Public Advocates Race- Who Is Running And Who Has Signed Our Defending Libraries Letter of Support (Plus, Very Important, Who Is Taking Real Estate Money!)

Who is running for NYC Public Advocate and more . . .

The whole race for NYC Public Advocate is sort of ridiculous at the moment.

There is no time for anyone to find out about the election (it’s on Tuesday the 26th of this month), figure out who is running, or to campaign and say what their positions are.  It is also for a stub term that will be over almost instantaneously.  The next election for the office basically starts as soon as this one ends.

Lastly, it is a shrieking advertisement for why we should have instant runoff voting.  With seventeen candidates (still) running it is a circular firing squad where candidates advertising similar positions will execute each other.  The winner could conceivable win with less than 10% of the vote (more likely it will be with a little over 20%).  A good Republican can be better than a bad Democrat (we don't want to be in any way prejudiced), but with only one Republican running, he may be the winner just because he is a Republican even though no candidate is allowed to run as either a Republican or a Democrat.

What may be more important is how quickly any winner of that office can do something that makes fireworks to set themselves up for the next election for that office.  That includes potentially doing something for libraries and doing the things that protects the city’s populace against the real estate industry, protecting the public realm, public places and maintaining a livable city with human dimension and scale for its residents.

We have written before about the importance of the office of NYC Public Advocate when our libraries are under threat.  Further, one of the prominent and obvious forces in the panoply of forces arraying to threaten libraries, is the real estate industry that spends so copiously to buy off our elected officials.  Information about which of the Public Advocates candidates are taking money from that industry and which of them are taking in the biggest and most troubling ways is available on an article in the Villager by Lynn Ellsworth of New Yorkers For a Human Scale New York (see- Wanted: Candidates who’ll fight big real estate, February 11, 2019) and in a related study she has published on the numbers (see- Follow the Money and the Voting Records:  Public Advocates Race . . .Candidates Who Participated in the First Debate  2/6/19- It uses cute little face icons as a guide to the ext and analysis).

In the Villager article Ms. Ellsworth says the race is lowering her expectations about what is in store for our future because the “race is rife with term-limited politicians, machine pols and recipients of real estate money.”

After a few curt remarks about the effect real estate money has already had on candidates in the huge field that is running Ellsworth says:

The sniff test of “who takes real estate money and who doesn’t” leaves a few candidates standing: David Eisenbach, Nomiki Konst, Dawn Smalls and Ben Yee — and to a lesser extent Kim and O’Donnell. The two women, Smalls and Konst, passed the first of the Campaign Finance Law’s funding thresholds and got into the public debate.

In the bad-news-might-be-good-news department, the most encouraging thing that can be teased out of this overall perplexing situation is that because very few people will vote and know about the election and the candidates, those who do may have significant extra sway over the results.  We encourage you to vote.  Just as important: Let the candidates you are voting for (and not voting for) because of their positions with respect to libraries and the real estate industry know about how those issues have directed your vote.

Right now a number of the candidates have signed the Citizens Defending Libraries letter of support:

Support and Sign-On Letter: Full and Adequate Library Funding, A Growing System, Transparency, Books and Librarians.

(We will be sending the information out to our multi-thousand list soon- plus potentially updating this post- so if you wish to exercise influence on any non-signers to tell them to get down to business please do.)

Public Advocate candidate signers are (roughly in order of quickness of response and enthusiasm):

David Eisenbach (who has written a letter about his support for libraries)
Nomiki D. Konst
Benjamin L. Yee
Jared Rich
Rafael L. Espinal

Non-signers are:

Melissa Mark-Viverito (She has actively ignored all our reach outs)
Yandis Rodriguez (Not likely to come around to signing since he secretly set up sale of Inwood Library)
Jumaane D. Williams (A front runner who should be signing and abstained on the City Council vote on the Brooklyn Heights Library sale as we recall)

And the others who have not gotten back to us:

Michael A. Blake
(Anthony) Tony Herbert
Ron Kim
Daniel (Danny) J. O’Donnell
Dawn L. Smalls
Latrice Walker
Eric A. Ulrich
A. Manny Aliccandro
Helal Abu Sheikh

Candidates who dropped out and are now irrelevant are:

Theo Chino
Daniel Christmann
Ifeoma Ike
Diane Savino
Gwenn Goodman
Michael Zumbluskas
Raphael Schweizer

Information For Library Defenders About Thursday, September 13, 2018 New York Democratic Primary Election

Here is a link to our event with Ms. Teachout, including video.  Although CDL helped Ms. James become Public Advocate, the results have been very disappointing.

    

THURSDAY,  September 13, 2018.
Election Day!  (This Thursday election day date may take you by surprise)
The New York primary election for state and local candidates will take place on September 13, 2018. 

The upcoming Thursday September 13, 2018 election day date may take you by surprise.  It’s the date for the primaries and in New York City and New York State the Democratic primaries are very important in terms of how they determine the flow of later events.

NYS Attorney General Race
    
The race that is especially important for the defense of our libraries this election (and also important for keeping checks and balances on the federal government) is the race for New York State Attorney General.  Library defending Zephyr Teachout has received the endorsement of the New York Times, the Daily News, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and now Bernie Sanders- Who would have predicted these bedfellows?

The polls say that the race is very close with a huge number of voters in the last polls still ranked as “undecided” voters.  If you are still wanting to decide you may want to listen to or watch the debate that was held between the candidates last week.  The other three candidates all went on the attack against Zephr Teachout, each of them seeming to believe that her qualifications, among them writing a book about solving the problems of political corruption, made her the number one threat to their own candidacies.  That made the library defending Ms. Teachout seem like the clear frontrunner in the race.

In the debate, Tish James was asked why her very well-funded campaign (along with Sean Patrick Maloney’s) is hauling in vast amounts (over a quarter of a million dollars, 19% of her funds) from big real estate developers and what they expect from her.  Her response was not satisfactory to us, especially given that what the donors could get from her could be from her in the NYC Public Advocate position she now holds or the NYS Attorney General position she wants to old.

Sean Patrick Maloney was asked why, as a lawyer running for NYS Attorney General, he didn’t seem to understand campaign finance law limitations he’s likely violated in transferring funds to himself from another of his campaigns, nor the status of the legal case that Ms. Tecahout has brought to hold him to account on the matter.

Leecia Eve was asked about why she wouldn’t, as a candidate, release her tax returns when she had criticized candidate Donald Trump for doing the same thing and she hemmed and hawed obfuscatorily about the not very revaling information she had released instead.

Library defenders, let’s get out and vote!  Let’s get a library defender as the NYS Attorney General, its one of the offices that matters most to the protection of the libraries.  By the way, if voter turnout is low, the vote of every library defender then counts all the more!!

Race for Governor

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon is challenging Andrew Cuomo for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.  She may get it.  Four years ago, with less lead time and less publicity, library defending Zephyr Teachout did surprisingly well against Cuomo.  If you want to learn about the candidates and the issues and an awful lot of important information about how New York State is run, we suggest you listen to the one debate Nixon and Cuomo had.  It was very educational.  An easy way to listen to it is to go to the web to listen to the rebroadcast on the Brian Lehrer Show.

We should also mention that people voting for Cynthia Nixon will probably want to vote (its an independent separate vote) for Jumaane  Williams for Lieutenant Governor whom the New York Times endorsed (interestingly, another such split ticket governor’s race election endorsement- will this get to be Times habit?).  Lastly, everyone, including the New York Times editorial board is reacting with extreme negativity to Cuomo's extremely dirty tricks fighting Ms. Nixon -  This level of desperation on Cuomo's part may be interpreted as clue that Cynthia Nixon could possibly win.

Relative to Race For AG: The Popularity of  Alexandria Oacasio-Cortez and Zephyr Teachout and Their Views and Why It Makes The Success of Libraries Threatening To Certain People In Power

WNYC’s On The Media ran an hour of subjects headed by a picture of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with library defending Zephyr Teachout about the shifts in public opinion that has made their views so increasingly popular.  Part of the discussion in one of segments was consideration about why successful libraries are a threat to people who want the precepts of private market capitalism to take over and run everything.

We have more available about it here:

Libraries As A Threat To The “Perspective” That Virtually Everything Should Be Dictated And Run By The Forces of Market Capitalism

 
Democratic Candidate for NY Governor Zephyr Teachout at Citizens Defending Libraries News Conference, Sept.6, 2014 from Michael D'Elia on Vimeo.

Watch our web  Citizens Defending Libraries Facebook page and Twitter feed (@Defendlibraries) as you can share this page and other things we post about the election choices. . . . Once again:  If voter turnout is low, the vote of every library defender then counts all the more!!

November 7, 2017 (Tuesday) NYC Elections- Voting Options & What Library Defenders Should About Candidates Running For Office

Candidates Steve Levin Victoria Crambranes, both running to be council member representing the 33rd district

Please remember to vote on Tuesday and remind all the library defenders you know to vote too. . .

No matter what, your votes sends a message to our elected officials that you vote and it can send a message* about what you care about, including libraries.

(* NOTE: If you are unhappy with the choices you can send a message by NOT voting particular lines or by writing in alternatives.  And, on things like judges, if you know and like some, but don't know about the others, only vote for the judges you like so you don't dilute your vote.  Voting Green Party can send a message and help that party get their message out better and better over time.)

Here is a roundup of some important voting options this Tuesday when it comes to defending libraries and information about the candidates’ positions and their records on selling libraries.

The second biggest library in Brooklyn was just sold, the central destination Business, Career, and Education Library Brooklyn Heights Library in Downtown Brooklyn.  It was sold for a minuscule fraction of its value in a shrink-and-sink-deal mirroring the Donnell Library shrink-and-sink-deal debacle (a central destination library likewise replaced with a luxury tower).

That makes several races on Tuesday all the more important.

Race for 33rd City Council District

One of those important races is the City Council race for the 33rd district where incumbent City Councilman Steve Levin who pushed through that Brooklyn library sale (and let the top floor of the Williamsburg Library be given away) is running against challenger Victoria Cambranes.  The debate between the candidates was very telling.  More information here:

Debate Between Candidates For 33rd NYC Council District, Incumbent Councilman Steve Levin And Challenger Victoria Cabranes

On Eve of 10/29/'17 Debate With Victoria Cambranes, Challenger For His Office, Councilman Steve Levin Sends Transparency Request Letter to Brooklyn Public Library Promised in Spring 2015 (But it's deficient!)

The Race For New York City Mayor

City Councilman Steve Levin could not have pushed through the sale of the second biggest library in Brooklyn had it not been the plan of library-selling Mayor de Blasio who is now also pushing forward other ill-advised library sales like the Inwood Library.

Running against him is a candidate who opposes these sales and has signed out Citizens Defending Libraries Letter of Support.  More information here.

Democratic Primary (September 12, 2017)- Candidates For Mayor: Sal Albanese vs. Bill de Blasio

Race for Public Advocate

For years ago Tish James as Candidate for Public Advocate ran with full-throated statements about how if she was elected she would oppose and stop the sale of city libraries.  But what has she really done when had the chance.  David Eisenbach was running against her and supposedly remains on the Liberal line for the general election (but is apparently not actually on the ballot).  He has spoken out against the library sales and signed our Citizens Defending Libraries Letter of Support.  More information (important about Tish James) here.

Democratic Primary (September 12, 2017)- Candidates For Public Advocate: David Eisenbach vs. incumbent Tish James

Since it looks like you won't find Mr. Eisenbach on the ballot it is all the more important to direct your attention to another candidate running for Public Advocate (who you will not have any problem finding on the ballot), James Lane, whose strong position about not selling libraries was made very clear by him at our Public Advocates Forum.

Race for 35rd City Council DistrictAnother city council race to care about is the City Council race for the 35th district (Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Bed Stuy, and Crown Heights) where incumbent City Council Member Laurie Cumbo is running against challenger Jabari Brisport.  Laurie Cumbo wholeheartedly backed Councilman Levin’s sale of the second biggest library in Brooklyn and is enthusiastic about library sales generally.  (That’s notwithstanding that when she was running to first obtain office she signed our petition opposing the library sales.)  She is funded by a ton of real estate money and generally characterized as being blindly in that industry’s pocket.

In contrast, challenger Brisport has vigorously opposed the selling of the Bedford Union Armory in Crown Heights, currently one of the biggest issues in the district with respect to which Cumbo (whom we find untrustworthy when it comes to the sale of public assets) is no better than “ambiguous.” 

An Extra Thought About Why You Should Vote

And just in case you needed an extra push to think about why it is important to vote and why it is important to think about libraries when you vote, you may want to consider this:

How Did Trump Get Elected?: Michael Moore In "Terms of My Surrender" Envisions That It Was A Dumbing Down of the Country That Involved Closing Libraries

The United States is at the bottom of the list of countries in the world in terms of voter turn-out.  And of the fifty states New York is at the bottom of the list in terms of voter turn-out.  That unfortunate fact actually means that your vote counts all the more.  It's an unfortunate fact that can be explained by the way that our elected officials disappoint and fail to represent us when in office.  Still when the choices are wrong we can still send a message that the choices are wrong if we vote and, if necessary, don't vote certain lines or write in candidates.

Democratic Primary (September 12, 2017)- Candidates For Public Advocate: David Eisenbach vs. incumbent Tish James

David Eisenbach wearing save our library, don't sell our libraries buttons as he campaigned outside the Inwood Library to be elected to the office of NYC Public Advocate

What do library defenders need to know about the candidates running to be the Democratic candidate for New York City Public Advocate?  David Eisenbach is running against incumbent Tish James.

Thursday of this week, David Eisenbach was up in the neighborhood of Inwood standing with a large crowd outside the Inwood Library calling for that library to be saved from sale for development by Mayor Bill de Blasio and his administration.

Save the Inwood Library press conference Thursday

Public Advocate Tish James was not there.  In her now nearly four years in office as Public Advocate Tish James has done little to oppose the sale of New York City libraries.

After the current NYC Comptroller, Scott Stringer wrote a strong letter critical of the BPL's sale and shrinkage of its second biggest biggest library in Brooklyn with the current Tish James followed suit to write similarly, and as a candidate for office candidate James campaigned against such shrinkages.
Accordingly, Citizens Defending Libraries endorsed her when she ran for her office.  And Ms. James mentioned protecting libraries in both speeches she gave after her two primary wins four years ago.  She again mentioned the importance of protecting libraries and our public assets in her inaugural address.
 
Nevertheless, Ms. James is one of the list of public officials who have not done enough to exercise their formidable powers to protect the libraries from the significant abuses involved in their sales.

Where does David Eisenbach stand on the subject of NYC library sales?

David Eisenbach has signed our Citizens Defending Libraries letter of support.  See: Support and Sign-On Letter: Full and Adequate Library Funding, A Growing System, Transparency, Books and Librarians.

Letter from David Eisenbach, candidate for Public Advocate, decrying library sales.

David Eisenbach has also furnished Citizens Defending Libraries with a letter further expressing his thoughts about stopping these sales and the role of the Public Advocate in that regard.

It reads:

To Supporters of Citizens Defending Libraries,

My name is David Eisenbach. I teach history at Columbia University and I'm running in the September 12th Democratic Primary for Public Advocate because I'm tired of New York City's Democratic establishment selling off our libraries, parks, and hospitals to Big Real Estate. I'm absolutely furious about the city's plan to demolish the Inwood library and sell the property to a developer. Libraries have played an essential role in my life. As a child my local library hosted storytelling and film programs that enkindled a joy for learning and planted the seeds for my career as a writer and History Channel host and producer. My first book was almost entirely researched in NYPL. I think the Inwood Library sellout is symbolic of the sick, distorted priorities of our current society that values money over knowledge. Now more than ever we need to build and expand libraries not tear them down for the highest bidder.

I know 4 years ago Bill de Blasio and Tish James made a lot of promises to Citizens Defending Libraries -- promises that went unfulfilled. It would be very reasonable for you to be suspicious of yet another politician promising to be THE ONE to defend the libraries. All I can say is I don't accept big real estate money. I'm not a career politician looking to use the Public Advocate's office to become mayor - I only want to be Public Advocate. I've dedicated my career to spreading knowledge and sparking a passion for learning in my students. I promise I'll be a Real Public Advocate who will defend Inwood library and all others. So remember to vote this Tuesday.

Sincerely,

David Eisenbach

Public Advocates and Comptroller Candidates Forum on Libraries Held September 4, 2013

Set up and ready to go

On September 4 , 2013, Public Advocates and Comptroller Candidates Forum on Libraries was held 10:00 AM to Noon at The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center at
3940 Broadway, New York City, NY 10032.

Zaed Ramadan of the Malcolm X Shabazz Center

It was sponsored by Citizens Defending Libraries; The Committee to Save The New York Public Library; The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center; The Harlem Historical Society; Lynn’s Kids International, and Mid-Manhattan Branch of the NAACP.

Roy Paul

Roy Paul, Journalist, Commentator, and Analyst served as moderator:

Roy Paul is a highly sought after commentator specializing in the areas of education, social and economic justice, and the advancement of African Americans in modern pop culture and politics. Paul made history when he became the youngest African-American to ever be elected to a school board in New York State when he was 19 years old. He contributes political commentary on WABC 7 in New York and is a contributor to RapGenius.com. In May and August of 2013, he moderated two forums with the Democratic candidates running for mayor of New York City and he moderated a Public Advocates candidates forum on June 27th at York College.

Candidates were asked to detail their positions on one of the most under-reported issues of the campaign.  All the city's libraries all across the city are being funded at unprecedentedly low levels, but usage is up 40% problematically, 59% in terms of circulation and the city is growing- The underfunding is being used as an excuse to do something else: Sell libraries and in the process substantially shrink their space and the resources in the library system, including the Central Library Plan to remove stacks from the New York Public Library’s research collection and relocate books to southern New Jersey; proposals by the New York and Brooklyn public libraries to sell publicly owned library buildings for private development; and the citywide reduction in library services at a time of growing demand.

"Take on the tough fights"?: Scott Stringer did not show up although offered the choice of phoning in his 10 minutes, and has not answered the candidates questionnaire.  Unfortunately, he is apparently in favor of the Central Library Plan. 

The podcast of the event may be listened to here: Public Advocates and Comptroller Candidates Forum on Libraries Held September 4, 2013.
(Link: http://bobrowen.com/podcasts/Public Advocate Forum on Libraries 130904.mp3)

Video and pictures will soon be posted here.

In addition to the questions asked and answered by the candidates at this event, candidates for New York City office have been asked and are responding to Citizens Defending Libraries' questionnaire, both available here: Citizens Defending Libraries Questions For Candidates For New York City Offices.

Positions of candidates not attending the forum were also reviewed.

You can decide for yourself by listening to the podcast (video coming) which of the attending candidates came off the best.

Tish James- This and other photos (observe watermarks lower left) are taken by photographer Miriam Berkley

James Lane

James Land discussing chart on library usage (up) and funding (down)

Mark Green

Carolyn McIntyre and Lynn Rosen

Clara Edmond from the Raging Grannies

Michael Henry Adams

Listening you will probably decide that one candidate, Daniel Squadron, who did not attend but sent a representative, former Public Advocate Mark Green, did not come off well.  Mr. Green had no information about Mr. Squadron's position on libraries, their sell-off and shrinkages or underfunding and could not say whether Mr. Squadron was for or against the NYPL's Central Library Plan involving sales and shrinkage.  In addition, the candidates were invited to submit one question to be asked another candidate.  Candidate Tish James asked a question (see below) of Mr. Squadron about his unwillingness to oppose the sale of the Brooklyn Heights Library for shrinkage and redevelopment and his acceptance of money from the NYPL's Chief Operating Officer David Offensend, a chief architect of plans to sell and shrink New York City libraries.  Decide for yourself, but you will probably conclude that Mr. Green was largely unable to address the question asked.

Roy Paul and former Public Advocate Mark Green representing candidate Senator Daniel Squadron

Squadron Surrogate Mark Green Grilled On Offensend Donation

The forum was attended by staff sent by library administration officials (who want to sell libraries off in real estate deals- as can be heard in the podcast, at point during the forum these attendees were invited to participate by providing information).  It was observed that these library administration attendees confabbed with the representatives sent to the forum by Senator Squadron.  They were not observed similarly confabbing with other candidates during the forum.
     
Below are the questions with which (except the cross-candidate question) the candidates ewe provided in advance.

     Questions For Wednesday September 4, 2013
          Public Advocate and Comptroller Forum

The following 21 questions were submitted to the candidates beforehand

1.    New York City is growing (including in wealth) and public library usage is up very substantially, 40% programmatically and 59% in terms of circulation, yet libraries are currently being funded at their lowest level in years, a drastic reduction from the past.  Do you favor this low level of funding or believe that funding should be restored at least to, or above, the level that libraries were funded in the past?

2.    Are you in favor of or do you oppose the sale of libraries, public assets of the library system and the reductions of library space (including such sales and reductions as have been proposed by the New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library)?  Please explain.

3.    More specifically, are you opposed to, in favor of, or neutral about the following proposed library sales, shrinkages and consolidating of library assets (Please explain and amplify your stated position–Note that one of the sales and reductions has already occurred– Donnell– while others are proposed and/or in progress):
    a.    The Donnell Library at 53rd Street across from MoMA between Fifth and Sixth Avenues
    b.    SIBIL, the Science, Industry and Business Library, (its sale is considered to be part of the NYPL’s “CLP,” Central Library Plan)
    c.    Mid-Manhattan (its sale is also considered to be part of the CLP)
    d.    Demolition and removal of research stacks underneath the Central Reference Library at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue (its sale is also considered to be part of the CLP).
    e.    The NYPL’s “Central Library Plan” (involving the consolidating shrinkage of the libraries noted above)
    f.    The Brooklyn Heights Library (the operations of which function on a combined and integrated basis with the Business and Career Library in the building)
    g.    The Pacific Branch Library at 4th Avenue and Pacific in Brooklyn
    h.    The Clinton Hill Library in Brooklyn
    i.    All other libraries in Brooklyn that the BPL might consider similarly selling or leveraging as a stated part of the strategic plan it published
    j.    Other libraries NYPL might decide to similarly sell and shrink, such as libraries in Harlem, North Manhattan, Staten Island or other parts of Manhattan or the Bronx.
    NOTE: The Central Library Plan involving Mid-Manhattan, SIBL and the Central Reference Library stack destruction involves reducing more than 380,000 square feet of library space to 80,000.  The Donnell sale for shrinkage and redevelopment reduced the 97,000 square foot library to 28,000 square feet of mostly underground, mostly bookless space that won’t be available until at least 2015, eight years after sale of the library was announced .  The planned sale of the Brooklyn Heights Library reduces about 62,000 square feet of space to 20,000 square feet (originally proposed to be only 15,000 sq ft), as much of a quarter of the reduced space being placed underground.

4.    Many people consider it an indication of a problematic mind-set on the part of decision makers that libraries are being sold for what they believe are very inadequate prices: The 97,000 sq. ft. Donnell Library, much of it recently renovated, was sold to net the NYPL only $39 million while the penthouse in the fifty-story building replacing it is on the market for $60 million and SIBL was recently completed using substantial public funds for $100 million but 87% of it was just sold for $60.8 million.  Are you opposed to the sale and shrinkage of library assets in general or do you accept sale and shrinkage if you consider that ‘an adequate price’ is obtained for the sale?  If the latter; please describe what you believe to be an ‘adequate price’?

5.    Are you opposed to the sale of library space and assets in general or would you accept the sale of libraries if they were not being shrunk (or were being increased in size) and you considered that ‘an adequate price’ was being obtained for the sale?  Again, if the latter please describe what you believe to be an ‘adequate price.’  Alternatively, if you believe that the presumption should always be that libraries should not be available for sale or redevelopment because of such things as the disruptions and hardship caused and the way a generation of children and other will be significantly deprived of services, please elaborate upon this point of view.

6.    There is now a demand for internet and electronic services at the library.  Although a Pew poll shows that younger readers strongly prefer physical books, ebooks now make up 20% of the book market.  In some cases libraries are the only place to access certain electronic data and services (often requiring assistance of a librarian to do so).  Most people believe that libraries should now provide computer and electronic services (“bridging the digital divide” for those needing such service), which may require even more space.  Notwithstanding, do you believe that there is an adequate justification for NYC libraries to be effecting substantial reductions in the inventories of physical books available for those visiting at libraries, even in the face of increased demand?  Please explain your position.

7.    Do you believe the libraries should be reducing professional library staff, or increasing such staff of at least maintaining the level of such professionals available to assist the public?

8.    Some believe that professionally trained librarians are often in the best position to comment knowledgeably on the directions in which the New York City library system is being steered, but actions are being taken to silence such staff and prevent them from commenting, including directives to staff, loyalty oaths and “nondisparagement” (confidentiality) agreements the NYPL wants departing librarians to sign in return for severance.  Do you condone such silencing policies or feel they should be considered to be contrary to public policy?

9.    Do you believe that the currently ongoing sell-offs of libraries and shrinkage of library space should be investigated and/or audited by appropriate government authorities?  Please elaborate.

10.    City funding is to be used to pay for some of the library sell-offs and shrinkage (including, in June of 2012, the City Council’s release of $150 million taxpayer capitol funding for the Central Library Plan): Do you feel there should be required predicates to such city funding such as economic impact studies and/or hearings and what failures, if any, do you feel there has been in this regard?

11.    The City has pledged $150 million to the Central Library Plan. But there have been no public hearings on using taxpayer money to alter 42nd Street, which was paid for, built, and is still owned by the City. Will you promise to hold hearings on radical changes to one of New York's greatest landmarks?

12.    Please speak about how you see sell-off, shrinkage and underfunding of libraries as relating to the proposed sell-off and/or privatization of other public assets such as schools (for instance, similarly, for redevelopment), public housing properties, parks and hospitals.

13.    Officials currently estimate that more than half of the city's high schools (now under mayoral control) are in violation of NYS Department of Education regulations that require schools to employ either part-time or full-time librarians, depending on enrollment (possibly making the alternative of NYC’s public libraries a more important resource for those students).  Now, the NYC Department of Education is asking for a waiver to excuse its failure to meet this state regulatory requirement (no district in the state has ever been granted such a waiver), a move being legally opposed by the teachers union.  What is your position on this issue and what is the role of the Public Advocate/Comptroller respecting this?

14.    The New York Public Library plans to close two big midtown libraries and radically alter the 42nd Street Library. Yet there has not been a single NYC public hearing. (Assemblyman Micah Kellner is holding state level hearings.) If elected, will you hold hearings on the sell-off of public property?

15.    Would the City's $150 million be better used for branch libraries that are in desperate need of capital improvements? (Jacob Morris recently asked this question about Harlem's Macomb's Bridge Library in The Daily News.)

16.    The Committee to Save the New York Public Library has called for an independent agency to make public a detailed cost analysis of the CLP, including cost overruns. Is that an appropriate oversight for the Public Advocate or Comptroller?

17.    The NYPL Board of Trustees wants to close the Mid-Manhattan Library, the most used in the nation, and alter the landmark 42nd Street Library at a cost of more than $300 million. It would cost less than half that to renovate the Mid-Manhattan. Should the City save Mid-Manhattan and keep the 42nd Street library intact?

18.    NYPL plans to sell the Mid-Manhattan Library and the new Science, Industry and Business Library. But these buildings were subsidized by City and State taxpayers as well as being financed by donation intended for the public benefit. Should the City hold hearings on the sale of public assets?

19.    The CLP will demolish the historic stacks that hold 3 million books at 42nd Street. The stacks are not landmarked, but the building is. Should the City insist on the preservation of City-owned buildings?

20.    Should public/private partnerships such as those between NYC and NYPL suspend the ordinary rules requiring competitive bids, union and minority participation, and public scrutiny? How would you reform public/private partnerships?

For Comptroller Candidates:

21.    The current comptroller has stated his interest in intervening in the sell-off of NYC libraries.  What you do as comptroller in this regard?  Among other things the Comptroller has an ex-officio position on the library boards: Would you appoint someone to use this position to bring transparency to board deliberations of this public/private partnership?

Candidates attending the forum had the option of submitting supplemental questions addressed to other candidates.  The Following was submitted.

22.    Tish James (to Daniel Squadron): An important library in Downtown Brooklyn Heights, your district, is being sold to a developer and you, Mr. Squadron, are not opposing the sale or plans to significantly shrink the library merely expressing concern that the shrunken library be `adequately’ sized.  The city is growing!: Why go along with shrinking such important assets owned by the public to smaller and smaller fractions?  Why are you taking money from the NYPL Chief Operating Officer (David Offensend), the architect of such library sales and shrinkages and hand-off of public assets to developers like the Donnell Library and the so-called “Central Library Plan?”