Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Maritza Davila for NY Assembly District 53
Candidate Name: Maritza Davila
Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 53
Website: https://twitter.com/MaritzaDavila53
1. Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district.
I have been a lifelong resident of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick and have seen my community burned down in the 70s and helped rebuild it as a community organizer for over 30 years. I believe my connection to the residents I help organize into tenant associations, block associations and merchant associations gives me the perspective needed to represent them in Albany.
2. Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidates for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?
I have previously endorsed Sammy Nemir Olivares for the Co-district leader position in my Assembly District.
3. If applicable what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored?
I was a co-sponsor of the decriminalization of “Walking while Trans” legislation.
4. What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer or professional basis?
I have worked with in my district the non for-profit organization Make the Road New York solidarity GLOBE group which fights LBTQ+ rights and have given discretionary funding to help with their organizing efforts.
5. If applicable, what LGBTQ organizations have you allocated funds to?
The Organization mentioned above.
6. Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?
Though not a member I consider myself a strong Ally.
7. Have you marched in any Pride parades? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
Yes, every year I march with Make the Road and GLOBE in my district for their annual pride parade and have attended the Brooklyn Pride parade before.
8. Have you employed openly LGBTQ individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?
We I first started in the Assembly I had a member of the LGBTQ working for me. As a policy of my office I respect my employees right to privacy and thus do not ask their sexual orientation but do respect their preferred gender identity.
9. If you receive the Jim Owles endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements?
Yes I agree.
10. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBTQ issues, pro choice legislation, criminal justice reform issues and the Resist Trump Movement have you attended and/or participated in?
I have co-sponsored and championed the criminal justice reforms and raise the age fight. This year I am the lead sponsor of the Elder Parole legislation. I have also fought for the Liberty defense fund to help undocumented individuals taken by ICE under the trump administration.
11. Have you ever been arrested in pursuit of legislation or for protesting an injustice? Please elaborate.
Yes, in the fight to renew rent regulations I was arrested in Albany while protesting in front of the governors office.
12. If you are an incumbent, what have you accomplished in your most recent term?
I refer to the legislation I previously mention along with funding allocations I have been able to give to crucial capital repairs in the NYCHA developments I represent.
13. For the following pieces of legislation, please answer if you are currently a sponsor or co-sponsor (if you are an incumbent), or if you will co-sponsor (if you are not an incumbent):
A. Fair and Timely Parole (S.1415A / A.4231A): A bill pending in Albany that would ensure access to the parole release process for incarcerated people in New York State. This bill ensures that decisions on parole are not solely based on the nature of the original crimes but includes incarcerated peoples’ record of rehabilitation and assessment of current risk to public safety.
Co-sponsor
B. Elder Parole (S.15A / A.3475A): A bill pending in Albany that would allow elderly incarcerated people who have served at least 15 years in prison an opportunity to appear before the Parole Board for a chance at release.
Lead Sponsor
14. If you will not co-sponsor any of the above legislation, why not?
15. Do you oppose the efforts to weaken bail reform as written
yes
16. Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails? If incumbent, when did you do so last?
Yes, the last time I visited a prison was Riker Island in 2019
17. Do you support legislation outlawing solitary confinement in all prisons statewide including city jails?
yes
18. When was the last time you were inside a correctional facility.
2019 as a member of the Assembly corrections committee
19. Do you believe sincere remorse and actions taken while incarcerated should be considered over the original crime in determinations of parole?
Yes.
20. What do you believe should be done to ensure more clemencies are granted every year?
More resources should be committed to Parole Board and DOCs to ensure faster review times for cases considered for clemency and parole.
21. Will you publicly call on the governor to use her clemency power for the many incarcerated New Yorkers who can safely return home? Will you tweet out your support for this or issue a public statement? Would you be willing to be critical of a governor who does not exercise their power to grant clemencies and commutations to those worthy of release? Have you ever spoken out in such a way?
yes
22. Have you participated in any demonstrations or protests concerning clemency and parole?
Yes, I was just in a press conference with Rev. Al Sharpton advocating for the Elder Parole Legislation.
23. Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
Yes I am an equal opportunity employer.
24. Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing and employment?
Yes.
25. Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work? Are you or will you co-sponsor the bill introduced by Julia Salazar (S.6419 / A. 8230), which fully decriminalizes sex work?
I am undecided on the bill and willing to continue to meet with advocates and have open dialogue regarding this issue.
26. Will you actively oppose legislation (S.6040 / A.7069) that would implement the dangerous Nordic model instead of the decriminalization of prostitution? Explain in detail your views on full decriminalization, the Nordic model, legalization, and the existing criminalization approach.
I refer to my comments above.
27. Do you support ending qualified immunity for police and other law enforcement individuals?
Yes.
28. What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a “Sanctuary State”?
I support legally barring local law enforcement working in coordination with ICE for the purposes of rounding people up for the only issue of not having the correct paperwork.
29. Are you a sponsor of New York's Medical Aid in Dying Act (A.4321a/S.6471)? If not, will you add your name and sponsor?
yes.
29. Do you support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces?
No I do not support supervised drug consumption spaces, as stated above my lived experience of seeing drugs ravage my community and losing loved ones to drug dependency has made me a strong proponent of increased funding for drug rehabilitation programs and substance abuse groups.
30. Have you ever endorsed any member of the IDC or any candidates who challenged IDC members? Please identify all candidates
No
31. Will you commit to ensuring diverse LGBTQ representation among your staff?
Yes.
32. Who did you support for office in the following primaries or special elections: A) Mayor in 2021 B) President in 2016 and 2020 C) Governor and Attorney General in 2018?
A) Maya Wiley B) Hilary Clinton and Joe Biden C) Cuomo and Shneiderman
33. Have you made an endorsement in the current bid for Governor? If so, who?
I have endorsed Kathy Hochul for Governor. As the chair of the Puerto Rican and Hispanic Taskforce for the state legislature she has met with my colleagues and I to discuss equal representation in the executive branch for Latinos.
34. Do you support term limits for statewide office holders? For State Legislators?
Yes.
35. Describe any legislation and policy changes that you support in order to address the ongoing effects of slavery, racism, colonialism, and discrimination.
I support efforts to incorporate class curriculum in schools to teach about the colonialism that took place in this county and in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean from European powers and the effects we still live with to this day.
36. What legislation or other policy changes do you support in order to make college and graduate school affordable for poor, working-class, and middle-class Americans and to alleviate the crushing loan debt that many students and alumni are facing?
I was a supporter of increasing tap funding and working to find a way to fund CUNY schools to get back to being free for NYC residents.
37. Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Do you or will you co-sponsor the New York Health Act? Please elaborate
Yes, I am currently a co-sponsor and I believe healthcare is a basic human right to be had by all.
38. Discuss your stance on reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services.
I fully support a womans right to chose and the rights to their own reproductive healthcare.
39. Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry or law enforcement unions/associations?
I will not take money from Real Estate but I have taken money from the Court Officers Association. Court Officers are tasked with protecting juries, judges and witnesses to crimes.
40. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations complicit in the Trump agenda?
Yes.
41. Will you cosponsor the legislation to prohibit evictions without good cause (S.3082 / A.5573)?
Yes.
42. Will you push for the passage of Home Stability Support (HSS) to bridge the difference between the public assistance shelter allowance and fair market rents for NY's 95,000 homeless? Will you co-sponsor S.856 / A.6032, which amends the Social Services Law to create a statewide rent supplement for families and individuals who are eligible for public assistance benefits and who face eviction, homelessness, or loss of housing due to domestic violence or hazardous living conditions?
Yes.
43. What should happen to 421-a? Would you end it, mend it, continue it?
I believe it should be amended to ensure that they are true and deeply affordable housing created if these developers should receive any type of tax abatements. I would also for more oversight.
44. Do you support legalizing accessory dwelling units?
Yes.
45. Do you support more state funding for NYCHA? If so, how much?
Yes I have fought every year in the budget to increase funding for NYCHA. It is imperative we fund the multi-billion dollar capital repair needs for the only truly affordable housing stock in New York City.
46. Do you, or will you, co-sponsor the Climate and Community Investment Act? (S.4264A / A.6967) If you are an incumbent and do not currently co-sponsor this bill, why not?
I am a co-sponsor.
47. Do you support the New York Public Banking Act (S.1762A / A. 8290? If you are an incumbent and do not currently co-sponsor this bill, why not?
Yes I do, in the process of getting on the bill.
48. Do you support the New Deal for CUNY (S.4461 / A.5843)? If you are an incumbent and do not currently co-sponsor this bill, why not?
Yes I do.
49. 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 a city bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose?
Yes.
50. What is your position on removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle and if so, what should replace it?
I support the removal of the statue. I would support Lola Lebron statue instead.
51. Do you support reducing the budget of law enforcement throughout the state, and if so, by how much?
I do not believe in reducing the budget but I do believe that those same resources should be redirected to training officer to handle social services.
52. 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.
I believe they should be removed from Homeless outreach and social service and that in response to mental health response should be in tandem with mental health experts.
53. Should law enforcements "Vice Squads" be eliminated?
No I do not believe they should be eliminated because they are tasked with taking guns off of the streets which affect communities of color like mine.
54. How would you recommend law enforcement officers be penalized for refusing to wear masks in public while on duty, in defiance of city and state rules?
I support
55. What reforms would you make to the Civilian Complaint Review Board? Would you support state legislation to make CCRB disciplinary determinations binding?
Too often civilian complains have gone unaddressed leaving some officers to continue to abuse without any consequences.
56. What will you do to support nightlife in New York State?
I am the founder of the Wyckoff Avenue Merchants Association in my district, nightlife has increased by several fold in our community.
57. Do you commit to speak with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses?
I live in the middle of my district and continuously monitor the businesses in my district therefore, I rely on my own views while talking to community residents.
58. Do you commit to speak personally with liquor license applicants and license holders before opposing any bid for a liquor license? Likewise for an applicant seeking your support?
Yes I already speak with most of my businesses and applicants.
59. What are the top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively?
I am committed to addressing sanitation issues, education and schools, affordable housing
60. How much money do you presently have in your campaign account?
$18,000
61. What additional information would you like members The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision concerning your candidacy?
I am an open and transparent candidate and look forward to speaking to members.