Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Diana Ayala for City Council District 8
Candidate Name: Diana Ayala
Office Seeking Election for: City Council District 8
Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district
As an individual who has experienced the impact of gun violence, homelessness, food insecurity, domestic violence and much more, I feel like I bring a different perspective to the City Council. I bring the perspective of lived experience.
Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidate for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?
Corey Johnson( speaker), Ritchie Torres
If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly)
I voted in favor of amending sex designations on birth records and the issuance of birth records, making changes to bills banning conversion therapy, adding gender pronoun questions to city forms, and supported efforts to ban walking while trans bills at State level
What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
Destination Tomorrow, SAGE, Stonewall
Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?
No
Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
Yes- every year since having been elected to public office
Have you employed openly LGBTQ individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?
yes and 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?
Woman March
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
Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
Yes
Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism
I will continue to fight for necessary funding resources for our schools, invest in our public hospital systems so that they are equipped with the tools necessary to provide the best quality health care to the all, and I will fight to ensure that we are investing in our young people by funding workforce development opportunities that allow them to an opportunity to gain employee skills for good paying jobs and breaking the barriers of poverty.
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?
It needs to be removed
Will you refuse contributions from real estate developers and all law enforcement unions or associations?
I will refuse contributions from law enforcement unions or associations and real estate groups not aligned with my values
Do you support reducing the budget of the NYPD and if so, by how much?
I do. The budget is inflated but the amount should be reflective of findings on audit aimed at identifying where efficiencies exist. Every other agency is asked to to the same. NYPD should not be the exception
How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?
I did
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.
Absolutely
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?
Police officers have to be held to the same standards as the rest of us especially since they have been tasked with enforcing the publics use of masks. Not wearing a mask in the midst of a pandemic is a public health issue and should be treated seriously. Officers found to be non compliant should be docked days and suspended for repeat violation of this practice.
What reforms would you make to the Civilian Complaint Review Board? Would you support state legislation to make CCRB disciplinary determinations binding?
Yes
What is your position on the plan to close Rikers and create four borough-based jails?
I support it
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
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 recently voted on two pieces that we hope will help improve response times and quality assurance concerns. First bill requires 311 to conduct customer satisfaction surveys and the 2nd, which I was a prime sponsor of would require 311 to publish the timeframes in which agencies are expected to respond to 311 service requests
Do you support decriminalizing sex work? Will you pledge to oppose the Nordic model?
I will
Do you oppose school screening, which exacerbates segregation? Which screens in your school district(s) will you advocate to abolish?
Any and all screening practices that prohibit all children from having access to the same level of quality education needs to be abolished.
Describe what reforms you would make to the control of the NYC public school system.
I would change the screening process for High School admissions. I would also fight for the right of parents and educators alike to help inform policies that directly impact the way they interface with their local school community. They understand the needs better than anyone else because they are there each and every day.
Do you support public funding of abortion?
I do
Do you support the creation of safe consumption sites? Would you support the use of NYC DOHMH authority to establish SCSs without NYSDOH authorization?
I do
Do you smoke or otherwise consume weed?
I do not but support a persons right to do so
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 have not
What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?
Considering how deeply the pandemic has devastated this industry, the first thing that we need to do is fight to ensure immediate financial relief.
Do you commit to speak with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses?
I do
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?
I do
Did you oppose the de Blasio/Cuomo proposal (and giveaways) for bringing Amazon’s HQ2 to Long Island City?
Yes
What role do you believe the local member should play in the approval of development proposals before the Council?
I believe that the role of the local member is important because they know their district better than anyone, but that should never discourage other members from thoroughly reviewing and informing themselves on development projects that fall outside of the borders of their own districts because we are all ultimately responsible for ensuring that we are building responsibly and in a matter that makes sense for the people who live here.
Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing?
I do
Do you oppose the removal of the nearly 300 homeless individuals from the Lucerne hotel due to pressure from some local residents?
I did and I still do
What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a Sanctuary City?
We must continue to protect our city sanctuary status by refusing to negotiate with ICE, and offering our immigrant brothers and sisters a voice in local governance matters that concern them, including voting for their local representatives.
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.
I do- I would work on the expansion of the NYC Care program
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?
Bill Deblasio, Tish James and then Melissa Mark Viverito. I supported Hilary Clinton and Joe Biden Cuomo and Tish James
Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively
Creating an office of Mental Health , addressing Gun Violence, getting safe injection sites pilot approved
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 should better reflect the needs of individual communities. We have seen huge disparities in our communities, we know where we are most in need. Revisions need to be made. MIH was better than nothing but is not good enough. It does more to support the development of market apartments than it does for the development of affordable housing.
Please explain your vision for the present powers of the office you are seeking and how you intend to exercise them?
I see my office as an extension of my community. I see it as a place where people come to learn, to grow, and to be treated with the respect they deserve. We have lots of challenges, food insecurity, displacement, violence continue to dictate the state of our district. I intend to help change that by truly investing in the community in ways that are the most immediately impactful to our constituency.
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 do
If you receive the endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements?
I do
What additional information would you like Jim Owles to consider when we are making our endorsement decisions?
Thank you for the opportunity to interview. As the sister, cousin and aunt of beautiful individuals who happen to help make up the LGBTQ community, I take the work of fighting to ensure that their voices, their rights are protected each and every day. I thank the Jim Owles club for doing the same. Please see me as an ally. I am here to be helpful and would love to hear more about your priorities for the next council.