Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Harold Miller for City Council District 27
Candidate Name: Harold Miller
Office Seeking Election for: City Council District 27
Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district
I was raised by my Grandparents who emigrated from Guyana, I am a devoted husband and father, and I have been a community organizer for almost 20 years. I am running for City Council because I have a history of getting things done for the most vulnerable. I started my career as a community organizer fighting for the rights of others with ACORN and then NY Communities for Change. I fought to protect homeowners from foreclosure; fought for additional resources for our middle schools; and worked with fast food workers to achieve better wages to avoid living in homeless shelters and jumping the turnstile to get to work. For the last 7 years I worked in the Mayor’s office as Deputy Commissioner in the Community Affairs Unit where I worked to expand universal pre-k, worked with local leaders to expand affordable housing, and led the outreach effort to for the Test and Trace Corps, to encourage New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19. As a Council Member, I will take my experiences as an organizer, and knowledge of City government to represent my community in District 27.
Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidate for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?
I supported the candidacy of Elvin Garcia for City Council in the Bronx 2017.
If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly)
N/A
What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
None though I have worked with
Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?
No
Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
The National Pride March four times, and Queens Pride twice.
Have you employed openly LGBTQ individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?
Yes. No.
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 have attended many actions in support of the issues listed above including to help organize the victory rally for the Supreme Court decision that granted marriage a constitutional right for LGBT couples. Also, I assisted coalition of pro-choice organizations on their national day of action with their New York City rally in 2019.
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, and I have done so in the past.
Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism
As a Black man raised in a Black family and in a predominantly Black community, I have experienced or witnessed every form of systemic racism , and I have fought against it throughout my entire career. During my campaign, I have been supporting and amplifying the messages of organizations whose missions are working towards ending the effects of systemic racism such as UYC which is fighting to end policing in our schools, and I will continue to do so when I am elected. Also, once elected, I will work with my colleagues to address issues such as the over-policing of our communities, as well as accountability measures of officers, and the racial disparities in healthcare and education.
Will you not seek, and refuse, the endorsement of Bill de Blasio?
No, I will not refuse if the Mayor offers an endorsement. I was part of his administration and though we may not always agree, I respect him and would accept the Mayor’s support.
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?
I support removing the Columbus statue and replacing it with my personal Civil Rights hero and New Yorker Bayard Rustin
Will you refuse contributions from real estate developers and all law enforcement unions or associations?
yes
Do you support reducing the budget of the NYPD and if so, by how much?
Yes, reduce to the level pre 2015 as a starting point, and willing to go further based on the cost saving of removing police from mental health and social services calls, elimination of their anti-terrorism / surviance arm, disbanding the vice squad, as well as the Strategic Response Group.
How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?
I would not have voted for the budget.
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.
all of the above
Should the NYPD Vice Squad be eliminated?
Yes
Should Dermot Shea be fired immediately?
Yes, and I believe he should’ve never been hired to begin with.
Should the NYPD Commissioner require confirmation by the City Council?
Yes and along with all Agency heads
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?
An officer that refuses to wear a mask on duty should be suspended without pay for at least one week.
What reforms would you make to the Civilian Complaint Review Board? Would you support state legislation to make CCRB disciplinary determinations binding?
I would support giving the CCRB great investigative powers, as well as the ability to enforce disciplinary actions.
What is your position on the plan to close Rikers and create four borough-based jails?
I supported the plan to close Rikers and the creation of the borough based jails except for the Bronx location.
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, I would advocate and push for a sentencing review for those 55 and older.
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?
I agree that 311 is not an adequate system, especially since it hasn’t adjusted to the world we are in 2021. Though I do not have a specific plan in mind to reform, I would participate in any discussions with agency heads on revamping the 311 system.
Do you support decriminalizing sex work? Will you pledge to oppose the Nordic model?
Yes and Yes
Do you oppose school screening, which exacerbates segregation? Which screens in your school district(s) will you advocate to abolish?
Yes. I would advocate to abolish the gifted and talented screenings for 4 year olds.
Describe what reforms you would make to the control of the NYC public school system.
The types of reforms that I would make to the control of the school system are the following: give the City Council ability to confirm the appointment of the Chancellor. Second Greater input for parents on the district level on budgets and personnel.
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?
No. I supported Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos 2018
What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?
I will continue to advocate the need for nightlife establishments to thrive. The legislative actions I would take as Council Member is banning of the MARCH operations, as well as limiting the interactions of NYPD to nightlife establishments strictly for criminal activities, the appropriate agencies would deal with health and safety issues for an establishment. The reasons why I would push for those two pieces of legislation is because the Nightlife establishments are disproportionately targeted for fines and summons by the NYPD who carry a negative view of nightlife.
Do you commit to speak with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses?
Yes, and I will work closely with the Office of Nightlife to ensure businesses are spoken with before taking any position.
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?
yes
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?
The local member should have a say in the approval of the development proposal, but the body as a whole needs to vote on the best interest of the City, not simply giving courtesy to the local member.
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?
As Council Member, I will protect immigrants whether citizens, non citizens, or undocumented discrimination at the City level, especially tenants in my district are being harassed because they are immigrants. Fight to keep ICE out of the City and forbid city resources to support ICE in any way. Third, I’m supporting the push for non-citizen voting in elections because they have a right to decide with the power of the vote to determine measures that would protect them.
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. As a Council Member, I would support expanding NYC Care to include more New Yorkers including those who are undocumented immigrants. In addition, I would support any resolutions from the City Council supporting the passage of the single-payer health care on the State level.
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) Mayor in 2013 (Bill de Blasio) B) Public Advocate in 2013 and 2019 (Letitia James and Jumaane Williams), C) President in 2016 and 2020 (Sanders and Warren) C) Governor and Attorney General in 2018 (Cythina Nixon and Letitia James)
Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively
Protecting homeownership by stopping foreclosures and deed fraud. While both issues require state legislation, I will introduce legislation on education and additional protections for homeowners Increasing transit options by working with MTA to redo their bus redesign program to ensure that commuters in my district can get to work on time. This is a matter mostly in the hands of the state, but I am willing to leverage the money we allocate to the MTA to demand an improved transit plan. Add middle school seats for the students in the 27th district by fighting for funding that is still owed by the State as a result of the court decision by Campaign for Fiscal Equity.
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?
As part of the Charter Revision Commission’s work, I would recommend that the budget process establishes a formula that requires budgets for education and social services always be greater than the budget for law enforcement agencies to ensure we always prioritize preventative measures to address community problems over the heavy hand of law enforcement. My second recommendation is having a racial/local community impact study for all land use applications. We need to know what are the potential impacts of gentrification and displacement of those who live in the affected area of the land use application. As for additional changes in the land use process, and the powers and municipal office; I would recommend the City Planning Commission add an additional seat to the planning board that would be rotating . This rotating seat would be a person that lives in proximity to the location of the project and would be selected by the Public Advocate.
Please explain your vision for the present powers of the office you are seeking and how you intend to exercise them?
The powers of a Council Member is to pass legislation within the charter and pass a budget. My goal is to pass progressive legislation that primarily benefits the most vulnerable in our City. Vote for a budget that reflects the values of my district and the city as whole, which is just and fair, and not only benefit the wealthy.
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 welcome working with the club during the campaign and while in office. As for holding me accountable, please stay in regular communications with my office about the club’s legislative priorities.
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?