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City Council Survey (District 3): Yetta G. Kurland
Political Party: Democratic Party http://www.yettakurland.com Candidate Submitted Biography: Yetta Kurland has been a leader in progressive politics and social justice for over two decades. Striving to empower those around her, Yetta’s long history of activism includes community based initiatives, as well as work through both judicial and legislative channels to advocate for civil rights, education, arts and culture, affordable housing, employment rights and health care issues. Yetta Kurland has strong roots in the community, and has been a leader in the field of education, becoming a teacher and founding a language arts school in her early twenties. As a tenant rights activist, Yetta has worked on creating sustainable and affordable housing solutions for New Yorkers, and has defended tenants in eviction proceedings to protect their rent stabilized and rent controlled homes throughout the City. As a civil rights attorney, Yetta has worked to provide legal services to underrepresented communities. She has fought tirelessly to protect workers in both private companies as well as those working for the City of New York. Yetta is currently representing Emergency Medical Services workers suing the City for unfair promotional practices. She is also representing an individual wrongfully arrested during the 2004 Republican National Convention and has recently settled a suit against a City hospital for failure to provide proper medical care. Yetta Kurland has worked on a city and state level to help legislate on important issues such as safety and education as well as constitutional issues such as the rights to assemble, freedom of speech, and the right to due process. A resident of the New York City Council’s Third District for almost 15 years, Yetta lives in Chelsea with her partner Elizabeth and their two Italian Greyhounds, Sal and Luca. Yetta Kurland has proven herself to be a compassionate leader and an independent thinker. She is a champion of the underrepresented. As our City Councilmember, Yetta Kurland will bring her courage, compassion and experience to ensure we have a voice in local politics and access to City government. City Council Survey (District 3): Yetta G. KurlandQuestion 1: What is the most important transportation need in your district? As a Council Member, how would you work to address this need?The 3rd District needs more mass transit options. As City Council Member, I will push for more green express buses (especially on the far West Side)and demand more frequent subway trains. Question 2: The intersection of W 34 Street and 7th Ave is one of the most dangerous in your district, where 0 people died and 98 people were injured between 1995-2005 (NYS DOT). As a City Council member, what traffic enforcement policies or physical changes to the intersection infrastructure would you support to make this intersection safer for everyone who uses it (pedestrians, cyclists and drivers)?As this is a very dangerous intersection for bicyclists and pedestrians alike, I propose re-routing the traffic of all tourist and non-essential buses from the area. I would also propose no turns be allowed at 34th and 7th. I will support the exploration of safer infrastructures for taxi cabs. Protected bike lanes must be a part of the solution. Stronger enforcement of driving rules for both cars and bike riders is essential. Question 3: According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles' most currently available data, in 2007 speeding was a contributing factor in over 3,000 motor vehicle crashes in New York City. Furthermore, the same data showed that the top human contributing factor to the 264 fatal crashes in New York City during 2007 was also speeding. Given these figures, what measures, if any, do you support to redress this problem? Finally, do you believe that New York City’s current speed limits are safe?Where appropriate, I will support installing traffic slowing structures in residential areas and reducing speed limits in residential neighborhoods. I will call for increased accountability in traffic law enforcement. Question 4: The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's website reports: "In New York City, obesity is epidemic: more than half of adult New Yorkers are overweight (34%) or obese (22%). Data show that obesity begins early in life: nearly half of all elementary school children and Head Start children are not a healthy weight. In New York City, 1 in 5 kindergarten students, and 1 in 4 Head Start children, is obese." Do you believe that increasing walking and biking in New York City would improve public health? If yes, how would you work to increase walking and biking in your district?As City Council Member, I will support legislation for increased bicycle access on roads and in buildings, as well as call for the selective closing of streets to automobile traffic on weekends to encourage residents to enjoy biking and walking. Protected bike lanes are essential if we are to encourage students to use bikes. Question 5: Road pricing, including such measures as non-stop tolling, fees based on vehicle miles travelled or entry into a highly congested zone, has been the source of much discussion in New York City and other major metropolitan areas. London famously uses a congestion charge to fund its transit system, Oregon recently piloted a program to replace the gas tax with a fee for miles driven and Seattle recently studied how road pricing could be introduced on a regional basis. Seattle's study, “Traffic Choices Study" (http://psrc.org/projects/trafficchoices/index.htm), found that introducing new tolls on major corridors during peak traffic hours influenced drivers’ behavior and projected that a region-wide road pricing scheme could significantly reduce vehicular traffic congestion. Do you think that introducing a road pricing strategy would change New Yorkers’ travel choices? Do you think that this would be an effective way for the City to reduce backups on high-traffic roadways like the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the Gowanus Expressway or the Long Island Expressway? Finally, do you believe there are additional benefits in the surrounding neighborhoods which could be realized from the reduction of vehicular congestion on these routes?This is a complex question that can only be answered by listening to the community. I believe that reducing vehicular traffic congestion on our high-traffic roadways can have a significant positive impact on the surrounding neighborhoods by increasing business, providing recreation space and improving environmental conditions. While I support efforts to reduce vehicular traffic and fund mass transit, there are problems with the current congestion pricing plan that need to be addressed. The current plan does not take into account the disproportionate impact on small businesses, seniors, handicapped, etc. that rely on vehicular traffic. Most concerning is that the plan does not even guarantee that the monies collected through the schema actually get channeled into improving our public transit. As City Council Member, I will commit myself to addressing these needs and solving the shortcomings in the plan. Question 6: Do you believe that reducing residential parking requirements as set forth within NYC zoning regulations would affect neighborhood traffic congestion, and if so, in what way? This proposal could have some benefit and I support the experiment. Question 7: The NYC Department of Transportation's Public Plaza Program, Pedestrian Street Program and Summer Streets events are intended to diversify the use of public space and provide more places for New Yorkers to recreate and socialize. Do you support the temporary or permanent repurposing of street space for pedestrians and cyclists? Yes, I do. I also support providing better structures in these spaces, especially bike lanes, to set up bike riders for success. Question 8: The City recently released plans for Bus Rapid Transit and expressed interest in bringing a bike share program to New York City. Do you think these new projects would enhance the city's transportation network? Please explain.The Bike Share and Bus Rapid Transit programs are examples of pilot programs well worth trying. As City Council Member, I would support these and many other alternatives to promote bicycle transportation.
Submitted by YettaKurland2009 on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 22:14.
Submitted by YettaKurland2009 on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 13:03.
Submitted by YettaKurland2009 on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 22:14.
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