I will ask the mayor to give me the money that would otherwise be spent fixing potholes, streets, and roads in Brooklyn. I will hire a private maintenance company at half the cost and give the extra money back to Brooklyn residents through lower taxes and lower fines.
New York City once had a larger population, no public housing, and no housing shortage. This was in the 1920s and 1930s. There was such a high vacancy rate that landlords, desperate for tenants, offered the first month free. People moved often, and some very poor people moved every two or three months to take advantage of the free month. It was easier to move than to paint. Landlords hated to lose a tenant because it cost them a free month to get a new one. It was a renter's paradise. As Borough President, I would find out what the housing laws were in the '20s and '30s and get them reinstituted in Brooklyn.
Commuter vans
Stop harassing the operators of “dollar” vans. They serve the transportation needs of low-income families.
Licensing
Licensing makes it harder for low-income families to open small businesses. I will fight to exempt small business in Brooklyn from licensing.
Drugs
The war on drugs is a war on poor people. It does not reduce drug usage. I want an end to misdemeanor arrests for marijuana possession in Brooklyn. I want the next Mayor to give me all the money saved by ending such arrests and incarcerations in Brooklyn and I will return the money to Brooklyn residents through lower taxes and lower fines. I will open discussion on better ways to reduce the harm caused by other drugs without resorting to criminal penalties.
City services inferior in the outer boroughs
Everyone knows that Manahttan gets its streets cleared of snow while Brooklyn streets are still unpassable. I will ask City Hall to give us the money they pay the Sanitation Department to clear the streets, and we'll hire our own plowing company at half the cost. The excess money will be returned to Brooklyn residents in the form of lower taxes and lower fines.
End the smoking ban in Brooklyn bars
The ban on smoking in Brooklyn bars is hurting business and destroying jobs. I will fight to allow owners to run their businesses as they see fit and to serve the needs of their customers. Print out this poster and put it up in your neighborhood bars.
Wal-Mart
Shopping at Wal-Mart is great. Recently, a 70-page school notebook was offered for 10˘! I couldn’t believe my eyes. What can you get for 10˘ these days? Low-income families all over the country shop at Wal-Mart to make ends meet. New York’s poor should not be deprived of the same opportunity. As Brooklyn Borough President, I would try to work out a deal that would satisfy Wal-Mart's critics and at the same time give Brooklynites a fabulous place to shop. Even rich folks enjoy shopping there.
