and protects their interests. 6. Please provide examples of recent legislation in Council that you believe promotes human rights. Community Safety Act Int 1079-2013 2013/070 Int 1080-2013 2013/071
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Prohibiting discrimination in employment based on pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. Int 0251-2010 2012/037 Introduction Enacted 6/28/2012 Paid Sick Leave Int 0097-2010 2013/046
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Enacted 6/26/2013
Prevailing Wage and Living Wage Int 0018-2010 2012/027 Introduction Int 0251-2010 2012/037 Introduction
7. Legislation is only one of many ways in which Council Members can work to advance human rights. What ways other than through legislation will you advance the human rights of New Yorkers as a City Council Member? One of the benefits of serving as a member of the New York City Council is that I am afforded the opportunity to ensure that the diverse voices of my district are heard and that government is accessible to them. I will continue to keep government accessible through various community events such as community forums, town hall meetings, along with a responsive constituent services and community outreach team. Additionally, I am afforded a bully pulpit which I will continue to use to ensure that, through a process known as Results Based Accountability, our budget priorities reflect the priorities of human rights. 8. Some advocates contend that the position of the Council Speaker has too much power over the progression of legislation. Please use this space to respond to that critique. As a legislator, one of my most significant responsibilities is to fight for the passage of laws that will best serve the interests of the people of the 45th council district, and the people of New York City. Because of the structure of New York Citys government, it is important that the city council have a strong Speaker of the city council who can, when appropriate, differentiate the legislative arm of government from that of the office of Mayor. That being said, the Speakers power must be used appropriately and not stifle Council Members ability to enact beneficial legislation.