Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Elizabeth Caputo for Manhattan Borough President
Candidate Name: Kim Watkins
Office Seeking Election for: Manhattan Borough President
Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district
New York City needs qualified, innovative new leaders to meet this moment. We need leadership – on PPE delivery, vaccine distribution, our schools and restaurants closing and opening, social, racial, gender inequality. Our current career politicians have not brought the forward-thinking actionable ideas and vision that this City needs, especially now. With the immense challenges we are facing today – especially in bringing back Manhattan’s economy and its unique and world-class nightlife, local business, arts and culture – we need leaders who can bridge global and local, and neighborhood to neighborhood. We have an economic crisis that is impacting Manhattan and have neighbors who need housing and rent relief, public school students and parents who want schools to open safely, and an affordability crisis that will extend for years. The job of Borough President needs to be filled by someone who has a track record of working with everyone. I moved to Manhattan in 1995, and have called the Upper West Side my home my entire adult life. I have lived and worked in Manhattan through its toughest days – during 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, Hurricane Sandy, and now, amidst a global pandemic where New York City has been at the epicenter. Throughout it all, I have brought together Manhattan communities and I will bring commitment and energy to local government, as New York City recovers and rebuilds. My career has bridged public and private, global and local. I began my NYC career in municipal finance, supporting essential local infrastructure projects for the City and the country – everything from bridges to schools to airports to housing to transit systems. I worked as part of the founding team to launch the Fund for Public Schools, under Caroline Kennedy, at the NYC Department of Education. I later returned to municipal finance, spending a decade in management roles focused on New York City and New York State. I was elected the first longest-serving Chair of Manhattan's Community Board 7 in 2013 – a position I held for three years, while holding my full-time day job, and I remain a CB7 Member after serving in board leadership for over a decade. Currently, I work at the World Economic Forum, where for over 6 years I have been responsible for the Forum's US government engagement. In this role, I bridge US cities to emerging technologies around the world and bring global leaders together to promote an inclusive and sustainable future. I previously served as Chair of Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century (“DL21C”), where I organized and activated a new generation of New Yorkers into civic and political life, and launched DL21C’s LGBTQ committee in 2014.
Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidate for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?
I bring 25 years of supporting and endorsing progressive, LGBTQ candidates both nationally and locally including: Corey Johnson, Tammy Baldwin, Ritchie Torres, Yetta Kurland, Brad Hoylman (my State Senator) and Pete Buttigieg (who I have known for over 15 years, before he became a Presidential candidate). I support Erik Bottcher for his City Council run. Mel Wymore, who would have been the first transgender NYC Council member, is one of my senior campaign advisers, and I have worked with him for over a decade in our neighborhood.
If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly)
I am not an elected official. At DL21C, we hosted one of the first GENDA events with Senator Squadron, and we held numerous events at DL21C even before that time, that advanced the LGBTQ community. I have made LGBTQ issues front and center for the past two decades and you can count on me to continue to do so as your Borough President.
What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I have volunteered or have worked with GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, Out Leadership, and GLSEN among other organizations. At the World Economic Forum where I work, we have championed numerous events featuring LGBTQ leadership in the business and social sectors, including a June 2020 staff-wide virtual event I organized featuring Sarah Kate Ellis CEO of GLAAD, Fabrice Houdart Managing Director at Out Leadership, and Marla Blow, who heads Social Impact North America at Mastercard.
Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?
I consider myself a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community and an ally who has actively supported the LGBTQ community my entire life.
Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
I have shown support for Pride each year in Manhattan.
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?
I started DL21C’s LGBTQ committee. I attended numerous #BLM and Juneteenth peaceful marches throughout Manhattan, which are documented on my social media. As a woman running for this office, I have been a decades-long activist on pro-choice issues and have consistently supported pro-choice legislation and activism.
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?
I do.
Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
I will.
Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism
As Manhattan Borough President, I seek to combat racism locally and as a systemic problem across NYC and society. Some specifics: - I support an outreach program to neighborhood residents to make more equitable Community Board appointments reflecting the demographic makeup of the communities they represent. There needs to be reform in the selection process. - Rezonings must be conscientious towards the environmental, racial, and economic concerns of the neighborhood. All rezonings should be made with public transit in mind, whether looking towards areas with existing robust access for upzoning or with a plan for subway and bus service expansion in a less developed area - Every community in Manhattan needs to play its part, and I plan to facilitate these conversations, ensuring the representation of all interested groups and residents of each neighborhood.
Will you not seek, and refuse, the endorsement of Bill de Blasio?
I will listen to everyone in this campaign who reaches out and cares about my vision for bringing qualified leadership to bring back Manhattan.
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?
I personally support a renaming. I do not believe the Borough President’s job is to make unilateral, personal decisions, so I would hear from constituents and the community and base my decision on community input.
What is your position on removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle and if so, what should replace it?
I write this response as (I believe) the only Italian-American in the Borough President race. I abhor Christopher Columbus’s legacy of racism, and believe that the current statue does not represent the achievements of Italian immigrants like my grandfather, who came here and built their lives honorably. As a public servant, I would call upon the people of Manhattan to weigh in on this issue and the facts and act swiftly, and make a decision accordingly.
Will you refuse contributions from real estate developers and all law enforcement unions or associations?
We have run this campaign by raising small-dollar donations from individual New Yorkers, and in my filing this week you will see that my funds do not come from corporations, PACs, or special interests. I believe in Shirley Chisholm’s valiant line – I am “unbossed and unbought” – by anyone. I have fundraised for my campaign in the most fair way possible, by speaking to the citizens of Manhattan directly, and gaining their support through my concrete ideas for building back our city.
Do you support reducing the budget of the NYPD and if so, by how much?
The events of this year, and many years before, demand that we think through a reform and demilitarization of our police department. I will work with the City and stakeholders to have a Police Department that can work with Manhattan communities to truly represent the neighborhoods where they serve, including reallocating funds and restructuring the budget.
How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?
The FY21 budget and FY22 budgets both deserve review from qualified leaders who can prioritize equity and fairness, and forward-thinking for our City.
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.
We need police reform in our city. Our elected officials have failed to produce a comprehensive plan. I want to drive reforms that brings a fair and just New York City – as CB7 Chair I dealt with these issues daily and would bring my experience to bear to find equitable solutions on all these matters.
Should the NYPD Vice Squad be eliminated?
I look forward to discussing with you during our interview.
Should Dermot Shea be fired immediately?
No.
Should the NYPD Commissioner require confirmation by the City Council?
No. I look forward to discussing my response with you during our interview.
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?
Until the virus is eradicated, the Borough President and City Council should mandate that masks are required for police officers while on duty, and they should be subject to fines or work penalties for not doing so.
What reforms would you make to the Civilian Complaint Review Board? Would you support state legislation to make CCRB disciplinary determinations binding?
I look forward to discussing CCRB issues with you during my interview.
What is your position on the plan to close Rikers and create four borough-based jails?
I absolutely support the closing of Rikers and want to work to build a more just solution – recognizing the particularly unjust history of incarceration of Black and Brown New Yorkers. I also believe that each borough needs to do its part, in building smaller, smarter facilities that support inmate rehabilitation.
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?
I will.
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?
When I was CB7 Chair, I was the first Chair to set up social media for our Board, the first Chair to livestream our meetings – new communications methods that had not been done before. Technology will be a cornerstone of my Borough Presidency – because it democratizes the Board and we need to leverage it especially during the pandemic. 311 needs democratized and helped in this same way. It is unacceptable that calls go unresponded to on basic city services. 311 needs to include but go beyond phones – and to do that, we need universal, free wifi for everyone who lives and works in NYC. That is a key first step to making sure citizens get the help they need.
Do you support decriminalizing sex work? Will you pledge to oppose the Nordic model?
I support decriminalizing sex work. As Borough President, I will look at how this issue is handled around the world and find a model of decriminalization that is safe, equitable, and just for Manhattan.
Do you oppose school screening, which exacerbates segregation? Which screens in your school district(s) will you advocate to abolish?
The earlier we address the problem of segregation in our school system, the better. I supported City Councilmember Helen Rosenthal’s District 3 Middle School Diversity Plan, which prioritized 25% of seats for low income students in middle school admission. I will fight to ensure that every child is treated equally, that school districts are drawn equitably, and that there is equal opportunity for success for every student.
Describe what reforms you would make to the control of the NYC public school system.
My mother is a retired NYC Public School teacher, having taught at PS166, and a UFT member. The DOE and the Mayor need to be more transparent with their decision-making processes. As we’ve seen through their handling of hybrid learning and school closures, New York City parents have been resilient and adaptable, but they need advance notice, and their lives shouldn’t be casually interrupted by unnecessary abruptness. I am the only Manhattan BP candidate who stood publicly with Eric Adams and public school advocates, following facts and science, to open our schools this fall when it was scientifically safe to do so. I care about this for working people, but also for those children who sadly lack the wifi or devices critically needed to remote learn. As Borough President I will work to make sure we have equity for our students. I will work with the City to release a clear plan for in-person learning, as we endure this pandemic.
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.
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?
n/a
What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?
Nightlife is absolutely critical to the life of NYC. I am the candidate who will bring it back and prioritize it – safely – and in creative, innovative ways.
Do you commit to speak with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses?
Yes. I have a direct line of communication on CB7 with fellow member Andrew Rigie who I consider an ally in this work, and Arielle Palitz and other representatives. I ran DL21C for over a decade and hosted hundreds of events at bars and nightclubs across Manhattan and gained a first-hand account of their work during this time.
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?
I have done this throughout my time running Community Board 7. My first committee I served on - over a decade ago - was the Business and Consumer Affairs Committee and I will prioritize this as Borough President. During my CB7 Chair tenure, I was pleased to work closely with Andrew Rigie, Marc Glazer and Josh Cohen – who all are involved in the restaurant/nightlife industry and I share their vision for supporting our restaurants and nightlife. I started Manhattan’s first Business-to-Business networking sessions where prominently featured the nightlife and food and beverage establishments.
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, I do, once the science and data show it is safe to do so.
Did you oppose the de Blasio/Cuomo proposal (and giveaways) for bringing Amazon’s HQ2 to Long Island City?
In October 2017, many current NYC elected officials signed a letter in support of bringing HQ2 to LIC. https://www.scribd.com/document/370050123/70-NY-elected-officials-write-to-Amazon-re-HQ2-10-16-17 Then, many of these same elected leaders opposed it. I support plans that will equitably bring quality jobs and support our economy – especially now, during a prolonged economic crisis – to our City, responsibly. We need a leader who will demand that companies do their part to support workers and invest in the city and communities where they seek to operate.
What role do you believe the local member should play in the approval of development proposals before the Council?
Local members should be advocates for their neighborhood development proposals and the process should involve as much local input as possible.
Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing?
Yes, 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 am the only candidate in this race who represents the district where the Lucerne is located. I supported the right of these men to stay as per the ruling. I was the only candidate to propose that the neighborhood groups and key stakeholders should sit down together and hold community conversations, hosted by the Manhattan Borough President, to drive more productive conversations, based on objective data and information, with the goal being to find jobs, supportive services and permanent housing for those who are homeless. Please review here for more information: http://www.westsidespirit.com/news/proposal-for-a-lucerne-community-conversation-FL1379887 Our current elected officials have failed to come up with a long-term plan addressing homelessness - which is what is needed not just here on the UWS, but across Manhattan and the City. It will require some tough choices but we need a leader who will be able to listen and speak responsibly with all voices
What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a Sanctuary City?
Immigrants are an invaluable part of the NYC community, and I will do my part to reject any policies that separate families or discriminate against immigrants, both documented and undocumented.
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.
We need to make sure that health care is equitable across New York, especially among our Black, Brown, and low income communities. I support most of the tenets of the New York Health Act, and would support our legislative leaders in Albany to make sure health care is guaranteed to those who work full-time or live in New York.
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?
I voted in all of these elections in New York City, as a registered Democrat. I supported Democratic candidates in all of these primaries and elections.
Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively
Three top issues in our campaign are 1) increasing affordable, accessible housing, and prioritizing mass transit around housing, as it is the engine of our City 2) ensuring our vibrant nightlife, arts and culture, and small business and restaurants return so that we can bring Manhattan back 3) ensuring the equitable education of all our city’s schoolchildren – who are the future of this city - and providing the technology and integration in the public schools that our city has long overlooked. Overlaying all of these three priorities is an environmental jobs program focused on upgrading city infrastructure, that generates long-term savings in energy efficiency and resilience against the impacts of climate change.
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?
I support measures to bring communities together to discuss and address all three areas.
Please explain your vision for the present powers of the office you are seeking and how you intend to exercise them?
This is a unique opportunity for Manhattan and a time for someone who has run meetings inclusively for years, and has been an executive, for this executive job. As Borough President, I will bring people together to tackle Manhattan's biggest issues - affordable housing, transit, sanitation, public schools. We must revive our restaurants and nightlife, and bring back arts and culture. We must find innovative, humane solutions to address the homelessness crisis and keep this borough a place where everyone is included. Manhattan is at a crossroads - and we're feeling it from Inwood to Battery Park City and every neighborhood in between. We're tackling a public health crisis. We need to bring our economy back. We are witnessing deepening social rifts that are dividing our neighbors. We have an opportunity to emerge stronger. Manhattan's greatest strength is the energy and diversity of its people, and I'm ready to channel my experience to be your champion for the City and Borough we love.
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 will work with Jim Owles members, and seek your counsel on issues that affect the LGBT community and other local issues. The cornerstone of my campaign is my ability to build bridges across communities to get things done.
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 am grateful for the chance to speak with you all next week. I am a woman working a full-time job while running for office, who has lived and worked here for 25 years. We need qualified, new leadership for this City. In Manhattan, we need to elect someone who has both deep relationships with local government and a broad, global vision - as a world-class NYC deserves world-class, forward-thinking leadership. I am that candidate, who can be your bridge between global and local, public and private, and neighborhood to neighborhood, and I hope to earn your support. Please learn more at www.elizabethcaputo.com. Many thanks, Elizabeth Caputo