SDNYC’s Board will recommend the Membership Vote to Endorse the Following Candidates.
These Dem Primary winners sought our endorsement in the primary but did not receive it, with the exception of Mark Murphy, Dem Staten Island primary winner who did not seek our endorsement in the primary but who has subsequently requested our support and completed our questionnaire.. See below for the questionnaire submitted by Mark Murphy.
MAYOR: Eric Adams
BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT: Antonio Reynoso
MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT: Mark Levine
STATEN ISLAND BOROUGH PRESIDENT: Mark Murphy
MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Alvin Bragg
COUNCIL DISTRICT 1: Christopher Marte
COUNCIL DISTRICT 5: Julie Menin
COUNCIL DISTRICT 7: Shaun Abreu
COUNCIL DISTRICT 15: Oswlad Feliz ( sought endorsement in special)
COUNCIL DISTRICT 25: Shekar Krishnan
COUNCIL DISTRICT 26: Julie Won
COUNCIL DISTRICT 27: Nantasha Williams
COUNCIL DISTRICT 38: Alexa Avilés
COUNCIL DISTRICT 39: Shahana Hanif
COUNCIL DISTRICT 40: Rita Joesph
COUNCIL DISTRICT 51: Olivia Drabczyk
Mark Murphy Questionnaire
Candidate Full Name: Mark Murphy
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Office Sought: Staten Island Borough President
Full Name of Campaign Committees: Murphy for Staten Island
Campaign Website: https://www.murphyforstatenisland.com/
Campaign Twitter Account: MurphyforSI
Campaign Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MurphyforSI
Do you identify as a member of the LGBTQI+ community?: No
If endorsed will you display the endorsement of the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC in your literature whenever you list other endorsements, including on your campaign website?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Please explain any activities and/or experiences that demonstrate your commitment to the LGBT movement, including any concrete achievements for the LGBT community that you are responsible for in your current, or previous, elected office/s or positions.: Not only do I have family members that are part of the LGBT community, I have always been a vocal supporter of the Staten Island Pride Center. Additionally I have condemned the activities of the St. Patrick's day parade organizers in their hate filled exclusion of my friends and family in the gay community. https://www.silive.com/news/2020/03/hate-filled-exclusion-countered-parade-goal-letter-to-the-editor.html
What experience do you have to demonstrate you are the best person to represent the office you are seeking?: I am the only candidate running for Staten Island Borough President who has demonstrated their commitment to representing all Staten Islanders. As a 4th generation Staten Islander, I have deep ties to this community, and when elected I will ensure that Staten Island has a Borough Hall for all. When elected, I have committed to assembling the most diverse and inclusive borough hall staff in the history of the borough presidency. I have experience both as a small business owner and as a Public Advocate. These experiences have given me insight into both the private and public sectors of Staten Island, which provides me with a sense of what Staten Island needs borough-wide to prosper.
Please detail any specific policy proposals you may have that will affect the LGBT community, which are not addressed in the following sections.: I will introduce legislation into the city council that will prohibit public funds from going to parades that are excluding LGBTQ+ Members
Please list here the union, organizations (community, civic, media, issue groups), LGBTQ leaders, and elected officials that have endorsed you. : Assemblymen Michael Cusick and Charles Fall, State Senator Diane Savino, City Council Women Debi Rose, City Council Candidates Sal Albanese, Kamillah Hanks and Olivia Drabzyck, AFLCIO Local 100, Local 726 ATU, NY League of Conservation Voters, SEIU1199.
Have you ever endorsed any LGBT candidates? Which ones?: Yes. I have endorsed Matthew Titone on multiple occasions for NYS Assembly and Richmond County Surrogate.
Do you support continuing and sustaining FY 21 funding of the Trans Equity Initiative, which provides funding to several community-based organizations for programming provided specifically to transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary New Yorkers?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Do you support continuing and sustaining FY 21 levels of funding for the NYC Council Ending the Epidemic Initiative, which provides funding to several community-based organizations to provide programming to people at risk of contracting and living with HIV/AIDS?: Yes
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?: N/A
If no, please explain.:
Would you suppport increasing funding for housing for LGBTQ youth and older adults? : Yes
If no, please explain.:
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 and siting of senior housing for the LGBT community in your district?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Will you support increased funding for the HIV/AIDS Services Administration? : Yes
If no, please explain.:
Will you support increasing funding for both emergency shelter beds and transitional beds for homeless youth, a huge percentage of whom are from the LGBT community?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Will you oppose the granting of city shelter contracts to any large, warehouse-style youth shelters, which would require a waiver from the State law limiting shelter size?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Would you support legislation that would require an amendment to the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring optional HIV/AIDS tests when anyone is released from a department of juvenile justice facility or a corrections facility (Int 0239-2018)?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Would you support increased mental health resources for the LGBTQ community?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Would you support the disaggregation of data related to COVID19 infections in New York City to include LGBTQ communities?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Will you support fully funding NYC Department of Health’s plan to expand PEP & PreP Access?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Do you support ensuring all individuals are able to access medically appropriate health care services, including reproductive health care, regardless of their gender identity?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Would you support legislation that would call upon the New York City Department of Education to implement a curriculum and to acquire textbooks and trade books that include key moments in LGBT history and accurately portray the contributions of LGBT individuals in the history of the United States? Reso 0611-2018: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Do you support the inclusion of School Climate as a measure of Non-Academic School Success, as part of the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Do you oppose permitting the use of NYC public school facilities for religious services or any other sectarian uses? : Yes
If no, please explain.:
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. Would you support an increase in accepting applications for licenses?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Would you support legislation that would amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to opportunities for LGBT-owned business enterprises in city procurement (Int 1453-2019)?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Would you support reallocating funding from the NYPD to social services, housing, healthcare (etc.)? : No
If no, please explain.: I believe in finding more funding for these necessary social services housing and healthcare. I do not wish to take funds from the NYPD while there are other places to reallocate funds from.
Would you support the removal of the VICE Squad, which has been found to be violent towards people in the sex trade? : No
If no, please explain.: I believe in protecting women from predatory behavior and we need to ensure that the vice officers are adequately trained to understand and able to make these important judgment calls. This is specifically to protect women from violent men.
Enforcement agencies, such as the NYPD, DOHMH, and DEP, often target LGBTQ businesses for aggressive and discriminatory enforcement actions, particularly as part of Multi-Agency Responses to Community Hotspots (MARCH) raids. Do you support changing the way enforcement actions take place to ensure the LGBTQ businesses are treated equally by agencies? : Yes
If no, please explain.:
The NYPD often targets LGBT community members for arrest or harassment, violating constitutionally protected rights and abusing their discretionary powers in discriminatory ways. Do you support increasing civilian oversight, as well as enhanced accountability for officers, as methods of ensuring LGBT communities are treated equally by law enforcement?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Would you support legislation that would pardon lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals convicted under historical, discriminatory laws? (Reso 0997-2019) : Yes
If no, please explain.:
Will you support a policy change to ensure the New York City Police Department appropriately gender individuals when releasing information?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
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
If no, please explain.:
Will you hire openly LGBT staff and/or designate a liaison to our communities if elected?: Yes
If no, please explain.:
Many in the LGBT community have disabilities. Will you prioritize holding events that are accessible to people with disabilities (PWDs) including providing written materials in alternate formats, providing assistive listening systems, and sign language interpreters where possible as well as ensuring that locations are physically accessible? (This does not apply to private residences): Yes
If no, please explain.:
If you currently hold or have previously held office - have you ever voted against and/or abstained on voting on legislation that supported the LGBT community? : No
If YES, please explain.: I am the only candidate running in the city of NY against a candidate that has actively voted against the LGBT community.
Have you ever endorsed or financially supported any candidate for public office or current elected official with a track record of working against LGBT equality? : No
If YES, please explain.:
Would you in the future, endorse or financially support any candidate for public office or current elected official with a track record of working against LGBT equality?: No
If YES, please explain.: