2013 NYC MBP Questionnaire

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Instructions: Gothamist plans to interview all candidates for citywide and boroughwide office in 2013. This survey will give us and our readers an overview of each candidates positions on issues of particular import to our audience of young New York voters. For each question, please give a short response outlining your candidates position. You may include a link to longer position statements at the bottom of each response, which we will include when we publish the piece. If you do not wish to answer any question, please specify no comment. If you have any questions, please contact us. Candidate Overview 1. What are the top challenges facing Manhattan right now? How will you use the limited power of the Manhattan Borough Presidency to solve these problems? Manhattan is one of the greatest places to live and work, but there are still challenges. Many of our neighborhoods suffer from overcrowded schools and a lack of affordable housing. In addition, the Citys unemployment rate remains staggeringly high at 9.1%, and that rate nearly doubles above 96th street. The Manhattan Borough President can address these challenges. In terms of dealing with school overcrowding and the lack of affordable housing, I have released a policy paper laying out my vision for a comprehensive master plan. The plan seeks to make our planning/ULURP process more proactive by ensuring that new developments provide for the requisite number of school seats, affordable housing, open space, healthcare facilities and other needs. The full proposal could be found here: http://juliemenin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Land-UseFinal-3.22.13.pdf. On the jobs front, I am proposing that the office institute and manage an internship program to help our young people, especially those in disadvantaged neighborhoods, connect with businesses that are actually hiring. I believe that businesses and students would welcome such a program, and that it could do a lot to close the skills gap. In addition to an internship program, I plan to create an expediters unit within the borough presidents office to help small businesses navigate myriad city regulations. I believe such a unit could promote job creation by allowing small business owners to avoid the red tape and focus on growing their business. 2. How would you distinguish your future administration from the present one run by MBP Scott Stringer? I plan to continue MBP Stringers legacy as a hard-working policy-maker, seeking to root out waste and fraud while also putting forth a thoughtful community based vision for the future. I would seek to use the office to implement a comprehensive, proactive master plan for Manhattan. I will accomplish this by using the community boards to draft community plans, and by having the borough presidents planning unit put forth a comprehensive general plan. Through forward-

thinking planning, we could ensure that our communities are able to handle the continuing population growth without sacrificing quality of life. Personal Questions 1. 2. Do you rent or own your home? Rent. Do you have a pet? Yes, we have a turtle named Hudson.

3. If you have children, do/did they attend public schools? I have three boys who attend private school. 4. 1. Have you ever been the victim of a crime? No. What changes would you like to see in the NYPD's stop and frisk policies? The NYPDs stop and frisk policies need to be reformed to ensure that stops are being made only on the basis of suspected criminal activity, and not on the basis of race. According to the NYPDs own reports, nearly 9 of every 10 stop-and-frisked New Yorkers have been completely innocent. There must be a more rigorous set of guidelines and better training of officers to prevent racial profiling and unwarranted stops. 2. Do you support the decriminalization or legalization of marijuana in New York City? I support decriminalization of marijuana, and believe that far too many young lives have been ruined due to non-violent marijuana arrests. 3. Do you support an independent inspector general for the NYPD? Yes. I believe the NYPD should have an independent watchdog to perform investigations and ensure agencies are following the law, particularly with regard to stop-and-frisk. The IG could also identify waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as recommend corrective action. Many federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies (including the FBI, CIA, and U.S. DOJ) and NYC agencies (including the DOE, Parks Department, HPD and FDNY) have an inspector general to ensure appropriate transparency and oversight. Transportation, Bikes and Bike Lanes 1. How often do you ride a bike? I often ride a bike with my three boys. Safety and Crime

2. Do you support expanding or reducing the number of current bike lanes in Manhattan? I believe that any expansion or reduction in bike lanes should be done with community input. Neighborhoods are all different, and they support bike lanes to varying degrees. 3. Do you support congestion pricing?

When I served as Chair of Community Board 1, we supported congestion pricing. I believe that congestion pricing could be integral to reducing air pollution and expanding our transportation infrastructure. Mass transit is so important to New Yorkers, and congestion pricing is a way to provide for much needed upgrades that will shorten commutes, promote sustainability and improve air quality, particularly in areas like East Harlem that experience high rates of asthma. Development 1. Do you support a ban or limit on chain stores in Manhattan, including Walmart? I support a retail re-zoning, like we did in Lower Manhattan to limit the size of retail stores to prevent big box retailers from pushing out smaller mom and pop stores due to gentrification. 2. Do you support NYCHA's recently announced plans to build market rate apartments on public housing parking lots and playgrounds? I think that NYCHAs proposal needs to be revamped, as there are many troubling aspects of the plan. I am particularly troubled by the lack of community input and outreach in developing this proposal. Moreover, I am concerned with the fact that the plan calls for only 20% of affordable housing in the new complexes, which is far too low to meet our needs. Additionally, I am appalled that the announced plans have the entrances of the luxury buildings facing away from the NYCHA complexes. 3. Do you support the "public-private" model of park development used under the Bloomberg administration? New York has always been creative with its green spaces, and the public-private model of park development has been used for over thirty years. It has succeeded in greatly improving many of our most cherished parks, such as Central Park and Bryant Park. Unfortunately, this model is much less effective when it comes to helping parks in poorer neighborhoods that cannot generate millions in donations. Nonetheless, I believe we must promote an entrepreneurial model to develop and maintain our parks, including partnerships with nonprofits, concessions, and private groups. We must do all in our power to prevent fiscal constraints from getting in the way of ambitious park plans. 4. How would your development policy differ from the one put forward by Scott Stringer? In particular, please comment on your position regarding: a. East Midtown Rezoning I believe this process is going way too fast, and we should ensure that the administration engages the local community in a thoughtful dialogue before moving forward with the plans. As a member the Municipal Arts Societys board of directors, we released a report enumerated several valid concerns about the proposal, including the effects up-zoning will have on transportation infrastructure, sidewalks, open space and other aspects of

the neighborhoods public realm. In addition, Community Boards 4, 5, and 6 have expressed specific concerns that must be addressed. b. Hudson Yards Redevelopment I am supportive of this redevelopment plan, which will include 10 acres of open space, cultural amenities, a new public school, 1,300 affordable housing units and access to the 7-Train. If elected borough president, I would closely monitor the implementation of the plan to ensure that the local community is consulted throughout the building process. c. SPURA Redevelopment I am generally supportive of the project because of the mix of affordable housing and home ownership. The project also calls for a contextually diverse retail mix not big-boxed stores. Despite my optimistic outlook, I still have several concerns about the project, including its environmental impact on construction, traffic, and public transportation. I am particularly concerned about the impact the project will have on school overcrowding, as the project will add 1,000 new residential units. I believe that these questions should be explored in more detail before the project moves forward. d. Chelsea Market Expansion I raised some concerns with regards to the Chelsea Market expansion, and spoke out during Community Board 4s public session. I believe the building to be an iconic treasure that should be landmarked, instead of altered with a large vertical expansion. 5. Columbia and NYU, among other schools, have launched large expansion projects affecting large swaths of Manhattan. What changes, if any, would you like to see in their plans, and what restrictions, if any, should be put on the ability of schools to acquire and redevelop land? I have put forward a master plan that would allow the city to be proactive in defining the needs of communities impacted by these projects. It is important that the expansions of Columbia and NYU are mindful of the city's need for public schools, affordable housing, transportation and healthcare infrastructure, and open space. A master plan would allow for this thoughtful balance. 6. Where do you stand on the East 91st Street Marine Transfer Station project? Should it move forward? I believe in borough equity and the idea that we all need to accept a share of the problem, not just residents in low-income neighborhoods. There are already stations in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, and I believe that Manhattan should also do its part to meet this responsibility. Transparency and Good Government 1. Scott Stringer made transparency and good government signature issues for his administration- what will you do to further increase performance in these areas?

To ensure that Community Boards have the resources to participate in the land use process, the Borough Presidents office should continue to ensure that resources are allocated fairly and equitably. Borough President Stringer has called for the City Council to adopt a system where member items are distributed equally to each district, or potentially to adopt a formula-based approach that would weigh each individual districts needs. In a similar manner, the Borough Presidents office should allocate resources to the Community Boards based on need and without any consideration of patronage or personal relationships. Likewise, in distributing its Community Grants to non-profits, the Borough Presidents office should continue employing independent panels to ensure that there is no favoritism in this process and to explore the use of participatory budgeting. More adequately informed and resourced Community Boards and neighborhood nonprofits are empowered to be stronger advocates during the land use process. 2. Should New York judges continue to be selected by Democratic Party bosses in each borough? While New York County does a terrific job electing highly qualified judges, I believe we must replace the current system with merit-based appointment. The reason New York County is particularly adept at electing judges is because we have an independent judicial screening panel that helps ensure that only those with the requisite legal knowledge and experience are selected.