Councilman Eric Gioia ______

Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) 50 Broadway 10 th Floor, New York, NY 10004 [email protected] (914) 589-7518 CITY WIDE CANDIDATE FORUM 2009 Candidate’s name : Councilman Eric Gioia ___________ Campaign Address: Eric Gioia For New York, 34-12 36th Street, Suite 131 City: Astoria ___________ State: __NY ________ Zip: __11106 ______ Campaign Phone:_718.706.5095 _______ Campaign Fax:_212.937.2230 Campaign Email: [email protected]__________________ Office Sought: _NYC Public Advocate____ Party Affiliation: __Democra t_____ Name and title of person completing this form: __________________________________________ 1. What principles and priorities would you apply during this period of budgetary constraints? Government’s first obligation must be to protect our society’s most vulnerable . That is why I’ve worked so hard in the City Council to fight child hunger, to support hard- working New Yorkers by bringing federal dollars into our city, and to provide real opportunity. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished: • I brought national attention to the difficulties faced by food stamp recipients by living on only $28 a week for food, the same amount of money that weekly food stamps allow. I lobbied Congress to increase funding for food stamps , and put the application online to make it easier for New Yorkers to apply. • I helped improve living conditions for homeless New Yorkers with AIDS , exposed worker safety violations, and took on predatory lenders who rip off working people 1 • I worked with residents and business to bring the first bank to Queensbridge , the largest public housing development in America, giving residents an alternative to high interest payday lenders and helping them begin to save and break the cycle of poverty. In a period of budgetary constraints, we should follow two guiding principles. First, eliminate government waste. Obviously difficult choices have to be made under these conditions, and many around the table have to make painful cuts to valuable programs. It is incumbent that government do a better job of eliminating waste and mismanagement, and ensure that hard-earned tax dollars are actually going towards helping people. By adequately measuring the impact that programs have, we can do a much better job. Second, protect proven programs that support hard-working New Yorkers and bring federal dollars into our city – namely, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Food Stamp Program. I have been a vocal champion of both these programs, and in this time of economic contraction, maximizing New York City’s participation is more crucial than ever. Both: • bring federal dollars into New York City’s economy, supporting local businesses and the people who keep them working, and • help give low-income New Yorkers the means to support themselves and their families, helping keep them from falling into deeper need. In tough times, we have to be smart, not only about what we must cut, but what we must preserve. 2. If you are elected what would you do to protect the non-profit organizations, their staff, and clients from funding delays and the resulting breaks in service, and to assure that program goals and quality are protected? There are countless organizations, agencies, and meaningful programs that rely upon – and genuinely merit – support from the city’s budget. However, we often find that because of onerous paperwork and the significant delays for contracts to be prepared, signed and registered, only a select few are able to participate or benefit from the process. As Public Advocate, I would push to open up the application process and making the process more transparent. This would protect the work of the non-profit community, which, too often, is hampered by the very mechanism intended to provide it support. Lastly, if we replace unnecessary red tape with a robust pre-qualification process, funds can be drawn down expeditiously so services and programs remain uninterrupted. However, as we cut red tape, it is equally important that we safeguard any city funds. 3. How do you propose helping the middle class stay in NYC and what barriers do you see? To me, protecting the middle class isn’t just an academic issue – it’s personal. I grew up in Woodside, Queens, where my family has run a small flower shop for one hundred 2 years. I attended local public schools and became the first member of my family to graduate from a university, working my way through NYU as a doorman, janitor, and elevator operator. And when I look around the dinner table today, I see the obstacles the middle class face. My sister is a schoolteacher, her husband a corrections officer – those should be solidly middle class jobs and they’re not sure whether they can stay in the city. My parents, small business owners, worry about how to pay for retirement. New York must be a place where the middle class can not only survive, but thrive. To do that, we must build good schools, create and protect housing that working people can afford, and keep every neighborhood safe and clean. I’m proud of the work that I’ve done in the Council, and that I’d expand as Public Advocate. • It starts with schools: at the heart of every good neighborhood is a great school. In the Council I’ve protected teachers , getting them reimbursed when they spend money out of pocket for school supplies, secured funding for computers and technology in classrooms , and created sports leagues and extracurriculars so that every child has some place to go afterschool. • We also must make sure that middle class New Yorkers have affordable places to live. Too often, it seems like the middle class is getting squeezed out of the city. I passed a housing plan the Daily News called “a plan to save Queens,” which will provide home-ownership opportunities for the middle class – a Mitchell Lama for the 21 st Century. And we’re moving forward with Hunters Point South, the city’s biggest middle-income housing development, which will be a 21 st - Century Stuyvesant Town in Queens. • And we must protect good jobs that reward an honest day’s work with a good wage. I know firsthand how important this is. My family’s run a flower shop in Queens for the past hundred years. Watching how much my parents poured into their small shop instilled in me a respect for – and understanding of – entrepreneurs and small business owners that I’ll always carry with me. Protecting union jobs is essential – were it not for the wages I earned working nights as a doorman, janitor, and elevator operator, I wouldn’t have been able to pay for college. In this next century, we need to have a vibrant economy that expands beyond traditional manufacturing to include green collar jobs, creative jobs, and the service sector. 4. How would you improve our criminal justice system? As an attorney and City Councilman, I’m extremely familiar with the challenges of our judicial system. Too often, our justice system turns into a “revolving door,” with too few resources spent to truly improve the lives of all those people, families, and communities impacted. 3 We need to begin by stopping crime before it starts. It’s not just about combating crime but preventing it, and developing holistic solutions. That’s why I’ve been a leader in devoting resources towards education, schools, and communities. We should be providing young people with hope and opportunity long before they ever get tangled up in the criminal justice system. • I brought $5 million to New York City public schools to provide students with computers and internet access so that they will be prepared to enter the 21 st century workforce • I won funding and worked with local schools to create and fund after-school programs for every child in my districts – starting new baseball and basketball leagues, arts programs and college prep classes • I brought funding for security cameras to public housing, leading to a significant decrease in crime in those areas. Futher, to keep our city safe and rehabilitate communities, I am a strong believer in the need to develop new solutions and break this vicious cycle . In addition to funding prosecution of criminals, we must ensure that the criminal justice system has adequate resources for social workers, parent advocates, investigators, administrative support and community organizers. Mental health services must be a part of treatment, and public defense vigorous. New York is a far safer place than it was a generation ago – I still remember growing up in Woodside when my mom wouldn’t walk to the subway station by herself. Keeping our city safe is integral to our economic and civic well-being. However, we must remember that all New Yorkers have fundamental legal, civil and human rights, and establish a model of holistic advocacy that brings interdisciplinary resources together to truly make our city better. 5. What is your opinion of Mayoral control in our school system? What role do you think parents should have? How would you prioritize the role of social workers? It was the education I received at public schools like P.S. 11 and I.S. 125 that allowed me to get where I am today. I believe strongly that every child in New York City should be given an education that allows them to pursue their dreams. As we continue to seek to improve schools, I have a number of ideas that, as Public Advocate, I will propose, including • expanding the school day • making pre-K universal, and • ensuring that all students have access to breakfast in school. Regarding mayoral control, I believe that we need greater transparency in our educational system.

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