Monday, August 26, 2013

VALLONE & DIAZ ANNOUNCE INTRODUCTION OF GUN OFFENDER REGISTRY LEGISLATION


        Council Member , Chair of the Public Safety Committee, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. hosted a press conference announcing legislation – which will be introduced at the Stated Meeting on August 22nd – making the City’s existing gun offender registry open to the public online and calling on the State to create a statewide registry.
Vallone and Diaz were joined at the press conference by Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein, Assembly Member Carl Heastie, Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh and Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito.
The city’s gun offender registry – which was created in 2006 by Council Member Vallone and Mayor Michael Bloomberg as the first of its kind in the nation, subsequently copied in Baltimore, Chicago and Washington, DC and other locations – is currently only available to the NYPD. However, Vallone’s bill would make the registry accessible to the public online, allowing residents to be aware of dangerous gun offenders in their communities.
Borough President Diaz proposed a statewide registry in his 2013 “State of the Borough” address, and this resolution represents the first step toward this goal.
In accordance with the registries, defendants convicted of certain gun crimes must register their addresses with the police, verify them in person every six months and promptly notify the police if they change addresses for four years after their release from prison. Some dangerous felons have gone back to prison for failing to comply with these guidelines, with 11 arrests in 2012 alone for not registering.
Statistics show that 30 percent of all shootings in New York City have been committed by a small group of offenders — mostly members of youth gangs – and the registries will keep their whereabouts known to both law enforcement and the public. Numerous studies have also shown that illegal gun possession has a very high risk of recidivism, and New York City statistics have indicated that those convicted of felony gun possession were more likely to be rearrested when compared to other felons. Forty-two percent of those re-arrests were likely to be on violent charges, compared to 25 percent for those not convicted of gun crimes, and gun offenders were also four times more likely to be arrested for homicide. As of December 2012, there were 595 eligible gun offenders in New York City, 302 of whom are currently back in jail.
“New York City’s gun offender registry has kept the spotlight of the law on the most dangerous criminals among us – and it is time for the entire State to follow in our footsteps and utilize this effective crime-fighting tool which helped the NYPD and Commissioner Raymond Kelly make New York the safest big city in America. We cannot allow these violent offenders to slip through the cracks upon their release from prison, and these bills will keep residents and law enforcement officers across the state well aware of their locations,” said Council Member Vallone.
“A safer New York State, and a safer nation, demands that we shine a light on those individuals who would commit gun crimes in our neighborhoods. An easily-accessible gun crime registry will serve as an excellent tool not only to keep neighborhoods informed about crime, but to serve as a deterrent from such acts,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Senator Klein said: “When it comes to preventing gun violence, New Yorkers deserve to have every effective tool at their disposal. New York City's gun offender registry has helped make our city one of the safest in the nation. That's because it shines a spotlight on the types of criminals who too often use a gun to commit a crime. That's why I will continue to push--and introduce--legislation to expand the gun offender registry statewide. By providing law enforcement and everyday New Yorkers with more information about potential threats, we can and will prevent more gun crimes in communities across New York.”


4th Term for Bloomberg or 3rd for Giuliani?


  The New York Post today endorsed City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for Mayor in the Democratic primary, and Joe Lhota for Mayor in the Republican primary. With both endorsements it was not long until Mike Bloomberg's and Rudy Giuliani's names were mentioned. 
  The Post compared Bloomberg and Giuliani to a Batman & Robin team that cleaned up New York City, and that the city "Could become like Detroit faster than you could say David Dinkins." Thugs could take over the streets, and business pack up for the suburbs the article continued. 
  The Post writes Quinn has the common sense needed to be mayor, while going into a much more detailed description of why Joe Lhota is the best chance for an "accountable and effective government". Right there the New York Post has said that City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has not been accountable or effective in her role as Speaker of the City Council. One has to wonder if Quinn has a chance of getting the Post endorsement should it wind up Lhota vs Quinn in November.
  The Post in its endorsement says "As speaker, Quinn often showed courage and responsibility by siding with Mayor Bloomberg, as well as by opposing the dangerous proposals of her far more radical council members". For holding up an ill-advised mandatory paid sick-leave bill, wanting to keep Ray Kelly as Police commissioner while, and pushing for an Inspector General of the NYPD.  The Post also does not miss the opportunity to bash the UFT (United Federation of Teachers), their candidate Bill Thompson, and quoting Mayor Bloomberg “If the UFT wants it, it ain’t good.”
  The Post concludes their endorsement of Christine Quinn by saying that free from election year pressures Quinn would revert back to her more moderate and sensible positions. 
  As for Joe Lhota the Post writes that Lhota was a Deputy Mayor and head of the MTA. Lhota's opponent the post writes is a self made businessman, but there is a difference between running a business and running a government. However the Post is disappointed that Lhota has fallen short in articulating a compelling and passionate message about what is at stake.
  To read the entire New York Post endorsements of Quinn and Lhota just click this link.



Saturday, August 24, 2013

Committee of 100 Democrats Barbecue Big Success


Above Mayoral candidate John Liu stopped by the Committee of 100 Democrats 9th Annual Free Community Barbecue, and was among the 500 people who visited during the day. State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, City Council 11th District candidates Andrew Cohen and Cliff Stanton also were on hand.

 













Left - Face painting was done.
Right Ms. Puerto Rico poses with Andrew Sandler of current Councilman Oliver Koppell's office.


 













Left - Mayoral candidate John Liu poses with some of the ladies that helped make this barbecue a success.
Right - 11th council district candidate Cliff Stanton's political consultant puts down his sign and talks things over with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz who has endorsed Andrew Cohen as his choice for the 11th City Council district.


Friday, August 23, 2013

KOPPELL-SPONORED BILL PLACING AUXILIARY POWER UNITS IN AMBULANCES PASSED BY COUNCIL


This came in from Councilman Oliver Koppells office.
 
   At its meeting on August 22, 2013, the City Council passed a package of legislation to make city vehicles cleaner and greener by reducing harmful emissions. One bill, sponsored by Council Member Oliver Koppell, authorizes a pilot program that would place auxiliary power units in ambulances to supply cooling, heating and electrical power while the vehicle’s engine is turned off.
Every day, the city parks more than 300 ambulances on city streets while they wait for emergency calls.  All these vehicles keep their engines running to cool or heat the attendants or to cool medical supplies.  The diesel exhaust emitted from these idling vehicles is a significant contributor to the city’s air pollution,” Koppell said.    
 The adverse health effects of breathing polluted air have been well documented.  These include respiratory diseases, changes in lung function and asthma attacks, resulting in increased mortality, hospitalizations and lost days from school or work. Everyone is harmed by poor air quality, but children and the elderly are the most adversely affected.
“This pilot program will demonstrate the value of providing auxiliary power to waiting ambulances by eliminating the need for idling and will pave the way for equipping the entire ambulance fleet with this technology, which will have a positive impact on air quality in the city,”  Koppell stated.

Editors Note:  It would have been better for the 51 members of the city council led by Speaker Christine Quinn to have pushed for a pilot program of "Electric Powered Ambulances", which could be built in the Bronx by Smith Electric.

 

John Liu Visits Tracy Towers


  Mayoral candidate John Liu visited Tracy Towers to speak with the residents. 80th A.D. Male District Leader Kenny Agosto introduced the current comptroller, and like the appearance of Mayoral candidate Bill Thompson last week it took a little time for residents to come down after a long day of hard work. District Leader Agosto made his endorsement of John Liu for Mayor official. Agosto added that this mayors race is the most under polled and under estimated race. That was said last week by mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.
  Mayoral candidate John Liu spoke of his work as City Comptroller, and how he has saved the city millions of dollars in his audits of many different agencies and contracts. Liu added that he is proud to be the most investigated person himself, because when you do what he has done you make enemies who want you out of office. Liu continued with the issues such as Stop N Frisk, education, housing, transportation, and others ending by saying that "Change is needed to get the city back in the hands of the people".Liu then took several questions from the audience. 
  A question about summer youth work was answered that this year was the highest number of applications, but the lowest number of positions. On NYCHA housing Liu said where was Mayor Bloomberg his first 11 years, and now he wants to sell off parts of NYCHA. To a question of negotiating city worker contracts Liu said that the city budget went up 10 billion dollars last year, but rather than settle union contracts Mayor Bloomberg spent the money elsewhere. Liu finished by saying that Bloomberg has been a failure when it comes to education. All that Bloomberg has done was play the old shell game with the students in closing schools, and that he was proud of his record as city comptroller. 

Left - 80 A.D. Male District Leader Kenny Agosto introducing Mayoral candidate John Liu to the Tracy Towers audience.
Right - Liu and Agosto pose for this photo.
















Left - Early on you can see the sparse crowd that grew as Mayoral candidate John Liu spoke. 
Right - A photo op with members of the Tracy Towers Tenants Association, Kenny Agosto, and Mayor al candidate John Liu.


Thursday, August 22, 2013

CYNTHIA ASKS RITCHIE TORRES TO EXPLAIN HOUSING INCONSISTENCIES


(This came in from the Cynthia Tompkins for the City Council campaign of the 15th council district.)


CYNTHIA THOMPKINS
Cynthia for Change
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Rob Giuffre (347) 538-6231

CYNTHIA ASKS RITCHIE TORRES TO EXPLAIN HOUSING INCONSISTENCIES

BRONX – Cynthia Thompkins implores the local Bronx media to ask Ritchie Torres to explain how he can claim he is a candidate of the people and a public housing advocate while simultaneously accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the real estate developer super-PAC “Jobs for New York.” 

The New York Daily News recently ran a story that quoted the following: “It’s disgusting that this is happening.  The money is a corrupting influence on anyone who is running for office.” – Jaron Benjamin, executive director of the Met Council on Housing.  (http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/pac-flexes-major-muscle-council-races-article-1.1433324)

“Ritchie Torres is taking the script from the Tea Party and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from real estate tycoons who want to make sure the housing status quo stays in place.  Housing is not affordable and the people funding “Jobs for New York” are about as interested in making housing affordable as Ritchie Torres is in running an honest campaign.  In reality, both Torres and “Jobs for New York” are interested in only two things: protecting their own interests and advancing their own agenda,” said Ms. Thompkins.

LIU ON PASSAGE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY ACT


  Comptroller John C. Liu stated the following today on the vote in the City Council’s Committee of the Whole to override the Mayor’s veto of the racial profiling bill, the passage in the full body of which is now a foregone conclusion:
“The Council is doing the right thing in overturning the Mayor’s veto and standing up to his bullying. Ultimately, stop and frisk should be abolished. In the meantime, we need protections against racial profiling by police. Police should be working with communities to keep everyone safe, instead of treating innocent New Yorkers as if they are criminals.”