If you thought the District 6 City Council race was crowded, you ain’t seen nothing yet! There are nine Democratic candidates vying to represent the people who live in District 7, which includes Manhattan Valley, Morningside Heights and the Southern part of Washington Heights. The Democratic candidates are Alicia Barksdale, Joyce Johnson, Manuel Lantigua, Mark Levine, Mark Otto, Zead Ramadan, David Sasscer-Burgos, Luis Tejada, and Ruben Dario Vargas. There is also a Republican candidate (the city Republican party never gave us his/her name) and a Green Party candidate, Cristina Gonzalez. The District is now represented by Robert Jackson, who is running for Borough President, but it’s been redrawn since he was last elected.

We sent the candidates questions, and received responses from a few. Check them out below.

The NYC Campaign Finance Board put out a voter guide for the district (click on the names on the bottom right of this page), DecideNYC has information, and the Columbia Spectator wrote about the race. The Spectator says Levine, the founder of a credit union and former Teach for America director, is considered the frontrunner because of his endorsements and because he’s raised the most money ($130,000). A real estate industry political action committee has spent nearly $200,000 to support Levine, but Levine rejected the support and asked the group to stop. (He was also active in trying to thwart a plan to build private towers on public housing land at Frederick Douglass Houses). Ramadan has raised the second most, with $125,000, and calls Levine the “machine candidate”. Read the responses we received from candidates below. It’s fascinating to see the difference between candidates in the 6th and 7th districts.

To find out which district you’re in and where to vote, you can use this Board of Elections site.

Alicia Barksdale

Where are you from?
NY

What neighborhood do you live in now (or what street)?  District 7 -West Harlem 40 years

What do you and your spouse do for a living?  I am single

How old are you?  52

Do you have children? Yes

Did you go to public school?  Yes

Do/did your children go to public school? Yes

Are you involved in the real estate business in any way, or are your clients real estate developers?
No

In 200 words or less, describe some of the ways you’ve already been politically active in the neighborhood.

I have been an active community member as a TA president for a building with over approximately 5,000 people and over 1,100 apartments and an organizer of Housing Rallies.  Secondly, I have met with Elected Officials to discuss the issues facing the community; and I have participated in community meetings for the past 9 years (not just for this election year or to show my face as others).  Thirdly, I have been a  public volunteer for CB9 Youth and Senior committee;  I have participated in the Community Council in the NYPD 30th precinct, Special Narcotic Gang Unit Board.  Fourth, I am the NAACP Housing Co-Chair and West Harlem Empowerment Coalition Vice President.  Through all these neighborhood organizations and activities, I have shared and gained the realistic context of what District 7 constituents are dealing with in their respective lives and it has made me sensitive to my goal to help people as a city council member.

Housing and Development

What’s the best affordable housing program being used in the neighborhood (or the entire city) right now?

None of the affordable housing programs address the problem of targeted variations of income in our communities.  As a result of real estate developers appealing to market-value property prices, Mitchell-Lama “affordable” housing and Section 8 programs are frozen and downsizing tenants, especially senior citizen parents, forcing them to live in living-room apartments.  As a result, residents are being overcharged for for rent stabilized apartments and are being abused by landlords and the wealthy real estate owners.

How would you expand or change the program?

With fellow council members, I hope to implement a Housing Plan that targets people’s income so it can be affordable for the middle and low income families that are being pushed out of their communities.  The program would target peoples’ income by 30% and house the family according to it size.  Singles would get a break and be able to get an affordable apartment that meets their ability to pay rent that works with their monthly income.  The target income housing plan would have many tax incentives that benefit all, including the city and residential program tenants.

Do you have any ideas for creating affordable housing that are realistic and aren’t currently being attempted?

No It should be more like 40 or 60%.

Should inclusionary zoning be mandatory, Yes or only in the event that a developer is seeking tax breaks or a zoning variance? Or should it be eliminated altogether? If so, what would you replace it with?
Yes, inclusionary zoning should be mandatory.  If a Developer is serious about seeking tax breaks, then the developer should build more targeted income housing and rewarded with good tax breaks.

Schools

Should the Upper West Side/Manhattan Valley have more charter schools?
Not if the children in the community public schools are being push out of their location and being sent to another district.  The students eligible for a charter school in their respective district should not get picked out of the lottery to attend the intended charter school in their community.  I assess that all schools, Chartered and Public, have good and bad points, some work, some don’t, but what does work should be implemented in all city curricula though out the education system so it can work for all children, not just a few chosen.  We must be careful not to pit charter versus public schools; this has the potential to create a segregated school system.

Should PTA funds be divided amongst schools in the district, or should they all be used at the school where they were raised?
That is hard to say, because depending on the neighborhood some parent are more well-off than others and have the resources to raise more money than the schools in low-income communities. There should be one fund for all PTAs  to have access to and a balance of how much each school is allotted by funds they all raise, but only for those who participate and are active PTA school/parents.  My goal for education in NYC, is for the system to be equitable for all students, not just the “I’s” or the “Me’s” but the “WE’s” in education.  It Takes a Village!

Crime

Do you support stop-and-frisk?     No

Should the city legalize marijuana use? Yes, medical reasons, only.

Unions

City workers have gone without contracts for years. Do you think they should get retroactive raises in their new contracts?     Yes.

Pensions and health benefit costs for city workers have jumped under Mayor Bloomberg (city pension costs have risen from $1.3 billion in 2002 to $8 billion in 2013), even as funding for things like parks have decreased. Is it time to get these costs under control?     Yes.

How should the city do that? Stop spending on over priced-contractors and putting money in Bloomberg’s friends’ pockets and his.

Should city workers have to pay more into their pensions and health benefits, for instance?
NO.  The employer should pay more of the workers medical and pension.

Services for the Elderly

Manhattan Valley has a large elderly population. In what area(s) do you feel our older citizens’ needs and concerns are still under-served, and what are your ideas to address this?

Mark Otto

Where are you from? New Jersey

What neighborhood do you live in now (or what street)? I live on 150^th Street between Amsterdam and Convent in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood.

What do you and your spouse do for a living? I am an assistant principal at the Facing History High School in Manhattan. Before that, I was a special education teacher at the same school. My boyfriend Matthew is an actor and group fitness instructor.

How old are you? 33

Do you have children? No

Did you go to public school? Do/did your children go to public school? I went to Catholic school as a child and then to the State University of New York at New Paltz for college.

Are you involved in the real estate business in any way, or are your clients’ real estate developers? No.

In two or three sentences, why are you running/what spurred your decision? 

I decided to run for City Council because of my students and my comprehensive work in public education. My students inspire me not only to do better but also to create a better world for all New Yorkers. I want them to live in a world where they have access to an education deserving of this great city, a world where they are not stopped and frisked and a world where they can afford good and respectable housing in the neighborhood they choose.

In 200 words or less, describe some of the ways you’ve already been politically active in the neighborhood.

I have been working hard to bring policy changes to our public education system for the last 10 years, specifically focused on special education policies that have not been supportive of our diverse learners.  In addition, I continue to fight for resources and supports in northern Manhattan for our homeless LGBT youth population.  They are our most vulnerable citizens and we must create a community center in our area to support their needs.

Housing and Development

What’s the best affordable housing program being used in the neighborhood (or the entire city) right now? How would you expand or change the program? Do you have any ideas for creating affordable housing that are realistic and aren’t currently being attempted?

I believe we need to create a sliding scale system that will support more New Yorkers who currently do not qualify for affordable housing under the current system because they make too much money, sometimes by just a few dollars.  We must expand opportunities for both lower and middle income housing throughout my district.

Is inclusionary zoning (asking developers to set aside 20% of housing as affordable) working? Should inclusionary zoning be mandatory, or only in the event that a developer is seeking tax breaks or a zoning variance? Or should it be eliminated altogether? If so, what would you replace it with?

I believe that we need to incorporate inclusionary zoning into our housing system in New York City. When developers propose different entrances for tenants, I do not believe the system is working to our benefit – however, there must be a way to create and build more affordable homes while allowing real estate growth.

Schools

Should the Upper West Side/Manhattan Valley have more charter schools?

I think we need to refine our system as a whole before we open any other Charter Schools.  I want to be clear that I do not oppose charter schools but I do believe strongly that they need to serve all students, including ESL and students with special needs.  IN addition, we must expand any programs that are successful to school in the DOE that are not charter.  If policies and practices are successful in a charter school than non-charters should have the option of incorporating those practices and policies.

Should PTA funds be divided amongst schools in the district, or should they all be used at the school where they were raised?

I have not considered this as an option but do think it is worth investigating and discussing as we move ahead.  IN the mean time we must offer support to all PTA’s across the city to ensure they have the resources they need to support their children.

Crime

Do you support stop-and-frisk? No and I am the only candidate in this race that has been opposed to this policy since the beginning.

Should the city legalize marijuana use? I support legalization of medical marijuana.

Unions

City workers have gone without contracts for years. Do you think they should get retroactive raises in their new contracts?

I believe that we need to evaluate what people are owed against what the city can afford. I do believe we need to find ways to honor these well-deserved efforts.

Pensions and health benefit costs for city workers have jumped under Mayor Bloomberg (city pension costs have risen from $1.3 billion in 2002 to $8 billion in 2013), even as funding for things like parks have decreased. Is it time to get these costs under control? How should the city do that? Should city workers have to pay more into their pensions and health benefits, for instance?

I believe it is time to get costs under control. I believe we need to make sure that both New York City pays what is owed to our workers, while also making sure the city workers are paying their fair share. I believe there needs to be a complete audit of the city budget under the next Mayor so we can see where we can better allocate and trim resources.

Services for the Elderly

Manhattan Valley has a large elderly population. In what area(s) do you feel our older citizens’ needs and concerns are still under-served, and what are your ideas to address this?

I believe that many areas in the 7^th City Council district are lacking in resources in comparison to the rest of Manhattan. The senior centers we do have are underfunded and lacking essential resources to provide real resources or services. I especially find that the NYCHA senior centers are lacking essential resources.  I want to expand transportation options for our seniors and ensure that they are able to receive high quality care where they reside. Our seniors are extremely vulnerable and I will be sure to watch out for their needs and brings more supports to our district and my elderly residents.

www.markotto2013.com

David Sasscer-Burgos

Where are you from?  I was raised in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

What neighborhood do you live in now (or what street)? 106^th and Broadway – Morningside Heights

What do you and your spouse do for a living? I am a Project Manager/Engineer and she is a Documentary Producer

How old are you?  49

Do you have children?  No

Did you go to public school? No Do/did your children go to public school? N/A

Are you involved in the real estate business in any way, or are your clients real estate developers? (You can answer all of these in one short paragraph or line by line, if you’d like)  Yes.  I am a project manager/engineer focusing on green/sustainable projects.  A recent project of ours was to complete an energy audit on the entire state of Hawaii’s k-12 public schools and implement a plan to reduce energy consumption by 30% over the next five years.

Note:  I have not received any money from real estate related PACs or landlord groups.  

I was tired of having a city council representative who I’d never met and had never responded to any requests or inquires I had made.  I also felt completely disenfranchised by the recent re-drawing of our district and felt that is was time for our city council to have more citizen-politicians.

For the last six years I have been a volunteer board member of Visionary Media, an organization that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and created hundreds of jobs for New Yorkers who are blind and visually impaired, including numerous residents of our community.  I have also taught English as a second language to adults.

Affordable housing needs to be addressed by any and all means.  We need to increase inclusionary zoning to at least 50% of any new developments, we need to enforce existing laws that protect tenants and we need to ensure that tenants have an access to representation that is at least equal to landlords.

It is working but it needs to be greater.  At least 50% until the amount of affordable housing crisis is eased.

To the extent that Charter schools are serving the same community and are measurably successful, we should support them.  This is the only way that parents are given a real choice in school options.

They should be divided amongst the schools in the district. 

No.

Yes for medical marijuana.  We should also study the pros and cons of easing other clearly unfair and prejudicial drug laws related to marijuana use.

That should be part of the negotiation with the new Mayor.

We should focus on the revenue side of the equation first.  I think we should look at an excise tax from legalized medical marijuana among other things.

They are under-served when it comes to affordable housing, affordable and accessible drugs, affordable health care, convenient and accessible nutrition and safe and livable streets.  We should push for a law that is analogous to the ADA (American with disabilities act) but designed to help the elderly.  It will address any number of issues affecting the elderly in a holistic and integrated way.

www.dsb2013.com

Mark Levine

Where are you from?

I grew up in Maryland. I have lived in New York City for over twenty years. my wife and I are raising our two sons here.

What neighborhood do you live in now (or what street)?

My family and I live in Washington Heights on 163rd Street & Fort Washington Avenue.

What do you and your spouse do for a living?

My career has been in starting and leading nonprofits in the education and community economic development sectors.

How old are you?

44

Do you have children?

Yes. Daniel (age 10) and Alejandro (age 13).

Did you go to public school?

Yes

Do/did your children go to public school?

Yes, my two sons both attend public schools.

Are you involved in the real estate business in any way, or are your clients real estate developers?

No

In two or three sentences, why are you running/what spurred your decision?

I am running because I believe New York City needs progressive leadership at all levels of government. All New Yorkers deserve affordable housing, good schools for their kids, and a decent wage, and right now the city is struggling to meet these needs. In the City Council I am going to fight for New Yorkers who want more from a city that has historically been a place that accommodates everyone, not just the wealthy.

In 200 words or less, describe some of the ways you’ve already been politically active in the neighborhood.

I began my career teaching bilingual math and science at junior high school 149 in the Bronx. I went on to found a community development credit union, Neighborhood Trust, which has given over $15 million in small loans to help low­-income families buy home computers, start small businesses, and pay for education. I went served as Executive Director of Teach for America New York, and as Executive Director of the Center for Afterschool Excellence. In 2007 I was elected Democratic District Leader, and in 2009 I founded the Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan. Both the club and I have been actively involved in protecting tenants rights, improving local schools, defending a women’s right to chose, banning hydrofracking, and promoting LGBT rights.

Housing and Development

What’s the best affordable housing program being used in the neighborhood (or the entire city) right now?

The most successful affordable housing program of the last half century has been Mitchell­-Lama.

How would you expand or change the program?

Guarantee that it remain rent stabilized instead of phasing out.

Do you have any ideas for creating affordable housing that are realistic and aren’t currently being attempted?

Mandatory inclusionary zoning that would require new housing developments to set aside a portion of their units for different levels of affordability.

Is inclusionary zoning (asking developers to set aside 20% of housing as affordable) working?

Right now it’s optional and too few developers are opting in. Only 2% of the housing developed under the Bloomberg era was affordable.

Should inclusionary zoning be mandatory, or only in the event that a developer is seeking tax breaks or a zoning variance? Or should it be eliminated altogether? If so, what would you replace it with?

It should be mandatory regardless of whether they need a variance or not. If they need a variance then an even larger percentage of units should be made affordable to low­ and middle-­income New Yorkers.

Schools

Should the Upper West Side/Manhattan Valley have more charter schools?

We want as many options as possible available in our district but I will only support new charters if they serve english language learners and special education students. I’ll oppose co-­locations of charter and traditional schools if they crowd out existing schools.

Should PTA funds be divided amongst schools in the district, or should they all be used at the school where they were raised?

PTA funds should be used in the school they are raised but we need to do much more to be sure we have equitable need based funding throughout the school system.

Crime

Do you support stop­ and ­frisk?

No, I do not support stop and frisk and have called for an end to this abusive practice.

Should the city legalize marijuana use?

I support decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana, and legalization of medical uses of marijuana.

Unions

City workers have gone without contracts for years. Do you think they should get retroactive raises in their new contracts?

Yes

Pensions and health benefit costs for city workers have jumped under Mayor Bloomberg (city pension costs have risen from $1.3 billion in 2002 to $8 billion in 2013), even as funding for things like parks have decreased. Is it time to get these costs under control? How should the city do that?

I believe in defined­ benefits pensions as the best way to provide economic security to families.

We do indeed have a long­term liabilities problem in New York City, especially as we face rising  employee health care costs.

We should focus on prevention and public health initiatives as a way to keep healthcare costs down long term. Cost cutting measures should not come at the detriment of hard working New Yorkers.

Should city workers have to pay more into their pensions and health benefits, for instance?

That is a question to be worked out in contract negotiations, which I believe should be conducted in a way that respects organized labor and treats them as partners.

Services for the Elderly

Manhattan Valley has a large elderly population. In what area(s) do you feel our older citizens’ needs and concerns are still under­served, and what are your ideas to address this?

As the eldery population in community steadily grows, it is critical that we maintain support for local senior centers. But the City need to do much more than just fund meal programs­­ we need to support technology training, employment services, and housing assistance for our seniors.

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