2013 CITIZENS UNION VOTERS DIRECTORY A NONPARTISAN GUIDE TO INFORMED VOTING VOTE PRIMARY ELECTION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th VISIT WWW.CITIZENSUNION.ORG FOR FURTHER INFORMATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Peter J.W. Sherwin, Chair Luis Garden Acosta, Nancy Bowe Lorna Goodman Anusha Rasalingam Vice Chair Gerrard P. Bushell John R. Horan Luis Reyes, Ph.D Richard Briffault, Lucy Cabrera, Ph.D Robert M. Kaufman Torrance Robinson Vice Chair Tony Perez Cassino Ian L. Kelley Rick Schaffer Gena Lovett, Steven M. Cohen Eric S. Lee Kenneth Seplow Treasurer Curtis Cole Harold Levy Gregory Silbert Christina R. Davis, Allan H. Dobrin Ogden N. Lewis Anthony R. Smith Secretary Gail Erickson Malcolm MacKay Hector Soto Robert Abrams Barbara Fife Randy Mastro Jason Stewart John Avlon Mark Foggin Gary Naftalis Ed Swenson Eddie Bautista Ester Fuchs, Ph.D. Tom Osterman LOCAL CANDIDATES COMMITTEE John R. Horan, Co-Chair Tony Mattia, Co-Chair Tim Abraham Matt Gewolb Alan Lubliner Triada Stampas Omair Ahmed Wendy Goldstein Marjorie Madigan Ed Strauss Muhammed W. Arshad Ross Graham Corinne Marcus Teresa Toro Scott Avidon Robert Grant Steve Maresca Omar Toro-Vaca Lindsey Boylan Seth Grossman Bill Meehan Grace Lyu Volckhausen David Brauner Bill Herrlich Andra Miller Roger Waldman Mary Bruch Tracie Holder John Moran Kenneth Wasserman Yvette Buckner Rita Kardeman Luis Reyes Bill Weisberg Tony Perez Cassino Dan Kasell Richard Ropiak Clarissa Wertman Tenzing Chadotsang Raymond Knowles Jessica Sanclemente Brandon West Theresa Doherty Shekar Krishnan Rick Schaffer David Westerman Gail Erickson Sandy Lespinasse Ken Seplow Tyler Farrar Matthew Levison Lily Smith Joe Gapper Mark Lieberman Hector Soto STAFF Dick Dadey, Executive Director Elyse Bejasa, Alex Camarda, Sally McCullough, Development and Director of Public Policy Office and Finance Director Membership Associate and Advocacy Michael Murphy, Michelle Bright, Rachael Fauss, Communications and Public Executive Assistant Policy and Research Manager Affairs Manager INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS Nick Bowe Dorothy Manevich Jacob Watkins Jihoon Chang Jamie Moon Eric Dobosh Melisa Tekin TABLE OF CONTENTS VOTERS DIRECTORY PRIMARY ELECTION 2013 “Citizens Union is a nonpartisan good government group dedicated to making democracy work for all New Yorkers. Citizens Union serves as a civic watchdog, combating corruption and fighting for political reform. We work to ensure fair and open elections, honest and efficient government, and a civically-engaged public.” About this Directory and Citizens Union’s Evaluation Process . 2 Citizens Union Preferred Candidates . 4 Contested Primary Elections . 6 Uncontested Seats in the Primary . 12 Candidate Evaluation Principles and Aims . 13 City Council Candidate Questionnaire . 14 City Council Candidate Questionnaire Responses . 16 Citywide Candidate Evaluations . 20 Bronx Candidate Evaluations . 30 Brooklyn Candidate Evaluations . 37 Manhattan Candidate Evaluations . 50 Queens Candidate Evaluations . 62 Staten Island Candidate Evaluations . 69 Voting and Registration Information . 71 Resources for Further Information . 72 1 ABOUT THIS DIRECTORY AND CITIZENS ABOUT THIS DIRECTORY AND CITIZENS UNION’S EVALUATION PROCESS UNION’S EVALUATION PROCESS New Yorkers this September will vote in the first primary of the year on Tuesday, September 10th . We caution voters that there may be last minute elimination or September 10, 2013 to select party candidates for City Council and other city and reinstatement of candidates on the ballot, so the list contained in this directory may borough positions, as well as some elections to fill vacancies for State Assembly . In have changed since this document was printed . this packed election cycle, Citizens Union has evaluated more races than in any Recommendations are first made by interview teams of the Local Candidates other year in recent memory . Committee on the basis of interviews, research, questionnaire responses, and first- New Yorkers are faced with important decisions and different choices . For the hand knowledge of the candidates . These recommendations are advisory and then first time in twelve years, New York City will elect a new mayor, and there are three reviewed by the full Local Candidates Committee, followed by the Citizens Union seats in which legislators are no longer seeking office due to ethical misconduct or Board, which makes the final decision . A “Preferred” rating reflects a candidate that corruption . In addition, there is considerable turnover in the City Council – 20 of Citizens Union deems not only qualified for the office with a viable candidacy, but its 51 seats are open – as well as other significant borough-wide and citywide races . committed to an agenda of positive reform . Please note that candidates not preferred This is a pivotal time for New York, twelve years since our city endured a terrorist may nevertheless be highly regarded, which is generally reflected in the commentary . attack and elected a new mayor . Citizens Union’s voice for reform is crucial in this Citizens Union issues a “Preferred” rating during the Primary Election, and an competitive election season, as well as candidates’ character and competence to lead “Endorsed” rating applies only to General Election contests . A “No Preference” the city going forward . We are hopeful that Citizens Union’s policy priorities will rating may result when there is insufficient information available, it is believed that be addressed and the public interest served by newly-elected and otherwise reform- the candidates are of equal merit, or if no candidate interviewed by Citizens Union minded legislators in 2014 . is believed to be effective or capable of representing the district . Please note that City Council district lines were redrawn earlier this year in order We thank you for your support, and hope you enjoy the latest edition of the to address changes in population following the 2010 U .S . Census . To find which Voters Directory . districts you reside in, you can call 1-866-VOTE-NYC . To locate your polling place To view candidates’ complete questionnaires, please visit Citizens Union’s and districts online, as well as see a sample ballot, go to http://vote .nyc .ny .us/html/ website at www .citizensunion .org . voters/where .shtml . To help our supportive Citizens Union members prepare to vote in the upcoming primary election, we bring you our 2013 Primary Election Voters Directory, which would not be possible without the hard work of members of the Citizens Union Board, Local Candidates Committee, staff and our summer interns . Members of Citizens Union’s Board of Directors and Local Candidates Committee formed nonpartisan interview teams and evaluated candidates for the citywide offices of Mayor, Comptroller and Public Advocate in addition to Borough President, District Attorney, City Council, and State Assembly races . We thank them for contributing their time, energy, expertise and commitment this summer to interviewing and evaluating candidates . Provided in this directory are Citizens Union’s recommended candidates, descriptions of the positions and backgrounds of candidates we interviewed, and listings of every contest for all races that will be on the ballot in New York City on 2 3 PREFERENCES PREFERENCES CITIZENS UNION 2013 PRIMARY ELECTION CANDIDATE PREFERENCES Manhattan Democratic Primaries Manhattan Borough President Gale A . Brewer (D) Citywide Democratic Primaries City Council District 3 Corey Johnson (D) Mayor William C . Thompson (D) City Council District 5 Ben Kallos (D) New York City Comptroller Scott M . Stringer (D) City Council District 6 Mel Wymore (D) Public Advocate Daniel Squadron (D) City Council District 7 Mark Levine (D) Citywide Republican Primary City Council District 8 Melissa Mark-Viverito (D) Mayor Joseph Lhota (R) City Council District 9 No Preference Queens Democratic Primaries Bronx Democratic Primaries Assembly District 86 Victor Pichardo (D) Queens Borough President Melinda Katz (D) City Council District 11 Clifford Stanton (D) City Council District 19 Austin Shafran (D) City Council District 15 Albert Alvarez (D) City Council District 27 Clyde Vanel (D) City Council District 16 Pedro Alvarez (D) City Council District 31 Donovan Richards (D) Staten Island Democratic Primary Brooklyn Democratic Primaries Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth P . Thompson (D) City Council District 50 John M . Mancuso (D) Assembly District 53 Jason Otaño (D) Staten Island Republican Primary City Council District 33 No Preference City Council District 50 Steven Matteo (R) City Council District 34 Antonio Reynoso City Council District 35 Ede S . Fox (D) City Council District 36 Robert E . Cornegy Jr . (D) City Council District 37 Kimberly Council (D) City Council District 38 Carlos Menchaca (D) City Council District 45 Jumaane D . Williams (D) City Council District 46 Alan N . Maisel (D) City Council District 47 Todd Dobrin (D) City Council District 48 Ari Kagan (D) 4 5 CONTESTED PRIMARY ELECTIONS CONTESTED PRIMARY ELECTIONS Please note that this list does not contain candidates for delegate to judicial convention, BOROUGHWIDE OFFICES or party or committee positions . To obtain this information, visit the City Board of Elections website, http://www .vote .nyc .ny .us, or call (866) VOTE-NYC . BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT TERM OF OFFICE: 4 YEARS • SALARY: $160,000 CITYWIDE OFFICES Democratic Primary Ruben Diaz Jr .^ NEW YORK CITY MAYOR Mark Escoffery-Bey TERM OF OFFICE: 4 YEARS • SALARY: $225,000 Democratic Primary BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY TERM OF