Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Brian Benjamin for New York City Comptroller

Candidate Name: Brian Benjamin

Office Seeking Election for: New York City Comptroller

Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district.

New York City’s next comptroller is going to need to be an expert in public policy and financial management, but also someone who understands how to equitably handle the recovery from COVID-19 and deal with the policing and public safety reforms our city clearly needs to undertake. I believe that I am uniquely prepared to be exactly that comptroller. I have experience personally managing hundreds of millions of dollars, but also public sector finance experience from my time as an elected official. I think to really be able direct the 700 professional staff (staff accountants, auditors, financial attorneys, investment advisors, investment managers etc), you need to already know what those people do. This isn’t to say that the comptroller's office is the same as a business or the public sector. We’re not just looking for the bottomline, it’s about values as well. But I think to execute and actually wield the power of this office, instead of just sitting on top of it, you need to understand the levers that can be pulled, and that’s not something you can really learn on the job. Additionally, my time working at am M/WBE gives me insight into the challenges faced by local small businesses. The local M/WBE I worked at built thousands of units of environmentally sustainable housing in Harlem. I made it a priority to connect the work our business did to workforce development efforts, particularly those targeting youth who might not otherwise have opportunities to enter the workforce. I specifically hired a number of young men and women of color, who had criminal records in their past and were turning over a new leaf and needed an opportunity. Previous to that, I worked in asset wealth management, advising nonprofit and for-profit organizations and individuals on how best to allocate billions of dollars, exercising and honing my skills as an investment and financial adviser. Additionally, I worked in the division that issued and underwrote bonds. I received a BA in Public Policy from Brown University, where I was senior class president, and an MBA from Harvard University. I am currently an elected-alumni trustee of Brown University. I was elected in 2017 and initially served as ranking member of the Civil Service and Pensions Committee, where I made divesting the state pensions from private prisons and transparency for pension holders a priority. My legislation requiring divestment pushed the state pension funds to end their financial relationship with for-profit prisons, and I passed several pieces of legislation to ensure state employees who hold pensions had access to pension board decisions. In 2019, when the Democratic Conference took the majority, I became chair of the Senate Committee on Budget and Revenues. I continued my work against private prisons, sponsoring a bill to require that state-chartered private banking institutions end their financial relationships with private prisons, which was credited with helping to push private banks including Bank of America to drop their investments. With an eye to the financial future of the city of New York and New York families I also used my position on as Chair of the Committee on Budget and Revenues to explore and pass important fiscal legislation, including the Rainy Day Fund bill which will allow New York City to create cash reserves in case of future pandemics or financial disasters. I also have an extensive criminal justice reform background, and I intend to bring that experience into the office of comptroller!

Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidate for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?

Brad Hoylman for State Senate.

If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly)

Proud to have co-sponsored GENDA and the conversion therapy ban. I also brought a trans woman of color from my district onto the floor of the senate for the passage of GENDA, a historic day! I was proud to have her standing beside me for that moment. I also support the repeal of Walking While Trans.

What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?

I have been very involved with: NY Black Pride, Pride and Power, Harlem Pride, and Rivers of Living Water (a religious congregation). I’ve also been proud to partner with NYTAG. I gave their board member, Tania Walker the Senate’s Woman of Distinction award. She was the first Black transgender woman to receive the award! I think I am most proud of working to create the LGBTQ committee of Community Board 10 when I was chair. This committee led to the creation of the first LGBTQ center dedicated to the needs of people of color, which is currently under construction in Harlem!

Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?

Not a member but a lifelong ally.

Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?

I have been involved with Harlem Pride and NYC Black Pride events almost since their inception. I am very proud to have been a featured speaker at both and been given an award at an NYC Black Pride event. Additionally I hosted the uptown AIDS walk (AIDS walk comes to Harlem) for several years before I became a senator. I’ve also marched in NYC pride downtown with my colleagues.

Have you employed openly LGBTQ individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?

Yes, my deputy campaign manager, Neil Reilly, is openly LGBTQ and has worked with me since I was first elected in 2017. My political director Kyle Ishmael is also LGBTQ.

What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBT issues, pro-choice legislation, criminal justice issues and the Resist Trump Movement have you attended?

Many! Particularly in support of the police reform we passed this past session. Highlights include a press conference at 155th Street in Harlem last year that I co-organized after an attack against a transgender woman, Serena Daniari, was attached on the train, two press conference to support Alibi, a local gay bar whose flags where hatefully burned, press conferences to support the RHA in Albany, and a rally in Staten Island to support my bill, the “Eric Garner Anti Chokehold Act.”

Have you ever been arrested? If so please explain why and outcome of arrest.

No

Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails?

Yes, I have visited Rikers Island as a State Senator fighting for its closure - I will continue to visit my fellow New Yorkers who are incarcerated if elected comptroller.

Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?

Yes. This was a priority of mine when I worked in the private sector. In partnership with a nonprofit we created workforce development opportunities for youth and formerly incarcerated individuals, putting them directly in touch with professionals and the skills they needed. I will proudly do the same as comptroller.

Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism

To assess the fiscal health of New York, the city charter requires that the city Comptroller audit at least some part or portion of every agency every four years. These audits help ensure that the agencies meet the goals set for them by elected officials and their own executives. By and large, these are financial audits, and the data being reviewed in making determinations is the agency revenues and expenditures. But I know that to really measure the success of New York City we need to look at more than dollars and cents. That’s because agencies reaching goals in the way that is most impactful to New Yorkers like you isn’t always going to be reflected in the bottom line. Our vision for 2022 has to be founded in routing out inequities and recovering in a sustainable fashion that will allow every New Yorker can thrive. To ensure that every agency and program that the city runs is not only fiscally sound but also building a city that New Yorkers deserve to live in, every audit performed by my office will also include a sustainability audit and an equity audit. The equity audit will look at programs and agencies to determine how their work is impacting communities now. These audits will be organized in three key areas each with its own markers of success: Equal Access (language access, equality / diversity, ADA compliance, no collaboration with immigration enforcement, etc), Contracts and Hiring (M/WBE goals, fair contracting standards, taking advantage of expanded no contracts bids to M/WBEs) and Community Engagement (programs are most successful when stakeholders are involved - co-governance!). The sustainability audit will look at programs and agencies to determine how their work is impacting our future. These audits will be organized in three key areas each with its own markers of success: Climate Change (are we on track for our OneNYC2050 goals?) Emergency Preparedness (are we prepared for the next emergency and are we building sustainable infrastructure to defend all NEw Yorkers?), and Innovation. Importantly, I will make all of this information available to New York City residents on the comptroller's website, so that it will not only guide policy makers and elected officials in their decision making, but also provide an important layer of accountability. I believe that the transparency and accountability that this new system will bring will bring us closer to routing out systemic racism in New York City. You can read about the plan in detail on my website at benjamin2021.com/plans.

Will you not seek, and refuse, the endorsement of Bill de Blasio?

I will not seek his endorsement.

In view of the fact that Ed Koch has been documented to have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people with AIDS, and was blatantly racist, would you support and sponsor a bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge?

Yes, and I think it is an insult to residents of Queens like members of my family that we renamed the Queensboro bridge. We would never have renamed the Manhattan Bridge or the Brooklyn Bridge. None of these historic bridges should be renamed after anyone.

What is your position on removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle and if so, what should replace it?

I am not afraid to get statues torn down - I helped lead the fight to remove a statue of J. Marion Sims from Central Park in my district, a racist surgeon. Everytime I drive past I am glad to see the empty spot it once sat in, and I look forward to seeing what it is replaced with. I know that that circle is very important to Italian Americans, and Italian Americans are very important to our city. I think good options for the replacement of Columbus include statues to real Italian American heroes like Geraldine Anne Ferraro. Many people also want to honor Native Americans in the circle, which seems like a good proposal to me as well. Whether or not it happens there, we certainly could do with more visible recognition and acknowledgement of the people who first called the island of Manhattan home.

Will you refuse contributions from real estate developers and all law enforcement unions or associations?

I am not accepting money from law enforcement unions.

Do you support reducing the budget of the NYPD and if so, by how much?

I support the movement to defund the police because I believe that there are parts of the NYPD budget that are not essential for public safety. On day one, I will begin an audit of the NYPD to determine where every dollar of the $5.426 billion in tax payers’ money in the FY2022 preliminary budget is spent. Each audit will lead to recommendations, every recommendation will lead to advocacy, and the advocacy will lead to implementation to ensure that the NYPD is serving New Yorkers in appropriate proportion to the issues our communities face. To achieve this, every audit performed by my office will go beyond simply reconciling revenues and expenditures. The fiscal performance of each program will be measured alongside their impact on communities by grading them in my Equity and Sustainability Audits. This will provide the blueprint for our new funding priorities, allowing us to defund policing programs that no longer lead to public safety, freeing up New Yorkers’ money to be invested in proven community programs. With these comprehensive audits in place, the city will have data to support wiser investments of police resources in our communities. I have already successfully promoted alternative policing solutions: over the summer, I worked closely with City Hall to force police out of social distancing enforcement, and later, I joined the Mayor at a press conference to roll out a pilot program in Harlem where community groups occupied spaces where violence was occurring, rather than simply sending more armed police. More police does not mean more public safety, there are a number of factors that contribute to keeping a community safe, and police on the street is just one of them. To hold the NYPD, the Mayor and the City Council accountable, one of my first hires will be an Assistant Comptroller for Public Safety. From the beginning of an investigation or audit to the very end of the implementation of recommendations, this senior staffer will work directly with me. The Assistant Comptroller for Public Safety’s portfolio will prioritize mental health, safety, equity and workforce development as New York City works to redefine public safety and our police force for the 21st century. This new organization of the office will focus on public safety results that matter to New Yorkers, and will foster the interdepartmental and interagency cooperation that is necessary for real success. With the work being led and measured not only by senior staff from departments like the Bureau of Audit, Contract Administration, or Asset Management but also by staff with a full time dedication to enacting your public safety priorities across disciplines and departments, New Yorkers can rest assured that the team I am leading will deliver real results that lead to a more equitable, just, and affordable city.

How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?

Yes - as chair of budget and revenues I know that budgets are hard fought compromises even in the best of circumstances. I would absolutely have wanted a better result for the redefining of public safety, but I would have voted to ensure that essential city services are funded.

Are you in favor of removing police from any of the following? a) Schools; b) Mental health response calls; c) Homeless outreach and social services; or d) Traffic enforcement.

Yes. More police has never meant more safety. There are other ways to provide these services.

Should the NYPD Vice Squad be eliminated?

Yes.

Should Dermot Shea be fired immediately?

Yes. He has lost the trust of New Yorkers.

Should the NYPD Commissioner require confirmation by the City Council?

Yes.

How would you recommend police officers be penalized for refusing to wear masks in public while on duty, in defiance of city and state rules?

This seems straightforward to me. No one is above the law, and that includes law enforcements. Police officers unwilling to follow the law should not be permitted to to enforce it. I would like to think that the police could handle this themselves, but if not the Department of Investigation or another similar agency should create a tip line which is ACTUALLY acted on to protect New Yorkers from COVID-19. In summer 2020, I worked with city hall to remove police officers from the enforcement of social distancing because it was clear they could not be trusted with the task without prejudice. It is unfortunate that they do not even seem capable of enforcing these rules for themselves.

What reforms would you make to the Civilian Complaint Review Board? Would you support state legislation to make CCRB disciplinary determinations binding?

Yes. Part of my plan to redefine public safety is to directly provide the CCRB with additional information, including the direct results of all police settlements (alongside detailed reports regarding concerning patterns) which the comptroller has power of according the charter, details of police procurements that relate to cases, and results and data from police audits.

What is your position on the plan to close Rikers and create four borough-based jails?

I was an early supporter of closing Rikers, and introduced and sponsored the bill in my first term requiring its closure in three years. I do think that we need to build new, modern facilities. I say this because I am deeply concerned about the rights of incarcerated people, and I do not think it makes sense to have a situation where we are still using older, low capacity facilities. I hope we never have another pandemic like COVID-19 again, but I can’t help considering how we would spread even a significantly decarcerated prison population out if we had no new borough based jails and no Rikers Island. In principal, I deplore the use of our limited resources on building more facilities to incarcerate New Yorkers. But if I center the folks who might end up incarcerated in my decision making, it is hard to say that we should just keep the antiquated, inhumane facilities we have now.

Will you advocate for the Governor to review sentences of incarcerated individuals over the age 55 who have served in excess of 15 years to determine if they warrant release?

Yes. I worked closely with the Governor and his counsel to secure early release for vulnerable incarcerated New Yorkers during COVID-19, including efforts in concert with Equality NY and Legal Aide focusing on TGNCNB and LGBTQ New Yorkers. I am also proud to be the sponsor of Less is More, legislation which totally transforms New York's broken parole system. Right now, we reincarcerate New Yorkers for technical, non violent offenses when they are on parole. My bill would end this, and make the adjudication process fairer. We must decarcerate New York, and this is a major part of how we will do it. In fact, in past years, even as other groups were decreasing, technical parole violators was a group on Rikers Island that was growing! So if we want to actually meet our goal of closing Rikers we need to pass this bill.

It’s common knowledge that New York City’s 311 system is not adequately responsive to the public’s concerns. How would you alter the 311 system to combat these problems?

It is incredibly clear that New Yorkers deserve a new and improved 311 system with better technology, better language access, shorter wait times, and greater accountability for what happens after complaints.

Do you support decriminalizing sex work? Will you pledge to oppose the Nordic model?

We all know that the sex work laws we have now are incredibly damaging and outdated, and that they are disproportionally used to harm people of color and trans people. I am in favor of a change to the law that ensures that those peoples’ actions are not criminalized. I am not ready to support the full decriminalization of sex work, but I am very open to discussing it. As comptroller (a role where I would not have particular influence over the outcome of decriminalization) I would still gladly partner in supporting efforts. For instance, I strongly support the rights of all workers including sex workers, and I would believe the comptroller’s office could play a role in ensuring such rights are protected.

Do you oppose school screening, which exacerbates segregation? Which screens in your school district(s) will you advocate to abolish?

I believe that we need to move beyond having tests as the single deciding factor in any public school entry decision. When I was admitted to Brown for undergrad, the faculty looked at many factors - grades, test scores, extra curricular activities, etc. We should do the same for specialized high schools.

Describe what reforms you would make to the control of the NYC public school system.

The city council, and local members particularly, must be able to hold the Department of Education to account. Far too frequently, there is no accountability of transparency. In 2018, when Wadleigh, a beloved Harlem public school for the arts, was slated for partial closure after receiving extra taxpayer funding, I wanted to know what had happened. I demanded to know how the money was spent and what metrics were used to determine that the school should close. After conversations with parents, teachers, and agency officials, we proposed a collaborative innovative solution that saved the school - protecting both taxpayers’ investment and Harlem students’ dreams for their future. Wadleigh is now thriving. I will bring this same solution-oriented focus to the office of comptroller when considering the department of education. To ensure students are at the center of all decisions, one of the three Assistant Comptrollers I will be appointing in my office reorganization will be an Assistant Comptroller for Education. This empowered deputies will follow a specific model for achieving positive results in their issue areas: identify problems, audit/investigate, craft recommendations, form advocacy efforts and finally implement solutions. One thing in particular I want to look into as relates to the department of education is contracting. In my own district, I have seen schools go without supplies (even technology during COVID!) while other potential local supplies, including MWB/Es, stayed locked out of the process. We have to remember that our goal is not the bottom line alone. We have to stay focused principally on the success of students, and find efficient ways to meet those goals. The comptroller’s office under my purview would vigorously track contracts, long before they reach the waiting period in which the comptroller can delay them, not only to route out fraud and abuse, but also to seek out better solutions. Sometimes, for instance, it might make sense to buy a good or service that is slightly more from a local business that can deliver them on time, then wait for the same mass market producer that is pre-approved by an agency but always takes months to deliver. Many M/WBEs simply cannot meet the requirements for the contracts, so this sort of reform is necessary if we are serious about our goals I am tired of seeing situations like an order for a new air conditioner to keep children healthy placed in the summer and filled in the winter. We can and we must do better, and the comptroller with financial management experience can make that happen.

Do you support public funding of abortion?

yes.

Do you support the creation of safe consumption sites? Would you support the use of NYC DOHMH authority to establish SCSs without NYSDOH authorization?

Yes we must end the criminalization of addiction.

Do you smoke or otherwise consume weed?

No.

Have you ever supported any of the members of the IDC? If so, who? What did you do to help defeat the IDC in 2018?

I did not support the IDC. After I was elected, I held a major press conference in Harlem calling for the election of Andrea Stewart Cousins as majority leader and the rejection of the IDC. My election gave us the technical majority, and the press conference I held had the majority of the NYC congressional delegation, the attorney general, and Democratic members of the state legislature. I was thrilled when we eventually beat back the IDC. I was also very involved in the general election in 2018, and sending 7 busses full of Manhattan volunteers to Long Island and the Hudson Valley to knock doors so we could build our majority, make Andrea Stewart-Cousins the Majority Leader and enact meaningful legislation.

What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?

Nightlife is vital to New York’s economy. There is no way New York’s economy can recover in a way that is equitable to our neighborhoods without restaurants, bars, and clubs recovering. I will continue to be a champion for small businesses as comptroller, including nightlife

Do you commit to speak with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses?

Absolutely.

Will you work to place restaurant, bar and club owners on community boards? Will you commit to not appointing or reappointing community board members who are hostile to food and beverage estalishments?

Though the comptroller does not have a direct role in appointing community board members, I certainly support a strong relationship between community boards and bars, restaurants and nightlife. Before I was elected state senator, I was chair of my own community board, and so I know first hand how critical it is that we have voices on the board who know the value of local small businesses, especially bars.

Now that the cabaret law was repealed do you support amending the zoning resolution to allow patrons to dance at more venues and eliminate the restrictions against dancing?

Yes. Happy to support vital local businesses, and glad to see the outdated cabaret law repealed.

Did you oppose the de Blasio/Cuomo proposal (and giveaways) for bringing Amazon’s HQ2 to Long Island City?

I supported the consideration of Amazon. But I had issues with whether or not the community would benefit from jobs and workforce development. Importantly, I think that workforce development and economic development need to go hand in hand to help ensure that, as we use city and state tax dollars to do work in communities (for instance, build or restore affordable housing) that the folks in those communities are given the opportunity to gain skills to be a part of the progress.

What role do you believe the local member should play in the approval of development proposals before the Council?

I think that member preference should be considered but it should not be binding. Building citywide priorities like affordable housing, for example, should supersede member preference.

Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing?

Yes.

Do you oppose the removal of the nearly 300 homeless individuals from the Lucerne hotel due to pressure from some local residents?

Yes. I joined many of the protests and rallies outside the Lucerne organized by residents and local advocates. I also co-organized a press conference in support of the Lucerne residents that pointed out the difference between how the city is treating homeless New Yorkers in different neighborhoods.

What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a Sanctuary City?

I am proud to have sponsored and passed the SCAR Act (Separated Children Accountability Response Act), which required NY foster care agencies to provide more information about the separated children sent to facilities (including one in my own district) my Trump’s hateful family separation policy. With the coalition I helped to put together to pass this bill, I also worked to expand the network of Houses of Worship in the city that were ready to respond to ICE raids by offering sanctuary. Though the election of Biden and Harris with majorities in the congress should provide some relief from hateful immigration policies, I will continue efforts such as these if elected comptroller. Additionally as a part of my Equity and Sustainability Audits, I will include an “equal access” audit in every look at an agency or program. As a part of this we will rate agencies' compliance with New York City’s Status as a Sanctuary City by determining if the agency is collaborating in any way with immigration enforcement. I will also continue to support the rights of resident non-citizens to vote.

Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Please elaborate on what policy and legislative steps the City can take to expand access and affordability.

Yes, I believe that healthcare is a human right and I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the NY Health Act again this year. I have been a co-sponsor every year since I was elected. If we are serious about accessible and affordable healthcare for New York City residents, we need to protect and strengthen our public hospital network. I am proud to represent several key public hospitals and my neighborhood has relied heavily on them throughout this pandemic, particularly Black and brown New Yorkers who don't necessarily have access to other healthcare. As comptroller, I commit to using the power of the office to prioritize the funding of local hospitals, and I will work with healthcare stakeholders including unions, front line workers and impacted communities to ensure that important decisions (particularly closures) are not made without a real sense of their impact.

Who did you support for office in the following primaries or special elections: A) Mayor in 2013 B) Public Advocate in 2013 and 2019, C) President in 2016 and 2020 C) Governor and Attorney General in 2018?

Mayor in 2013: Bill Thompson Public Advocate in 2013: Tish James President in 2016: Hillary Clinton Attorney General 2018: Tish James Governor 2018: Andrew Cuomo Public Advocate in 2019: Jumanne Williams President in 2020: Kamala Harris then Joe Biden

Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively

Public Safety Housing and Workforce Development Education

Mayor de Blasio has indicated his intent to call a third Charter Revision Commission, what additional reforms would you support to 1) the budget process, 2) the land use process, and 3) the powers and duties of municipal offices?

I believe that when important planning and budgeting needs to be considered citywide for important priorities like affordable housing. I’m very glad that the city has adopted comprehensive planning, but charter amendments could be useful to ensure that local resistance does not prevent us from reaching necessary citywide goals. For the budget, we need more transparency on the front end so we are not waiting for audits to determine how money is being spent. Municipal agencies need to be more accountable to the needs of New Yorkers, which means strengthening the City Council’s role in some appointments. I also believe the comptroller’s role over contracting and procurement should be strengthened so that we are not waiting for the agency, the mayor’s office of contracts, and OMB all to act before the comptroller can really intervene and propose a solution.

Please explain your vision for the present powers of the office you are seeking and how you intend to exercise them?

Later in the questionnaire I will speak about how I intend to use one of the office's principal powers, the power to audit, to make NYC more equitable and sustainable. I also have a plan to reorganize the office to make it more responsive to what I see as the major needs of New Yorkers today: redefining public safety, overcoming our affordable housing crisis, and providing every New York student a quality education. To achieve this, I will reorganize the staff to ensure that every action of the office leads to real and tangible progress, appointing Assistant Comptrollers for Education, Public Safety, and Housing & Economic Development. These empowered deputies will follow a specific model for achieving positive results in their issue areas: identify problems, audit/investigate, craft recommendations, form advocacy efforts and finally implement solutions. This new organization of the office will focus on results that matter to New Yorkers, and will foster the interdepartmental and interagency cooperation that is necessary for real success. With the work being led and measured not only by senior staff from departments like the Bureau of Audit, Contract Administration, or Asset Management but also by staff with a full time dedication to enacting your priorities across disciplines and departments, New Yorkers can rest assured that the team I am leading will deliver real results that lead to a more equitable, just, and affordable city.

Do you commit to working with Jim Owles during your campaign and while in office? What role can the club and the progressive LGBT community play in holding you accountable?

I am very proud to have worked closely with local LGBTQ organizations from my community as a Community Board Chair and as a State Senator. I could not have achieved many of my success without their input and support. They have helped with everything from policy to staffing (which is one of the reasons I now have two members of the LGBTQ community on my senior campaign staff!). As a citywide elected official, I would keep that model, turning to city wide and national leaders like the leadership of the Jim Owles club. I hope that we would have the same relationship.

If you receive the endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements?

Yes, we would be proud to have your endorsement and list it everywhere endorsements are included.

What additional information would you like Jim Owles to consider when we are making our endorsement decisions?

I thank you for this detailed questionnaire! I enjoyed considering each question. I think what New York City needs now is a comptroller who can meet this moment in police and criminal justice reform and manage our finances to help us recover equitably. I believe that I can be that comptroller and I hope you all will consider being my partners in this election.