Political Parties:
Democratic Party
Working Families Party
http://www.DanielDromm.com
Candidate Submitted Biography:
Daniel Dromm is an educator, community organizer, union leader, and political activist. His experience and dedication to the community has led to Dromm being overwhelming elected Democratic District Leader in the 39th Assembly District, Part A (Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona and Woodside in Queens) in 2002 and re-elected in 2004, 2006, and 2008.
Daniel Dromm is an award-winning New York City public school teacher. Since 1984, he has instructed and inspired thousands of students at PS 199Q in Queens. In 2006, Dromm was chosen as "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" by his school's principal and in 2009, he was chosen as "Educator of the Year" by the Kiwanis Club of Sunnyside.
Throughout his career, Daniel Dromm has continuously been at the forefront of effective teaching methods. Dromm took a lead role in implementing several successful projects such as the "Philosophy for Children" project and the Integrated Language Arts project. He was hand-picked by the New York City Opera to give a workshop at Lincoln Center on bringing opera into the classroom. In 1997, along with colleague Barbara Baruch, Dromm won the 'UFT Kid's Day on Broadway' grant for his school. He has received awards from both the District and from the PTA for his dedication to students. Dromm is proud to be entrusted with the education of the children from the same community where his Irish immigrant ancestors landed years ago. He credits his mother, herself a lifelong teacher and United Federation of Teachers (UFT) member, with showing him the "tricks of the trade" and instilling in him a love for teaching.
In 1992, Dromm courageously came out as an openly gay teacher. The story became front-page news in daily newspapers throughout the city. The ensuing battle tested Dromm's resolve as a fighter who is unafraid to take on the powers that be. Dromm defeated several unsuccessful attempts to remove him from his job and became a role model for equality in the workplace. This episode in Dromm's life illustrated to him how important tenure is as a protection for teachers.
Dromm has dedicated himself tirelessly to his union. In 2000, he was selected to attend the prestigious New York State United Teachers Leadership Institute at Cornell University where he worked with other local unions from across the state. Prior to being elected as the UFT Chapter Leader at PS 199Q, Mr. Dromm was the school's UFT delegate. He received an Ely Trachtenberg Award from the UFT in 2000. He felt protected by the support he received from Sandra Feldman when he first came out. And, now, more than ever, he is grateful for the leadership and support of UFT President Randi Weingarten.
Dromm graduated from Marist College with a double major of Spanish and Journalism. He also earned his Master's degree from CUNY-City College. Prior to working for the NYC Department of Education, Dromm was Educational Director of the Grant Day Care Center in Harlem. It was there, while fighting for the rights of the poor to affordable childcare, social services and education, that he acquired his effective organizing skills.
Deeply committed to civil rights and social justice, Dromm has established himself a fighter against prejudice, discrimination and violence as the founder and former co-chairperson of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee. Fifteen years ago, he organized the first Queens LGBT Pride Parade and Festival which he still puts on the first Sunday in June in Jackson Heights. Dromm co-founded the Queens Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG). He helped found Queens Pride House. Dromm also co-founded the Generation Q Youth Services Program in Astoria.
A delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention, and a former board member of the JFK Democratic Club in Jackson Heights, Mr. Dromm has tried hard to promote the ideals and values of the Democratic Party throughout Queens. He co-founded the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens.
Dromm is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Jackson Heights and a board member of the Corona-based Community Conciliation Network. He is an active member of the 115th Precinct Community Council. Dromm regularly volunteers with the Jackson Heights Beautification Group and attends the meetings of the Western Jackson Heights Alliance.
Dromm is fluent in Spanish and has been honored by the Sociedad Puertorriquena de Queens for his commitment to the Latino community. He is a member of the NAACP - Corona/East Elmhurst branch and has also been honored by the Korean-American Association of Central Queens.
In October of 2006, Dromm received a Community Leadership Award from the Times/Ledger newspapers. He received the Marsh-Raimo Award from the UFT, which recognizes an individual who has shown continued commitment to the teacher's union through political action.
Daniel Dromm strongly believes that in order to bring about change, one must affect the political structure. To that end, Dromm's latest initiative is creating the New Visions Democratic Club, a progressive local party club dedicated to serve our diverse community. Dromm has presided over an incredible expansion in membership of New Visions since 2007. It is creating change that motivates Daniel Dromm to run for City Council.
Question 1: What is the most important transportation need in your district? As a Council Member, how would you work to address this need? Our district needs to improve pedestrian access and safety, especially to mass transit, and to reduce motor vehicle traffic congestion. Our streets and intersections expose pedestrians to unacceptable risks. In particular, many senior citizens are often the victims of crashes with motor vehicles in our area. In the City Council, Dromm will direct the Department of Transportation to get people across the street in a safer fashion by retiming traffic signals to allow for more time to cross the street, installing pedestrian ramps flush with the street to make ascending and descending the curb possible for all users, extending curbs at key intersections to make pedestrians more visible, and placing bollards at these curb extensions to prevent trucks and buses from driving into pedestrians while turning. Residents have regularly identified traffic congestion is the most frustrating problem in our district. Dromm will work the NYCDOT to look into engineering solutions as such traffic calming and rebalancing the street grid. Dromm will ask local merchants to educate their driving-customers about local traffic laws. He will also co-ordinate increased traffic enforcement with the local precinct.
Question 2: The intersection of 63 Road and Queens Blvd is one of the most dangerous in your district, where 2 people died and 78 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)? The intersection of 63rd Rd & Queens Blvd is too dangerous. We must pursue both enforcement and engineering improvements to make this intersection safer. In the City Council, Dromm will advocate for dedicated bike lanes on Queens Blvd. Dromm will also pursue physical alterations that will improve pedestrian safety such as plantings, curb extensions, and wider sidewalks. Dromm will also work to decrease motor vehicle traffic by improving mass transit options with more buses running along Queens Blvd. Queens Blvd has greatly improved in the past few years but it is still too dangerous. We must not stop our safety efforts until no one is killed or injured on our streets.
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? Speeding is unacceptable behavior for motor vehicle drivers in our city. Our streets are too active and dense to allow for this type of dangerous offense to occur which could have disastrous consequences. Daniel Dromm will be an advocate for lowering the speed limit in densely populated residential areas like his district which includes neighborhoods such as Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona and LeFrak City. Daniel Dromm will work to increase enforcement of NYC's speed limits by making it a top priority for the NYPD. As public officials, Dromm is committed to public safety as his top priority.
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? Obesity is a serious public health issue in NYC. As a NYC public school teacher, Daniel Dromm sees first-hand the challenges of inadequate recreational and exercise opportunities for our younger generation. Dromm recognizes the link between walking and biking and public health. As a City Council Member, Dromm will be an advocate for increasing pedestrian safety and access and expanding bike lanes in his district. By providing safe and local options for walkers and cyclists, we can promote a more active and healthier lifestyle.
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? Daniel Dromm does believe that road pricing will alter New Yorkers' travel choices. Dromm is a strong advocate for reducing motor vehicle congestion and expanding mass transit access and funding. Road pricing may be an effective way to reduce traffic but its implementation and design must not alienate or appear to unfairly burden different sections of the City. The major concern is that road pricing, as twice recently proposed, is not politically viable at the moment. Dromm advocates for vastly increasing street parking fees, improving parking management, and initiating a residential parking program. Dromm is a firm believer that neighborhoods surrounding high-traffic roadways will benefit from reduced vehicular congestion.
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? Daniel Dromm believes that residential parking requirements in zoning regulations may affect traffic congestion. However, these regulations may have different impacts on different areas. Dromm belives that zoning in densely populated areas such as the 25th City Council District will benefit from more sustainable parking regulations in zoning but other, more suburban areas in Queens would not affected in the same way. The key consideration is that zoning and land use are directly connected to transportation and infrastruture needs in the community. Before a project is approved, the impact of a new building in terms of traffic or public school capacity must be assessed. Daniel Dromm will be an advocate in the City Council for a more comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable approach to land use and zoning in New York City.
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? Daniel Dromm applauds the innovative and positive approach that the DOT has taken under new commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. The Public Plaza Program, the Pedestrian Street Program, and Summer Streets are excellent initiatives that clearly benefit the local communities and economies. In Dromm's district, the 78th Street Play Street is a tremendous success. The Play Street, as part of the Pedestrian Street Program, gives the neighborhood more public space and helps to bring community together. Dromm strongly supports re-purposing street space for pedestrians and cyclists when there is community input, interest, and cooperation. Dromm will be a leader in helping to expand (and sustain) these efforts in the 25th City Council District.
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. Both Bus Rapid Transit and bike sharing are excellent innovations that will improve our City. Bus Rapid Transit is a relatively fast and affordable way to expand mass transit access to currently under-served communities. A bike sharing program will definitely enhance the city's transportation network by providing riding opportunities for cyclists who use bikes on a infrequent basis. Bike sharing will also promote good health and sustainable transportation.
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