| R: good answer. You are making education reform one of the major pillars of your campaign. What do you see the state doing beyond disbusring the CFE money? Do you anticipate the state will be able to meet it's CFE commitments for the next fiscal year in light of the projected budget shortfall?
DS: I have not been able to fully review the Governor's budget proposal that came out today, but at an initial glance it looks concerning. The State Education Department needs to update for the 21st Century. It could offer such varied and valuable support for schools and teachers, instead of just anachronistic standardized testing regimens.
R: Would you be open to supporting evaluating schools by a system not based on standardized tests, but on the lives of their alumni 5 or 10 years after graduation or lack of graduation?
DS: I will be open to all good ideas...we need more innovative solutions on our most serious issues.
R: Do you support more charter schools?
DS: I think that last year at least there was a broad consensus to raise the cap. I'm not sure what the landscape is on that this year. Is there a specific proposal?
R: Not that I'm aware of, but it's an issue that always is bound to come up.
DS: It's critical that this is not turned into an back and forth between different parties -- there is a shared consensus to improve education and, I think, a shared belief that charter schools can be a part of that.
R: What are your major plans for protecting the environment?
DS: I love the idea behind the better bottle bill. We also have an array of options on the state level that would make a big difference -- retrofitting for energy efficiency, multi-state agreements on carbon emmissions, reducing congestion in New York City -- on all of them we need to set deadlines for action.
There is also no question that New York State should and could become a center for energy innovation and new sources of energy. I would love for our state to become for clean energy what northern California became for the tech boom.
R: You have a nuanced stance on congestion pricing- please tell me about it.
DS: We have to reduce emissions and traffic congestion in New York City. Congestion pricing is a good way to do it. I don't like the New Jersey drivers exemption. I'm concerned about the area immediately outside the zone seeing an uptick in congestion and a decrease in parking options. I don't believe that those inside the zone should get 'double-charged."
Most importantly, we have to make sure that the mass transit improvements happen and are funded.
Is that nuanced?
R: Not too nuanced (laughs). New York has a lot of infrastructure projects on the table- the second avenue subway, the 7 train extension, the new moynihan station, the JFK LIRR link to lower manhattan, the third track in long island, the trans-hudson express, ect... Do you prioritize any of these projects over any of the others, and how would you find money paying for the ones you support?
DS: Many of these projects are in progress. I would not want to suggest they should stop. That said, I worked on the Transportation Bond Act, which got the Second Avenue Subway construction on track, and I'm very proud of that. By the way, you left out the cross-harbor freight tunnel, which is also an important project.
R: Ah yes, thanks for bringing that up- do you affirmatively support the cross-harbor freight tunnel?
DS: I do.
R: Where do you stand on the City's trash plan? Do you support turning Gansevoort peninsula into a waste transfer station?
DS: I support the idea that the trash can't be dumped into poor neighborhoods. It's an issue of fairness and of health. That said, I am really sympathetic to concerns about the Hudson River Park, which will be great thing in the city.
R: Do you support the Spitzer campaign finance reform bill?
DS: It's a first step, but I think we have to go a lot farther.
R: Do you have a specific proposal?
DS: Well, to start, I'm not taking money from corporations, lobbyists or PACs and I'm pledging to be a full-time legislator. The New York City campaign finance system has similar restrictions, which I support. The state of Maine has a good program. So does the state of Minnesota.
R: Where do you stand on the Brodsky telecom/net neutrality bill?
DS: I support net neutrality. And I believe it has to be protected.
R: You told Downtown Express that Marty Connor was part of a broken system- please elaborate.
DS: The Albany Project needs me to explain how Albany has a broken system?
R: haha, fair enough
DS: I'm happy to, but we wont have time for anything else.
R: Do you think Sheldon Silver is also part of that broken system?
DS: I'm running against one incumbent who is part of the broken system and has been for a long time. The way the system's set up, that's hard enough.
R: Who are you supporting for the Democratic presidential nomination?
DS: No one's asked for my endorsement.
R: haha. Finally, in the words of Stephen Colbert, is the Albany Project a great blog, or the greatest blog?
DS: The greatest blog I've done an interview with, so far. Without question. |
