Community Magazine January 2017

Pictured here with Jets quarterback Geno Smith, Faulkner continues to provide support to his home team. CommunityMagazine had the opportunity to interviewMichel Faulkner on his vision and platform. CM: Among the greatest challenges facing our community today is the affordability of a yeshiva education. Where do you stand on school choice and public assistance for private schools? MJF: I believe that school choice is the best hope that we have to eliminate or to diminish the educational disparity between various groups within NYC. The natural outgrowth of educational choice would be tax credits for families that aren’t able to find suitable public schools to meet their needs. Gov. Cuomo has championed this legislation but has been unable to move past the democratically controlled assembly. I will champion this cause and work with the assembly to get this legislation pushed through. I will help to ensure that tax dollars are best spend to serve every community in their specific needs. CM: One of the rising concerns for Jewish institutions is security. What could Mayor Faulkner do to help that situation? Will the Mayor be more aggressive in gathering intelligence to prevent major attacks and will he focus specifically on protecting Jewish institutions which are frequently targeted? I believe the NYPD are the best in the world at providing peace and security for all New York City residents. We have hate crime legislation which is aimed at protecting any group that may be singled out because of their religion, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. I will vigorously support these laws as well as continue to encourage all New Yorkers to be vigilant in reporting suspicious and disruptive activity in all communities. I will work with both Federal, State and NYC law enforcement to protect all citizens from active terrorist threats. I will be particularly mindful of the ongoing threats to the Jewish community from those that hate Israel and would want to use terrorism or fear in NYC as a way draw attention to their cause. As a friend of Israel I am aware of the great threat Jews face both abroad and here in the US. I will have zero tolerance for all hate crime. CM: Mayor de Blasio infamously lowered the speed limit on Ocean Parkway to a 25 mph creating a traffic nightmare. How would Mayor Faulkner handle that issue? I believe traffic laws and traffic patterns must be both user and environmentally friendly. When we have an outcry from the community we must address it, especially when we have local representatives that are presenting legislation for change. I will work with community and traffic officials to increase speed limits to safe and manageable levels while increasing access to public transportation and increasing efficiency of public transportation as well. I will work with community members to find the safest and best solutions to traffic concerns. CM: As a result of the lower speed limit,manymoremotoristsare feeling entrapped by speed came ra tickets. What’s your view on this? Pedestrian safety must be our primary concern. In a crowded metropolitan area like New York City, we must all be vigilant to our commitment to mutual safety. Traffic cameras are a nuisance but a necessary deterrent in areas where there are numerous infractions and pedestrian safety is a high risk. Again, my leadership will direct all commissioners to hear from the community and work with the community to address these concerns. We will have an immediate suspension of all penalties associated with these cameras until my administration has reviewed the policy and can attest to the need to provide safety and not revenue. CM: Many community residents are scheduled for sanitation pickup on Saturday. Thispresentsaproblemfor those who are religiously forbidden from moving their cans off the street ontheSabbathandalsomakesfoean unsightly scene on a day whenmany are strolling along the neighborhood sidewalks. What’s your plan for this problem? I will immediately roll back any sanitation regulations or other measures in communities where it impacts religious observances. There are always concerns in a city this large but sanitation has enough staff and flexibility to be able to address these concerns in a mutually inclusive manner. Religious observances are a very high priority with me, personally, and will be for my administration. CM: Though our neighborhood is relatively safe, there are increasing reports of auto-break- ins and packages being stolen from doorsteps. What’s your plan to combat these rising trends? Community policing, community auxiliary policing and cameras are some of the best resources we have to push back these growing trends. Having lived and worked in neighborhoods where crime was extremely high, I personally worked with community watch groups and the police department to combat these elements and even drive them down. We were successful. No one should expect or accept being the victim of a crime. We will make sure that our police department and our citizens have all the means necessary to keep themselves, their families and their communities safe. I want to make New York City feel safe again. CM: What other plans do you have to improve the quality of life for city residents? I believe the greatest need that New York City has is for inclusive leadership. We need to feel that we have a leader in city hall who can handle and help us handle whatever problems we may face as a city. The diversity of New York is our greatest asset, our unity is our greatest strength. I will help our city work together to address whatever issues we may face because we are New York. Q&A with Michel Faulkner 30 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE