Jose Velazquez

Jose Velazquez was born in the Bronx, New York. He pursued his undergraduate education from Bronx Community College and the State University of New York at Farmingdale.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Jose Velazquez is a first-generation Bronxite who's lived in the borough his entire life. Growing up, Jose lived with his parents and older sister in a 1-bedroom apartment in the West Bronx. He was raised in a Spanish speaking household and was an ESL student for his early education, learning English while in school and from what he was able to grasp watching TV. Starting in fourth grade, Jose transitioned into English speaking classes, struggling at first but overcoming and never looking back.

In 1996, Jose and his family moved to Parkchester with the help of a Section 8 housing choice voucher. This move granted Jose the opportunity to grow and expand his horizons from his life in the West Bronx. Jose first attended MS127 Castle Hill Middle School and then Christopher Columbus High School-both in district 14.

In the past 13 years, Jose has witnessed the effects of gentrification and rising

housing prices. He has seen how much the neighborhood has changed and how people's concerns have been ignored, which is why he's running on a progressive pragmatic campaign with the core idea that compromise for the sake of the district is what's most important. Jose believes that working with small businesses, labor groups and developers we can build sustainable living and work opportunities for everyone.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We can achieve our goals by working together, compromise where we can and stand our ground when we must.Our Democratic party has always been the party of progress, we must not let attacks from individuals on the extremes diminish that.This district is my home and these are not just my goals but our goals.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ALL

Part of my plan is to address several of the keys issues we are facing today:

•Fully fund NYCHA

•Invest in affordable home ownership opportunities such as limited equity housing coops.

•Propose bill to allow the use of housing vouchers for home ownership.

•Offer tax credit for renters who pay more than 30% of their income towards rent.

CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY

Climate change is the existential crisis of our generation; we should do everything in our power to combat this. We need to be the leaders in the world against climate change.

•Passage of climate bill establishing that all federal, state and local government buildings must be net-zero emissions within 10 years.

•Institution of a carbon tax to fund green tech and retrofitting our current infrastructure to become net negative.

•Passage of federal legislation allowing net-metering nationally, allowing homeowners to sell energy back to the grid.

•Propose bill removing gas, oil and coal subsidies, offer tax breaks to those same companies who reinvest in green technology and retraining of their workforce.

Please check my website for more information about my proposals for Education, Criminal Justice, Job Creation and Healthcare.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

These songs or artist have been on repeat on my radio.

Paris - The Devil Made Me Do it

Nina Simone - Feeling Good

Big Pun - 100%

Billy Joel

Solomun

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