2009 New York City Questionnaire

Introduction

New York City elected officials have a role to play in making the City a more just and equitable place to live. Our New York City agenda defines our position on a broad array of issues.Candidates should use this agenda as a guide for introducing and fighting for legislation that willenhance the quality of life for the men and women of the City who work hard every day tosupport themselves and their families.We believe it is important for elected officials to be pro-active and use their visibility to advance progressive responses to the most pressing issues facing working, middle class, and poor NewYork City residents. In challenging economic times, we need City representatives who will speak up for bold progressive reforms. It is important that you answer every question.

NYC Priorities

1.City-Supported Equitable Development :

New York City should never supportredevelopment initiatives that subsidize low-wage work or the loss of affordable housing and public space. The City should use all available development tools—Requests for Proposals(RFP’s) to developers; rezoning existing City-owned land or newly acquired land (throughthe ULURP process, or the accelerated UDAAP process); and any related tax abatements,subsidies, or City contracts—to create a new development paradigm in New York.Will you base your approval of any individual projects and commit to supporting acomprehensive resolution to ensure redevelopment plans meet the following conditions:A.

Create Good Jobs

by:1.Requiring that all City RFP’s mandate that developers and contractors for large-scaledevelopment projects have a history of compliance with wage, health, safety, andenvironmental standards? 2.Requiring that as a condition of receiving City RFPs, use of City-owned land, or incentives through the City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), includingthe Industrial and Commercial Abatement Program (ICAP), businesses must pay prevailing or living wages for every trade and position created in large-scaleredevelopment projects?3.Supporting the establishment of a comprehensive first-source hiring and training plan,run by the City and job training and placement programs, for large-scale development projects that sets aside at least 30% of permanent jobs for residents below thecommunity’s median income at start up and maintains the 30% threshold following job vacancies?1

Create and Preserve Affordable Housing

1.Rezoning City-owned land within the redevelopment area so that at least 80% is setaside as affordable through the ULURP and/or UDAAP process, like theGreenpoint/Williamsburg agreement?2.Ensuring that existing Mitchell-Lama, Section 8, and rent-regulated housing units inthe redevelopment area are preserved through the IZ preservation program or direct public action?3.Designating at least half of housing units created as affordable for low-incomefamilies within any redevelopment or major rezoning area?C.

Create or Improve Community Assets

by:1.Ensuring new schools, supermarkets, small businesses, recreational areas, andtransportation investments are included in redevelopment plans if deemed necessary?2.Withholding your support if specific plans to include these things are not included inthe redevelopment plan?

Will you start enacting this new economic development paradigm by publicly supportingthe inclusion of all of these standards in the Coney Island redevelopment plan?

2.Make the NYC Personal Income Tax (PIT) More Progressive :

As the City faces agrowing budget deficit, the NYC PIT system should be made permanently more progressive by adding new income brackets and new rates at the high end, as was done temporarily from2003-2005 in a less severe economic recession. City PIT reform would raise approximately$1 billion of new City revenue to protect working- and middle-class families from servicecuts and regressive tax increases.Will you support City legislation and advocate for the State to approve the followingrestructuring, as first introduced by Speaker Christine Quinn, which will only impact 4% of City tax filers?

City Taxable Income Tax Rate Proposed New Tax RateEstimated Change inTax Payment perhousehold

$21,600 or less 2.907%0%$321 in savingsOver $21,6003.534%0%$321 in savingsOver $45,000 3.591% 3.591% No ChangeOver $90,0003.648% 3.648% No changeOver $297,0003.648% 4.25% $374 increaseOver $532,0003.648% 4.45% $5,571 increaseOver $1.2 million3.648% 4.65% $19,066 increase

3.Good Food/Good Jobs :

The NYC Department of City Planning estimates that three million New Yorker’s live in “food deserts”—areas with an insufficient number of full-service2

supermarkets that provide quality food (including fresh produce, meat and dairy) atreasonable prices. Battered by escalating rents and encroaching development projects,remaining supermarkets that provide good food and jobs are in constant danger of closing. Inaddition to neighborhood health benefits, supermarkets produce economic benefits: anaverage 30,000 sq. ft. store provides 100-200 jobs, each grocery worker generates $2,800 intaxes, and the City could potentially recapture over $1 billion in grocery spending lost tosuburbs (enough to support more than 100 new neighborhood grocery stores andsupermarkets).To create more Good Food and Good Jobs in New York’s neighborhoods, will you commit tousing the tools below to help create 25 new supermarkets in designated “food deserts” in thenext 4 years by:1.Ensuring that RFP’s for any large-scale redevelopment project in a designated “fooddeserts” include provisions for a supermarket?2.Instructing EDC to identify and target RFP’s to develop supermarkets at smaller sites(approximately 30,000 sq. ft.) in designated “food deserts”?3.Supporting the use of an appropriate package of financing tools to facilitate thedevelopment of supermarkets in these underserved areas?

4.Increasing Permanent Affordable Housing :

New York should act to increase theavailability of affordable housing and make sure all affordable housing units developed in thefuture are protected permanently.To increase the availability of affordable housing, will you support City legislation to:1.Enact “mandatory inclusionary zoning” standards changing zoning laws to ensure allnew housing projects on privately owned land meet the following affordabilitystandards:

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10% of units affordable as bare minimum for any project over 10 units?

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20% of units as affordable for any project to get the 421-a tax break?

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30% of units as affordable for any project to get an additional density bonus?To ensure all new housing created with any use of City subsidies, City-owned land, or Citytax abatements remains permanently affordable, will you support:2.Requiring that all developers receiving City development assistance of any kind enter into a contract to maintain permanent affordability of affordable units developed(rental and ownership), as opposed to current agreements that expire at the end of thefinancing period and create an “expiring use” crisis (like the one we have today withMitchell-Lama)?

5.Improving Public Transportation :

Affordable, efficient, and reliable transit systems arenecessary to maintain the vitality and competitiveness of New York City. Policymakers must3