Name of Council Candidate: Saundra Thomas Name and Title of Person Completing Questionnaire: Saundra Thomas, Candidate Campaign

Website: www.saundrathomas2013.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. It is essential that local government is proactive in advancing and protecting human rights. My greatest concerns in this area include the right to live in a safe environment, have access to equal education and to work and earn a living wage. I also believe that input and participation from the community is a necessary asset. To that effort, I intend to create councils in my district around the issues that speak to human rights, such as education, housing and community safety. This is the basic foundation of my philosophy and can be found on my website. An education council that consists of members from the community such as clergy, school administrators, teachers, parents and small businesses will create dialogue and action around the basic right to education and job opportunities for children and youth. My housing council will work to assure that tenants know their rights and have basic services to which they are entitled, especially in large buildings. Adequate housing is a basic human right. The community safety council will work with the community members and law enforcement to assure that practices such as Stop and Frisk have oversight and we work to find alternatives to protect all citizens human rights. 2. How have you used current or previous professional positions to advance human rights? As the community affairs director at Channel 7, I was able to use my role to advance human rights by supporting organizations through philanthropy, promotion and service. These organizations include, but are not limited to; GMHC, Latino Center on Aging, Services for the Underserve, Neighborhood Housing Services and Brooklyn Community Housing and Services. All of these organizations are instrumental in providing basic humans rights for members of our community and I used the power of my position to support and advance them. I have also sat on the boards of organizations that support human rights including NYC Anti-Violence Project; Grace Institute which provides opportunity for women to get back into the workforce and the Council for Unity, whose mission is to minimize gang violence and bullyism in schools and works with our criminal justice system to bridge relationships between and empower former gang members. These all provide a context for providing safe havens for people to live.

3. What will your top 3 legislative priorities be in your first term as Council Member? 1. Permanent and mandated item in the education budget for afterschool programs for the following reasons: enrichment for youth who should not have to miss out on opportunities which provide self-esteem, and dignity as they grow toward becoming productive, employed human beings. Separation by economics should not prevent all humans from opportunity provided by such enrichment programs. Also, afterschool programs take youth off the street, thereby cutting down on potential gang membership and violence and creates a safe environment which everyone should be entitled to live. 2. Press for legislation that would withstand appeal and not be easily overturned as was the living and fair wage bill. 3. Legislate a Youth Task Force in each council district as well as one that reports directly to the Mayor, bringing information TO City Hall creating less of a top-down approach but drawing from the communities. 4. What will your top 3 budget priorities be in your first term as Council Member? 1. Funding for afterschool programs and the restoration of Beacon schools. 2. Funding for senior centers and services 3. Housing court funding 5. Do you plan to use participatory budgeting to allocate your discretionary funds? Why or why not? I believe strongly in the democracy of participatory budgeting and will bring it to the 40th district. The opportunity to encourage civic and community engagement is tantamount to the work I hope to do in City Council. Within the diverse district which I will represent, I will make every effort to assure that participants in the process come from a mix of ethnic, cultural and diverse of interests. 6. Please provide examples of recent legislation in Council that you believe promotes human rights. Two examples of recent legislation that I believe promotes human rights are the minimum wage law which was unfortunately overturned. This bill speaks to the right of every human to earn a fair and just living. Stop and Frisk/Community Safety Act. This bill was a step in the right direction toward oversight for a practice which directly affects the lives of and humans rights of minorities, specifically young men. This passage was also an example of how building coalition is often what it takes to get things done. Earned Sick Time Act-: another example of coalition-building to protect and support the rights of workers. 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? Access to tax-payer information and services is a basic human right. I will create opportunities for civic participation through seminars to help people get involved with the civic process which would include getting more people to vote.

I will implement both traditional and non-traditional ways to communicate with my community-by monthly information and resource newsletters-to inform them of issues in the district as it relates to housing, health and education for example. My office will be open after-hours to accommodate working people; In an effort to bring information to constituents, we will endeavor to provide a monthly mobile office and will partner with different agencies and organizations to bring services to the district. Every month we would plant our office in a different part of the district. Connecting residents with training programs for the jobs of tomorrow is also on my agenda to help advance the human rights of those striving to work 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. I concur that the Speaker often has too much power on the progression of legislation and influence over what bills get passed. One way in which to minimize or create a more balanced process would be to assure that very bill be considered and voted on in committee. If the committee votes to have the bill come to the floor and it is done in a timely manner, this may diminish the power of the Speaker to kill the bill.

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