Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Lincoln Restler for City Council District 33

Candidate Name: Lincoln Restler

Office Seeking Election for: City Council District 33

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

I believe the role of government is to do big things. In fact, that’s the whole point. Brooklyn always has been, and I hope always will be, my home. We face daunting challenges right now, and I believe we need to fight as hard as we can to make Brooklyn affordable for everyone who wants to live and stay here. Ever rising rents and real estate speculation have been displacing our neighbors for too long. I am running for City Council to marshal the full power of our community to build a better Brooklyn. I have never been afraid to take on powerful interests, from machine bosses to real estate developers. In 2008, I helped found New Kings Democrats and I helped lead the charge in challenging the corrupt Brooklyn Democratic Party. In 2010, I won an upset election for Democratic District Leader to demand transparency, accountability, and integrity in Brooklyn politics. While District Leader is a volunteer position, it provided a platform to effect real change in my community. We attracted a supermarket to a food desert and secured more than 90% of the jobs to residents of public housing. We converted multiple empty lots into thriving community gardens. And we successfully advocated for the permanent extension of the G train deeper into Brooklyn. Brooklyn is hurting right now. Over 7,300 of our neighbors have been taken from us by this pandemic. Now there is unprecedented food insecurity, record unemployment, and hundreds of thousands of people on the brink of homelessness. In my experience, success in overcoming our current crises requires the robust activation of our community. Together, through organizing, commitment, and collective action, we can do more than bring our city back. We can achieve transformative change to address the affordability crisis, climate change, and racial justice. 2021 will be a year of massive transition in New York during which the significant majority of elected positions will be held by newly elected representatives. I am ready to hit the ground running and get real results. I have spent more than a decade in senior levels of New York City government and several years as a nonprofit executive. I will be a force in building and sustaining a strong left leaning coalition of Council Members to elect a strong progressive Speaker. We will provide effective oversight of the Mayor’s Office and maximize the legislative authority of the Council to advance workers’ rights, transform policing, and ensure development meets the needs of our communities. I can’t wait to jump out of bed every morning and tackle the problems, big and small, that our neighbors are facing and to make the 33rd District a model for Brooklyn, New York City, and beyond!

Please identify any openly LGBTQ candidate for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?

Below are candidates I supported previously in Brooklyn Democratic Primaries - Carlos Menchaca, City Council, 2013 - Jabari Brisbort, State Senate, 2020 - Julio Pena, 51st AD District Leader, 2020 - Jesse Pierce, 52nd AD District Leader, 2020 - Samy Nemir Olivares, 53rd AD District Leader, 2020 - Debra Silber for Kings County Supreme Court - Alan Fleishman forever. Others I must be forgetting !

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 worked closely with Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn for many years. As a founding member of New Kings Democrats, LID has always been our closest ally in the Brooklyn Reform Movement. I am honored to have their endorsement in my campaign for City Council. I have worked closely with many other organizations that serve the LGBTQ community, including VOCAL-NY, which endorsed our campaign, and many other leading service organizations. I am proud to have supported the Brooklyn Community Pride Center over a number of years.

Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?

No, but a proud ally!

Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?

Yes, I have marched in the Brooklyn Pride Parade down 5th Avenue almost every year for about a dozen years. I loved joining the Queer Liberation March for Black Lives this year.

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

Yes: I have previously employed many openly LGTBTQ individuals over my career, and my campaign is being managed by a queer woman.

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?

It would be impossible to create a comprehensive list of the hundreds of press conferences, rallies and protests I have attended - so I will list out a few choice ones that meant a lot to me. - I attended many rallies for marriage equality to push conservative senators. One fun one was at then-Senator Golden’s office in Bay Ridge and I remember shouting that Marty had confused Southern Brooklyn with the deep south. - The Sunday after Trump’s election in 2016, my parents, sister and i joined a march in midtown for immigrant rights led by Make the Road New York. it was the first time my parents had participated in a march since Vietnam. - I attended marches for Black Lives every single day for weeks this summer.

Have you ever been arrested? If so please explain why and outcome of arrest.

I have been arrested as an act of civil disobedience on multiple occasions. The first time I was arrested was in Providence, Rhode Island, where I was attending college. I participated in a hunger strike and civil disobedience regarding the meager wages of building services workers in Downtown Providence. Most recently, I was arrested this fall protesting the North Brooklyn fracked gas pipeline that is snaking its way through North Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails?

Absolutely. Incarcerated constituents deserve access to their representatives, and I would make it a priority to hear from my constituents - particularly in city jails. In order to legislate, advocate, and provide oversight of the justice system, it is important to get insight into what life is like for those involved in it. Members of the City Council are permitted to show up in DOC facilities and inspect them at any time. I would take advantage of this power frequently to be able to assess the conditions of facilities without giving DOC the opportunity to sanitize a dog and pony show. The jail system in New York City is inhumane and the members of the City Council and the BOC must provide much more stringent oversight.

Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?

Yes

Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism

2020 bore witness to the largest and most diverse national protests for racial equity and Black Lives Matter in U.S. history, led by Black and Brown Americans who are demanding a better future. Our government must respond by instituting reforms that address systemic racism and reimagine our approaches to public safety. Our current system of policing and mass incarceration is the modern iteration of the previous eras of Jim Crow and chattel slavery. We can and must transform our systems of criminal justice to much more narrowly define the role of police in society and end the era of mass incarceration that has insidiously infiltrated our society, from schools to homeless shelters. We need to divest funding from structures that harm our communities and invest in social services, education, and housing In the immediate, the Council has broad legislative authority and must act urgently to reduce the scope and scale of policing, to demilitarize the police force, to eliminate problematic units and practices in the department, to impose new disciplinary processes and true accountability for police officer misconduct, and craft new approaches to achieving public safety. As Michelle Alexander has written, the justice system serves as the new Jim Crow and controls the lives of far too many black men and women. From racist policing, to unfair sentencing, to discriminatory policies prohibiting formerly incarcerated individuals from access to housing and employment, the entire system needs serious work. Combatting systemic racism also means breaking down the barriers that exist for New Yorkers of color and identifying opportunities to enhance their chances of succeeding and living healthy lives. This includes creating mentorship opportunities and professional pipelines for people of color to advance into the highest level in all industries; ensuring child care is available to give folks every opportunity to work -- I would advocate to expand universal Pre-K to 0-3 year olds; making sure healthcare is available to all New Yorkers and focusing on issues like maternal mortality that disproportionately impacts Black women; promoting culturally and racially sensitive education in our schools and our workplaces; enhancing support for and increase thresholds for contracting with MWBEs. Most importantly, it means letting people of color dictate policy and guide our framework for dismantling the white supremacist systems that need to be uprooted.

Will you not seek, and refuse, the endorsement of Bill de Blasio?

I will not seek and will refuse the endorsement of Bill de Blasio.

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 Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus circle and replacing it with a statue to honor the stolen Munsee Lenape land where Columbus Circle is located, though I believe Indigenous people should have a voice in the final decision on its replacement. More locally, I would support the renaming of Columbus Park and the removal of the Columbus statue in Downtown Brooklyn in the 33rd district.

Will you refuse contributions from real estate developers and all law enforcement unions or associations?

Yes. From day one, our campaign has refused contributions from real estate developers, law enforcement unions or associations, corporate lobbyists, PACs, and fossil fuel companies. And I imposed a cap on individual contributions at $250.

Do you support reducing the budget of the NYPD and if so, by how much?

Yes. To determine exactly the scale of the cut to NYPD’s budget, we will need much better access to their data, including, for example, the percentage of calls NYPD responds to for non-violent matters. We need to reallocate funding to invest in alternative models to improve public safety. For example, we need more mental health workers responding to mental health calls and more social workers helping to diffuse situations between neighbors and more guidance counselors in our schools. Based on these types of staffing changes, I would expect a $1 billion dollar reallocation from NYPD, but that is a very rough estimate.

How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?

I strongly objected to the budget that was passed in June for failing to bring accountability to NYPD. I was terribly disappointed that the Mayor and Council invested in new cadet classes, when the hard work of organizers was paying off. Reducing the size and scale and scope of policing was finally being demanded with urgency by the broader public and our elected officials ignored them.

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. We ask cops to respond to every issue under the sun. That’s wrong, and we should divert resources from the police to those better trained for the situation. We should end the involvement of NYPD in schools, homeless shelters and social services, traffic investigations, and elections. We must defund the NYPD by reallocating substantial resources to alternative approaches to achieving public safety. We have more cops in our schools than the entire City of Baltimore has patrolling their streets. It doesn't make sense. We need social workers and guidance counselors in our schools rather than cops. We need to implement new approaches to advance public safety. When a family member has a severe mental health episode and help is needed to deescalate the situation, you should be able to call someone for help who will not bring a gun into your home. We need to legislate the creation of a new public safety agency made up of social workers, mental health professionals, and credible messengers trained in the community centered Crisis Management System (Cure Violence) model, all of whom must follow anti-racist principles and be experts in deescalation. Our goal is to defuse every situation, avoid violence, and get New Yorkers the help they need. Creating a new Public Safety Agency requires reallocation of a share of NYPD’s outsized $6 billion budget to this new approach.

Should the NYPD Vice Squad be eliminated?

Yes - the Vice Squad spends more time putting vulnerable New Yorkers behind bars than protecting them, and is the subject of damning corruption allegations.

Should Dermot Shea be fired immediately?

Yes. It would be an understatement to say Commissioner Shea mishandled the protests this summer. He has been totally dismissive of the fight against systemic racism that pervades our institutions, particularly the NYPD. We need an antiracist public safety apparatus from the top down and the bottom up.

Should the NYPD Commissioner require confirmation by the City Council?

The Mayor should have the ability to appoint their own Commissioner, but they also need to take responsibility and enforce consequences and accountability within the Department. The City Council has only scratched the surface of its broad legislative authority over the NYPD’s policies and budget. As a Council Member, I would work with like-minded colleagues to develop a strategy for reimagining how the NYPD functions in the City, and investing into other much-needed services.

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 should be setting a strong example for NYC. It is unacceptable for a police officer, who is tasked with keeping New Yorkers safe, to be violating this critical public health guidance. If New Yorkers have wholesale accepted the reality that wearing masks is one of the key ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, why should police officers be exempt from doing their part? Officers who refuse to wear masks and insist on undermining the law should be suspended without pay until they are willing to comply.

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

Yes, CCRB findings must be binding. The ability of the Police Commissioner to overturn any recommendation of the CCRB makes this a toothless, futile body.

What is your position on the plan to close Rikers and create four borough-based jails?

It’s a failure that we have yet to move people out of the 10 jail complex on Rikers Island. It’s a moral imperative that we act now and do everything in our power to immediately get people off that island and shutter the largest jail complex in the United States. Beyond Rikers, every existing jail facility in New York City, such as the modern day slave ship off the coast of the Bronx, is dehumanizing and must be closed. Every incarcerated individual is a policy failure. By prioritizing investments in alternatives to incarceration, diversion programs, and supervised release, and ensuring their utilization by the Courts, any new facilities can be dramatically scaled back from the previously approved proposals. We must expand dedicated capacity for people with physical or mental health issues at H+H facilities, so that people in need of more acute care can actually receive it rather than have their conditions deteriorate in a detention facility. DOC is a failed agency and we all know that the brutality of our jails goes beyond brick and mortar solutions. The Council plays an essential role in oversight and accountability regarding the closure of Rikers, including how any proposed new facilities are run and ensuring that directly impacted individuals are guiding the plans.

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. If we want to reduce our prison population, we need to regularly evaluate whether incarcerated individuals need to be there. I support Assembly Member Carroll’s legislation to this effect.

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?

311 should be fully accessible on all devices in any language. It needs to actually be responsive to inquiries. Far too often, New Yorkers call 311 only to be told that the City doesn’t have jurisdiction over a particular issue, or can’t help for whatever reason. 311 should be able to direct callers to the right place, or to someone else who can assist them. 311 should also synthesize data in a transparent way and work with agencies to identify and resolve trends. There needs to be clearer ways for complainants to track issues and status of follow up from agencies to ensure responsiveness and results.

Do you support decriminalizing sex work? Will you pledge to oppose the Nordic model?

Sex work is work. I have had the opportunity to work with a union of sex workers in Rio de Janiero and wrote about the experiences of Dominican sex workers in Eastern Caribbean islands. I believe that sex workers deserve protections to ensure their safety, health, and well-being. Most of all, sex workers need to be centered in any conversations about their work.

Do you oppose school screening, which exacerbates segregation? Which screens in your school district(s) will you advocate to abolish?

Yes. Geographic screens are the most insidious. I would also support abolition of attendance, grade, and test score related screens.

Describe what reforms you would make to the control of the NYC public school system.

I believe the Council should have a meaningful role in oversight of the school system. The Council has limited authority to advance reforms at DOE outside of the budget process. I would also like to elevate the input of parents. We need to expand the powers of Student Leadership Teams, Community Education Councils and the Panel on Education Policy.

Do you support public funding of abortion?

Yes, all reproductive health care should be accessible for anyone who needs it.

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, I strongly support the creation of safe consumption sites. The evidence from Canada and across Western Europe is eminently clear that these facilities save lives. I was proud to shepherd this through to approval at City Hall and am eager to help make this happen. Now that we have new leadership at the Justice Department, their position is even more critical than NYSDOH. I do not want to see staff from nonprofit organizations be held criminally responsible for helping to manage a SCS. My understanding is that cooperation from either the Second Floor or DOJ, potentially via the local US Attorney, can protect against such a potential outcome even without NYSDOH cooperation.

Do you smoke or otherwise consume weed?

Yes, though only occasionally at this point.

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?

Hell no. I never supported any members of the IDC. In 2018, I took approximately two weeks of vacation from work to help Zellnor Myrie full time in the closing stretch of his campaign.

What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?

The Office of Nightlife is a smart innovation that advocates for a vital sector of our city and our economy that is all too often overlooked. These establishments are part of what makes New York City so great. I will be a consistent ally to ensure our musicians, restaurant and bar employees, venues and establishments have an ally to help these businesses navigate the red tape of City government and neighborhood thorns. I have spent 10 years in New York City government and I know City agencies can be maddeningly bureaucratic. I have a deep and nuanced understanding of the regulatory hurdles that these businesses face and I will work with local establishments to help them streamline interagency coordination and navigate regulatory issues.

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

Yes, if elected, I would want to have a productive relationship with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives who can advise me on how policy decisions will affect them. I am fortunate to have deep relationships with restaurant, bar, and music venue owners across the district and will most definitely engage with them regularly about how we can better support their industry.

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?

Community Boards should be diverse bodies that appropriately represent their districts. Restaurants, bars, and clubs have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and I will work to ensure that they are represented in Community Boards, in legislation, and any relief efforts.

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?

While we desperately need to create good jobs in NYC, the Amazon proposal was a race to the bottom. Amazon is perhaps the worst corporate citizen in the country and is doing more to destabilize Main Streets than any other entity. This plan guaranteed them significant tax breaks without addressing their flaws. HQ2 was not a responsible, transparent development. A better deal should have been made.

What role do you believe the local member should play in the approval of development proposals before the Council?

Local members know the realities on the ground in their districts, and are best suited to understand the advantages and challenges of particular development projects in their own districts. Council Members are elected to represent their constituents and evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of a given proposal. While I hope very much that colleagues would respect my analysis about a given project, I don’t believe that I am entitled to their support. Just as I will respect their position on projects in their districts, I will ultimately evaluate every project in every district on the merits.

Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing?

Absolutely. Our discriminatory laws leave formerly incarcerated individuals with the deck stacked against them, and we need to break down systemic barriers, including in housing and employment, so that they can thrive.

Do you oppose the removal of the nearly 300 homeless individuals from the Lucerne hotel due to pressure from some local residents?

I strongly oppose the relocation of the men from the Lucerne. I helped author a letter from former administration officials and two dozen former City Hall employees, including two former deputy mayors, in opposition to this senseless decision. I have attended multiple events and spoken out consistently against the relocation of tenants from the Lucerne. Every time that elected officials defer to nimby, racist actors, it makes it harder to open the next facility for homeless or marginalized populations.

What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a Sanctuary City?

No one is illegal. All documented and undocumented immigrants deserve comprehensive protections. Our status as a sanctuary city is central to who we are as New Yorkers. I spent the first 16 months of the de Blasio administration working full time to design and implement the IDNYC program to ensure that every New Yorker, regardless of immigration status, has access to government issued photo identification and the myriad protections and benefits that come with it. Every single benefit that the City of New York affords to its citizens should be available to immigrant New Yorkers. The key to instilling confidence for all immigrants in the City of New York is to convince them that the City of New York has their back. Immigrants need greater assurances that there will be zero cooperation with ICE by NYPD, the Department of Corrections, and all City agencies.

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.

Healthcare is a human right, and it’s appalling that the norm in this country has become fundraising on gofundme to pay for lifesaving surgeries and critical medications. We need to be working with our federal partners to pass medicare for all and our state partners to pass the NY Health Act to establish a single payer system Without State and Federal action, we need to expand efforts to enroll every eligible New Yorker in health insurance. For undocumented New Yorkers, we must ensure they have access to comprehensive care with dedicated primary and secondary care physicians at sliding scale cost based on what patients can afford. While the NYC Care program, which I helped design, absolutely represents progress toward achieving this goal - we must further support NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) and ultimately expand the model to FQHCs to provide quality care to everyone who needs it. We should also strive to expand upon NYC Care to also include vision care, mental health services and other supports. Additionally, we need to bolster access to all facets of healthcare. We should fund nonprofits and CBOs that offer critical services to address mental health and substance abuse and provide other healthcare services.

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?

Mayor 2013: Bill de Blasio Public Advocate 2013: Tish James Public Advocate 2019: Jumaane D. Williams President 2016: Bernie Sanders President of 2020: Elizabeth Warren Governor 2018: Cynthia Nixon

Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively

1) More than a quarter of tenants in our district pay a majority of their income in rent. Every year, it gets harder and harder for more and more tenants to afford to live here. We need to tackle the affordability crisis by taking power from real estate and giving it to tenants in order to generate the truly affordable housing we so desperately need. I have proposed a plan called Lower NYC Rent to do just that, which would drive down rents of apartments that have been vacant for extended periods of time. As Council Member, I will also use my influence over the land use process to demand that a majority of housing built in newly rezoned developments be affordable to our communities. 2) When it comes to the climate crisis, moderation equals death. We live in a waterfront district that could be significantly underwater when the next big storm hits. My vision is to help realize the 33rd a carbon neutral district and a model for the city and beyond. We must act now to mitigate the effects of climate change and build resiliency. In this fight, we need to prioritize the constituents who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The 33rd District has been subject to decades of industrial activity and pollution that have led to widespread contamination and high asthma rates. We need to continue to defend our neighborhoods from environmental injustice, like problematic pipelines, and promote a Green New Deal for NYCHA. 3) Over-policing is an issue that impacts every district in our city. We need to demilitarize and reduce the scale and scope of the NYPD by removing cops from schools, social services and homeless shelters, traffic investigations, and elections. And create a new public safety agency composed of mental health professionals and social workers and Cure Violence organizations that can respond in real time to diffuse situations.

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?

He is not actually going to call a third charter commission, he is just trying to box out the speaker. Generally, too much power is concentrated in the executive office and the legislative branch should be empowered as a counterbalance in the budget and land use processes. I think the Public Advocate and Borough President positions have been so thoroughly defanged, they should be revisited.

Please explain your vision for the present powers of the office you are seeking and how you intend to exercise them?

In addition to passing laws, the City Council has the power to influence land use decisions and budget allocations, exercise oversight over City agencies, and use their office as a bully pulpit to advocate for constituents and causes. Using these levers, I would create affordable and supportive housing units, and build shelters; negotiate infrastructure investments and quality job creation; hold the NYPD accountable and reallocate some funding to create a new public safety agency that is trained in antiracism and de-escalation principles; fight to enhance worker protections and benefits; ensure highest need public schools and CBOs doing good work in the 33rd district are well resourced, and work towards a Green New Deal and transformational capital improvements for the seven NYCHA developments in the district.

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 commit to being accessible and responsive to the Jim Owles club, and anyone else who wants to get in touch with me. The Jim Owles club has strong insights on issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community, nightlife and restaurant industry, and many other issues, and I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to seek your guidance as I develop my portfolio. This campaign will need every volunteer we can muster to make calls, knock on doors, send texts and help in whatever ways they are willing. It would be great to mobilize the Jim Owles membership to help us robustly engage the electorate across the 33rd.

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

Yes, proudly!

What additional information would you like Jim Owles to consider when we are making our endorsement decisions?

The 33rd Council District is a disparate district comprising three distinct communities: Brownstone Brooklyn (~45%), South Williamsburg (~22%), and North Brooklyn (33%). I am the only candidate that can build an effective coalition across these three communities. I grew up in the Brownstone portion of the district, where my parents have lived since the 1970s, and have lived in Greenpoint post-college, where I formerly served as District Leader. We will strive to own the progressive lane in this race with the endorsements of the Working Families Party, VOCAL-NY, and Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn that have already endorsed as well as labor unions, organizations, and political clubs that are planning to endorse our campaign. We have secured the support of the seven Tenant Association Presidents in the 33rd district and the leadership in the Jewish community in South Williamsburg.