Candidate Answers to JOLDC: Scott Stringer for NYC Mayor

Candidate Name: Scott Stringer

Office Seeking Election for: NYC Mayor

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

New York City’s next mayor will oversee a massive recovery effort, and we must reopen our economy in a fundamentally different way than we closed it. This will require policy expertise, government managerial experience, coalition-building skills and political savvy, and a bold vision — with detailed, actionable plans — for a more just, equitable, and sustainable city. It is this very combination of skills, experiences, and vision that I bring — uniquely, I believe — to this race.

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

Yes, many times. I got some of my earliest door-knocking experience as a young teenager turning out the vote for Ken Sherrill for District Leader — New York City’s first openly gay official. I’ve also endorsed Assemblymembers Daniel O’Donnell and Deborah Glick, State Senator Brad Hoylman, and more. The most recent example is that I endorsed Tiffany Caban for Queens DA.

If applicable, what legislation directly affecting the LGBTQ community have you introduced or co-sponsored? (indicate accordingly)

I have spent my entire 30-year career fighting with the LGBTQ+ community to advance justice and equality for all New Yorkers. In the assembly, I was one of the original co-sponsors of the 2003 Marriage Equality Bill, and an early backer of GENDA. I also kick-started an overhaul of HIV/AIDS education in New York City public schools. As Comptroller, I’ve spearheaded legislative efforts in the City Council to require gender-neutral bathrooms in public and private buildings and prohibit discrimination of LGBTQ+ owned businesses in City contracting — closing a glaring loophole in the City’s anti-discrimination protections. My office has also released an annual LGBTQ+ Guide to Services and Resources, and I have joined advocates to demand the decriminalization of sex work and the abolishment of the Walking While Trans law, and during the pandemic, pushed City Hall and the Department of Education to enable nonbinary and gender non-conforming students to affirm their gender identity in the remote learning Administrative ecosystem.

What LGBTQ organizations have you been involved with, either on a volunteer basis or professionally?

I have organized, marched, and protested with many LGBTQ organizations and leaders over the years. I have consulted with LGBTQ+ non-profits and organization on many of my policy recommendations, including around corporate government and anti-discrimination as Comptroller.

Do you consider yourself a member of the LGBTQ community?

No.

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

Yes, for at least the last two decades — from Harlem Pride, to Stonewall 50, to Pride in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. My office has also hosted an annual Pride event for many years, going back to the Borough President’s office to honor and celebrate LGBTQ+ community leaders and advocates.

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

Yes, previously and today.

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?

As Comptroller, I have attended dozens of press conferences, demonstrations, rallies and protests to support progress issues and resist the damages of the Trump administration. Some examples include: Black Lives Matter protests Stop the Muslim Ban Protesting ICE arrests and demanding the abolishment of ICE Standing up against SB 6 and other anti-Trans laws Rallies to denounce anti-LGBTQ+ hate and other acts of bigotry and violence Joined advocates to rally to protect Title X funding, against Republican attacks on abortion, and to make New York City the first in the nation to directly fund abortion care Rallied with advocates and elected officials against police abuse, to dismantle the private prison industry, to abolish cash bail and commercial bail and legalize marijuana

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

I was arrested outside of NYPD headquarters while protesting the police murder of Amadou Diallo in 1999. I was also arrested while protesting Exxon in the 1980s, calling on the company to stop doing business in apartheid South Africa.

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

Yes. I have visited Rikers in the past and am proud to have been the first citywide elected official to call for the closure of the jails on Rikers Island. In addition, as a State Assemblymember I strongly spoke out against the construction of upstate jails. As Mayor, I would commit to visiting our jails and prisons, and meeting with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals.

Will you affirmatively seek to hire formerly incarcerated individuals?

Yes.

Describe your legislative and policy vision for combatting systemic racism

Racial justice would be at the heart of all policy in a Stringer administration -- from climate action, to rebuilding our economy, to ensuring public safety. For example: COVID-19 has laid bare the systemic disparities that run through our city – and revealed the human cost of our environmental justice failures. It is no exaggeration to state that people of color sickened and died in far greater numbers than the rest of our city -- due in part to our entirely immoral complacency about how we concentrate the burdens of power plants, waste infrastructure, and roadways in low-income, Black and brown communities. Our historic failures left Black and brown New Yorkers vulnerable, underserved and overexposed. These are communities that have borne the brunt of disinvestment for decades – resulting in poor air quality, higher rates of asthma, congestion, overcrowding and lack of green outdoor space. I view the Green New Deal as a commitment to put environmental, economic, and racial justice at the center of all that we do. The Green New Deal will save our planet, but it will also transform our society by lifting up workers, creating a more inclusive economy, and prioritizing public needs over profit motives. I recently released a sweeping climate change agenda, both ambitious and actionable, which will deliver a Green New Deal to New Yorkers and make our communities healthier for the next century. As New Yorkers and people across the country are crying out for justice and the sanctity of Black lives, we can and should shift responsibilities and dollars away from the NYPD toward vulnerable communities most impacted by police violence and structural racism.

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

Yes

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?

No

What is your position on removing the Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Circle and if so, what should replace it?

No

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. We have approached public health and public safety too narrowly for too long at an enormous cost to the Black and brown New Yorkers entangled in the criminal legal system and their families, neighbors, and communities. In June, I was the first elected official in the city to present a tangible plan to begin scaling back the department’s multi-billion dollar budget. That proposal moved at least $1 billion away from the NYPD over four years, and I believe additional cuts can and should be made — and on a faster timeline. That’s why my office released a detailed blueprint outlining how the city needs to take a “public health first” approach to public safety, responding to homelessness, mental health crises, substance use, wellness checks, youth at risk of violence, and so many other challenges not with armed police officers but with wraparound services and deep investments in public health interventions. We need to take alternative approaches to building safety — through investments in community health, supportive housing, youth programming, and more. These proposals will reduce in a dramatic reduction of the NYPD budget.

How would you have voted on the FY21 City Budget?

I would have voted against the FY21 City Budget and at the time, expressed my outrage over the Mayor and the Council’s “fuzzy math” around their proposed NYPD cuts which were really a bait and switch.

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 four.

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?

No

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?

Refusing to wear a mask is active endangerment of the public. Those cases should be referred to an empowered CCRB — not handled internally.

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

We need real, independent oversight to hold the department and individual officers accountable for misconduct. The police should not police themselves, and the NYPD Commissioner should not be the sole arbiter of discipline. That is why I support stripping the NYPD of that role and empowering the CCRB to have final authority to impose discipline — and to investigate and prosecute a wider range of claims, including of racial profiling.

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

I have visited Rikers Island and, like everyone who passes through those gates, I was appalled by what I witnessed. The experience certainly helped to inform my decision in 2015 to become the first citywide elected official to call for the shutdown of Rikers Island, a full two years before the mayor finally agreed, and I was proud to work with the Close Rikers Coalition to help force that decision. I have always thought that the City’s 10-year timeline to close Rikers was far too elongated, and that we should be moving much faster to eliminate what is effectively an ongoing humanitarian crisis in our city. I have supported calls in the past to get the job done in three years instead of 10, but obviously this administration has failed to move with any real urgency. As Mayor, you can be sure I will expedite the completion of Rikers shut-down to the greatest extent possible. And by advancing a comprehensive set of strategies to decarcerate and fund public health investments, there will be no need for the mammoth new jails proposed by the Mayor.

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, we need parole reform and we need to release our elders. As Mayor, I would work alongside advocates to demand the Governor end this injustice. I have advocates for both the Elder Parole Bill and the Fair and Timely Parole Bill.

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?

There are clearly a lot of issues with 311. Not only is it not adequately responsive, but it is too often weaponized against small businesses, nightlife, and neighbors. As Mayor, I’ll do a top-to-bottom review of 311, refining what type of complaints can be submitted and improving and speeding up the chain of response for those that are submitted.

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

Yes, I support the full decriminalization of sex work and believe the Nordic model does not go far enough to protecting sex workers and keeping our communities safe.

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

Without a doubt, academic screening is a driver of segregation. All of our high school students need to have access to a rich program of experiences, including challenging, high level courses, as well as access to sports and afterschool clubs. As outlined in my education platform, I would permanently end geographic screens at the high school level and limit the use of academic screens at the middle school level. Right now, 15% of high schools and 18% of middle schools use screens — three times the level of most school districts. This is unacceptable and I will support, fund, and require district-wide and cross-district plans to increase diversity. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every district, each district will develop a concrete plan for reaching integration goals within a specific time frame. Schools that are less diverse than their district’s demographic population should be a priority focus of district plans. In districts that lack racial diversity due to persistent residential segregation, districts should consider interdistrict plans, and the City should explore adjusting district boundaries to increase the number of diverse districts. As mayor, I will take a multi-pronged approach to integrating our school system that is centered on bringing students together in the classroom, rather than separating them. That includes eliminating the SHSAT, stop testing four-year-olds and deferring the G&T program until four grade, aiming to phase the program out altogether by putting two teachers in every elementary school classroom.

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

I am a supporter of mayoral control because I believe that it provides the opportunity to avoid the kind of paralysis and dysfunction we saw consistently under the old seven-member Board of Education. However, as we have seen under the Bloomberg and de Blasio Administrations, while mayoral control may be necessary to create the conditions for effective governance of the school system, it by no means guarantees it. For that, you need a mayor who will exercise the authority of mayoral control in collaboration with teachers, principals, and parents across the city; who will listen carefully to feedback; and whose team will work effectively to give our schools, our educators, and our children the tools they need to succeed. Mayoral control does not mean, cannot mean, and, in my administration, will not mean, mayoral dictatorship.

Do you support public funding of abortion?

Yes. I was proud to be the first citywide elected official to stand alongside advocates to make New York City the first city in the nation to directly fund abortion care in 2019. As Mayor, I have committed to doubling the City’s direct funding for abortion care, in addition to a series of other proposals to expand reproductive, sexual, and gender health justice which you can read in my comprehensive health care plan.

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, as Mayor, I would support the implementation of Overdose Prevention Centers and safe consumption facilities, as well as other harm reduction programs. I would focus on creating safe consumption sites in the south Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, where opioid deaths are increasing, despite an overall drop in opioid-related deaths in NYC.

Do you smoke or otherwise consume weed?

No

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?

I was the first Citywide elected official to take a stand against the IDC and back the insurgent progressive candidates for State Senate and Assembly who eventually defeated them, delivered a progressive supermajority to Albany, and fought for one of the most progressive State budgets we have ever seen.

What will you do to support nightlife in NYC?

Arts and nightlife are fundamental to New York City. From the Bowery to Bushwick to the Boogie Down Bronx, the world’s greatest artists, arts venues, and arts movements all call New York City home. Any threat to the health and future of our incomparable cultural sector is an existential threat to New York City itself. And yet, for too long, we’ve failed to directly support individual artists and independent contractors. To rectify this oversight and offer support in these challenging times, it’s time for New York City to provide direct assistance to performers, artists and musicians. If the New York State Council on the Arts can offer grants to individual artists, why is the Department of Cultural Affairs restricted to only certified non-profits? In a similar vein, I will extend the new “Open Culture” program to individual artists and performers. We’ll streamline permitting for outdoor performances for all artists, not just arts organizations. I will also help connect artists to affordable space to rehearse and practice in every neighborhood of every borough. Opening up public school theaters and gymnasiums to dancers, musicians, and actors in the evenings and weekends will be transformative. So too, will the conversion of vacant retail space into art studios and hubs along commercial corridors throughout the five boroughs. The City will work with large commercial landlords who are facing a spike in vacancies to procure affordable, long-term leases. And we’re going to support artist-led spaces in every neighborhood. The City will work diligently to legalize and permit do-it-yourself (DIY) venues across the five boroughs. These spaces are critical for early career artists and it’s time for the City to build them up, not cut them down. Of course, this improved regulatory environment will extend to all venues and small businesses. We’re going to streamline permitting and inspections in New York City and create a one-stop shop for opening up new businesses. And rather than taking a punitive approach to inspections and fines, we’re going to allow businesses a “cure period” to remediate issues. In addition, led by the Office of Nightlife, my administration would take a multi-agency, problem-solving approach to rectifying issues with nightlife venues and neighborhoods, not just indiscriminate fines.

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, I will work to advocate for this. I've explicitly called for expediting the liquor license application process, allowing for more live music in bars, and accelerating permitting and inspections for launching new businesses. Creating a one-stop shop for starting a business, empowering the Mayor's Office of Nightlife, and having restaurant, bar and club owners on community boards are all important steps toward implementing my plans.

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?

As Mayor, I will work to eliminate the last vestiges of the Cabaret Law. In 2017, the City Council repealed the Cabaret Law, a Prohibition Era restriction on dancing in certain nightlife businesses and neighborhoods -- particularly communities of color. Unfortunately, the underlying zoning and fire department requirements remain, leaving businesses vulnerable to fines and hassle. It is far past time for them to be scrapped.

Did you oppose the de Blasio/Cuomo proposal (and giveaways) for bringing Amazon’s HQ2 to Long Island City?

Yes, I stood with community leaders and labor to oppose the Amazon giveaway—and I will continue to stand up to mega-corporations and with working people.

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

I believe deeply in community-based planning and community engagement — but it cannot come at the expense of citywide planning necessities. We need real, comprehensive planning. That’s why – as described in my housing plan – as Mayor, I would establish an Independent Long-Term Planning Office charged with developing a citywide comprehensive plan in partnership with communities, based on needs, development goals, and careful community consultation. It would be independent in the model of the Independent Budget Office.

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

Yes, we need fair housing rules and ensuring formerly incarcerated individuals are not discriminated against in housing and are able to find safe and stable permanent housing is critically important to strengthening our re-entry services and ending the cycle of incarceration and poverty.

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

Yes, and I stood with New Yorkers to protest the treatment of homeless individuals at the Lucerne. It is our responsibility and moral obligation as a City not just to shelter New Yorkers -- but to do so humanely.

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

First, administrative warrants that originate from ICE should be disregarded. While cities like Washington D.C. have developed clear cut policies that police officers should ignore anything from ICE in their warrant database, the NYPD continues to bring people into the precinct to check if there are any additional non-ICE warrants. This policy should be changed immediately. Second, the NYPD should officially denounce and actively curtail any ICE officers impersonating local law enforcement or falsely making calls on behalf of precincts. As part of this effort, the NYPD-OIG should conduct an annual investigation of all ICE pick-ups in New York City and make sure that NYPD were not working with ICE in any way behind the scenes. Third, the City and State should end the prison-to-deportation pipeline. Decriminalizing various offenses and rolling back numerous police responsibilities (as detailed above) will help to keep residents out of handcuffs, courts, and jails, reduce the fingerprinting that can wind itself into ICE databases, and protect undocumented New Yorkers. And, on the federal level, I will fight for a moratorium on all deportations and the dismantling of ICE. This will be the broadest and most powerful way to limit ICE’s negative impact on our communities. Finally, would eliminate the carve-outs that limit access to immigrant legal services, because if we believe in due process for all people, we can’t be in the business of choosing who deserves a truly fair day in court. In New York, Sanctuary City laws forbid local law enforcement from detaining individuals on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, providing information on immigration status, or cooperating with ICE more generally. And yet, while these restrictions are among the strongest in the nation on paper, there are still a number of formal and informal, publicized and unpublicized ways that ICE and local law enforcement interact. These nexus points should be eliminated.

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 the New York Health Act (A.6058/S.5474) in the State legislature and Medicare-for-All on the Federal level to guarantee comprehensive healthcare coverage to all, and ensure that no New Yorker forgoes healthcare due to fear about cost or coverage. Over one million New Yorkers remain without health insurance, with that number increasing with job loss due to COVID. That’s unacceptable. I believe the City must make the strategic investments we need to connect everyone, regardless of their immigration or income status, to high quality medical care. NYC Care offers the opportunity to allow more New Yorkers to get quality care and in my administration we would continue to invest in the program’s expansion. I will put more resources into NYC Care and into the Get Covered NYC campaign, and will ensure that community outreach is culturally and linguistically competent. I will also push the State to expand access to its Essential plan to all New Yorkers, regardless of documentation which can unlock more comprehensive 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?

I supported Sen. Clinton for President in 2016 and Sen. Elizabeth Warren for President in the 2020 primary and President Joe Biden in the general.

Top 3 issues you aim to address locally and legislatively

I am proud to be running on a broad agenda to bring our city — and our economy — forward for all New Yorkers, stronger and fairer than ever before. While I would not elevate these over other areas of focus, housing, healthcare, and early childhood education are essential to my holistic vision for recovery and progress.

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?

During the 2018 Charter Revision, I proposed a series of 60 Charter revision proposals which I would advocate for again given the opportunity. https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/a-new-charter-to-confront-new-challenges/overview/

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

The vision of my campaign is to build a more just, affordable and progressive New York. In the past nine months, we’ve all watched our city and its families endure enormous pain, most of it in communities of color. Far from ending the tale of two cities, we’ve seen age-old disparities rise to the fore and devastate whole communities. We must acknowledge that today we have a public health crisis, an economic crisis, and a social justice crisis raging all at once, and we must bring new ideas and new leadership to tackling them. I believe I have the experience and the vision to do that – by investing in our community health networks and delivering real healthcare to every neighborhood; by speeding tangible relief to our small businesses through targeted grants and tax credits; by fundamentally shifting resources away from our criminal justice system and towards community-driven solutions to building safer, healthier communities; and by turning back the clock decades on environmental injustice inflicted on too many of our neighborhoods.

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, as Mayor, I will continue to work with the Jim Owles club and other community organizations by bringing you to the table in my administration, listening to your concerns, and ensuring communities across the city are represented in City Hall. I believe in co-governance with community and true transparency and accountability — it’s what my career in public service has always been based in.

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

Absolutely, I would be proud to.

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