Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Tamika Mapp for City Council District 8

Candidate Name: Tamika Mapp

Office Seeking Election for: City Council District 8

Campaign Website: http://mapp.vote

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

I believe I'm the best candidate to represent East Harlem and the Bronx because I have lived some of their lives. I know first-hand what it feels like when no one cares about your well-being or your family. I know first-hand what it feels like to have a child taken from you and then die due to the inadequacies of the family court system. I know first-hand what it feels like living paycheck to paycheck and wondering how will you get to work, when you have spent all your money on rent. I know first-hand what it feels like being a teenage mother without any resources or guidance on how to be the best parent you can be. I know what it feels like to reach out to your elected officials to figure out how to help the community and receive no response. I am running because working together strengthens our society and we a need a government, that will work for all of us instead just of the select few. As the Harlem State Committeewoman, I know that when you give your community tools, they are empowered to lead and collaborate with everyone. This district has been strangled by egos far too long, and our community is looking for someone to lead. I am running to be a partner of East Harlem and the Bronx in the City Council. A New Voice for the New Normal means a better city for us all.

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

Marti Allen-Cummings (City Council District 7)

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

N/A

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

Harlem Pride

Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?

Yes

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

Yes, all except for 2019-2020.

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

N/A, but will be committed that I have LGBTQI when I'm the next City Council member on my staff when I get the opportunity to hire.

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?

Lend my voice for the following: Child-Parent Security Act Walking While Trans Women Marches Black Lives Matter Marches

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

N/A

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

Yes. Their voice is missing to ensure a smooth re-entry into the community. I'll have a committee that recently incarcerated individuals will run to ensure everyone's voices are at the table.

Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?

Yes, and I will partner with other agencies and nonprofits as well.

Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism

My goal is to be a partner of my community and with organizations like WEACT, JustLeadershipUSA, Tenant Associations, Color of Change to break through some of these systemic racism. Investing in our children: I will be a strong voice to ensure our family child care receives the necessary funding they need to keep their business strong and open for our children to learn and grow. I will ensure that parents have a choice to either send their child(ren) to daycare or Pre-K if they feel their child isn't ready for school. I will ensure all schools receive their funding that been withheld for years in my community. I will ensure we have a universal summer youth program, for our children to get experience and build their resumes. I will ensure that we fully fund CUNY, so our children that want to attend college can. I will ensure we fully fund vocational training, for those who want to take a trade and start their career. I will ensure we have a quality after-school program that will be peak their curosity to learn STEAM or anything of their interest. I will ensure our foster youth have the opportunities to go to college or help them get on their feet the right way. Investing in Seniors: I will be their voice to ensure they can age graciously in the comforts of their home. I will ensure our nursing homes are treating our seniors with the respect and dignity they deserve. Immigration Reform: Our immigration system is still broken. There are too many people getting taken advantage of on their path to becoming a citizen in City Council District 8. Affordable pathway to citizenship and combat immigration fraud, Language Access Prohibiting law enforcement agencies or officers from inquiring about immigration status Voting access, Offer Know Your Rights trainings to empower individuals during ICE interactions Affordable Housing (I'll be able to ask my famous question, affordable to who?) We need to ensure everyone that wants a home to be able to get one. Holding NYCHA and HUD accountable for repairing all NYCHA buildings and bringing it back to code so families can live in a mold and pest-free home. No to RAD/INFILL/BluePrint for Change. Making sure our tax abatement/exemption programs don’t expire. Make a $4 billion capital investment each year which includes:​​ $200 million in rental assistance​ ​​$2.5 billion for HPD for affordable housing and homeownership opportunities $1.5 billion for NYCHA – to be matched by State funding – so we can restore the quality of our public housing.

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

Yes!!!!!

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

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

We should be removing the Christopher Columbus statue and like some of the candidates have said; open it up for our LGBTQI and BIPOC on a quarterly basis.

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

Yes

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

Yes, $3B - $5B, we need this money to invest in housing, education, mental health, summer youth programs, and quality after-school programming, workforce training, rental assistance

How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?

I would had a conversation with my community, to explain the budget and tell them the advantages and disadvantages of supporting the budget. I would of voted no to this budget because it's the right thing to do.

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!

Should the NYPD Vice Squad be eliminated?

Yes

Should Dermot Shea be fired immediately?

Yes

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?

A fine 2x their salary and/or suspension for 30 days for putting our communities at risk.

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

I would like to see CCRB be independent of the Citizen Union so we can ensure the rotten apples are not creating anymore harm to our communities or the city. I would support state legislation to make ALL CCRB disciplinary determinations bindging and retroactive.

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

I totally support closing Rikers and oppose to creating borough-based jails. The majority of our community are being locked up because they can't afford a roof over their heads or pay to get to work. Instead of putting them in jail, resources should be available instead.

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, and a re-entry plan such as identification, housing, workforce training, mental health services, technology training before they are released.

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?

We need to ensure that everyone who calls 311 can get the resources they need in a timely manner. We need to have train representatives that goes through an intensive training of the city agencies or a cheat sheet of what and where the person can get the help they need. We need to institute code words for those who are experiencing domestic violence or sex trafficking in our communities to ensure our members are safe.

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

Yes, I will support decriminalizing sex work and oppose the Nordic model.

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

Yes, because all children deserves the best education that they city has to offer!

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

I will work with our local organizations such as AQE to ensure the state gives us the $4Billion they owe to our public schools. I would like to reduce the Mayor appointees to ensure more parents can get on this board to create will change in our schools. I will listen and be a partner with parents, schools and educational organizations to ensure all voices are at the table. I will ensure that our children have civic education, financial education and sex education.

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, but they shouldn't have the final authority! We MUST listen to our community boards and members of the community before this happens!

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?

NO, I organize to help get them out.

What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?

Support all nightlife get access to testing and COVID-19 vaccines. Partner with CB11 to ensure our community can come back safely.

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

This is what I will do before I take a position on any policy! I will be having bi-monthly committee meetings where I will invite everyone to the table and listen to their concerns. I will attend community board meetings to let everyone know about my open-door policy, becuase their is no I in TEAM.

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?

Yes!

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

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

I did not support Amazon's HQ2 to Long Island City because it lacked transparency.

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

Everyone in the community should play in the approval of development proposals because more eyes are better than one. Everyone brings an unique view to proposals and I want my community to feel we are working partnership and not against.

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?

No, but we must do a better job at providing permanent housing for our community members.

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

Affordable pathway to citizenship and combat immigration fraud Language Access Prohibiting law enforcement agencies or officers from inquiring about immigration status Voting access Offer Know Your Rights trainings to empower individuals during ICE interactions

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 will work with State Elected Officials to ensure we can have a quality single-payer universal health care system that includes hearing services on a yearly basis.

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- Bill Thompson Public Advocate 2013: Leticia James 2019: Jumaane Williams President: 2016: Hillary 2020: Biden Governor 2018: Cynthia Nixon Attorney General 2018: Leticia James

Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively

Housing Green infrastructure Programming, universal summer youth jobs, quality senior program, quality youth program, quality and timely family childcare payments

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?

Budget process: be a partner with the Community Board and City agencies to see what we can fund. Land Use Process: Community board should have the final say of what goes up in their community and a longer response period of 120 business days.

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

I work for each member of my community and I will not take advantage of their trust in me. I will listen, be accessible and ensure their voices are heard in the district and in City Hall. I will not let my ego stop me from serving my community no matter if we don't see eye to eye. I will mentor our youth and adults, so they can become the next elected official in our community!

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?

Yes, and yes. I see us as partners where we can learn from each other. I would send a bi-monthly snapshot of what's going on and how the LGBTQI can take part of any hearings that may come up and to see how I can lend a hand as well.

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

Yes

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

I'm the only candidate in my district that wants to cancel petition to keep my community safe during COVID-19. I'm the only candidate in my district that believes in an open-door policy and not just when it's time for optics.