Alicia Barksdale
Joyce Johnson
Manuel O. Lantigua
Mark D. Levine
Mark T. Otto
Zead Ramadan
David Sasscer-Burgos
Luis Tejada
Ruben Dario Vargas
Party Enrolled In: Democratic
Current Occupation: Consultant to education and economic development non-profits.
Previous Occupation(s): Bilingual math and science teacher at JHS149 in the South Bronx.
Education: Earned a B.A. in Physics from Haverford College, and a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University.
Organizational Affiliations: Founder of Neighborhood Trust, an upper Manhattan community development credit union. Executive Director of Teach For America-New York and Executive Director of the Center for After-School Excellence.
Prior Public Experience: Democratic District Leader since 2007. Founder of Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan. Former Chair of Transportation Committee of Community Board 12. Former Board Member of Fresh Youth Initiatives.
1. What is the most important issue in Council District 07 you would address if elected?
Affordable housing is in desperately short supply in the 7th District. To protect tenants I will fight for stronger rent laws, better enforcement against abusive landlords, and more legal assistance for tenants in housing court. We need to build more new affordable housing as well, especially through inclusionary zoning.
2. What other important issues would you address if elected?
As a former public school teacher and current public school parent, I will fight to improve local schools. I support universal pre-K, robust professional development for teachers, expanded after-school opportunities, and reduced emphasis on high-stakes standardized tests.
3. What makes you the best candidate for this office?
I have been working on behalf of our community for two decades. I founded upper Manhattan's first and only community development credit union, Neighborhood Trust, which has made $15 million in small loans to low-income families, helping them buy home computers, pay for education, and start small businesses. As a District Leader and founder of a local Democratic Club, I have fought for marriage equality, women's reproductive rights, more funding for mass transit, safer streets for bicyclists, banning hydrofracking, increased services for seniors, and more.
Reprinted as supplied by the candidate. Participating in the NYC Campaign Finance Program.
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