Riverdale Town Hall Meeting

  Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, and Councilman Andrew Cohen held a Town Hall meeting in the Riverdale section of the Bronx where all four elected officials districts cover. the town hall meeting was attended by almost 300 people, and was moderated by cable television personality Gary Axelbank. 

  Cards were given out for questions to be written down, and then collected. Mr. Axelbank grouped similar questions into one question, and then read the question to the individual elected official or all of the electeds. Questions many pertained to the area which asked about improving local bus service, constant construction in the area with roads constantly being dug up, the Coop Tax Penalty, the environment, quality of life complaints, all the new construction, and what is Senator Biaggi's first priority to name a few.

  The answers were what has been heard in the past on most questions. Construction in the roads has to be done to upgrade a gas, electrical, water, and sewer system that is up to one hundred years old. It is also being done to serve a growing population in the area. Work is still being done on equalizing the reason why Coops are taxed at a higher rate than homes. The MTA controls the mass transit system, and has to find ways to fill a shortfall in its budget, and that is by cutting back (saving money) on its services. Lastly, Senator Biaggi said that there is more than one thin, that there are many thins that she wants first, but passage if the Health Reproduction Act and ethics reform are numbers one and two.

Above - New 50th Precinct Captain Emilio Melendez speaks about what he sees as the priorities of the police department which includes making sure that everyone is safe. You can see moderator Gary Axelbank going over the questions in the background.

Below - (l-r) Female District Leader Randi Martos, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Congressman Eliot Engel, State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, Councilman Andrew Cohen, Male District Leader Eric Dinowitz, and Chief of Staff to Congressman Engel Bruce Weitz.