Bronx Candidates for City Council Who Support the Courage For Change Agenda

Courage to Change Questionnaire

If you are awarded the CTC endorsement, do you pledge to remain positive and not engage in negative* campaigning towards other CTC candidates?

Do you support the following national policy priorities:Medicare for All, Green New Deal, Abolish ICEPlease provide the name, phone and email for three (3) in-district movement groups that you are organizing with and are supporting your campaign.Please describe your vision and goals for your term as New York City Council Member. (min 500 words max 1000 words). [responses to this question may be displayed on the CTC website]

Ethical Fundraising

Although contributions from corporations and for-profit companies are prohibited under the rules of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB), corporations and for-profit companies can form Political Action Committees (PACs) and contribute to a campaign under a different name. This presents serious challenges when it comes to keeping corporate money out of politics and ensuring that the will of the people of New York City prevails over the self-interests of a few wealthy companies.

The corrupting role of big money in politics is one of the largest threats we have to truly people-driven government and policy. We see this when executives and board members of private companies, including the real estate and fossil fuel industries, attempt to gain access to elected officials through large personal and bundled contributions. As a result of being courted and financed by special-interest groups, politicians end up spending more time with their big dollar donors rather than with their communities, where they can refine the policies that will make this city a better place for everyone.

Is your campaign accepting contributions from a PAC that represents, or was created by, a for-profit company? Yes, No.

If yes, please list the PAC:Is your campaign accepting contributions from real estate developers, real estate PACs, or any executive or Board Member of a real estate company? Yes, No.Is your campaign accepting contributions from any executive or Board Member of a fossil fuel company? Yes, No-Is your campaign accepting contributions from any law enforcement association or PAC? --- Yes, No.

Prioritizing New York's Workers 

New York City is home to millions of innovative, creative, and tenacious people who hustle every day to provide for their families, save for their future, and simply get by. These are the people we must uplift with strong labor protections, reliable assistance programs, and expanded small business opportunities.

A labor peace agreement is a neutrality agreement between the employer and the union in which the employer agrees not to resist a union’s organizing attempts. Do you pledge to oppose any New York City development project receiving public funds or tax breaks if it does not include a labor peace agreement requirement? Yes, NoWill you support and vote for legislation aimed at holding developers and general contractors responsible for wage theft and workers’ compensation fraud? Yes, No.Do you pledge to commit to creating an emergency cash assistance fund for those New Yorkers often left out of the federal relief packages or other assistance programs such as unemployment insurance, including direct cash payments and help for small businesses?

Yes, No.

Do you pledge to commit to creating an emergency cash assistance fund for those New Yorkers often left out of the federal relief packages or other assistance programs such as unemployment insurance, including direct cash payments and help for small businesses?

Yes, No.

Investing in 21st Century Infrastructure for the MTA, NYCHA, and Public Schools

It is time to build a NYC that works for all of us. This means investing in improvements to public transit so every person can access a safe and reliable ride to work, quality broadband internet services for NYCHA residents, and public school retrofits to provide our children with a safe place to learn. From borough to borough, our communities are interconnected through housing, transit and schools— and bold infrastructure investments are a key part to building a prosperous future for everyone.

Will you vote to increase city funding by at least $100 million per year for mass transit improvements including to expand bus shelters to every bus stop and provide elevator access to every subway station? Yes, No.Do you pledge to vote for an increase of at least $50 million per year in city funding to expand bike lanes throughout NYC in order to achieve a connected city-wide bike lane system? Yes, No.NYCHA maintains over 350,000 open work orders for resident maintenance and repairs. This current situation is unmanageable, leads to living conditions that are uninhabitable, and are a direct result of NYC neglect of its public housing portfolio for over a decade. If elected, do you pledge to increase city funding for NYCHA by at least $50 million per year in order to provide sustainable maintenance and repairs throughout the citywide NYCHA portfolio and bring all open work orders up to date? Yes, No.Will you vote for legislation that requires NYCHA housing developments to provide residents with free and reliable high-speed internet service? Yes, No.Do you pledge to vote for an increase of at least $50 million per year in city funding for public school infrastructure projects to remove lead and mold from pipes and to install state-of-the-art heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems? Yes, No.Do you pledge to vote for an increase of at least $50 million per year in city funding for public school infrastructure projects to remove lead and mold from pipes and to install state-of-the-art heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems? Yes, No.Will you support a plan to turn Rikers Island into a green energy storage hub? Yes, No.NYCHA buildings consume 40%-50% more energy per square foot than the typical NYC multi-family building, while contributing to unhealthy home environments that lack comfort and safety. Do you pledge to increase city funding for NYCHA by at least $100 million per year for deep energy retrofits to the city-wide NYCHA portfolio? Yes, No.The proposed Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) is a 333-mile long 1,000 megawatt high voltage direct current (HVDC) power line consisting of bi-directional cables — two cables side by side running to and from Quebec to New York City. The CHPE project would threaten endangered Atlantic Sturgeon Habitat in the Hudson River and also threatens Indigenous communities in Canada and their environment. Do you pledge to oppose the aforementioned contract and instead pursue energy efficiency and renewable energy options locally? Yes, No. 

Reimagining Public Safety

In order to provide real public safety and undo our unjust system of mass incarceration and over policing, New York City must invest in education, housing, jobs, healthcare, and community-based programs.

Will you support a plan to bring down the annual NYPD budget and shift those funds towards community resources and programs, including: community accountability services; victim support and compensation funds; community schools; and prisoner rehabilitation and re-entry programs? Yes, No.Will you support and fund comprehensive mental health and crisis response services, including community-based treatment programs, and a 911 health care responder corps that is entirely independent of the NYPD Yes, No.Do you support dissolving the NYPD Vice Enforcement Division and redirecting all public funds currently dedicated to NYPD Vice towards the development and expansion of community-based safety centers that offer family support programs, youth employment programs, community mediation and other services which center victim-based support?Yes, No. With regards to the list of offenses for which an undocumented immigrant can be turned over to federal agents by NYC law enforcement, will you support a law that removes all offenses from the list? Yes, No.Will you vote for a law that eliminates the ability of the Police Commissioner to review and reject recommended disciplinary sanctions made by the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)? Yes, No.

Protecting the Right to a Safe, Decent, and Stable Home

The answer to solving New York City’s housing crisis begins with trusted leaders in government who are competent, responsible, and want to advance opportunities for all people while ensuring a roof over their heads. When we carry out the work to preserve public housing, to protect tenants and to usher in social housing for NYC, we will realize the true impact of progress by providing enough for everyone.

Due to decades of actions to privatize and disinvest public housing, NYCHA residents experience uninhabitable living conditions. Government leaders have the power to change this reality, but continue to push short-term proposals such as Rental Assistance Demonstration (‘RAD’), Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (‘PACT’), and the NYCHA Blueprint. These proposals will deprive public housing residents of unique federal laws and economic opportunities afforded to them. Do you pledge to oppose all attempts to sell public housing property to private real estate developers, like the NYCHA Blueprint, RAD, and PACT? Yes, No.New York City’s Right to Counsel (‘RTC’) has been a tremendous success in stopping evictions of low-income New Yorkers and allowing families to stay in their homes. Will you support and vote for improvements to RTC that: increase the income eligibility for tenants from 200% to 400% of the federal poverty level; expand RTC services to cover appeals filed by landlords; and require immediate implementation of RTC with no zip code rollout? Yes, No.Will you vote in favor of zoning changes to include mixed-income housing developments in an affluent neighborhood if the local council member was opposed? Yes, No.Will you support and vote for legislation encouraging the conversion of distressed hotels into permanent housing? Yes, No. We’re proud to recognize the New York City Council candidates who have taken the Courage to Change pledge. City council candidates across every district were invited to submit a questionnaire pledging their support to strong progressive values. The candidates below received a perfect score.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE ANSSWER TO EACH QUESTION OR PART WAS NOT ALWAYS A YES ANSWER, THAT IS WHY THE 'YES, NO,' OPTION TO ANSWERS WAS LEFT IN. 

THE SIX CANDIDATES BELOW ARE FROM FOUR DIFFERENT COUNCIL DISTRICTS, HAVE COMMITTED TO ITEMS THAT ARE OUT OF THEIR CONTROL, SUCH AS FEDERAL PROGRAMS.

AS CRIME RISES TO CUT THE NYPD, ELIMINATE ITS VICE-SQUAD, AND CUT THE POWERS OF THE POLICE COMMISSIONER.

SAY NOTHING ABOUT IMPROVING THE EXTREMLY POOR STUDENT PERFORMANCE LEVELS OF BRONX PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND HOW PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE KEPT SAFE FROM GANGS AND THE RISING CRIME RATES. 

VOTE TO BAIL OUT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY BY TURNING EMPTY HOTELS INTO PERMANENT HOSING, BUT DO NOT SAY FOR WHOM.

THEY ALSO WILL VOTE FOR ZONING CHANGES TO INCLUDE MIXED-INCOME HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FEW AFFLUENT BRONX NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LEFT, SUCH AS RIVERDALE, FIELDSTON, COUNTRY CLUB, SILVER BEACH, PELHAM GARDENS, AND THROGGS NECK. IN DISTRICTS 11, AND 13.

BRONX

• 

  MINO LORA

  CD 11

  • Working Families Party
• 

  MARJORIE VELÁZQUEZ

  CD 13

  • Working Families Party
    
  • Road to Justice
• 

  ADOLFO ABREU

  CD 14: First choice

  • Sunrise Movement
  • Democratic Socialists of America
  • New York Communities for Change
• 

  PIERINA SANCHEZ

  CD 14: Second choice

• 

  AMANDA FARIAS

  CD 18: First choice

  • Sunrise Movement
• 

  MICHAEL BELTZER

  CD 18: Second choice