Update Sept. 12, 2016: Republican Glenn Nocera's answers were added after he submitted them Sept. 8, 2016.
PARK SLOPE — Next week's state primary election will give neighborhood voters the chance to choose a new representative in Albany for the first time in three decades.
Four contenders are vying to replace Assemblyman Jim Brennan, who will retire this year after nearly 32 years representing the 44th Assembly District, which includes parts of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Flatbush and Midwood.
Lawyer Robert Carroll, teacher Rob Curry-Smithson and freelance journalist Troy Odendhal are on the Democratic ballot. Republican Glenn Nocera is running unopposed on the Republican ticket.
DNAinfo New York asked the candidates to tell us in their own words what they want to do in Albany.
Below are the responses from Carroll, Curry-Smithson and Odendhal. The primary vote is on Sept. 13.
Q: What is the most important local issue that Albany lawmakers can influence?
A: If there’s one thing I hear people in Brooklyn complain about, it’s transit. Getting around is critical to quality of life; I currently take the train to work every day. The MTA is a state agency, and this is something that I will prioritize in Albany. In particular, I want to improve and replace the signals and switches on the F, B and Q subway lines, which will increase capacity along these lines. This will make it easier to run express F trains, while keeping a high volume of local trains.
Q. What will you do to maintain and create affordable housing, if that’s a priority for you?
A: I've often pointed out that Brooklyn is the most expensive place to live in America. There’s a lot of reasons for this, and some of them are outside the purview of what I can do in the Assembly. But development is the heart of this issue. Developers say whatever it takes to get a project approved, and then aren't held accountable when they break their promises. I will require affordable housing in any development with 10 units or more, eliminate tax loopholes that benefit builders of luxury developments, and create incentives for developers to build more affordable housing.
Q: Which education policies do you want to influence in Albany and why?
A: By the time you graduate from a New York public school these days, you’ve taken dozens of standardized tests. Your teachers have devoted countless hours of classroom time toward making sure you pass those tests. But the strategies that result in good test scores don't always result in well-educated, well-adjusted students. We need teachers who connect with their kids on levels that go deeper than a test. We need to emphasize subjects that you can’t test, such as technology and the arts. In Albany, I will fight the "test-test-test" mentality.
Q: Why are you the most qualified candidate?
A: I was born and raised in Windsor Terrace and Kensington. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been involved in civic life here. I served as president of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, I’m a member of Community Board 7 and I helped found the Brooklyn Reform Coalition. I also am an active member of the Park Slope Civic Council and Windsor Terrace Food Coop. I know what matters to the people in this district, because they are the issues I've worked on my whole life — reform and transparency in government, social and economic justice, and pro-neighborhood housing and development.
Q: What is the most important local issue that Albany lawmakers can influence?
A: Education is an important issue in every locality. We need to make sure that we are giving our students the best chances for success from pre-K through college. It is critical that Albany provide the necessary funding for our schools and move our students away from excessive testing, reduce class sizes, and give more authority to parents and teachers inside their schools.
Q: What will you do to maintain and create affordable housing, if that’s a priority for you?
A: As a longtime renter I've searched many times over for affordable housing, but we all realize that New York rent is too high. We need to strengthen and expand programs to create more affordable housing, requiring all new construction of apartment buildings to include at least 25 percent of units as affordable housing. We should also tax luxury homes and vacant homes which are owned by out-of-town investors, to expand the housing market for New Yorkers and bring down the cost.
Q: Which education policies do you want to influence in Albany and why?
A: A priority of mine is to make CUNY and SUNY tuition free for New Yorkers. Today a college degree is as common and necessary in the workplace as a high school diploma was 60 years ago. We should make it truly public. Our K-12 schools also need more attention from the state. Since 2008 they have struggled for funding and have had to increase class size. Our students need more personal attention. That can only be done if we reduce class sizes. Our students need less standardized testing. High schools spend nearly a month taking Regents exams instead of learning.
Q: Why are you the most qualified candidate?
A: I am the only candidate who has spent his career in schools, learning the successes and failures of our education system. You can expect that I will know how to improve that system in Albany, where teachers are not often heard from. I also have taken no money in this campaign, so I will owe no one any favors or special access.
Q: What is the most important local issue that Albany lawmakers can influence?
A: Affordable housing is essential to creating long-term community sustainability. Albany should enact policies that create and protect affordable housing. State tax policy can access revenue sources to fund affordable housing while also establishing affordable unit mandates for developers to qualify for tax benefits. These affordable unit mandates should transfer even when development ownership changes. Affordability should be based upon Zip code economic data, not area median income, which overestimates earnings in New York City. The state’s housing regulatory agency must be funded to act as an enforcement agency to proactively protect regulated, affordable housing.
Q: What will you do to maintain and create affordable housing, if that’s a priority for you?
A: In my first 100 days, I would introduce the 2017 Emergency Tenant Protection Act to support affordable housing including: a regulated apartment rent freeze and higher taxes on corporate and out-of-state residential owners. To fund housing and other vital programs, I would introduce stock transfer tax reform legislation. This tax is collected on financial transactions and fully refunded by Albany each year. Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo wants to repeal the tax. I want the state keep all of those funds, which amount to around $16 billion annually. The funding is already there, politicians must have the will to fight for it.
Q: Which education policies do you want to influence in Albany and why?
A: I would introduce legislation to increase funding to public schools by fulfilling the state’s funding responsibility under the Campaign for Fiscal Equity and restoring cuts made to public education since 2009; keeping a higher percentage of lottery winnings and increasing taxes for online gambling and using revenue that is refunded from the stock transfer tax. The billions of dollars collected through the stock transfer tax could also be used to create and fund free tuition or vocation school for up to 2 years for qualifying New York students. Such a program would help educate future workers and stem student debt.
Q: Why are you the most qualified candidate?
A: For the past 25 years, my professional career has been committed to community empowerment and youth education. As such, I possess a breadth of personal and professional qualifications in crafting education, housing and health policy. I have been a community school director, teacher, community activist and journalist. I have lived throughout the 44th district, attended its public schools and experienced the need to move throughout the district in search of affordable housing. As an elected official, I would be a fearless advocate standing up to the corruption that is characteristic of Albany and fight for the needs of our diverse communities.
Q: What is the most important local issue that Albany lawmakers can influence?
A: Fight the massive corruption with government officials and certain community leaders. and fight the high burdensome taxes that are putting a stranglehold on all New Yorkers.
Q: What will you do to maintain and create affordable housing, if that’s a priority for you?
A: Continue programs like 80/20 building and Mitchell-Lama housing, try to expand programs like that where we can.
Q: Which education policies do you want to influence in Albany and why?
A: Promote the school voucher program. Try to reduce CUNY/SUNY tuition. Reduce cost and time overruns with CUNY/SUNY construction projects.
Q: Why are you the most qualified candidate?
A: I served as first responder for the past 20+ years, both paid and volunteer. I was a 9/11/01 first responder. Risked life and limb to evacuate people from an apartment building fire. History of willing to take on those who differ in opinion even within my own party. Went to NYC public school and college. As a homeowner, I know what it is to struggle in a city where the cost of living increases but your cash flow doesn't. As a union member I know the importance of how a group needs to protect its members from certain special interests.