City Council Candidate Responses

District 18

Candidate: Michael Beltzer

1. Please briefly share your background and note any experiences you may have in engaging older adults, whether professionally or personally, and in connecting with the non-profit sector.

I fought for the restoration of the food program at the Soundview Senior Center, which hadn't had a food program for over 2 years. https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2018/08/22/seniors-at-bronx-housing-complex-want-center-to-start-serving-meals-again Michael has faced many challenges of life from a young age, such as food insecurity, abuse, and addiction. Michael has very real experiences that fuel his desire to improve the lives of others. Michael has an MBA from CUNY Baruch's Zicklin School of Business, experience at The NYC Comptroller's Office raising billions of dollars for our Roads, Parks, Schools and Public Infrastructure, fought for our Small Businesses at The Bronx Chamber of Commerce and has completed the Latino Leadership Institute's Electoral and Movement School's Leadership trainings. Public service is a focus of Michael's, which is why he currently serves on Community Education Council 8, has served on Bronx Community Board 9, along with other Community and Advocacy Groups. He led one of the largest Community-Based Planning efforts in The Bronx, with over 1000 citizens engaged. Michael has gotten dozens of people elected to County Committee, and helped elect representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Alessandra Biaggi. Michael help get Ranked Choice Voting passed and has fought for better infrastructure such as housing and transportation throughout District 18.

2. As we live longer and healthier lives, what are your priorities with respect to promoting equity across all ages in our City?

My priorities are a right to age in place, the end of school segregation, the right to education, fully accessible housing, walkable streets and well resourced public spaces and health facilities.

3. Do you support increasing the budget for the Department for the Aging (DFTA), which funds programs such as Senior Centers, NORCs, home-delivered meals, and more? Please give rationale for your response and specify any specific funding changes you are most committed to achieving.

Yes, I support increasing the budget for the DFTA. The COVID-19 crisis has shown just how important these services are to seniors and how many of them rely on these services just to survive. Particularly, I would increase funding for the home-delivered meals program as this pandemic has made it increasingly difficult for the eldery to get access to good, healthy food, without fear of risking their lives.

4. Do you support implementing a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for city-contracted human service workers and the full implementation of the Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) initiative for non-profits? Please explain your response.

Yes I support a COLA increase for human service workers and the ICR initiative. Human service workers have been an integral part of the essential workforce during this pandemic and they should be compensated as such.

5. Given that many older New Yorkers rely on limited fixed incomes and would prefer to age in community, rather than entering costly nursing homes, how will you address the need for affordable senior housing with services for a growing older population? How will you evaluate/respond to affordable senior housing proposals during ULURP?

I am supportive of the city investing in the construction of senior housing so that the elderly can develop a sense of community with a limited budget. I am also supportive of reworking the ULURP process so that it is easier to build senior housing projects. One thing I will be building into a comprehensive community-based plan is minimum unit size for senior buildings, as many people are being moved into cramped studios.

6. While many older adults wish to be connected, many lack the financial resources or training necessary to fully access technology, exacerbating the digital divide. How would you encourage the City to address this?

I am fully supportive of pushing for universal broadband in NYC. I believe in the modern era, the internet should be treated as a human right and we need to ensure that every person in the city is able to access the internet if they need to. We can ensure access to older adults by having devices available for free at senior centers and through home health aide programs, with trainings held at senior centers and parks.

7. During COVID-19, Senior Centers continued to work remotely, offering services in new ways to ensure their clients’ needs were met. To date, providers have not been authorized to operate in-person, despite restaurants, movies, and other entities, which older adults could also attend, being open. Further, community-based organizations, in many cases, have not been leveraged in the new meal delivery system. What are ways that you feel the City should work with nonprofits and engage older adults in the event of a future emergency?

I am always for empowering community-based work first. I believe senior centers can openly safely, especially with increasing rates of vaccination. The City should not try to supplant existing organizations in a time of crisis but support them.

8. With 1 in 5 New Yorkers over the age of 60, what are the changes you would seek to make to create a more age-friendly district? Please consider addressing the physical infrastructure of your district (walkability, accessibility, etc.), health care access, safety net resources, and other district specific items of note.

I will absolutely make sure that every crosswalk and building in my district is accessible. Through a community based plan, I hope to build in community health facilities and senior housing. Our district also does not have a subway with an elevator so I will continue to advocate for them.

9. In the event of a budget shortfall, how would you push for the City to close the gap? Are there agencies or programs you feel should or should not absorb cuts? Please be specific.

I would be supportive of having the NYPD absorb cuts, as opposed to our social services such as healthcare, senior services or education.

10. How should your constituents look to measure your success in achieving your responses outlined above?

If they have a plan they can look at to plan for the future and a built environment that is changing around them for their betterment.