Name of Council Candidate: Sylvia G. Kinard Name and Title of Person Completing Questionnaire: Sylvia G.

Kinard, Candidate Campaign Website: sylviakinard.nationbuilder.com

2013 CITY COUNCIL HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Many in the United States think of international affairs when they think of human rights. Our work emphasizes the applicability of the human rights framework here in the United States. Please share your thoughts on the domestic applicability of human rights, and discuss why human rights are important to you in the context of New York City and the City Council. Human rights are basic inalienable, fundamental rights and freedoms that all persons are entitled to. They are universal and for all people regardless of status, nationality, race or religion. As noted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and therefore, should be treated fairly under the law and by government. Human rights are important in New York City because there is a rising economic imbalance that threatens many individuals pursuit of their fundamental rights and freedoms. As a City Council member, I would be focus on restoring balance in our budget and tax policies so that all New Yorkers have equal access to basic essentials such as shelter, food, health care and education. We need to be more mindful of due process violations of the basic constitutional right to be free from unwarranted search and seizures (whether of property via the misuse of eminent domain or of person via search and frisk). The City Council has important oversight and legislative powers that, in some instances, been underused in the protection and preservation of the human rights of all New Yorkers. 2. How have you used current or previous professional positions to advance human rights? I previously hosted a talk radio program Front Page in which I focused on issues related to human rights violations, particularly teen and child prostitution in Brooklyn. Ive also provided pro-bono legal representation to tenants facing eviction. In 2008, I received a small grant from JP Morgan Chase to develop a program I Own It to help formerly incarcerated individuals, write a business plan and pursue entrepreneurial business ventures. 3. What will your top 3 legislative priorities be in your first term as Council Member? 1. Require City Council participation in appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board. 2. Provide funding for after-school and educational enrichment programs in community centers of Public housing facilities. 3. Require Board of Education to develop a training, testing and prep program for graduates of NYC High Schools to enter civil service jobs.

4. What will your top 3 budget priorities be in your first term as Council Member? 1. Expand funding for daycare 2. Increase tax incentives for the development of affordable housing units 3. Reduce taxes and fees on small business owners 5. Do you plan to use participatory budgeting to allocate your discretionary funds? Why or why not? Absolutely. One of the major threats to democracy is a dis-engaged, dis-interested citizenry, in part because people do not feel that their voice matters, Participatory budgeting is an important tool to include the public in a meaningful way to ensure that public needs and priorities are addressed by government. 6. Please provide examples of recent legislation in Council that you believe promotes human rights. Clearly, the End Discrimination Profiling Act (Intro. 1080) and the NYPD Oversight Act (Intro 1079) demonstrate what the City Council can accomplish when it chooses to actually use its powers to focus on issues that are of vital importance to protecting human and civil rights of all New Yorkers. 7. Legislation is only one of many ways in which Council Members can work to advance human rights. What ways other than through legislation will you advance the human rights of New Yorkers as a City Council Member? In addition to legislation, Council Members have enormous power to advance the human rights of all New Yorkers by exercising their oversight powers over city agencies. The Council can also choose to advance human rights by becoming more assertive in its review and approval of the Citys expense and capital budgets. 8. Some advocates contend that the position of the Council Speaker has too much power over the progression of legislation. Please use this space to respond to that critique. Unfortunately, since Charter Revision, NYC has increasingly consolidated power in the hands of a few. Since the elimination of the Board of Estimate, which erased any role for the Borough Presidents in the budget process, all budgetary power is concentrated in the Office of the Mayor. The City Council like most legislative bodies in the US follows a parliamentary model. However, the Speaker only has as much power as the individual Council Members choose to abdicate. As a City Council Member, I would work to be an independent and progressive legislator and push for Committee Chairs to have greater power to bring legislation out of committee and before their peers for a vote.

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