Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Samy Nemir Olivares for NY Assembly District 54
Candidate Name: Samy Nemir Olivares
Office Seeking Election for: NY Assembly District 54
Website: https://www.samyfornewyork.com
1. Explain, based on life experiences and accomplishments, why you believe you are best qualified to represent your district.
2. Please identify any openly LGBTQQ candidate for public office you have previously or presently endorsed?
I endorsed Cynthia Nixon for Governor, Tiffany Caban for Queens District Attorney in 2019 and for city council in 2021. In 2020, I openly supported progressive, queer district leader candidates like Jesse Pierce and Julio Peña III, as well as current state Senator Jabari Brisport. For City Council, I’ve endorsed Marti Gould Cummings, and Elisa Crespo.
3. If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly)
This is not applicable to me, but in my elected capacity as a district leader, I have helped to lead an initiative to allow transgender and gender-non conforming individuals to gain greater opportunities to participate in the Brooklyn Democratic Party. Along with other queer district leaders like Jesse Pierce and Julio Peña in collaboration with Emilia Decaudin, we were able to win a rule change, changing the policy that candidates running for county committee seats must run as gendered, “female” or “male” members, as well as a gender quota that required male and female district leaders in each district. This rule prevented non-binary people from being able to participate in the Brooklyn Democratic Party, and I’m proud to have been able to advocate for it.
4. What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?
I have worked for Lambda Legal, an organization fighting for civil rights for LGBTQ people, as well as people living with HIV-AIDS for the past four years. I have beeninvolved with Lambda Independent Democrats, a political club fighting for LGBTQ justice in Brooklyn, as well as queer organizing groups like Equality New York that fight for LGBTQ legislative justice. have been involved with local queer organizations like Bushwig that bring queer events and programming to my community here in North Brooklyn. I also have been involved with Jim Owles in the past, and was super fortunate to be able to attend your Winter Gala recently!
5. If applicable, what LGBTQ organizations have you allocated funds to?
I’ve allocated funds to Jim Owles and Lambda Independent Democrats, who have done amazing work to support the queer political community in the city. I’ve also contributed to various other queer organizations such as Equality NY, and xx (Samy Fill in?)
6. Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?
Yes, I am proudly gay and genderqueer.
7. Have you marched in Pride? Which marches and for approximately how many years?
I’ve marched in either New York City Pride and/or the Queer Liberation March every year except for 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I love marching in Pride - it’s a joyful experience for my entire community!
8. Have you employed openly LGBTQ individuals previously? Do you employ any currently?
Katelin Penner, who worked on my District Leader campaign and is my communications/policy person for this team, is openly bisexual and gender non-conforming, using she and they pronouns. Additionally, several members of my kitchen cabinet are members of the LGBTQ+ community, and I commit to hiring more as I grow my campaign.
9. If you receive the endorsement, do you agree to identify the club on all literature and electronic materials where you list endorsements?
Yes, proudly!
10. What press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests in support of LGBTQ issues, pro choice legislation, criminal justice issues and the Resist Trump Movement have you attended?
Too many to count! I’ve attended dozens and dozens of rallies, protests, demonstrations, and press conferences in support of LGBTQQ+ issues and other progressive priorities, even going to DC to protest Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
11. Have you ever been arrested fighting in pursuit of legislation or for the purpose of protesting? Please elaborate.
I have not, sorry Allen. Maybe we can get arrested together sometime.
12. If you are an incumbent, what have you accomplished in your most recent term?
I’m not an incumbent, but during my term as District Leader, I’ve helped to bring transparency to the judicial selection process. I’ve also helped to expand access to county party positions for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, and have helped hundreds of community members access food, toys, vaccines, and public benefits through various community clinics and distribution sites. I’m proud of these efforts, and am hopeful I can do more to support families in our community in the future.
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):
1. Fair and Timely Parole (S.1415A / A.4231A): A bill pending in Albany that would ensure the parole release process for incarcerated people in New York State is based on incarcerated peoples’ rehabilitation and current risk to public safety. Absolutely! Passing Fair and Timely Parole would create new standards pushing the Parole Board, an inherently regressive and outdated institution, to evaluate a person for who they are today and who they can be in their communities, and not for the crime or conviction that led them to prison, which often occurred years to decades in the past. These changes to our parole system will allow people to return home to family members and loved ones instead of remaining in prison for a longer period of time, helping folks to live dignified lives.
2. Elder Parole (S.15A / A.3475A): A bill pending in Albany that would allow incarcerated people defined by the state prison as older adults, and who have served at least 15 years, an opportunity to appear before the Parole Board for an individualized review of their case and chance at release. Yes, definitely. Passing Elder Parole would begin to offer a meaningful opportunity for release to elderly New Yorkers to reconnect with their families, communities, and have a chance to make positive contributions outside of prison walls. Elder Parole also will work towards guaranteeing that no one dies in prison, a deeply important and moral goal for our state to strive towards. I absolutely will sponsor this bill, and look forwards to working with Jim Owles to pass it.
14. If you will not co-sponsor any of the above legislation, why not? I will absolutely sponsor and actively support both major parole bills! Passing both of these bills must be a key portion of our agenda to release the population of prisons and jails in New York State, and I look forward to working alongside Jim Owles and groups like RAPP (Releasing Aging People from Prison) to get these bills passed in Albany.
15. Do you oppose the efforts of law and order conservatives to weaken bail reform as written? I absolutely oppose these harmful efforts. Bail reform was passed for a reason; for too long, the state’s criminal justice system allowed the rich to buy their way to freedom while keeping the poor locked up for months, if not years, on end. The 2019 bail reform legislation made the bail process more equitable by ensuring that fewer people were forced to post bail before trial, allowing working class people, most of whom are people of color due to decades of racist policing practices, who are accused of a crime to stay at home with their families throughout the criminal-legal process. Any and all attempts to roll back the 2019 rent laws represent an attempt to return to a two tiered criminal justice system where the rich stay free, while the poor are locked up in horrific jail facilities like Rikers Island facing horrific and inhumane conditions while waiting for trial. I proudly oppose any additional rollbacks to bail reform, and will push for the restoration of the original 2019 bail policies in the State Assembly.
16. Do you commit to visiting constituents who are incarcerated in state prisons and city jails?
Yes, I do. Conditions at both state prisons and city jails are appalling, and my incarcerated constituents deserve an advocate who will help to expose the horrific conditions inside correctional facilities.
17. When was the last time you were inside a correctional facility? No, I haven’t, but I absolutely plan to go and visit my incarcerated constituents as soon as humanly possible.
18. Do you believe sincere remorse and actions taken while incarcerated should be considered over the original crime in determinations of parole?
Yes, absolutely. This is why I strongly support the Second Look Act, because it is wrong that incarcerated people currently have no chance to reduce their sentences by demonstrating to a judge that they have transformed while incarcerated. To make matters worse, incarcerated people cannot even seek a reconsideration of their sentences based on changes in law and norms, which keeps people incarcerated in New York State for things that may now be viewed as a less serious offense. The Second Look Act would give incarcerated folks the opportunity to present their case for a sentence reduction after 10 years or half of their sentence, something that I think would restore many of the harms our current methods of sentencing have caused for decades.
19. What do you believe should be done to ensure more clemencies are granted every year?
I will publicly call on the governor to grant clemency to more people each year through direct communication with the Governor’s office, press releases, and statements online. I also will work alongside groups like Jim Owles to participate in political actions like protests, rallies, marches, and press conferences to allow more people to be granted clemency each year. I am deeply committed to this work, and look forwards to working with the organization on this issue, which I know is a top issue for Jim Owles.
20. Will you publicly call on the governor to use her clemency power to 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, absolutely. I have called upon the governor to use her clemency power before, participating in the #HochulBringThemHome campaign that Releasing Aging People in Prison (RAPP) helped to lead this year, and would be more than willing to take similar steps in the future. I would absolutely be willing to criticize a governor that is not willing to use their power to grant clemencies in the future – we should always call truth to power when those in leadership refuse to do what is right. I look forward to working with Jim Owles on this issue, and will fight to ensure clemency is granted to as many incarcerated people as humanly possible.
21. Have you participated in any demonstrations or protests in relation to the issues of clemency and parole? I recently participated in the RAPP Campaign’s digital demonstration urging Kathy Hochul to grant clemency to formerly incarcerated folks.
22. Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?
Yes. We need to end employment discrimination against incarcerated individuals, and as a member of the Assembly, I would actively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals to do my part in ending this discriminatory practice. We cannot continue treating formerly incarcerated folks as second class citizens!
23. Do you support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in housing and employment?
Yes, definitely! In the United States, being convicted of a crime is, in many ways, a life sentence, as people’s criminal records continue to follow them for decades after their prison or jail sentences end. So many folks have struggled to find housing or meaningful employment after being released from incarceration due to their criminal record, which can also seriously impact the family members and loved ones of formerly incarcerated folks. People who have already served a prison or jail sentence should be able to turn a new, fresh page post release, allowing them to build fulfilling lives in their communities. I strongly support legislation to prohibit discrimination against formerly incarcerated people.
24. 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 and decarcerates sex work?
Yes, I believe strongly in the decriminalization of sex work, and pledge to fight to pass the Stop the Violence in the Sex Trades Act in Albany. Decriminalizing sex work is key to protecting our most vulnerable and marginalized community members by increasing access to housing, employment, and so many other key services. This is a very important bill.
25. Will you actively oppose legislation (S.6040 / A.7069) that would implement the dangerous Nordic model instead of decriminalization of prostitution? Explain in detail your views on full decriminalization, the Nordic model, legalization, and the existing criminalization approach.
I will oppose legislation implementing the Nordic Model, which does not actually make sex workers safer. Criminalizing one part of a sex work transaction inherently impacts the other aspect of a sex work transaction, so criminalizing those who buy sex doesn’t improve the lives of sex workers in any way. Full decriminalization of sex work is the only policy that will actually create a safer work environment for sex workers, which should be the ultimate goal for state legislators. I also vehemently oppose the current system, where sex work is criminalized, as ths creates unsafe situations for sex workers by making them vulnerable to police harassment and surveillance.
26. Do you support ending qualified immunity for police officers?
YES. Most ordinary, working class people—regardless of their job or profession —are expected to follow the law. If they violate someone else’s civil rights, they can be sued and required to pay for the injuries they’ve caused. But due to qualified immunity, a deeply harmful Supreme Court precedent, public officials, especially members of law enforcement agencies, are held to a much lower standard, and can only be held accountable for violating rights that are “clearly established” in existing law. The police - and members of other law enforcement agencies - should not be given such a sweeping free pass. Communities of color have faced centuries of trauma at the hands of the police, who, due to qualified immunity, are almost never held accountable for their harmful actions, allowing the police to brutally arrest people with few ramifications. I strongly support this bill, which will end qualified immunity in New York through amending the state civil rights law, and I will fight to get it passed as a member of the State Assembly.
27. What proposals will you advocate for to protect immigrants and the further New York as a “Sanctuary State”?
There are lots of proposals I support, including the Dignity Not Detentions Act, which would end any existing and future contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York State. These contracts allow New York State to detain our undocumented neighbors in prisons and jails across the state, and terminating them would finally end the practice of jailing New York immigrants as they face deportation.
Additionally, I support adding an extra $3 billion dollars to the Excluded Workers Fund to support our undocumented neighbors, and will fight to ensure that this program is made permanent, so that immigrant New Yorkers have access to the key social services they need and deserve. This program helped so many families in my district survive the pandemic, and it must be made permanent.
I also support a variety of other policies to protect immigrants, such as passing Coverage for All, which would allow undocumented New Yorkers to access the state’s Essential Plan, a healthcare program for low income folks living in New York. I also support statewide voting rights for immigrants in our state. Lastly, I support the New York for All Act, a bill that would prohibit state and local law enforcement officers from enforcing federal immigration laws, bringing people into ICE custody, and sharing sensitive information with ICE.
28. Do you support the establishment of supervised drug consumption spaces?
Yes. Thankfully the tide of public opinion has started to shift and we can see people struggling with addiction not as criminals but as victims of aggravated mental illness. The fiscal, emotional, and ethical toll our drug policy has extracted from our communities will leave deep scars. By introducing safe consumption sites into our communities we can collectively start to normalize and rehabilitate those who have been affected by the opioid epidemic and begin to actually save lives before the opioid epidemic takes even more lives away. And we KNOW safe consumption sites work - they have already saved hundreds of lives in New York City! I will advocate for the creation of these sites across the state.
29. Have you ever endorsed any member of the IDC or any candidates who challenged IDC members? Please identify all candidates
While I was not a public figure at the time, I supported all of the IDC challengers, including Robert Jackson, Alessandra Biaggi, Jessica Ramos, and Zellnor Myrie.
30. Will you commit to ensuring diverse LGBTQQ representation among your staff?
Absolutely. As a queer person myself, I am highly committed to ensuring that my staff is representative of the LGBTQQ community. I will affirmatively seek to hire LGBTQQ+ individuals in my office.
31. 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) Dianne Morales, and later Maya Wiley. B) Clinton in 16, Bernie in 2020. C) Cynthia for Governor, and didn’t openly support anyone for AG.
32. Have you made an endorsement in the current bid for Governor? If so, who?
Yes, I’ve endorsed Jumaane Williams.
33. Describe any legislation and policy changes that you support in order to address the ongoing effects of slavery, racism, colonialism, and discrimination.
I support reparations for Black Americans, who have been subject to centuries of cruel, unjust, and violent treatment at the hands of white supremacists. I also support passing a bill currently in the legislature that would limit the power of vulture hedge funds to make profits by buying debts from poor nations and subnational entities, like Puerto Rico. Greedy hedge funds have bought up the debt of sovereign nations like Argentina and the Congo and subnational territories like Puerto Rico, allowing them to make billions while people living in these regions are pushed further into poverty. These hedge funds are making huge profits here on Wall Street by refusing to renegotiate the debt down to a reasonable amount, and this bill would change that, helping to address ongoing colonialism in places like Puerto Rico. I also support strengthening civil rights laws for LGBTQQ+ people and people of color amongst other pieces of legislation that would help to fight back against discrimination and racism in the workplace, in housing, and in the public sphere.
34. 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?
First of all, I support passing a New Deal For CUNY. Fixing the historically inequitable funding of public education is a cornerstone of my campaign, and this New Deal is a great step forward towards finally giving CUNY the funding it needs to support students, staff, and faculty. Investing in mental health and academic counselors, investing in CUNY’s capital needs, investing in faculty both tenure-track and adjunct, and making CUNY tuition-free again are not just good goals, but necessities to help support our city and state.
I also support making SUNY schools tuition free, because I believe we must eliminate barriers that working class New Yorkers face when deciding whether or not to attend college. These barriers include tuition, books, and room and board. Making SUNY tuition free would unlock so much opportunity for students throughout the state, especially for students upstate, who may be able to attend a SUNY campus close to their homes.
Lastly, I support canceling student loan debt, and have called upon the Biden administration to do so multiple times.
35. Do you support a single-payer universal health care system? Do you or will you co-sponsor the New York Health Act? Please elaborate.
YES!! I am a strong, strong supporter of both the New York Health Act and a nationwide single-payer, universal healthcare system like Medicare for All. As a state legislator, I will be a champion for the New York Health Act because it is the best way to keep our city and state healthy. Providing people, regardless of immigrant status, income, or any other factor, with universal, free healthcare, will make our state a safer and healthier place to live. The New York Health Act is one of my top legislative priorities and I look forward to fighting for this legislation, which is one of the core policies for my campaign.
36. Discuss your stance on reproductive rights, including access to contraceptives and abortion services.
Reproductive care is essential health care. As someone who has done work with Planned Parenthood in the past, I have a deep understanding of the key role that deeply affordable, accessible, and LGBTQQ+ affirming reproductive care can have in improving people’s lives. I strongly support expanding access to abortion services and contraceptives as much as humanly possible, and support public funding of abortion/reproductive healthcare for low income New Yorkers to ensure that all people can access the care they need, regardless of income or access to insurance.
37. Will you refuse money from individuals or Political Action Committees representing the real estate industry or law enforcement unions/associations?
Absolutely. My campaign is committed to rejecting all money from police unions/organizations and the real estate industry, because I am accountable to the people, not the rich and the powerful.
38. Will you refuse and refund any contributions from executives at corporations complicit in the Trump agenda?
Yes, absolutely. I am committed to refuting the Trump agenda through my campaign, and that includes refusing money from those who are complicit with the Trump agenda!
39. Will you cosponsor the legislation to prohibit evictions without good cause (S.3082 / A.5573)?
Yes, absolutely. All tenants deserve protections from eviction, and Good Cause Eviction is a good way to expand eviction protections. Good cause eviction is one of the most important bills the State Legislature has to advocate for in 2022, especially as the eviction moratorium has expired. Rents have been rising rapidly despite the ongoing pandemic, and so many tenants are inches away from facing eviction, especially people whose homes are not protected by existing rent regulations. Evictions are cruel, and inhumane, and passing Good Cause Eviction will reduce the number of people that are violently removed from their homes by preventing evictions from taking place unless a landlord has a documented reason to do so. It also will prevent rents from rising excessively, by largely preventing many landlords from raising rents above 3 percent. This policy will offer countless families protection against housing insecurity, especially as eviction proceedings threaten so many of our neighbors. Good Cause Eviction legislation is the best way that we can work towards actually protecting all tenants from being unjustly forced out of their homes in New York State. Passing Good Cause Eviction would be one of my top priorities in the New York State legislature. I will be a fierce fighter for Good Cause Eviction as an Assembly Member, and look forward to working in coalition with housing organizers to pass this policy.
40. 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 amend 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 absolutely support this legislation. Housing is a human right, and the homelessness crisis our state continues to face is devastating. In one of the richest states in the richest country in the world, the fact that we have allowed people to go without a safe place to sleep at night is a massive failure of public policy. Passing HSS will allow our state to make housing more accessible to low income families who are either homeless or at immediate risk of becoming homeless, while also ensuring that we are focusing on providing these folks with permanent housing options, not shelters. This bill is a common sense solution to the housing crisis in New York State, and I would be proud to support it in the State Legislature.
41. What should happen to 421-a? Would you end it, mend it, continue it?
I would end it. 421-A is a scam that gives billions of dollars in tax breaks to developers while failing to provide New Yorkers with a significant amount of “affordable” housing. When any type of “affordable” housing is created through 421-A, it is often targeted at fairly high AMI levels, making this new housing deeply unaffordable for our communities. In addition, the enforcement of the 421-A program has been highly unsuccessful, and many developers and landlords who were supposed to create affordable units have been able to evade rent regulations for their tenants consistently, leaving many tenants in a precarious situation. New York State can no longer afford to be so benevolent to the developer class while tens of thousands of New Yorkers do not have a place to sleep at night. The program is a waste of public funds, fails to house working class communities, and must be repealed in the 2021 session. Instead, the state should use this money to fund social housing development across the state, allowing community land trusts, limited equity co-ops, and limited income rental housing to be built. I look forward to supporting the movement to repeal the 421-A programs as they expire this year, and will work as hard as I can to ensure that the program does not continue.
42. Do you support legalizing accessory dwelling units?
Yes, absolutely. We need more affordable rental housing statewide, especially in rural and suburban areas of the state, and accessory dwelling units are a great way to expand access to housing for immigrant families, our elders, and working class people across the state. ADUs are a great way to expand housing supply in our state without undertaking harmful upzonings in communities of color that can lead to gentrification and displacement. If I win my election, I will happily sponsor the ADU bill in the state legislature that is being sponsored by Pete Harckham and Harvey Epstein.
43. Do you support more state funding for NYCHA? If so, how much?
Absolutely. We cannot sit back and allow conditions in NYCHA to continue to worsen without taking aggressive action. Lack of state investment in our city’s public housing stock has intensified efforts to privatize our city’s public housing stock through programs like RAD, and have created unsustainable, unlivable conditions for tenants, who often have to go without water or heat for weeks on end. I strongly support billions of dollars in new funding for NYCHA at the state level each year – it is one of the best ways for us to move towards finally fully funding public housing and creating dignified living conditions for NYCHA tenants across the five boroughs.
44. 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 do support the CCIA. It helps to redistribute wealth and resources from large, multi-million dollar companies that have played a major role in worsening the climate crisis to the communities that have been most directly impacted by environmental racism. I also am strongly in support of measures in the CCIA that allocate funds towards retraining fossil fuel workers - building a green economy for all means that no one can be left behind, including those who work in any non-renewable sector.
45. 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?
Each year, cities across New York State deposit billions of dollars in big banks that have long histories of exploiting low income communities of color and heightening economic inequities. A network of municipal public banks across the state could change all of this by actually putting money in a financial institution that has an entire mission centered around racial and economic justice. By creating a regulatory framework for the establishment of municipal public banks across the state, the state could prioritize badly needed investments in workers, in social housing, in climate infrastructure, and in healthcare, instead of placing municipal budgets in big banks each year. Public money should be leveraged to invest in public needs, and as a result, I strongly support the NY Public Banking Act, and will fight to pass it in the state legislature.
46. 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?
Yes, I am emphatically in support of and would co-sponsor the New Deal for CUNY. Fixing the historically inequitable funding of public education is a cornerstone of my campaign, and this New Deal is a great step forward towards finally giving CUNY the funding it needs to support students, staff, and faculty. Investing in mental health and academic counselors, investing in CUNY’s capital needs, investing in faculty both tenure-track and adjunct, and making CUNY tuition-free again are not just good goals, but necessities to help support our city and state.
47. 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, absolutely. Ed Koch caused immense harm to folks who lived with HIV/AIDS during the late 20th century, and created many harmful policies that harmed people of color living in New York City. I would strongly support a city bill to rename the former Queensboro Bridge, and would officially authorize the use of my own name to support this effort, despite the fact that, as a state elected official, I would be unable to actually vote on it.
48. What is your position on removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle and if so, what should replace it?
We should absolutely remove the statue of Christopher Columbus in Columbus Circle – Columbus was a violent colonizer who has a serious legacy of harming indigenous communities throughout his lifetime. I would support working with local indigenous peoples, including the Lenni Lenape, to create a new statue that represents the rich histories of indigenous folks in our region.
49. Do you support reducing the budget of the law enforcement throughout the state, and if so, by how much?
Yes I do. I support defunding the police in New York City, as the NYPD has far too many resources at its disposal, and many of their duties, including school safety, community relations, and outreach to the homeless, could instead be allocated towards social workers and social programs. I also support reducing the budget of state troopers – state troopers primarily deal with traffic enforcement, such as patrolling highways throughout the state. Since I believe traffic enforcement should be removed from the purview of police officers, I think that the budget and size of the State Trooper force could be decreased substantially.
50. 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. Police officers should have no place in our schools – we need to invest in social workers instead. Furthermore, police often negatively escalate mental health crises when they respond to mental health calls. Trained social workers and mental health professionals should be responsible for responding to these calls instead. Police also have no place in doing outreach to the homeless – people living on the streets deserve to be treated with care and compassion, not with violence. Furthermore, the police shouldn’t be involved with providing social services; that should be the job of community-led programs and actual social service agencies. Lastly, police officers shouldn’t be needed to give people parking tickets. At the city level, the Department of Transportation could easily take this job on.
51. Should law enforcements "Vice Squads" be eliminated?
YES. The vice squad is a relic of broken window policing, and I strongly support eliminating it, as it unjustly and disproportionately targets Black and brown New Yorkers.
52. 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?
I would support giving law enforcement officers one official warning for failing to comply with masking rules, and then would support more severe consequences, such as suspending officers. We cannot continue to allow NYPD members to skirt masking rules – they put our entire community’s health at risk!
53. What reforms would you make to the Civilian Complaint Review Board? Would you support state legislation to make CCRB disciplinary determinations binding?
While I believe the CCRB is an incredible asset to our city, they are not given enough power to adequately hold police accountable. I would support making the CCRB an elected body, and would also support giving them the power to actually investigate and discipline police officers. For this to be possible, CCRB disciplinary determinations must become binding, so I would absolutely support state legislation to empower the CCRB.
54. What will you do to support nightlife in New York State?
Nightlife is an important part of what makes cities like New York so exciting and energizing, and it is important to me that we do all we can to ensure that the nightlife industry is able to thrive. I know the nightlife industry has been hurt immensely by COVID-19. I will work alongside nightlife industry professionals to secure aid for nightlife businesses across the city, such as bars and clubs, so that we do not lose anymore of these key businesses due to financial difficulties. I also support Governor Hochul’s proposal to allow for to-go drinks, a bill that could help support nightlife businesses trying to make money throughout the pandemic. Additionally, I also would work with representatives from the nightlife industry to secure other policies that would protect these important small businesses from closing due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
55. Do you commit to speak with restaurant and nightlife industry representatives before taking a position on any policies that affect their businesses?
Yes, absolutely.
56. 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?
Yes, absolutely – and I have never opposed an application for a liquor license as a member of Community Board 4 in Brooklyn.
57. What are the top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively?
Housing: My district is undergoing a housing crisis, as gentrification is rapidly pushing up rents across North Brooklyn, including in the 54th Assembly district. Many long-term residents are being displaced, and many more can barely make the rent each month. To keep families in their homes here in North Brooklyn, our office would fight for legislation like good cause eviction in New York, which would prevent tenants from being kicked out of their homes unless landlords have a legally acceptable reason to evict them. But my office would do more than just fight for legislation; we would use all tools and organizing tactics available to expand tenant organizing and rights. This includes hosting town halls, tabling in major parks and public spaces, door knocking and making robocalls to not only provide services and distribute resources, but also to build an infrastructure of volunteers and future leaders that can assist our office in this work. It would be a space to train new volunteers to become leaders in the community and movement while supporting tenants as government staff is very small and limited in the first years.
On the other hand, our office would have a strong constituent services staff and program that would be trained to support tenant and housing issues and work closely with housing and legal organizations to better serve them. Our office would support the development of tenant unions across our district, and would hold tenant support meetings to help tenants in Bushwick, Cypress Hills, and East New York build power against their landlords. Our office would provide technical support for the formation of tenant unions and would connect tenants to legal services as need be. Ultimately, I am hopeful that in the Assembly, I could not only help to pass strong pro-tenant legislation, but also work on the ground in my community to protect and build up power for tenants against the strong force of the real estate industry, greedy landlords, and scrupulous developers through legislation, enforcement, the development of tenant unions and the use of collective action.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs are ridiculously high in New York, and many people in my district do not have insurance, which makes it hard to access healthcare. Furthermore, there currently are no full-service hospitals in my district, and nearby hospitals were driven to their limits during COVID-19. This is why, as an Assemblymember, I will prioritize fighting for the New York Health Act, a bill for a statewide single payer healthcare system. My office would hold rallies, canvases, and phonebanks to reach out to community members about the bill, and activate community members to rally for its passage. I would also be a strong partner to local healthcare providers and work with pro-single payer healthcare providers in my district to build support for the bill. I would also identify potential constituents impacted by the tragedy of our broken health care system so that they can share their testimonies and we can amplify their experiences. Additionally, I will take the more traditional measures to support this key legislation, such as pushing for it in conference, co-sponsoring the bill, speaking out about my support for the New York Health Act publicly, and meeting with other legislators to try to get them to join me in publicly supporting the New York Health Act.
Education
In my district, public schools are underfunded, and privately run charter schools are growing rapidly, taking away funding from students. The public university system in New York City, CUNY, where many students in my district go for college, is also strapped for funding, and many working class students can no longer afford tuition. This is why, as an elected official, I will continue to work with the local Community Education Councils, students, parents and teachers to fight for rapid and equitable dispersion of the money owed to our public school students through the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, as this money will help us finally recommit to investing in K-12 public schools. I will also continue my work to advocate against charter school expansion in New York State - public money and public resources must be allocated towards our public schools! In terms of CUNY, I will work alongside CUNY students and staff who have proposed a host of state level bills known as the New Deal for CUNY to ensure that CUNY is made tuition free, that opportunities for students are expanded, and that staff and faculty. I also will fight hard for huge improvements to our childcare system, including pushing for Senator Jabari Brisport’s universal childcare legislation to ensure that all kids have access to early childhood development opportunities. In addition, one of the key original bills I would push for is the implementation of Universal Afterschool programs across the state. I believe giving all students access to afterschool programs would help working class families make ends meet by helping to eliminate childcare costs, while, at the same time, improving access to enrichment programs in fields like the arts and athletics. I also would fight to support universal free breakfast and lunch at public schools across the state to ensure no child goes hungry.
58. What additional information would you like Jim Owles to consider when we are making our endorsements decisions?
I would be the first genderqueer State Legislator in New York State.