As mayor, I’d definitely make exercise a public health priority. In the past, I’ve co-sponsored biking bills and I’ve introduced a resolution urging the federal government to increase physical fitness classes in our schools. I also support increasing our parkland and open spaces – both expanding the ones we have, and building new ones.

E. Education: Why is the administration hanging their hat on test score increases that are only minimal and increases on substandard education to begin with? Finan09 calls for all children to be in school at age two. It is widely known that the ability to learn is greatest from 2yrs to 7 yrs. Finan09 plans to use this efficiency to dramatically improve reading, mathematics, and multi-lingual statistics in City Children. Finan09 will also provide uniforms and laundering. The ability for the families and single parents to work and ease their burdens as well as provide proper nutrition will have exponential social and economic benefit.

My administration has made walking and biking a public health priority, with a goal of making our city the most bike-friendly in the country. We recently completed an historic effort to build 200 bike-lane miles in all 5 boroughs in just 3 years, nearly doubling our bike network while reshaping streets to make them safer for everyone. The same period also saw unprecedented expansion and innovation of the overall network, including the installation of 20 sheltered bike parking structures and 3,100 bike racks, leading to a more than 45% growth in commuter cycling in that time.

In addition, by creating new pedestrian plazas in all 5 boroughs—including in Times Square—as well as expanding our Summer Streets program, we are finding creative ways to encourage walking, exercise, and other health and fitness activities. Our Broadway Boulevard program has provided new pedestrian spaces for a range of activities, including yoga and exercise classes. Summer Streets also encourages these activities. Last year, for three consecutive Saturdays in August, we temporarily closed Park Avenue to motor vehicles and opened it up to pedestrians and bicyclists. This year we are expanding Summer Streets citywide.

We will continue to foster walking and biking in order to boost healthy activity and healthy outcomes. These efforts mesh well with a major goal of our sustainability master plan, PlanNYC: to ensure all New Yorkers live within a 10 minute walk of a park.

Absolutely. New York City is fortunate because, in many neighborhoods, it is still possible to pick up groceries, pick up a take-out meal, or go to a hardware store with a quick walk or bike ride rather than by car. Other cities live and die by the car; we do not.

But we have lost that in some neighborhoods. To change this, we need to plan with pedestrians and bicyclists in mind all the time, not just when it’s convenient.

Overall, we have not done well by our commercial strips and small businesses, so essential to our economic well-being and our sense of community. Too many find rents impossible to meet and deliveries too expensive.

To preserve small businesses and the community they help foster, we need a multi-faceted approach that ultimately reduces traffic. Transportation policy is a central element. We must increase transportation alternatives, because a City that works is a City where many different transportation alternatives are available in many different neighborhoods. We must also significantly step up the examination of transportation needs in underserved communities, so we can create better options for current automobile users. Finally, we must implement a variety of measures to reduce automobile speed, so New Yorkers feel safe taking that stroll or bike ride.