Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City Borough President

Candidate Questionnaire
Candidate Information Full Name: Melinda R. Katz Borough Information Please indicate the borough in which you are seeking to be elected Borough President: [ ] Bronx [ ] Brooklyn [ ] Manhattan [ X ] Queens [ ] Staten Island Are you an incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? Campaign Information From which parties are you seeking a nomination: Democrat Full Name of Campaign Committee: Melinda Katz 2013 Additional Candidate Information Endorsements List here the union, organizations (community, civic, media, issue groups), and elected officials that have endorsed you.

I have also been endorsed for Queens Borough President by Assemblymember Jeff Aubry, the Rev. Floyd Flake, the Rev. Evan Gray Sr., the Rev. Dr. Dwayne Sleet, the Rev. Larry Shell, Sr., the late Mayor Ed Koch, EMILY's List, the Women's Campaign Fund and Eleanor's Legacy. I have also been endorsed by UFCW Local 1500 and Mason Tenders Local 79.

Candidate Experience - Please explain any activities and/or experiences that demonstrate your commitment to the LGBT movement. What experience do you have to demonstrate you are the best person to represent the office you seek?
I have been a public servant for almost 20 years, serving in roles at various levels of government . I represented central Queens in the City Council from 2002 to 2009. As a City Council Member, I rose to Chair the influential Land Use Committee. Under my leadership, the committee secured privatesector partnerships that lead to the creation of over 15,000 units of affordable housing. I was responsible for approving citywide rezoning measures. I championed zoning measures that would pave the way for major redevelopment projects in neighborhoods in all five boroughs, while safeguarding communities from overdevelopment. In Queens, these neighborhoods included sections of Forest Hills, Bellerose, Holliswood, Corona, Douglaston, Middle Village, Laurelton, Flushing, Maspeth and Woodside. All together 6,000 blocks were rezoned throughout the city. Prior to being elected to the New York City Council, I served as Director of Community Boards for the Office of the Queens Borough President, Claire Shulman, from 1999 to 2002. In this position, I helped to develop city budget priorities, plan economic development projects for Queens, and designate sites for city facilities. I also represented Forest Hills, Rego Park, Middle Village and Glendale in Albany as the Assembly Member for the 28th District of New York from 1994 to 1999. During my tenure, I authored and helped pass 16 laws, including requiring HMOs to provide women with direct access to critical gynecological services. I served as Chair of the Assemblys Urban Health Sub-committee, and was responsible for bills that increased penalties for various forms of domestic abuse. I also sponsored and passed the historic Kendalls Law, which helps prosecutors pursue cases of long -term, repeated child abuse. I have been a long time, vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community. My advocacy includes the following accomplishments: Outspoken advocate for marriage since election to Assembly Strong supporter of the Dignity for All Schools Act in the City Council, an anti-bullying law to prohibit harassment and bullying in New York City public schools Co-sponsor on the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in the Assembly, to out law discrimination on basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment, education, accommodation, and credit Co-sponsor of hate crime legislation in the Assembly, to increase penalties for bias motivated offenses, including anti-gay crimes Wrote my college thesis on AIDS and small businesses

- Please detail any specific policy proposals you may have that will affect the LGBT community, that are not addressed in the next section.
I will continue to advocate for the LGBTQ community as Borough President. In particular, I support increasing penalties for hate crimes. In addition, I would increase the police presence in communities where hate crimes have occurred with any frequency, and would increase the community awareness of such threats with extensive community outreach and patrols. As Borough President, I will work with neighborhoods to bring people together to create familiarity between the diverse communities that exist, to foster a sense of trust and understanding.

Policy Positions Please answer the following questions in full, using your policy proposals and including specific examples of your previous actions on any given topic when possible. Marriage

Do you support full marriage equality for same-sex couples? (Y/N If no, please explain)

Yes, and have for my entire tenure as a public servant, since I was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1994.

Will you work with New Yorks congressional delegation to support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act? (Y/N If no, please explain)

Yes, repealing DOMA is vital to families across the country. Adoption: Do you support full adoption rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples? (Y/N If no, please explain)

Yes. Human Rights

Do you support equal rights and treatment for

people of transgender experience in the New York Shelter System, both adult shelters and youth shelters? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes. Transgender people deserve the exact same treatment as everyone else, especially when it comes to vital housing services.
Will you work with the New York State Legislature

to support the passage of the Gender Expression NonDiscrimination Act? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes. Passing GENDA is just as important as passing SONDA, as it gives basic human rights to transgendered people. Gender identity needs to be a protected class in New York. HIV/AIDS In 2011, Mayor Bloomberg proposed cutting 248 case managers and millions in rental assistance from the HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA). Individual legislators ended up using discretionary funds to fill the gap.
Do you support increased funding for the HASA?

(Y/N If no, please explain) Yes, HASA fills a major void in services for New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS. It is a basic and necessary agency that allows people to live more self-reliantly, and we should fully fund it.
Please explain your position on using

discretionary funds to support agencies like HASA. AIDS

funding no longer corresponds to the demographics of which communities represent the greatest number of HIV cases in NYC. Would you support yearly statistics of both the geographic areas where HIV is most prevalent and as well as which populations in those neighborhoods are most effected, and then allocate yearly funding to services and communities based on these results? Yes. We have come a long way since the AIDS epidemic began, but we still have a long way to go. We need to be more innovative about our approach to support for New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS, which should include how we distribute funding for services. Community Boards
Many Community Boards routinely oppose

applications for liquor licenses in their areas, particularly if the proposed venue is tailored to appeal to the LGBT community. Please explain your position on the appropriate balance between support for nightlife, minority communities and respect for neighborhood concerns. Nightlife decisions made by community boards take many factors into account. In particular, they look at the impact of any new venue on the resources and residents of the neighborhood. However, while they may deny applications for venues that would disrupt the community, Community Boards should not be using the demographics of potential venue attendees to make any decision. Nightlife is important, and I would work with any Community Board to ensure that they are meeting the needs of everyone in their community.
Please outline the criteria you would use in

selecting Community Board members.

I worked with Community Board members as the Director of Community Boards for Borough President Shulman, and I know that the best CB members are already actively engaged in their community, and are enthusiastic about making their neighborhood a better place for everyone that lives there. I would work to find a diverse blend of CB members that represent the many different communities throughout Queens, and that can bring different voices and perspectives to each board to better represent each community. NYPD
The NYPD often targets bars, restaurants and clubs

serving the LGBT community for increased scrutiny. They have used health code violations, allegations of drug use or sale, allegations of prostitution, allegations of serving minors, and a myriad of tools at their disposal. What changes would you implement to ensure LGBT institutions are treated equally by enforcement agencies? Discriminatory policing erodes the trust between police officers and communities, and makes it harder for police to find perpetrators of crimes. I would make sure that our police and members of the LGBT community were communicating about any issues as they arose, and would work to eliminate any practices that discriminated against any establishment or their patrons.
Do you support reforming Stop-and-Frisk? Please

detail any specific changes to the program you believe are necessary. Yes, Stop-and-Frisk needs to be reformed. With 88 percent of those frisked being completely innocent, we need to

find a better method that does not erode trust between police and communities.
Do you oppose the use of condoms as evidence of

prostitution in criminal cases? Please explain your support or opposition. Yes. Carrying condoms is a smart health decision for any person, and to make it them evidence of criminality is just a bad public health policy. Runaway and Homeless Youth
Will you support increasing the funding for both

emergency shelter beds and transitional beds for homeless youth, a huge percentage of whom are from the LGBT community and will you pledge to support capital and expense funding for programs serving this population? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes. We need to do more for our most in need populations, especially when they are children or youth who may be on the streets because of stigmas faced at home.
What will you do to expand access to services for

runaway and homeless youth? I will convene meetings of agencies involved, including Department of Health, Department of Homeless Services, Department of Education and any other agency that works with youth to find ways to better serve homeless youth in our communities. LGBT Services and Funding
The LGBT community is in great need of senior

housing for many of our aging population. Many seniors experience homophobia in senior facilities making them feel they must be closeted. Would you help with the funding of senior housing for the LGBT community? (Y/N If no, please explain) Senior housing is a major issue throughout Queens, and I will work to develop new, affordable senior housing complexes throughout the borough. I would use my knowledge of the Land Use process to identify and create opportunities for new housing projects, and will use those opportunities to build housing communities that include LGBT seniors.
If you are currently in office, have you made

member item grants or supported LGBT funding requests? If seeking office for the first time, would you give strong consideration to LGBT social service organizations seeking funding from your office if elected? Please explain your position. Yes, I will use the Borough Presidents budget to support projects that celebrate the diversity of Queens, especially our LGBT communities.
What actions will you take to help support the

LGBT community center in your borough? If there is not an LGBT community center in your borough, what actions will you take to help develop one? Other: The Queens Pride House is a vital resource for the LGBT community in Queens. I would look to them as a partner, and would ensure that they had a real voice on the issues that affect the community.
Please state concrete achievements for the LGBT

community that you are responsible for in your current, or previous, elected office/s. I am a long time, vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community. My advocacy includes the following accomplishments: Outspoken advocate for marriage since election to Assembly Strong supporter of the Dignity for All Schools Act in the City Council, an anti-bullying law to prohibit harassment and bullying in New York City public schools Co-sponsor on the Sexual Orientation NonDiscrimination Act in the Assembly, to out law discrimination on basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment, education, accommodation, and credit Co-sponsor of hate crime legislation in the Assembly, to increase penalties for bias motivated offenses, including anti-gay crimes Wrote my college thesis on AIDS and small businesses
Have you endorsed any LGBT candidates? Which

ones? I have not endorsed any candidates this year, but have close working relationships with many LGBT elected officials and candidates across Queens.
If endorsed will you display the endorsement of

the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC in your literature whenever you list other endorsements and will you display the endorsement on your website? Yes, with pride.

 Will you hire openly LGBT staff and/or designate a

liaison to our communities if elected? (Y/N If no, please explain) Diversity among my staff has always been important to me, and as Borough President, it will be no different.