Sponsored by AARP
The clock to Election Day is winding down. Voters in Brooklyn’s District 47 have less than a month before deciding on their new city council representative. Ahead of the big day, Brooklyn Paper spoke with candidates George Sarantopoulos and Kayla Santosuosso to hear their approach on ensuring public safety.
Q: Over the next four years, what specific policies or initiatives would you implement to make New York City a more livable place for people as they age — particularly in areas such as transportation, public safety, and accessible public spaces?
Santosuosso: The things that make our city more livable for seniors are the things that make our city more livable for everyone, and that’s why listening to seniors is so important for everyone seeking to work in local government. Fixing broken sidewalks, cutting down on reckless driving and moped use on sidewalks must be a priority so seniors can navigate our neighborhoods safely.
Sarantopoulos: I want to make life easier for the New Yorkers who built this city. That means fixing broken sidewalks, cleaning up our streets, and ensuring public transit actually works for seniors. It’s about basic respect and taking care of the everyday things that make a neighborhood livable.
Q: What steps are being taken to improve neighborhood safety, walkability, and access to essential services for aging residents?
Santosuosso: We need a full assessment of the ways in which our transit system is failing our seniors, and dedicate funding to fixing those issues, like providing elevators at train stations and fixing inefficiencies with Access-A-Ride.
Sarantopoulos: Safety comes first. We need more targeted NYPD patrols, better street lighting, and real consequences for repeat offenders. Every senior should be able to walk to the store or visit a friend without fear.
Q: How does your office plan to enhance public spaces, parks, and community centers to better serve the needs of older adults and promote social engagement?
Santosuosso: Seniors are more directly impacted by the aging infrastructure than any other demographic group, and many of the social programs they rely on are constantly under threat from the chaos in the federal government. This is why I believe it is so critical that we enhance our aging infrastructure. Specifically, we need to ensure there are working, safe, and clean bathrooms available in public parks, that can help encourage use of the parks by seniors. We need more benches along our commercial avenues so seniors have a place to rest when going about their shopping. And we need to fund our senior centers so they have the facilities they need to promote widespread use.
Sarantopoulos: Our parks and community centers should be clean, safe, and full of life. I want more neighborhood events that bring every generation together and restore the pride and connection that once defined New York’s communities.
Throughout the city, Parks are no longer locking many gates after hours. A decade ago this wasn’t the case. Along with other factors going on in the city this creates an inducement for all sorts of violations whether noise and public nuisance and other quality of life measures, to more serious crimes of theft and physical assaults.
We need more interagency cooperation and more proactive and preventative measures being taken rather than reactive.
