Democrat mascot donkey behind a wheelchair icon - The First Democratic Club in the Country Focusing on Disability Rights
2009 Public Advocate Screening Questionnaire

Please save as a Word document, complete & return by e-mail to: president @ the504dems.org by June 5, 2009.

Candidate Name:

Contact Person:

If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible?

Campaign Address:
Phone:
Fax:
Address:
Email:
Website:

Endorsements: (Political, Community & Labor)

 

 

 

 

Action Shows Commitment!

 

  1. While in public office/prior to this campaign, what have you accomplished in regard to advancing disability rights? This can include work towards accessible housing, transportation, employment, health care, education, and including people with disabilities in the political process.

     

     

  2. What oversight have you performed regarding implementation of programs/legislation you have passed (in first term or in previous offices)?

     

     

  3. What implementation/strategy do you have for your future programs and legislation to help constituents with disabilities?

     

     

  4. Will you commit to only attend or sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities? NOTE: This includes providing written materials in alternate formats for people with low vision, providing assistive listening systems for people who are hard-of-hearing, and sign language interpreters for people who are deaf, as well as ensuring that locations are accessible to people who use mobility aids, like wheelchairs and walkers.

     

     

General Questions

 

  1. What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?

     

     

  2. What type of jobs would you be willing to hire and to provide reasonable accommodation (e.g. flex or part time) for staff members with disabilities?

     

     

  3. How do you propose to implement your active involvement and/or availability to the disability community?

     

     

  4. Will there be a specific person in your office responsible to this community?

     

     

  5. Will have regular office agenda items and meetings on disabled community issues?

     

     

  6. How will you work with the disability community to assist in passage of other vitally needed legislation through relevant levels of local, state and federal government?

     

     

Housing

 

  1. What is your position on making DRIE (Disabled Rent Increase Exemption) and SCRIE (Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption) programs income eligibility comparable? (At present a individual senior or household income eligibility is $28,000. While the income for a younger disabled individual is capped at $19,284 and $27,780 for a household?)

     

     

  2. What alternative programs will you propose to allow persons with disabilities to stay in their own homes/apartments? Perhaps a dedicated housing trust fund should be established for persons with disabilities?

     

     

  3. Emergency evacuation for people with disabilities: what would you do to ensure that provisions are put in place to improve survival rates of people with disabilities in the event of fire, attack, blackout, or other emergency situation?

     

     

  4. What would you do to ensure that "Visitability" is enacted in New York City? Visitability is the movement towards establishing guidelines providing that newly constructed multi-family dwellings have basic accessible/adaptable features that permit friends and family with disabilities to visit, and for residents to "age in place," without having to move out when age and/or disability set in.

     

     

Organization

 

  1. What is your position on efforts to elevate the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) to a commissioner level agency?

     

     

  2. How would you ensure that city departments/agencies coordinate through MOPD?

     

     

  3. What implementation/authority should MOPD have, and/or how would you ensure that MOPD? Since presumably "this" office is a Mayoral Office, how would you enforce and do oversight regarding the work of the office and be certain of the implementation and its efforts?

     

     

Accessibility

 

  1. How will you advocate that curb cuts, a.k.a. pedestrian ramps, are built wherever new intersections are installed or old sidewalks and/or intersections are repaired?

     

     

  2. What steps do you think NYC should take to encourage business owners to make their establishments more accessible?

     

     

  3. How would you encourage landmark buildings to become accessible without losing their historical integrity? What strategy would you employ?

     

     

Accessibility

 

List your accomplishments in your present office to advance employment opportunities for disabled people?

 

 

Transportation

 

  1. What is your position on expansion of accessible transportation in NYC, including taxis, livery service, express buses, airport shuttles, ferries, etc.?

     

     

  2. How would you enforce compliance with existing laws and regulations?

     

     

  3. What will you do to ensure that the approximately 14,000 taxis serving New York City will be accessible to all? How would you sure that persons with disabilities in the outer boroughs and above 125th Street have greater access to livery service vehicles?

     

     

 

 

Date: ______________________