Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Moumita Ahmed for City Council District 24

Candidate Name: Moumita Ahmed

Office Seeking Election for: City Council District 24

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

I am a movement organizer, community activist, civic leader and I’m running for New York City Council to fight for the working class; particularly immigrant working families that are underrepresented in our city government. My experiences as a millennial, an immigrant, a renter and minority are crucial in shaping our city’s legislative future. More and more families are getting priced out of the only home they’ve known. I want to fight for their right to housing, healthcare and dignity.

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

I was the Queens Organizing Director for out lesbian candidate for Governor, Cynthia Nixon.

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?

When I was in school and until I was around 21, I volunteered and organized with GMHC in the annual AIDS walk. I've worked with Jim Owles club with Zephyr Teachout and Alexander Meadows.

Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?

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

Yes, every year for at least the last 10 years.

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

I currently employ a trans individual and previously employed a gay individual on my current campaign.

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 attended the J20 protests in DC with WERK for Peace.

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

Yes, many times. Most recently over the summer for being at a demonstration past curfew.

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

Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism

Public safety is when we feel secure and stable in our neighborhoods. It’s not when our neighbors are locked behind bars for being poor or having an addiction. It’s not when our families are torn apart. We need to reimagine public safety by investing in housing, education, treatment programs, harm reduction, and job training programs in the areas of our city that have faced disinvestment and over-policing for decades. Instead of locking Black and Brown people in cages and brutalizing entire communities, we need to make sure that people have their basic needs met.

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

I would not seek or accept his endorsement.

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?

Yes, it should be replaced with a statue recognizing indigenous leaders from the area.

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, by at least $1 billion per year for the next 4 years.

How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?

No, because it did not reduce the NYPD's budget enough.

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, from all of them.

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?

Repeat offenders should be suspended. Police officers' jobs are to protect people and putting them in danger by ignoring laws to protect the public from a health crisis is unacceptable.

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

I would make it an elected board and Yes.

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

I would not support building any new jails.

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 would invest and upgrade it, using money taken from the NYPD's budget.

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

I support the decriminalization of sex work and I would not criminalize any aspect of it / oppose the Nordic model.

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

I do not support school screenings.

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

Public schools in Black and Brown communities are owed billions from the state and continue to face disinvestment. It’s time to change the formula for funding so that the schools with the least resources get the most funding. We need to create more specialized high schools in every borough, closer to working class communities, and make sure that the students accepted are as diverse as New York City.

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 and Yes.

Do you smoke or otherwise consume weed?

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 helped organize with the No-IDC coalition and worked to help elect Jessica Ramos. With Rise and Resist and coalition folks.

What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?

I would advocate for funding to keep businesses impacted by COVID open, particularly that are likely to be the last to "return to normal," so that when the pandemic is over its economic consequences do not destroy nightlife in NYC - an important part of the City's appeal and culture.

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

Yes

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 and Yes. I would support appointing workers rather than owners.

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?

Right now I am focused on the pandemic and finding ways for people to create income. If this helps workers survive I would be supportive but would want to know more before creating permanent policy.

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?

They should organize their constituents so their voices are heard and be responsive to the needs of the residents of their district in all development proposals.

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?

ICE has terrorized too many people in my district and this city. They should not be allowed in the courts or anywhere in our communities. We must immediately ban them from operating in our city and work locally to promote a just immigration and refugee policy to defend and expand all immigrants’ and refugees’ rights, regardless of immigration status. I will advance grassroots policy, advocacy, and organizing to promote socially just legalization policies and programs. I will advocate for sustainable community development and other policies and reforms that protect and expand the rights of immigrants, working people, and communities of color. As a Sanctuary city, we must ensure that our court systems do not work with ICE, including the NYPD. We will prohibit ICE and local, county, state, and federal law enforcement from using all forms of racial, ethnic/nationality, and religious profiling and allow a thorough investigation of complaints of abuses in public and private corporate detention centers and jails housing immigrants. I will also fight for a moratorium on expanding detention centers and privately run prisons and put an end to all inter-agency and immigration-police collaboration programs.

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 would advocate for both Medicare for All on the national level and the NY Health Act on the state level. I would be a loud a vocal proponent of both and do anything I could to make health care more accessible here in NYC.

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) Bill de Blasio B) Letita James and Jumaane Williams C) Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020 D) Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout

Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively

Health Care, Housing, Police / Criminal Justice Reform

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) The budget process should be more response to constituents. Though we have technically have "Participatory Budgeting" currently that program does little to democratize decisions about spending priorities. 2) No more rezoning until we have a new process that takes into account working class communities and what they have to say. The rezoning process should come from the community, it shouldn’t be imposed on the community. Currently, nobody except the local city council member has a say in how neighborhoods are rezoned. 3) We need to reduce the size and scope of the NYPD - both in terms of its budget and responsibilities. We should create an empower agencies to address schools, jobs, and social services that are as well funded and powerful enough to accomplish their mandates.

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

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. And I believe that Jim Owles and the progressive LGBT community can hold me accountable by calling me out when I do something out of line with what I'm committed to support or am wrong on an issue. As a Council Member I will fight for what I believe is right, but also recognize that my job will be to represent my constituents - to listen and recognize their concerns.

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?

Thank you for the work you have done to uplift the LGBTQ community and for your consideration for endorsement. It would be an honor to be supported by the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club.

questionnaireJim Owles Liberal Democratic ClubJanuary 8, 2021nyc 2021, group 2