2013 City Council Candidate Questionnaire

Candidate Information Full Name: Sondra H. Peeden District Information District #: 27 Are you an incumbent? No If yes, when were you first elected? Campaign Information From which parties are you seeking a nomination: Democratic Full Name of Campaign Committee: Sondra Peeden 2013

Additional Candidate Information Endorsements List here the union, organizations (community, civic, media, issue groups), and elected officials that have endorsed you. At this time, I am still awaiting decisions regarding endorsements, but have wide community support. Candidate Experience - Please explain any activities and/or experiences that demonstrate your commitment to the LGBT movement. I have no specific activities which demonstrate my commitment to the LGBT movement, but I have always championed human rights, and believe that we are all created equal in Gods eyes. We should all have the right to love who we want, marry and create families with whom we want! I am in favor of marriage equality, rights for domestic partners in relation to health insurance, end of life and medical decisions, property rights, etc. I support the right for individuals to amend their birth certificates and government id to reflect their gender. I support balanced and equal rights for all. - What experience do you have to demonstrate you are the best person to represent the district office you seek? I am a New Yorker and LOVE my city! Public service is in my blood, and it is my goal to help at least one person every day through my work and daily activities. After 20 years of working in government and politics, I understand how the New York City Council works, and if elected I will serve not only the residents of the 27th District, but New York City as a whole. The issues which we face today require elected officials who have institutional knowledge, a fresh perspective and the ability to work in concert with others I believe that I can be an effective member of government and I am ready to take on the task. My ideas and ideals will serve a wide range of New Yorkers and I know how to hit the ground running and deliver. - Please detail any specific policy proposals you may have that will affect the LGBT community, that are not addressed in the next section.

At this time, I do not have specific policy proposals for the LGBT community. My ideas will serve all New Yorkers, however, as I move forward on this campaign, and engage various communities more directly, I will be open to new ideas and adjustments to my stated platform. 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

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

Adoption: Do you support full adoption rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples? (Y/N If no, please explain) YES, I support full adoption rights I am a foster parent, and it breaks my heart to see children in need of homes, living in transitional placements or group homes. Every able bodied individual, who can be cleared to be a foster or adoptive parent, should be allowed to do so, with no regard to their marital status or sexual orientation! 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 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 Please explain your position on using discretionary funds to support agencies like HASA. If discretionary funding still exists when I take office in January 2014, I would evaluate the needs of my district and if necessary, allocate funds to programs which serve PLWA and agencies like HASA. What actions do you think the City Council should be taking to provide emergency housing for homeless people living with AIDS? The housing situation in NYC is dire. There is excess housing stock which various city agencies are holding. I think that a percentage of these homes should be converted for the use of the public good.

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? As with all decisions which relate to the use of city fiscal resources, once elected, I will evaluate AIDS funding as it related to the level of need, and work with my colleagues in government to allocate resources accordingly.

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.

One of the major powers that the City Council has, is Land Use. I support the power given to local Community Planning Boards in relation to liquor license applications, the placement of livery cab stands, zoning and the like. The problem is, that sometimes the community board members do not always represent the changing demographic of an area and minority constituencies are not represented. I believe in these instances, that the local Council Member (s), Borough President and other stakeholders should gently intervene to reflect the needs of the whole community. No one should face discrimination.

Please outline the criteria you would use in selecting Community Board members. Demonstrated commitment to community, varied age, varied gender, varied religion (or lack thereof) in addition to the usual criteria. 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? The law is the law, and should not be applied differently or manipulated when dealing with LGBT community or any minority constituency! Anti-discrimination policies are already in place, and I am not a proponent of increasing red tape, but perhaps, an additional reporting measure could be included in CompStat to reflect negative interactions so they could be tracked and addressed. Do you support reforming Stop-and-Frisk? Please detail any specific changes to the program you believe are necessary. Do you oppose the use of condoms as evidence of prostitution in criminal cases? Please explain your support or opposition. YES, I oppose this practice! We have been telling everyone to engage in safe sex for the past 20 years or so, and encourage people to have condoms and dental dams to protect themselves. Planned Parenthood, NYC High Schools and health providers regularly provide condoms as giveaways, and many are known to grab a handful. No one should be penalized for preparing for safe sexual contact which will preserve and protect their health status!

NYPD

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! YES!! YES!!!

What will you do to expand access to services for runaway and homeless youth? I will make sure that organizations like The Door are funded appropriately, I will work to find funding from my colleagues in government at all levels, to secure funding so that there will be centers throughout the city (and hopefully throughout the state) to address the needs of youth from 16-24 who need housing, life skills training, vocational education and social services as they transition to adulthood.

LGBT Services and Funding:

The LGBT community has no direct funding for the arts from the NEA or other funding sources because of institutional homophobia. Would your office help with funding for LGBT Arts? If yes, please explain how. I dont see why, from a programmatic position, LGBT Arts funding should be different. Through the arts, we are usually exposed to a different point of view a new perspective. I would work to fight discrimination and to level the playing field, so that all are served fairly. 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 in your district? (Y/N If no, please explain) YES

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? (Y/N If no, please explain) 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? I have visited the SAGE center in the past, located in Forest Hills, and would fund it.

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) 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. 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: Please state concrete achievements for the LGBT community that you are responsible for in your current, or previous, elected office/s.

Have you endorsed any LGBT candidates? Which ones? I have not endorsed any candidates in this election cycle. I am focused at this time, on my own race. 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!!!!!! Will you hire openly LGBT staff and/or designate a liaison to our communities if elected? (Y/N If no, please explain) Yes, I would hire openly LGBT staff! I wouldnt discriminate against anyone, and would hope that the individuals who apply for employment and internships in my office, will reflect the community which we will serve, and the city which we live in!