Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Rita Joseph for City Council District 40
Candidate Name: Rita Joseph
Office Seeking Election for: New York City Council District 40
Campaign Website: https://www.ritajoseph.com
Campaign Social Media Handles: @RitaJosephNYC
1. Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community? -No
2. If you answered “yes” to the first question, do you believe members of hate groups should be permitted to join the City Council LGBTQIA+ caucus? Do you believe the Republican party is a hate group? If you answered yes to both questions, do you support ejecting Republicans from the caucus?
3. What work have you done on behalf of the LGBTQ community? This can include endorsing LGBTQ candidates, drafting or advocating for legislation directly benefiting the LGBTQ community, working with LGBTQ organizations, allocating funds to LGBTQ organizations, marching in Pride parades, attending rallies/protests/press conferences in support of LGBTQ issues, and/or employing openly LGBTQ individuals. -I have attended the monthly food pantry run by the Caribbean Equality Project for many years even before being elected. I also walked in the Brooklyn Pride parade and will continue to do so. I have also worked with the DoE to implement LGBTQIA curriculum: The Hidden Voices LGBTQ Project
4. Has Mayor Eric Adams met the needs of the LGBTQ community? Please include “yes” or “no” in your answer, and explain your answer. -No, Mayor Adams has not met the needs of the LGBTQ community. He should be doing more to ensure that there are members of the community serving in his administration while keeping those out of the administration that are hostile to the LGBTQ community. He should also be working to provide more protections for the community given the rise in hate crimes of all types.
5. Would you demand that the Mayor re-institute its office of LGBTQ affairs, with its leader being a member of the LGBTQ community chosen in consultation with the City Council LGBTQIA+ Caucus? -Yes
6. Have you made requests to the Office of the Mayor to demand inclusion of LGBTQ community in city administration and on city boards? Can you give examples? -I have not but I would be happy to be a part of efforts to do so. I have expressed my concerns to the Mayor personally as well.
7. Do you support reparations for slavery? -Yes
8. Do you oppose all efforts to weaken bail reform? -Yes
9. Do you support closing Rikers Island? Do you support the administration’s plan to open borough-based jails? -Yes, I support closing Rikers Island. No, I do not support building more borough-based jails.
10. Do you support legislation outlawing solitary confinement in all jails and prisons, including city jails, and do you support Intro 549 (regarding solitary confinement)? -Yes 11. Will you publicly call on the governor to use her clemency power for the many incarcerated New
12. If elected, will you include in your office’s newsletter instructions for your constituents on how their loved ones can apply for clemency? -Yes, this is a great idea. I will pass it along to my staff.
13. Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails? When did you do so last? -Yes. I visited Rikers Island in February 2022
14. Do you believe in the decriminalization of sex work? If so, do you support full decriminalization, including decriminalizing purchase and facilitation? Will you commit to opposing the Nordic model, which continues criminalizing purchase and facilitation while decriminalizing sale? -Yes
15. What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and further New York as a “Sanctuary City”? -I’ve met with the DoE on multiple occasions to ensure asylum seekers are adequately cared for and that students have access to the resources they need.
16. Did you support legislation, which passed, to allow non-citizen New Yorkers to vote? Do you support the appeal of the case in which the law was held unconstitutional? -Yes
17. Do you support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces in your district? -Yes
18. Do you support ending qualified immunity for police and other law enforcement individuals? -Yes
19. 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, all of the above. 20. Should law enforcement "Vice Squads" be eliminated?
21. Should the Gangs Database be abolished and do you / will you co-sponsor Intro 360 on the subject? -Yes, it should be abolished. I will look into becoming a co-sponsor.
22. Do you support the Progressive Caucus’s requirement that members support cutting funding to NYPD in favor of alternative safety infrastructure? -Yes. I am a member of the Progressive Caucus.
23. What concretely have you done to improve access to reproductive healthcare? If elected, what more will you do? Be specific. -Along with many of the women in the City Council, I am supportive of the Abortion Access Care Fund. The first bill in the nation of its kind.
24. Do you approve of Mayor Adams’ approach to sweeping homeless encampments? -No
25. Do you commit to speaking with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses? -Yes
26. Do you commit to speaking personally with liquor license applicants and license holders before opposing any bid for a liquor license? Likewise for an applicant seeking your support? -Yes
27. 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? -Yes
28. Do you commit to removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle? -Yes
29. Who did you support for Mayor in the 2021 Democratic primary? Did you make an endorsement in the general election? -I supported and endorsed Maya Miley for Mayor in 2021. 30. Are you currently a member of the Progressive Caucus? If you are not currently an incumbent, will you join if elected? -Yes
31. Do you believe the Progressive Caucus should have qualifications to ensure that its members are actually progressive? Please explain. -Yes, I am currently a member and support efforts to make the caucus more effective in pushing for real change.
32. If you are a sitting Councilmember, name three votes you took in the City Council that differed from the position of the Speaker. -I have not taken 3 votes that differ from the speaker, however as a member of the Progressive Caucus I will work to hold both the Speaker and the Mayor accountable to the principles I ran on and continue to run on.
33. The rules of the City Council often make it difficult to get a hearing and/or vote on bills of which the Speaker does not approve. Would you support, and introduce if necessary, legislation that could force the City Council to print, introduce, hold hearings on, and hold votes on legislation. -Yes
34. Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry or law enforcement unions/associations? -Yes
35. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations who donated funds to any of Donald Trump’s campaigns? -Yes
36. With the continued boycott of Equinox fitness on the basis of owner Steve Ross’ support of Donald Trump and institution of “Don’t Say Gay” policies in his residential buildings, do you commit to opposing his application for a casino? -Yes
37. 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