STONEWALL DEMOCRATS of Western New York

PO Box 857, Buffalo, NY 14205 Website: www. dwny.org

2011 ENDORSEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE CITY OF BUFFALO COMMON COUNCIL

Name: Laurence F. (Larry) Adamczyk Campaign Address: 567 Delaware Ave., Apt. 15, Buffalo, NY 14202 Daytime Phone: (716) 602-7557 Evening Phone: same
E-mail: adamczyklarry@hotmail.com
Fax Number: none Office Sought/District: Fillmore District Council Member, City of ButTalo
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Before you continue, please understand that:
::J Stonewall Democrats of WNY may publicize your responses in press releases and voters' guides, on our web site,
and via other channels of communication. Stonewall Democrats of WNY will also identifY candidates who fail to
respond to this questionnaire.
[J Stonewall Democrats ofWNY wit} hold you publicly accountable for actions inconsistent with your responses
during your campaign and if elected during your term in office.
o Stonewall Democrats of WNY will not consider endorsement of any candidate if they support any state or national version of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) legislation. o Stonewall Democrats ofWNY will not consider endorsement of any candidate if they advertise on or support any homophobic website, including but not limited to, poiiticswny.com/politicsny.net.

Adamczyk/Fillmore District Council Member Part 1: Please submit your typewritten responses to the following questions on a separate sheet. 1) Why are you seeking this office?
Answer: After 30 years of government service, including city, county and state, I believe that I have the experience and the contacts that put me in a unique position to seek an elective office that is both winnable, and something at which I would excel.

2) Why are you seeking the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of WNY?
Answer: As an openly gay Democratic man it is only natural to seek the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats of Western New York.

3) What issues do you consider to be most important to the people served by the office you seek? For each issue: a) Provide an example of specific action you have previously taken--either as a public official or as a private citizen-to bring about positive change relative to this issue; and b) Specify what additional action in regard to this issue you intend to propose if elected to the office you seek.
Answer: A District Council Member has many responsibilities all centered around a broadly defmed term of "constituent services." Whether in budget deliberations, city services such as police and fire, water and sewer, plowing, garbage pickup or neighborhood revitalization, a Council Member's main role is to reply to the concerns of the residents and to advocate for funding or law changes to improve the quality of life within the district, and the city as a whole. My experience, both within government and Democratic Party politics, gives me the ability to work within the structure to effectuate positive changes for the Fillmore District. One of the things that I did was, as a partner in a small real estate partnership, buy a burned out home in South Buffalo and restored the building back to a traditional "double". Without our paltnership doing this, the structure most likely would have been knocked down and an empty lot created. I learned a lot during this project about the permit process, building codes and inspections and also about how these city ordinances playa role in any efforts to improve the housing stock. The Fillmore District encompasses a wide array of neighborhoods and business districts, all with great potential for both preservation and improvement. From the stately restored homes of Allentown to the lesser housing stock in other areas, I believe that a fres h, new energized approach to helping home owners repair and maintain their homes, to seeking developers to build in vacant residential areas to qualifYing older homes for historical tax credits will bring about a rebirth in both the appearance and population of the Fillmore District. Additionally, with further development of the Larkin District, the waterfront and other areas of the Fillmore District, I would work with business owners and developers to ensure that progress is made.

AdamczykIFillmore District Council Member

Page Two

4) What three civil rights issues do you perceive to be the most important to the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community? For each issue:
a) Provide an example of specific action(s) you have previously taken-either as a public official or as a private
citizen-to bring about positive change relative to this issue; and
b) Specify what additional action(s) in regard to this issue you intend to propose if elected to the office you
seek.
Answer: As an open gay man, I believe equality in all aspects of the law is the most important issue
for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community. Whether marriage, housing or
employment, discrimination in any form toward any minority group is wrong, and should be fought against by all of
us.
Personally, my late partner (Keith Crippen) and I were married on December 13,2008 in Toronto, Canada, since we
could not, by law, be married in New York State. This ceremony afforded us the opportunity to show many people
just how important it was to us to be able to declare our love in front offamily and friends, in a legal setting, by
taking the vows of matrimony in a country where it was legal. Keith's Memorial Service of Celebration booklet, held
at his church, Calvary Baptist Church, publicly listed me as his spouse, which again showed hundreds in attendance
that gays being married was simply an expression of love and commitment that should be open to all.
5) Stonewall Democrats ofWNY strongly believes that candidates have a responsibility to provide voters with
truthful, fair and clean campaigns for public office and to conduct themselves in a manner conducive to a
civil, issue-oriented debate with their fellow candidates. Will you sign a written pledge to conduct your
campaign accordingly?
Answer: Yes

6) If endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats ofWNY, will you list the endorsement on all applicable campaign
literature (i.e., aU literature listing any other endorsements)?
Answer: Yes

7) If endorsed by the Stonewall Democrats of WNY, will you attend a LGBT community forum to introduce
endorsed candidates?
Answer: Yes

8) What are you doing or what will you do to advocate for greater LGBT representation and empowerment at
the ballot box and in elected office locally?
Answer: I am running for office in a region that has had little in the way ofGLBT elected
representation. We have previously had only one GLBT elected official in Buffalo and I believe that my election to
the Buffalo City Council would help empower the GLBT community and provide further leadership for the GLBT
community in a GLBT elected representative, whereas, over the years, without one, we have had to rely upon our
straight allies. Although it is necessary and much appreciated to have and foster straight allies, the GLBT
community, like other communities (African American, Latino, women, etc.) needs to put their own community
members in positions of elected leadership in order to truly be at the table, to truly participate at the political table

AdamczykIFillmore District Council Member (#8 continued)

Page Three

and to truly be a part of effectuating true equality for the GLBT community. Equality without a true place at the table is still second-place equality. Additionally, I have served as an openly out gay man in various positions within government and the Democratic Party. I have been both the first openly gay Erie County Democratic Party Secretary and the first openly gay Erie County Democratic Elections Commissioner. If elected, my promise is to further empower the GLBT community and other minority communities through encouraging more participation in the democratic process and through encouraging other GLBT community members to join me in representing our community as elected representatives at every level of government.

9) Would you seek endorsement of or advertise on any homophobic websites, including but not limited to, politicswny .com/politicsny.net?

Answer:

No

10) Have you advertised on, supported or intend to advertise on such websites for your election or reelection?
Answer: No

Part 2

I would Sponsor/Support/Cosponsor and vote for NYS A 7732/S4401 (2010 Session)- "Marriage Equality Bill".

I would Sponsor/Support/Cosponsor and vote for NYS A05039/S2873 Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENOA).
I will not Sponsor/Support/Cosponsor and vote for U.S. Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). I oppose this act and support its repeal.

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