Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Jo Anne Simon for NY Assembly District 52

Candidate Name: Jo Anne Simon

Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 52

Website: https://simonforbrooklyn.com/

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

I have lived in my district since 1981 and have witnessed the strong community ties that bind the people living and working in the 52nd together for nearly 40 years. While there has been tremendous change in the district, the heart of the district remains its people and their relationships to each other and to our environment. I began my activism fighting against a land use boondoggle and continue to take an active role in development projects and rezonings, transit and transportation issues and education. In 2003-2004, I coordinated 10 neighborhood and community-based organizations to respond to the Downtown Brooklyn Plan, which issued a Contract with the Community and Statement of Needs that was unanimously agreed to by organizations which had often previously disagreed bitterly. I led the effort to create a stewardship group to re-engage community to improve a dilapidated NYC park (Thomas Greene Park) in Gowanus.

As president of the Boerum Hill Association, I created the community planning effort that led to the Hoyt Schermerhorn plan, a model for community-based development. When community is at the table from the onset, they don’t spend the next 20 years fighting amongst themselves. I also led the Gowanus Expressway Stakeholder Group and litigated against the state and federal governments to plan for an environmentally and fiscally just tunnel to replace the aging elevated Gowanus Expressway which has divided and polluted predominantly poorcommunities of color along the western Brooklyn corridor. I fought against the closure of Long Island College Hospital and have advocated for a better and more environmentally sensitive rezoning of the Gowanus area (home to a major Superfund designation), and fought to close Rikers Island and revamp the Brooklyn House of Detention, which is in my district.

In the Assembly I have led on issues relating to environment, housing, reproductive health, antidiscrimination measures and education, especially special education and the science of reading. I believe my experience as a grassroots community leader has given me an uncommonly deep level of familiarity with my district and its people. My experience as Democratic State Committeewoman and District Leader has given me insights into the political workings of our communities and the borough of Brooklyn. My career as a teacher of deaf and deaf-blind children and as a disability civil rights lawyer has given me an opportunity to serve and make a real difference in people’s lives.

2. Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidates for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?

Yes, many. Some LGBTQ New York candidates include Alan Fleishman, Jesse Pierce, Judge Richard Montelione, Debra Silber, Corey Johnson, Harley Diamond (candidate for civil court), NYC Council Members Daniel Dromm, Rosie Mendez, Carlos Menchaca, NYS Assemblymembers Deborah Glick, Harry Bronson, Matthew Titone, and Daniel O’Donnell, Senator Brad Hoylman. I have also supported candidates in other parts of the country, including US Sen Tammy Baldwin, Ed Flanagan in VT, among others.

3. If applicable what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored? I am or have been a co-sponsor of GENDA, a bill to legalize paid surrogacy, a ban on conversion therapy for minors, and a bill to prevent the use of a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity as an affirmative defense in an effort to reduce a charge of murder to manslaughter. I co-sponsored the bill to repeal the ban on loitering for the purpose of prostitution (A654, a.k.a. walking while trans) and a relatively new bill, A. 7933A the Gender Inclusive Ballot Act.

I was also the main sponsor of the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) bill (a.k.a. the red flag bill) to prevent gun violence, and prevent interpersonal gun violence and reduce the rate of suicide (which went into effect in 2019), the creation of a NYS Firearm Violence Research Institute with ongoing funding and the Firearm Violence Fund which will allow New Yorkers to contribute directly to gun violence research in NYS via NYS tax return check off, both of which were recently signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

4. What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer or professional basis? I have long been an ally of the LGBTQ community. I am a member of Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, the Jim Owles Board of Governors, and have been a member of Stonewall Democrats over the years. In the early 1990’s, I volunteered to draft wills for HIV positive clients of GMHC and won the first succession rights case in DHCR in 1992 for a man whose partner had died of AIDS, thus saving him from eviction. I have worked with Gays Against Guns on their gun violence prevention efforts and participated in their actions,contributed to GMHC, HRC, and other LGBTQ groups. I met my husband at an event in support of an organization that provided meals to people living with AIDS.

I also host a senior resource fair every year, and feature LGBTQ groups working in my district and the borough, including SAGE and GRIOT Circle. One of the panel speakers at town hall portion of the last such fair before COVID was Paul Nagle, Executive Director of the Stonewall Community Development Corporation.

5. If applicable, what LGBTQ organizations have you allocated funds to? I have provided priority project funding to the Rainbow Heights Club (a.k.a. Heights-Hill Mental Health Service South Beach Psychiatric Center Community Advisory Board, Inc.).

6. Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community? I consider myself a very strong ally.

7. Have you marched in any Pride parades? Which marches and for approximately how many years? I have marched in Pride parades for many years, beginning with the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979. I have also marched for over 15 years in the Pride parades in Manhattan and Brooklyn and the St. Pat’s for All parade.

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

Yes, I have previously employed openly LGBTQ individuals and I also currently employ members of the LGBTQ community.

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

10. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBTQ issues, pro choice legislation, criminal justice reform issues and the Resist Trump Movement have you attended and/or participated in? Dozens! I have attended demonstrations, marches, rallies on all of these issues in Brooklyn, New York City, Washington D.C, Albany, and more.

11. Have you ever been arrested in pursuit of legislation or for protesting an injustice? Please elaborate. Yes, I was arrested protesting the closure of Long Island College Hospital. I represented myself and others at the Red Hook Justice Center court and we were all released with an ACD

12. If you are an incumbent, what have you accomplished in your most recent term? In 2021, the Governor signed my bills to continue appropriations for the NYS Firearm Violence Research Institute, to create a research fund so New Yorkers can contribute directly to gun violence research, to permit electronic enforcement of illegally overweight trucks along the BQE corridor, allowing for preservation of the interstate long enough to plan for and execute a 21st century solution that will be sustainable and center on climate justice. My bills to combat wage theft, and to ensure that blind parents do not lose custody because of their blindness were also signed into law this year as well as a few others.

1. 13. For the following pieces of legislation, please answer if you are currently a sponsor or co-sponsor (if you are an incumbent), or if you will co-sponsor (if you are not an incumbent): A. Fair and Timely Parole (S.1415A / A.4231A): A bill pending in Albany that would ensure access to the parole release process for incarcerated people in New York State. This bill insures that decisions on parole are not solely based on the nature of the original crimes but includes incarcerated peoples’ record of rehabilitation and assessment of current risk to public safety. B. Elder Parole (S.15A / A.3475A): A bill pending in Albany that would allow elderly incarcerated people who have served at least 15 years in prison an opportunity to appear before the Parole Board for a chance at release.

Yes, I am a co-sponsor

Yes, I am a co-sponsor

14. If you will not co-sponsor any of the above legislation, why not?

15. Do you oppose the efforts to weaken bail reform as written Yes

16. Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails? If incumbent, when did you do so last? If possible; December 2019.

17. Do you support legislation outlawing solitary confinement in all prisons statewide including city jails? Yes

18. When was the last time you were inside a correctional facility. December 2019

19. Do you believe sincere remorse and actions taken while incarcerated should be considered over the original crime in determinations of parole? This question is redundant. I would eliminate it. I agree, it’s redundant! But seriously, parole should not be about the original crime but about the person’s served time and readiness to rejoin society, which includes remorse, rehabilitation, and a low risk of reoffending.

20. What do you believe should be done to ensure more clemencies are granted every year? This is not an area of legal expertise. However, changes in Parole and passing Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole should reduce anxiety among those who are fearful of clemency. Former Gov. Cuomo established a procedure for more fairly considering applications for clemency. Perhaps Gov. Hochul could review that and in consultation with experts, revise and implement a more objective approach.

21. Will you publicly call on the governor to use her clemency power for the many incarcerated New Yorkers who can safely return home? Will you tweet out your support for this or issue a public statement? Would you be willing to be critical of a governor who does not exercise their power to grant clemencies and commutations to those worthy of release? Have you ever spoken out in such a way? Yes, I have done so in the past and have tweeted about fair and timely and elder parole and against solitary confinement.

22. Have you participated in any demonstrations or protests concerning clemency and parole? Yes, I have been at Candles for Clemency vigils and have rallied many times to eliminate the use of solitary confinement in our correctional facilities (HALT bill).

23. Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals? Junior members of the Assembly have few jobs, so I will seek the best person for the job and if they are formerly incarcerated, that would not be a barrier.

24. Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing and employment? Yes

25. Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work? Are you or will you co-sponsor the bill introduced by Julia Salazar (S.6419 / A. 8230), which fully decriminalizes sex work? Yes, although I am not a co-sponsor of A.8230 because it does not adequately protect victims of trafficking who need more than non-criminalization and would be more likely to assert the work is consensual to evade dangerous consequences. Trafficking victims often do not admit to being trafficked out of abject fear. We have to find a way to decriminalize without leaving trafficking victims swinging in the breeze.

26. Will you actively oppose legislation (S.6040 / A.7069) that would implement the dangerous Nordic model instead of the decriminalization of prostitution? Explain in detail your views on full decriminalization, the Nordic model, legalization, and the existing criminalization approach. I have not familiarized myself with the Nordic model bill.

27. Do you support ending qualified immunity for police officers? Yes, I co-sponsor the bill

28. What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a “Sanctuary State”? Not an area of personal expertise, but I have supported the excluded workers fund and support other bills to permit undocumented people to receive various benefits and support the bill to permit immigrants to vote in local elections.

29. Do you support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces? Yes, I am also a supporter of VOCAL-NY, which is based out of my district.

30. Have you ever endorsed any member of the IDC or any candidates who challenged IDC members? Please identify all candidates I endorsed and campaigned hard for Zellnor Myrie to unseat IDC member Jesse Hamilton. We won.

31. Will you commit to ensuring diverse LGBTQ representation among your staff? YES. I have always had a member of the LGBTQ community working in my office, and frequently had more than one member of the LGBTQ community on staff (I only have three employees in the district). My current Chief of Staff is a lesbian.

32. Who did you support for office in the following primaries or special elections: A) Mayor in 2021 B) President in 2016 and 2020 C) Governor and Attorney General in 2018? A- did not endorse as I was running for Bklyn BP; B- Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden (after my favorite Elizabeth Warren dropped out); C- my club endorsed Cuomo for Gov, so I did as well and I strongly supported Letitia James for AG.

33. Have you made an endorsement in the current bid for Governor? If so, who? Not formally, but will be supporting Kathy Hochul.

35. Do you support term limits for statewide office holders? For State Legislators? I support term limits for the Executive positions of Gov and Lt Gov; I do not support term limits for legislators. Legislation is an inherently collaborative function and term limits do not allow for the necessary growth as a legislator.

36. Describe any legislation and policy changes that you support in order to address the ongoing effects of slavery, racism, colonialism, and discrimination. I have been an active supporter of the Alliance for Quality Education’s efforts to ensure the campaign for fiscal equity’s education funding, school integration, raise the age legislation, legislation to reduce mass incarceration and programs that divert people from prison, expansion of MWBE programs, and expansion of rent stabilization protections, including the good cause eviction bill. I have also been an outspoken advocate to repeal the SHSAT test for specialized schools, which is not a valid test and also disproportionately impacts African American and Latinx students (and girls). I also sponsor a bill to ensure that people who are in prison are screened for dyslexia, since a disproportionate number of people in jail are people of color who have dyslexia and who have not been previously screened or diagnosed.

37. What legislation or other policy changes do you support in order to make college and graduate school affordable for poor, working-class, and middle-class Americans and to alleviate the crushing loan debt that many students and alumni are facing? I have supported increasing TAP, renewing graduate TAP, providing assistance for our students who struggle to pay forbooks, transportation and food. I also support the Bard Prison Initiative, and I sponsor the Student Loan Borrowers Bill of Rights legislation.

38. Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Do you or will you co-sponsor the New York Health Act? Please elaborate. I am an active co-sponsor of the NY Health Act.

38. Discuss your stance on reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services. I am strongly pro-choice without restriction, believe that abortion is health care and worked for several years (1979-1981) as an abortion counselor at a clinic in Washington, DC. I co-sponsored the Reproductive Health Act, the Comprehensive Contraceptive Coverage Act, and the Boss Bill which prohibits discrimination against employees based on reproductive health choices. I am also working to expose fake “crisis pregnancy centers” including one on my district. I actively fought Trump’s gag rule on reproductive health care to change the Title X Family Planning Program and defund Planned Parenthood. And of course I have been fighting to preserve Roe v. Wade and support the federal Women’s Health Protection Act bill.

39. Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry or law enforcement unions/associations? I have never taken money from the real estate development community. I did this long before it was fashionable.

41. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations complicit in the Trump agenda? What does this mean? I am not sure what you mean, but I can’t think of a source of contributions to my campaign that furthers the Trump agenda.

42. Will you cosponsor the legislation to prohibit evictions without good cause (S.3082 / A.5573)? I am a co-sponsor

42. Will you push for the passage of Home Stability Support (HSS) to bridge the difference between the public assistance shelter allowance and fair market rents for NY's 95,000 homeless? Will you co-sponsor S.856 / A.6032, which amends the Social Services Law to create a statewide rent supplement for families and individuals who are eligible for public assistance benefits and who face eviction, homelessness, or loss of housing due to domestic violence or hazardous living conditions? I have been a co-sponsor of this since its introduction.

43. What should happen to 421-a? Would you end it, mend it, continue it? I would end it.

44. Do you support legalizing accessory dwelling units? Yes

45. Do you support more state funding for NYCHA? If so, how much? I support more funding and more accountability, but I don’t have a number. NYCHA estimates they are in need of over $40 billion. Hopefully build back better happens and we get significant money from the federal government

46. Do you, or will you, co-sponsor the Climate and Community Investment Act? (S.4264A / A.6967) If you are an incumbent and do not currently co-sponsor this bill, why not? I am a co-sponsor

47. Do you support the New York Public Banking Act (S.1762A / A. 8290? If you are an incumbent and do not currently co-sponsor this bill, why not? I am a co-sponsor

48. Do you support the New Deal for CUNY (S.4461 / A.5843)? If you are an incumbent and do not currently co-sponsor this bill, why not? I am a co-sponsor

49. 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 a city bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge? Do you authorize the use of your name for such a purpose? I don’t believe this is a state legislative matter, but I have no interest in the bridge remaining the Ed Koch bridge.

50. What is your position on removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle and if so, what should replace it? The Italian community highly identifies with Columbus as an explorer, not for his treatment of native Americans. I would replace it with Mother Cabrini, an Italian immigrant woman who stands as a model citizen and worker for social justice. However, many indigenous community folks would make a different decision and I would be supportive.

51. Do you support reducing the budget of law enforcement throughout the state, and if so, by how much? I would reduce law enforcement budgets in certain areas and replace with support services in the areas of mental health, workforce development, substance abuse rehab.

52. 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. Each, but I also think just pulling them without other adequately trained personnel would lead to significant backlash. I believe police are called upon too much for areas in which they are not trained and do not have appropriate backgrounds and that we need to expand the availability of people with mental health and social work backgrounds and other suitable training when appropriate. One area I have some mixed feeling about is schools. I am not sanguine about the DOE’s being able to functionally implement such a switch.

53. Should law enforcements "Vice Squads" be eliminated? Yes

54. How would you recommend law enforcement officers be penalized for refusing to wear masks in public while on duty, in defiance of city and state rules? Unsure

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

56. What will you do to support nightlife in New York State? I have supported advocacy efforts for bars and restaurants and support the drinks to go legislation. There are no nightclubs in my district, so their needs are not as familiar to me.

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

58. Do you commit to speak personally with liquor license applicants and license holders before opposing any bid for a liquor license? Likewise for an applicant seeking your support? I don’t generally oppose license holders’ bids for a liquor license, nor do they come to me seeking support as this is most often a pro forma vote in a Community Board. Whenever there has been a community issue, I have met with owners and community to resolve any outstanding problems.

59. What are the top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively? Reading instruction, Climate justice, Gun violence prevention, transit and transportation.

60. What additional information would you like members The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club to consider when we are making our endorsement decision concerning your candidacy? With hate crimes in our city continuing to escalate, it’s important to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community, celebrate visibility and fight bigotry as we continue to strive toward full equality.