Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Brandon P Stradford for Staten Island Borough President

Candidate Name: Brandon P Stradford

Office Seeking Election for: Staten Island Borough President

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

Growing up African-American in Staten Island during an era of open racism and being the son of a union steelworker in the markham housing projects, I understand intimately the struggles of the working class and people of color. The values instilled in me by my parents of work ethic, of charity, and of understanding led me to pursue a career of advocacy wherein I served my community by fighting for immigrants, by educating the formerly incarcerated on how to find gainful employment, and mentoring young people to be engaged, inspired, empowered and increase their individual self worth. This work, and the great people I met doing it, is part of what inspired me to run for office - I believe we must demand that our government do better for all of our people, and that starts with changing who controls it’s levers. Staten Island has a grim reputation and it is my intent to challenge that with a new vision, and alter the course of our borough for the better. I am the only candidate who can bring this lived experience to bear in the coming fight with republican candidates, and the only candidate whose words hold such gravity. When the inevitable coded language, slurs, and equivocations start to come out - I am the only one who can stop it dead in its tracks. I may even be the only candidate willing to do so with vigor. I am uniquely suited to unite the disparate factions of my county democratic party and bring our values to the fore. I am ready for this fight because it is the battle I have fought my entire life.

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

Staten Island has yet to see any member of the LGBT community run for office that is not a founding member of the IDC or otherwise a Republican. Should such a candidate arise, I can assure you they will have my vocal support and encouragement.

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

I have not yet had the opportunity to be in a position to introduce nor sponsor any legislation. However, If elected, I aim to work with our city council delegation to protect and celebrate the lgbt community on a myriad of topics, such as an inclusive clause for local parade permits based on the controversy surrounding our St. Patricks Day Parade

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

I have been active with VOCAL for many years & endorsed by Stonewall Democrats in 2020

Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?

While I am not a member of the community myself, I am an ally. The persecution and bigotry experienced by your members are a mirror of the visceral hatred I and my people have witnessed throughout history. Many of the hard roads we have traveled intersect.

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

No but I've participated in other activities as an ally.

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

Yes

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?

I served on the first Agency Leadership Advisory Council to support the mission of the newly formed Administration for Children's Services Office of LGBTQ Policy and Practice. I have attended actions with Budget Justice in Albany, HALT Solitary, VOCAL NY, RAPP in support of prison reform, lead the kickoff march in Arlington, SI during the 7 days of Good Trouble alongside councilwoman Debbie Rose, attended the very first march for justice for Eric Garner

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?

Absolutely - one of the major components of my advocacy work has been helping advise and employ the formerly incarcerated. As Borough President I will commit to extending that educational work to those currently imprisoned & bring them the light of hope in such dark places

Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?

Yes, unequivocally. Throughout my HR career I partnered with ex-offender organizations to host job fairs for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism

A) Educational Parity - Communities of color are always the last to benefit from upgrades and investments into our public education system. I would ensure new innovations are spread evenly, that funding and resources are directed towards traditionally under-served districts, and will advocate for educational policy that teaches inclusivity and diversity. Additionally I will continue to pursue a school safety policy that keeps NYPD out of our schools and forestalls any returns. The long standing practice of policing black and brown childhood as though it is aberrant criminality will not return in any form under my watch! B) Housing Justice - NYCHA accountability & improvements are a top priority for me. Most residents in NYCHA buildings are people of color. NYCHA is criminally under maintained and leads to a multitude of further systemic health issues, such as toxic exposure to mold, vermin, lead, and contaminated air & water, poor ventilation, and tight quarters during a pandemic. C) Healthcare access and improved outcomes - We have to make healthcare accessible for the poor, the uninsured, and the under-insured. We cannot have a healthy society if all cannot be healthy. D) Community Board & School Board representation - I am prepared to use the power of appointment that Borough Presidents are granted to fundamentally restructure the makeup of local boards, bringing in experts who have closer ties and similar lived experiences to the communities they serve.

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?

In consultation with stakeholders and concerned Staten Island Residents I would advocate for alternative names for the bridge. I would consult with communities most impacted by his legacy to enact the will of the people.

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

I would find it apt to replace it with a monument to the indigenous, original new yorkers whom he decimated.

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

This is an easy yes. My opponent Mark Murphy is a wealthy Sotheby's real estate mogul, and my positions on forestalling gentrification and ceasing luxury condominium development puts me in direct odds with that group. As for police associations - while my brother is an NYPD officer and I love him dearly, I expect most of their groups will be donating to the republican candidates in the race.

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

Yes I do, though it is difficult to give an exact dollar amount. I would like to see funding redirected to social services, homeless services, and mental health initiatives and monies repurposed from facial recognition AI, cybernetic spy dogs, drones, armored troop carriers and sonic cannons.

How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?

While Borough Presidents do not vote on the city budget, I do not think I could have supported it as it stood.

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. As previously indicated, I do not think police officers should be responsible for these aspects. Their priorities should be on preventing and solving violent & organized crimes. Law enforcement in schools has led to a policing of black childhood and a school to prison pipeline. Law enforcement involving themselves in mental health crisis calls has led to the deaths of thousands, predominantly people of color. Law Enforcement interacting with the homeless has created an atmosphere where it is seen as a crime to be poor - class warfare at its most blatantly evil. In the matter of traffic enforcement I am torn, because vehicular assaults and car related deaths are a real and visceral problem. However we cannot lose sight of the fact that traffic stops have been used as a pretext for racially motivated intrusions that all too often end in life altering felony charges, or life ending incidents.

Should the NYPD Vice Squad be eliminated?

Yes, with a caveat. We should endeavor to engage our stakeholders to keep order in our communities. It is not enough to just eliminate broken systems when they are striving to perform a worthwhile function - we must have an alternative. What shape that takes is an important conversation I look forward to having.

Should Dermot Shea be fired immediately?

No. He’s been willing to cross the aisle and work with regulatory bodies in a way certain previous commissioners were unwilling. I expect the new incoming mayor will select someone else anyhow.

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?

Formal Reprimand

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

There are a myriad of changes I would make, but I’d rather go into specifics in person. Yes - Their final decisions need to have more teeth legislatively.

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

Instead of full closure of Rikers we ought to use it’s medical facilities & expand it based on lessons learned during the pandemic, opening up humane spaces to treat all prisoners from all walks of life, including mental health.

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?

Absolutely Yes - I fully support elder parole & elder release. I joined activist groups in advocating for this in Albany!

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?

A majority of 311 operators are people of color, many of whom were impacted more heavily by the pandemic. Just looking at a snapshot of 2020, no system was at 100%. I think before we condemn the system we look with grace at the toils of the last year. That said, they could clearly use a technology upgrade, and increased cross indexing with information from city agencies. There is also a great deal of red tape that hinders agents ability to assist callers in terms of inter-agency information exchange and cooperation that could be streamlined.

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

There are a myriad of reasons that lead people into the line of sex work. We must be careful not to further oppress women, youth, and immigrants who are already at risk. I would oppose the nordic model because it does not focus on the root problem of exploitation and trafficking.

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

Yes, I think it would be a healthier system if we poured resources into neighborhood schools to make them stronger. I would change the SI Tech Testing Requirements.

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

Through the BP power of appointment, I will ensure stakeholders and community advocates and parent leaders are more involved in leadership and have more input.

Do you support public funding of abortion?

I support public funding for all well women’s care.

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

No & I would not support going rogue and implementing it without state agency involvement

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 - in fact I have been embroiled in a bitter rivalry with IDC founder Diane Savino and her allies since 2018 when I ran against her for State Senate in the 23rd district. When I ran again in 2020 for the same seat, she spent thousands of dollars to employ lawyers to knock me off the ballot. Her allies in the Richmond County Democratic Party, now under the banner of Mark Murphy, are gunning for me & my campaign yet again.

What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?

Bars, Restaurants, and local entertainment are the small business backbone of our economy across Staten Island. The first and most important thing I can do is work to bring covid infections down below 1% so that venues can reopen intelligently and get back to business. To be clear that means reopening with all possible safety precautions & mask compliance. In addition, I am seeking support for a small business stimulus that will put money back into the hands of business operators and their employees so they can remain open and build back better.

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

Yes

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, I intend for my new appointees to better represent the communities they serve.

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 - Once Covid is under control.

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

Yes. Our tax dollars should not be going to give Jeff Bezos a sweeter subsidized deal when he doesn’t even pay taxes himself.

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

In my role as BP I will have wide authority over land use to which I will ensure all stakeholders are heard and communities are informed, and impact to our environment is accounted for.

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

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

No ICE in or near schools. Mandate local school officials may not coordinate in any way with ICE. No early morning ICE raids near shopping centers or places where migrant workers congregate seeking employment.

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. One of the policies I most admire former presidential candidate and current Vermont Senator Bernard Sanders for is Medicare-for-all style single payer proposals. Although the Office of Borough President has very little direct say in such matters, I continue to advocate for a city or state wide version of the program, taking what we can learn from the Massachusetts system and applying it here. As for steps toward accessibility and affordability a Borough President can take, I continue to pledge to work alongside community partners and our council delegation to increase clinic services, add new sites & upgrade existing ones through grants and SBA loans to enhance outcomes for all. And ofcourse, I continue my long standing calls to open 1 or more public hospitals on Staten Island, where we currently have none. I am excited to explore how I may use the powers of land use and zoning to entice investment and infrastructure upgrades from those willing to serve the health needs of our people.

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?

A) De Blasio B) 2013 Leticia James 2019 Jumaane Williams C) 2016 Bernie Sanders Primary - Hillary General Election/ 2020 Bernie Sanders Primary Joe Biden General Election D) Cynthia Nixon/ Leticia James

Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively

Education Housing Infrastructure & Sustainability Healthcare

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?

1 - I would like to see more funding toward mental health 2 - A Public Hospital on our island, and the process for repurposing existing structures 3 - Give Borough Presidents a vote in the city council

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

Land use and the power of appointment are the main spheres of what a borough president can influence, in addition to business associations and investments, grants, limited input on budgetary concerns, and of course, the bully pulpit. As previously stated I intend on my appointees to be the most diverse and representative group of experts and stakeholders our island has ever seen. With my say over land use and development I am aiming high with plans to upgrade and modernize our infrastructure for a sustainable future, bring a new era of accountability and equity to housing issues, and forestall the viscous & often racist gentrification of traditional neighborhoods by greedy firms that do not understand our local way of life. Using the position of emissary for Staten Island I am eager to attract investment from cutting edge technology and green energy sector industries and find partnerships that give our workers and students opportunity to get in on the ground floor of new innovations with job opportunities and forging industry/university partnerships. Solar, Wind, and Electric Light Rail are all on my agenda.

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

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

Yes, proudly!

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

All that there is left to say is that I look forward to going further in depth about all of these issues with your membership in person/over zoom.