Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Tim Hunter for NY Assembly District 43

Candidate Name: Tim Hunter

Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 43

Website: https://timhunter4ny.com/

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

My name is Timothy G. Hunter, and I am running for public office to ensure that the people of the 43rd Assembly district have true progressive representation in Albany. I am a lifelong resident of Brooklyn, born to Jamaican parents that migrated to the borough in pursuit of a better life. My mother is a public school educator and a 2-time public university graduate, getting her Bachelor's degree from CUNY's Medgar Evers College, and her Master's degree from SUNY New Paltz. My dad was an electrician that had immense difficulties filing to become a citizen, and to this day is still undocumented. At a young age, my parents separated leaving my mom alone to raise her two sons in the heart of Brooklyn. Growing up, I always looked up to my mother and admired her strength and resilience. I remember watching her work 2-3 jobs throughout my youth just to make ends meet, and no matter how tired she was, she always made time to help us with our homework and encouraged us to pursue higher education.My mother's leadership led me to follow in her footsteps as an educator, and in 2016 after graduating high school at 17 years-old I started my first job as an architectural drafting teacher in the NYC Department of Education. I would go on to teach at various CTE schools across the city including Thomas Edison High School, Williamsburg High School for

Architecture and Design, and my very own alma mater City Polytechnic High School for Architecture and Engineering. I realized quickly that so many of the students in the schools that I taught in came from similar backgrounds as me, and a lot of them were battling food insecurity and housing instability all while trying to stay focused on their studies. These issues weighed heavy on my mind on my long train rides from work to school as I too was still a student, taking night classes at CUNY's New York City College of Technology pursuing my Bachelor's degree in education. However, I realized that our public universities were no different, our CUNY schools suffered from lack of investment from Governor Cuomo which led to libraries closing earlier, tuition hikes occurring every year, and budgets for student support services being slashed. I felt compelled to do something about the inequities that my peers were facing so I joined student government to make a difference on my campus. We organized CUNY students to speak at press conferences and rallies to advocate for more support for our University. I was eventually elected to chair the University Student Senate, where we would go on to testify at state budget hearings about the issues of the rising costs of attendance at our university, the need for food pantries on our campuses, the lack of support for students with disabilities, and the need for a New Deal For CUNY. Alongside the CUNY Rising Alliance which included coalition members such as New York City Communities for Change, PSC CUNY, NYPIRG, and the Young Invincibles, we were able to gain some traction in the legislature and push for a 2020 budget that took a step in the right direction, but still left me unsatisfied.After 4 years of teaching high school students, I eventually decided to leave the teaching profession to pursue a career in government. I worked for Assemblymember Diana Richardson during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as we handed out thousands of boxes of fresh produce throughout the 43rd Assembly District. Our office served as an information hub of resources, and helped hundreds of residents apply for unemployment benefits, and other COVID-19 support services. I then went on to work for State Senator Julia Salazar as her communications director, where I learned even more about the various issues that are impacting every day New Yorkers. As one of the most progressive State Senators that New York has ever seen, I worked closely with Senator Salazar as our office championed causes such as ending solitary confinement, advancing good Cause Eviction Legislation, pushing for the passage of the New York Health Act, and ensuring New York State played their part in lowering the staggeringly high black maternal morbidity rates.

Now I am running for office, because I believe that a more equitable New York is possible. The people of the 43rd Assembly District deserve so much more than empty promises, and words, they deserve resources and actions. We need an Assembly Member that will champion progressive causes, and fight for the working-class. There are so many families like mine in this district, and I want to give them hope that a brighter future is possible if we work together to hold those in power accountable. My vision is for our district to be able to be more involved in the process of governing, and view themselves as active stakeholders in our democracy rather than just as voters. I can only do this with the support of coalitions such as the WFP, and I hope to work alongside neighboring elected officials, community leaders, and our young people to make our vision a reality.

2. Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidates for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?

I’ve endorsed and assisted on the campaign of Chi Osse, a candidate for NYC Council last year, and I fully support and endorse Samy Nemir’s candidacy for NYS Assembly. I have also traveled to the Bronx to knock doors for Elisa Crespo in her effort to become the first

tran-woman elected to the NYC Council in the Bronx Special Election to replace the vacancy left by Ritchie Torres.

3. If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored?

N/A

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

I’ve worked with quite a few LGBTQ+ groups, especially during the Black Lives Matter protests and I've been involved with many of the weekly Stonewall protests that occurred during the movement. We marched for black queer liberation, and I also supported the vigils held in remembrance of trans women that have lost their lives due to the transphobic hate in various communities across the city. I have also supported the LGBTQ+ community in CUNY spaces as well. I have been a supporter of the CUNY LGBTQ+ council, which works to ensure that faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting the intersectional LGBTQI+ communities across the university system.

5. If applicable, what LGBTQ organizations have you allocated funds to?

N/A

6. Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?

While I do not consider myself a member of the LGBTQ community, I consider myself an ally and a fierce advocate for the community.

7. Have you marched in any Pride parades? Which marches and for approximately how many years?

I have attended the last three Pride Parades and marched in the last two Queer Liberation Marches.

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

I have never been in a position to employ openly LGBTQ individuals, but I look forward to employing and working with the LGBTQ community in my office once I am in the assembly.

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 will identify with the club on all literature and electronic materials upon receiving the endorsement.

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 attended countless protests held by the Stonewall Protest groups, and a handful of Black Trans visibility marches in memory of Trans women that have been murdered or have gone missing. I’ve also been an active leader in the BLM movement helping to Co-found an organization of young leaders called Strategy For Black Lives. We have helped to push policy solutions to criminal justice reform, and have held events and lives with leaders such as Senator Jamal Bailey on important issues surrounding the future of NYS and criminal justice reform.

Most recently, I attended a protest with advocates to call out Eric Adams for his recent mayoral appointments, that will without a doubt cause harm to the LGBTQ community.

11. Have you ever been arrested in pursuit of legislation or for protesting an injustice? Please elaborate.

I have never been arrested for protesting injustice but have come close to it many times amid the BLM protests of 2021, and have been actively involved in organizing jail support for those who have been arrested.

12. If you are an incumbent, what have you accomplished in your most recent term?

N/A

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.

Yes

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.

Yes

14. If you will not co-sponsor any of the above legislation, why not?

N/A

15. Do you oppose the efforts to weaken bail reform as written

Yes, I oppose efforts to weaken bail reform. I believe that Poverty shouldn’t be criminalized however, moderate democrats and far-right conservatives still feel that it should be. Instead of focusing on delivering resources to our communities, politicians have engaged in fear mongering, misinformation, and outright lies about bail reform. Pretrial detention is a deadly system that traumatizes people before their day in court, separating them from community and family. We need a system that addresses the immediate & root causes of harm and invests in services to meet community needs, not a system that puts people in cages. On the average day in 2018, 70 percent of New York's jail population was in pretrial detention, this meant that they

were serving time in jail without even being convicted for a crime yet. For many on pretrial detention, their only hope of release was to post bail. Unfortunately, the average cost of bail is often out of reach for low-income people. The average bail amount for a misdemeanor is $1,000, leaving access to freedom only to those that can pay for it, and guaranteeing jail time for those that couldn’t afford to buy their way home. Since the 2019 bail laws have been passed, Mayor Adams and other right-wing conservatives across the state have continued to use harmful rhetoric to instill fear in the hearts of New Yorkers by tying bail reform to the “increase in crime”. However, the truth is that crime overall has not increased. Since 2020, there has been a sharp increase in two specific types of crime: gun violence and homicides. This trend is nationwide, across cities governed by Democrats and Republicans, and across urban, suburban, and rural geographies. The research backs up what we know to be true, that community-based, public health-centered violence intervention programs do a better job of preventing and decreasing gun crime than policing and prosecution.

16. Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails? If incumbent, when did you do so last?

Even though I am not an elected official, I have visited constituents already on a visit to Fishkill Correctional Facility with State Senator Salazar, and will continue to do so. One of my closest friends was in Rikers for nearly a year, and I speak to him on the phone constantly about the horrible conditions even though I am not able to visit him due to the various restrictions that are in place. I fully commit to visiting constituents in prisons/jails across the state and in New York City.

17. Do you support legislation outlawing solitary confinement in all prisons statewide including city jails?

Yes, in my capacity working in the State Senate, I worked for the lead sponsor of the HALT bill to end solitary confinement. We worked to advance the bill through the legislature and with organizers from the RAPP and CCA campaigns. I am thankful for all their support as their organizing was instrumental in pushing it across the finish line last year. Allowing solitary confinement to continue is basically allowing tax-payer financed, state sanctioned torture to continue. Our current mayor is making it clear that he doesn’t care about our state laws by still advocating for the use of solitary confinement to continue in our city jails. I pledge to be a champion of criminal justice reform and that includes standing up to Eric Adams, and anyone else who is opposed to ending solitary confinement and it’s harmful practices.

18. When was the last time you were inside a correctional facility?

Last summer was my last time being inside a correctional facility.

19. Do you believe sincere remorse and actions taken while incarcerated should be considered over the original crime in determinations of parole?

Yes, I believe in second chances, and I believe the systems of mass-incarceration only serve to further harm black and brown communities. We must support efforts to reduce recidivism in the NYS carceral system, and that can only be done by providing opportunities to those directly affected by mass incarceration to receive TAP, and funding programs that will expand vocational training for incarcerated individuals. I believe that achieving higher levels of education should also count in the determination of parole recipients, and we must urge the parole board to be more considerate of the harms that mass incarceration causes to our community. Mass incarceration separates people from their families, and causes universal harm. We must do everything in our power to unite these impacted individuals with their families and loved ones and give them the tools that they need to be successful in avoiding future interactions with our criminal “in”justice system in the future.

20. What do you believe should be done to ensure more clemencies are granted every year?

I believe that the Governor should commit to granting clemency more often, and she should work with the DOC and the Corrections committee of both houses to assess which incarcerated individuals would be the best candidates for immediate release. During his last week in office, Governor Cuomo gave clemency to only 10 people. I'd love to see our new Governor give clemency to many more people, especially those that might not qualify for elder or fair and timely parole changes once the bills are passed. I will fight to pass the entirety of the Justice Roadmap package, including the parole reform bills and the newly introduced

Treatment-Not-Jails bill.

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, I will support every effort to put pressure on the Governor to maximize her use of clemency, and I will be critical of the governor and every elected official who is upholding the harmful systems of mass incarceration. I have spoken up already about the lack of the former Governor's clemency usage when COVID-19 positivity rates were sky-high in our state prisons. I have also been critical of the prison labor industrial complex that forced incarcerated individuals

to supply hand sanitizer and other resources for the entire state while they themselves lacked protection from the deadly virus.

22. Have you participated in any demonstrations or protests concerning clemency and parole?

Yes, I have attended protests on behalf of our Senate office to call for the passage of parole legislation.

23. Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?

Yes I will affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals.

24. Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing and employment?

Yes, I will support legislation to prohibit discrimination agaisnt formerly incarcerated people in housing and employment. Housing is a human right, and we must ensure that everyone has the right to a safe home environment.

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?

Yes, and I have worked with advocaccy groups such as Red Canary song while working for Senator Salazar to push for the passage of our bill that fully decriminalizes sex work. Sex work is work. We cannot rely on the harmful Nordic model, and we must support every effort to pass Senator Salazar’s bill.

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.

Yes.

27. Do you support ending qualified immunity for police and other law enforcement individuals?

Qualified immunity protects police officers that are being accused of violating constitutional rights making it nearly impossible to prosecute them. While it is important to elect District Attorneys that will prosecute these cases to the full extent of the law, we must end qualified immunity to prevent officers from being further protected from liability.

28. What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a “Sanctuary State”?

For us to protect immigrants, we must advance key legislation that will stop our state and local government from colluding with ICE officials and the federal government. Many of the immigrants in our city are our essential workers and we must do everything in our power to protect them. Through my experience in the state legislature, I have worked on issues that directly affect immigrant communities. From the excluded workers fund to advocating for the passage of the NY for All Act, and the legalization of street vending, I have spent my entire life advocating for our immigrant communities to ensure they were being treated fairly. I have spent years working in communities like AD43 and SD18 with large immigrant populations and these experiences have allowed me to understand the needs of various immigrant communities throughout NYC and understand the process of how to help with major concerns in immigrant communities. The 43rd Assembly district is home to many first generation Americans, and immigrants, and it is imperative that in the next primary, we have representation that will fight for our neighbors regardless of their immigration status.

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 I will add my name and sponsor this legislation.

29. Do you support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces?

I support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces and believe that we must continue to expand these services if we hope to save lives. We have already seen these spaces save countless lives in NYC in the short time they have been available, and support the efforts made by organizers to ensure we live in a state free from overdoses. Opioid overdoses are now the leading cause of death in our city, and it doesn’t have to be this way. We must expand resources and roll out a strong communication platform to spread awareness and show

community members that these spaces and preventative measures can actually save thousands of lives.

30. Have you ever endorsed any member of the IDC or any candidates who challenged IDC members? Please identify all candidates

I have supported the candidacy of Senator Myrie who has challenged IDC member Jesse Hammilton.

31. Will you commit to ensuring diverse LGBTQ representation among your staff?

Yes I believe representation is important, and I will commit to ensuring diverse LGBTQ+ representation among our staff.

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?

I supported Maya Wiley for Mayor, Bernie Sanders for President in 2020, and Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout for Governor in 2018. I was too young to vote in the 2016 elections.

33. Have you made an endorsement in the current bid for Governor? If so, who?

I have not officially endorsed for Governor, but I am backing Jumaane Williams’ campaign.

34. Do you support term limits for statewide office holders? For State Legislators?

Yes, I fully support term limits for statewide office holders, and for state legislators.

35. Describe any legislation and policy changes that you support in order to address the ongoing effects of slavery, racism, colonialism, and discrimination.

I believe that for us to reverse the impacts of slavery, racism, colnialism and discrimination we must address the legacy that our oppresors have left on government as a

whole. We must fully fund our schools and advocate for the passage of the African African History and Achievement Bill also known as the Black History Education Bill, to ensure our students are learning about their history. We must also push for the New Deal for CUNY, as open enrollment only allowed for black and brown students to have access to only 6-7 years of free CUNY before they were charged tuition in the 1970’s. Funding CUNY isn’t just a policy issue, it is a race issue, and we must give these families the free quality education that they are owed and what they truly deserve.

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?

While I believe that making public education from high school onwards free again will address the very high levels of student loan debt that New Yorkers face, we must do a better job of protecting students from predatory lending practices that loan companies participate in. Over 40 million Americans are suffering from outstanding student loan debt, and many of these people need to take out loans in order to pursue higher education which is absolutely necessary in order to make a living in today’s society. I will work to urge our counterparts at the federal level to push for the federal government to eliminate federal student loan debt, but I will also fight at the local level to ensure that aspiring graduate students aren’t falling victim to the schemes used by private lenders. As someone who has currently had to take out loans for graduate school, I take this issue very seriously and hope to address it further by introducing legislation that will further hold these lenders accountable, and offer more public support by reinstating Graduate TAP and giving our students access to more loan relief programs.

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.

I will fight to ensure that our communities have access to universal healthcare by advocating for the passage of the New York Health Act. Our district has a very low life expectancy rate, and extremely high rates of cancer, and high blood pressure. Coupled with the high rates of asthma and food insecurity, our district is most at risk for health complications so we must pass the New York Health Act to help expand health care access and better serve our communities. Our state needs to eliminate the barriers to healthcare by ensuring our working families are covered by a universal healthcare system that is accessible to every New Yorker regardless of age, income, or class status. New Yorkers deserve a state that prioritizes their health and well-being, and we must start with addressing the inequities in our healthcare system.

38. Discuss your stance on reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services.

Women’s rights are under attack and I fully support a person’s right to choose. I believe that abortion services and access to contraceptives should be expanded. We must continue to push other states to do the same. I stand with and support the organizers in other states that are fighting back against abortion bans, and other oppressive legislation that has harmed our communities, making access to these services nearly impossible. I also support efforts to remain vigilant in our municipalities and localities across New York State that attempt to limit access to abortions, contraceptives, and sex education in schools.

39. Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry or law enforcement unions/associations?

Yes I will refuse and refund any contributions from or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry or law enforcement unions/associations.

40. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations complicit in the Trump agenda?

Yes I will refund any contributions from executives at corporations that are complicit in the Trump Agenda.

41. Will you cosponsor the legislation to prohibit evictions without good cause (S.3082 / A.5573)?

Without good cause, households across the State face retaliatory eviction and unsafe living conditions, especially critical now because the eviction moratorium is expiring and people are behind on rent. Passing “good cause” eviction protections would cover 1.5M households statewide. As a former staffer, I spent a lot of time working on messaging and quotes advocating for the passage of Good Cause Eviction, and I hope to work closely with Housing Justice for All and other groups to ensure it passes.

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 I will push for the passage of this legislation. In addition to passing Good Cause and repealing 421-a, our robust housing agenda must include housing the low-income and less

fortunate. We must not only prevent rent from increasing, we must fight for tenant ownership by pushing for the passage of TOPA legislation which would give tenants the opportunity to purchase their homes as well. In a district where nearly 4 in 5 people are renters, I fully support the advancement of tenant protections, and will fight to be a fierce voice for the tenants of my district and across the state in Albany.

43. What should happen to 421-a? Would you end it, mend it, continue it?

Our district has some of the highest concentrations of Caribbean immigrants in our city, and we must ensure that our campaign focuses on the various issues that are harming these communities. Housing is a very important issue to the community at large, and to address it, I will support legislation that will keep our families safe and in their homes amid the ongoing pandemic. We must push back against the tax breaks afforded to real estate developers through harmful programs such as 421-a, and work to provide true low-income housing to community members that isn’t affordable to a select few wealthy elites. The real estate industry has made billions of dollars that could’ve gone to the city if we ensured they paid their fare share.

44. Do you support legalizing accessory dwelling units?

I support every effort to create more affordable housing across our state. I am an advocate for the legalization of ADU’s as it would allow for families to stay together as we are seeing the increase in rent costs across our state. With over 80% of our district identifying as tenants, I will be sure to also fight for stronger tenant protections for those that live in accessory dwelling units, and will fight to ensure they are also protected as well.

45. Do you support more state funding for NYCHA? If so, how much?

I support drastically increasing the budget of NYCHA, and once elected I will push for the full funding of NYCHA’s 40 Billion dollar deficit through a mixture of both federal, state, and local funds. The nearly half a million tenants in New York City’s housing authority have been disenfranchised for far too long, and many of them are currently living in unsafe conditions that must be addressed immediately. While there isn’t a heavy concentration of NYCHA in our district, I look forward to joining the Housing committee to continue the good fight for tenants in our district to ensure their rights are being protected.

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 support the Climate and Community Investment Act (CCIA) that would generate roughly $10 to 15 billion in revenue each year. We must continue to push for progressive legislation such as this which would aid us in our effort to hold polluters accountable for harming our environment. If we hope to push New York to become a greener state, it starts with this accountability, and we must do everything in our power to fight back against climate change.

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?

New York Public Banking Act is a bill that I fully support as we must ensure that our communities have access to a bank that is public and not reliant on predatory lending schemes. Enacting this legislation will help our state achieve cost savings by strengthening local economies, supporting community economic development, and addressing infrastructure and housing needs for localities.

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?

I fully support the New Deal for CUNY, and I helped to get the bill introduced in the New York State legislature. I come from a CUNY household, and I am proud to be a CUNY graduate myself. The City University of New York has been a vehicle of social upward mobility for millions, and has generated billions in revenue for the State of New York. While we are fighting for Free CUNY, we must also push to make SUNY free again and follow through with our commitment to pay our professors a living wage.

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, I fully support the renaming of the Ed Koch bridge, and I fully authorize my name for this purpose. We must make every effort to repeal and push back against any systems of white supremacy and racism in our state.

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

Yes, I believe we should remove the Christopher Columbus statue from Columbus Circle.

For many communities, including my own, he is a symbol of imperialism, slavery, white

supremacy, and misogyny. I have suggestions, but would first like to speak with the community surrounding Columbus Circle to learn more about their needs and suggestions. If it was up to me solely, I would support changing it to a Civil Rights or LGBTQ+ Rights Icon or Leader, who more accurately reflects the attitudes and desires of this time in history.

51. Do you support reducing the budget of law enforcement throughout the state, and if so, by how much?

I support reducing the budget of law enforcement throughout the state, and I also support incentive programs that will push for grants to be given to local governments that redistribute those funds into high need areas such as social services, and homelessness outreach. Law enforcement and the over-policing of our communities have caused us far more harm than good, and we need to double down in our investment in schools, healthcare, and youth programs if we hope to end the cycle of crime and poverty. The safest communities don’t have the most police, they have the most resources.

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 am in favor of removing the police from all 4 settings. Police are reactionary, not preventative. We need to invest in our communities and social services so there is no need for those with badges and guns to show up and escalate which they almost always do.

53. Should law enforcement "Vice Squads" be eliminated?

Yes, law enforcement Vice Squads have caused more harm than good, and are an absolute waste of taxpayers money. The predatory tactics of the Vice Squad have been primarily used in black and brown neighborhoods, and is just another tactic to criminalize our low-income communities. The NYPD Vice Squads must be abolished immediately.

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 believe that law enforcement officers should be required to wear their masks in public while on duty as long as the city and state law requires, especially when they are in congregate settings or on public transportation. It is impossible to claim that you are protecting and serving our communities if you are actively spreading a deadly virus due to personal negligence. Law enforcement officials that do not wear their masks should receive a letter in their file, and a

verbal warning, and repeated breach of this rule should be subject to some level of punishment/suspension.

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

I believe that we must start by giving more power to the Civilian Complaint Review Board to recommend disciplinary actions and hold the NYPD more accountable. However, we can only do this if we pass more police accountability laws at the state level. We must end qualified immunity, as many cops get off scotch free after committing crimes against working class people because of the blue wall of silence, and the very lax police accountability laws that we have here in our state. While I am happy that we have repealed 50-a among other accountability measures that were put in place in 2020, we must continue to give more power to the CCRB to strengthen the role of the CCRB, and I do support making disciplinary determinations binding.

56. What will you do to support nightlife in New York State?

I will support nightlife by ensuring that I continue to participate and promote our nightlife establishments locally, and also by partnering with the nightlife leadership in our district on social media. Our nightlife industry in Crown Heights, PLG, and Flatbush is growing at a rapid pace. I want to contribute through co-sponsoring legislation, securing grants, garnering media attention, and creating community partnerships with both established nightlife and new nightlife in the district. I believe it is crucial for economic development, quality of life, and COVID recovery that we support a robust nightlife community in our district.

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

Yes I fully support having an open dialogue between the industry stakeholders and our office before making any policy decisions that will affect their community. Communication is key for any successful public official, and I commit to speaking to restaurant and nightlife industry representatives on a regular and repeating basis. It is important for the industry representatives to view our office as a hub for resources, and a place to turn to for any concerns on policy proposals that might impact profits, patrons, employees, and any other aspect of their business.

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 will commit to speaking personally with liquor license applicants while also working with local Community Boards to show my support for these applicants if necessary. Our district has a budding vibrant nightlife, and I hope to support the efforts of small businesses in their quest to become more established in our community.

59. What are the top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively?

The top 3 priorities for my campaign both locally and legislatively are housing, education, and criminal justice reform. These issues have had a direct impact on my upbringing, and are among the various issues that many voters in this district care about. As a renter, I understand all too well that all housing isn’t created equal. As a product of the NYC public school system, I believe that a student’s zip code shouldn’t determine the quality of their education. As a black man, I have seen friends and loved ones fall victim to the corrupt system that is meant to keep those that look like me behind bars without any support in our return to society. I am running to right these wrongs, as education, housing, and the criminal justice system have done more harm than good to many of the families in my district.

60. How much money do you presently have in your campaign account?

So far I have raised nearly $15,000 dollars after announcing on February 14th, and if I include commitments I have raised $25,000.

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 know that I am not the traditional candidate, but I am experienced and I have what it takes to get the job done on day one. I have no ties to other establishment politicians, and will only not be accountable to corporations or give in to the power that lurks in the halls of Albany, I will be accountable to my community, and the progressive movement. We need a representative that won’t be afraid to stand up to the Governor and leadership when they make bad faith decisions, and I am confident that I am the person best equipped to do that for the 43rd district.