Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Jennifer Gutierrez for City Council District 34
Candidate Name: Jennifer Gutierrez
Office Seeking Election for: City Council District 34
Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district
I was born and raised in this City, I am the daughter if immigrants, a product of public schools and have had the privilege of advocating for the families of the 34th district for close to ten years. My mother was a domestic worker, cleaning apartments for over 25 years, my father was disabled, and my sister and our entire family shared a one bedroom apartment. I have worked alongside tenant organizers, environmental justice warriors, and transportation and education advocates to serve our neighbors. I've also spent significant time in City Hall as a Chief of Staff for the last seven years and have learned a tremendous amount of how to get things done and where we desperately need reforms to improve the lives of New Yorkers. I made the decision to run alongside my community and I feel really encouraged by their support to move us forward.
Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidate for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?
I have never formally endorsed a candidate, but I've supported, donated to, and volunteered for Tiffany Caban for District Attorney in 2019 and Samy Nemir Olivares for District Leader in 2020.
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?
I have always been involved with Make the Road and their TGNCIQ Justice group, more recently in support for their advocacy in repealing the "Walking While Trans Ban". I'm also a recent member of Lambda Independent Democrats.
Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?
I do not, but I consider myself an ally.
Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
I have! I started in High School marching in NYC Pride, and in the last six years have marched in a combination of the BK Pride, NYC Pride, and Bushwick Pride Parades.
Have you employed openly LGBTQ individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?
In my professional capacities where I could directly employ staff, I have employed openly LGBTQ individuals. Currently, I do not, but have had a role in bringing in openly LGBTQ individuals as interns.
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 multiple rallies at Maria Hernandez Park and Irving Square Park in Bushwick and two of the Women's Marches in Manhattan in 2017, 2018 and 2020.
Have you ever been arrested? If so please explain why and outcome of arrest.
I have never been arrested.
Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails?
Yes, I do.
Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
Yes, I do.
Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism
Whether discussing environmental justice, equity in our schools, policing, housing, or access to economic opportunity, race plays a role in all of them. I believe pursuing a comprehensive plan for NYC will be an important step in overcoming issues related to segregation, inequitable distribution of resources to communities of color, and addressing environmental disparities. I will also be working to bring more community health services to my district to address the health disparities that have led to tragic outcomes during the COVID crisis. I also want to significantly reduce the activities that the NYPD engages in throughout our City and redistribute that funding to a variety of educational and social service programming for communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the justice system.
Will you not seek, and refuse, the endorsement of Bill de Blasio?
I am not seeking Bill de Blasio’s endorsement, nor would I accept it.
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- I sincerely hate that it was named after Ed Koch.
What is your position on removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle and if so, what should replace it?
I do support its removal. I would want to implement a process that engages New Yorkers on the painful colonial history the Columbus statue represents and an appropriate replacement that is responsive to indigenous history he played a part in erasing.
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. I’ll be taking my lead from police reform advocates, such as Communities United for Police Reform, on the specific cuts we should be making. My goal is not to cut by a specific number, but rather to ensure the cuts we’re making are eliminating the NYPD’s most harmful programs and practices.
How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?
I would have voted no.
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 to all.
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?
public while on duty, in defiance of city and state rules? I believe any officer who refuses to wear a mask when coming into close contact with the public should be terminated.
What reforms would you make to the Civilian Complaint Review Board? Would you support state legislation to make CCRB disciplinary determinations binding?
Personally working with CCRB investigators I’ve learned how frustrating it is when their recommendations have no authority over enforcement or prosecutions. We need to empower them as an agency to determine disciplinary actions upon conclusive investigations. We need more transparency in their budget, not funny math in soundbites, so that all New Yorkers can understand how the money is being distributed. Yes, I believe disciplinary determinations made by CCRB should be binding.
What is your position on the plan to close Rikers and create four borough-based jails?
I am fully in support of closing Rikers. I believe we should have done a lot more to reduce our jail population ahead of proposing the borough-based jails project. However, as long as the state requires us to jail people for certain offenses, it is incumbent upon the city to provide detainees with the most supportive conditions possible to ensure they are able to reintegrate into society upon their release.
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?
I believe a lot of the issues with 311 fall on the agencies tasked with following up on the specific complaints. I’d like to carry out a study of 311 complaints to see which agencies are being unresponsive and seek to make reforms within those agencies to ensure we’re providing quality responses to 311 inquiries.
Do you support decriminalizing sex work? Will you pledge to oppose the Nordic model?
Yes I do support decriminalizing sex work. Yes to opposing the Nordic model.
Do you oppose school screening, which exacerbates segregation? Which screens in your school district(s) will you advocate to abolish?
Yes. I would seek to abolish middle school and high school screenings as well as the Specialized High School Entrance Exam.
Describe what reforms you would make to the control of the NYC public school system.
We need to remove PD from schools immediately. We need to reinvest funds removed from PD’s budget in employing more guidance counselors to reduce the student to counselor ratio (it’s 250:1) and integrate mental health services. I think we need to empower our CEC’s and create systems so that they’re voices add more to our communities outside of an advisory capacity. Working with CEC’s in my Council district for close to a decade, I know how valuable their voices are to decisions that not just impact their own school districts, but the City as a whole. CEC’s position on charter school co-locations should be its own step in the process that has weight to it- meaning you need CEC’s explicit support to approve it. I think we also need to reform the PEP body and appointments of PEP members. Reforms include the composition of the panel and expanding the appointment process to allow CEC’s to make recommendations and approve appointments.
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?
I do not smoke cigarettes, but I do have edibles from time to time.
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 didn't support IDC members. I did volunteer to get Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie elected to State Senate.
What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?
As with other small businesses, I believe we need to provide grants, low-cost capital, and rent relief to our nightlife establishments to ensure they are on firm financial footing to get them and their workers through the pandemic and that they can safely reopen when the time comes.
Do you commit to speak with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses?
It would depend on the issue, but collaborative decision-making is something that is very important to me and I would certainly consult with folks in the industry on any issues I felt I didn’t have a firm grasp on.
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?
I did.
What role do you believe the local member should play in the approval of development proposals before the Council?
I think the local CM plays a critical role in the approval of development proposals. The local member has a responsibility to work with their constituents to understand their priorities and the needs of the community. However, I believe in engaging in broad planning processes, such as the one conducted in the Bushwick portion of my district. Dealing with developments on a piecemeal basis is not planning and rarely results in projects that contribute to a cohesive vision for the neighborhood.
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, I do.
What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a Sanctuary City?
I think enshrining voting rights for undocumented folks is key to securing significant protections for our immigrant community. So long as our neighbors are being silenced through the electoral process, it is unlikely that we will elect officials that prioritize their needs. I believe we should ban ICE from all public places in NYC and refuse to cooperate with any federal or state laws that violate the basic humanity of our immigrant communities. Furthermore, we must do far more to support our undocumented community during the pandemic, as they were left out of almost every single form of government aid.
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. I believe single-payer is best accomplished at the federal and state levels. However I believe it it the City’s responsibility to build a coalition to advocate for it and I would push for hearings on the benefits of a single-payer system and leverage my relationships with my state and federal colleagues to develop and implement legislative solutions.
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: Tish James and in 2019 Jumaane Williams C) President in 2016 Clinton in the general and 2020 Joe Biden in the General D) Governor Cynthia Nixon and Attorney General Jumaane Williams
Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively
1.) Increase capital spending on housing by both expanding construction subsidies to develop more affordable units and to purchase land (which will be more economical during the current recession) to place in community land trusts that would prioritize affordability in perpetuity. 2.) Expanding the “community school model” which, through strategic community partnerships, ensures schools are providing comprehensive services to students and families. 3.) Passing Comprehensive Planning to prevent displacement and gentrification in communities of color.
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.) My primary priority for budget reform is greater transparency for individual agency line items. It is currently very difficult to ascertain how certain funds are being spent, particularly among programs with large budgets. I would also push for our capital budget to be aligned with a comprehensive plan for the city. 2.) I would support the creation of a comprehensive plan that would be required to align with our capital budget. I also believe we should remove the requirement that the City Planning Commission Chair to also be the Director of the Department of City Planning as it presents a conflict of interest. Additionally, the Mayor should not receive a majority of the appointments to the CPC, and I would support having the Council appoint one or more of the 7 members currently appointed by the Mayor. 3.) I believe the powers of the Mayor should be reduced and those of the Council enhanced. I have often been frustrated by how little authority the Council has to legislate in certain areas, especially around policing and education. I think in order to have a more responsive and representative local government, the Council must play a robust roll in all aspects of our City’s operations.
Please explain your vision for the present powers of the office you are seeking and how you intend to exercise them?
I believe that Council has a lot of responsibility when it comes to keeping New Yorkers in their homes, equity for our schools, a Green New Deal for our City and improving the relationship between communities and police. I think for all of these spaces it's crucial that we elect someone who has experience in the issues but also experience in building coalitions to provide real solutions. This new cohort of Council Members will face a budget in a deficit and will have to respond to a local and national climate to defund the PD. It will be my job to be bold and collaborative in order to achieve social and economic justice.
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. I think accountability and expecting to be held to that standard is to be expected with elected office. I would like to be included in policy conversations and ideas as much as possible and would agree to frequent check ins with the club and it's members to provide updates and collaborate.
If you receive the endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements?
Yes, I do.
What additional information would you like Jim Owles to consider when we are making our endorsement decisions?
That although I do not consider myself a member of the LGBTQ community, I was raised with my queer sister. As a Latinx Queer woman she always made me aware of her challenges and I have always felt a deep responsibility to advocate for the LGBTQ community because it was her community too.