Dinowitz Digest: Early Voting, Bus Redesign, Rent Guidelines, & More

 

• PLEASE VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ON JUNE 28 OR VOTE EARLY STARTING JUNE 18 •

What's Happening in the 81st Assembly District?

Early Voting Begins Saturday, June 18 Testifying Against Rent Increases at the Rent Guidelines Board Local Update: Bronx Bus Redesign to Take Effect June 26 Albany Update: Governor Signs Abortion Access Protections Into Law Around the Community: March Against Hate, Final Shred Day, RAIN Center, Riverdale Y, MMCC, PS 7 Supporting Federal Legislation to Protect the Integrity of Congress Poll of the Week: School Safety Updates from Government & Community Partners

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Early Voting Begins Saturday, June 18

Early voting for the upcoming June 28, 2022 primary election will begin this Saturday, June 18 and run through Sunday, June 26. I highly encourage people to participate in this primary election, and early voting is a great way to cast your ballot at your own convenience. Please be aware that every eligible voter is assigned to a specific early voting poll site. You will only be able to vote at your designated early voting poll site. Additionally, your assigned early voting site may have changed. Please confirm your assigned early voting poll site at findmypollsite.vote.nyc before going to cast your ballot. You also should have received a voter information packet from the Board of Elections which includes your assigned early voting poll site as well as your assigned primary day poll site. In general, and again — please confirm your specific assigned early voting poll site before going to vote — here are the early voting poll sites serving voters in the 81st Assembly District: • Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Southern Riverdale, and Parts of Central Riverdale: In Tech High School (MS/HS 368) at 2975 Tibbett Avenue, near West 230th Street. • Northern Riverdale and Parts of Central Riverdale: Riverdale YM-YWHA at 5625 Arlington Avenue, near West 256th Street. • Van Cortlandt Village and Norwood: Mosholu Montefiore Community Center at 3450 Dekalb Avenue, corner of East Gun Hill Road. • Woodlawn and Wakefield: St. Barnabas High School at 420 East 241st Street, between Martha Avenue and McLean Avenue. As a reminder, this primary election is to select candidates to run in the November general election or to elect party officials for the following positions relevant to the 81st Assembly District: • New York State Assembly (Democratic Nominee) • New York State Governor (Democratic and Republican Nominees) • New York State Lieutenant Governor (Democratic Nominee) • Female State Committee (Democratic Party) • Male State Committee (Democratic Party) • Female District Leader (Democratic Party) • Male District Leader (Democratic Party) Some election districts, but not all election districts, may also have an option to vote for Democratic County Committee. To view your sample ballot, please visit: vote.nyc/page/understanding-ballot Additionally, please note that all candidates for Congress and State Senate will run in a primary election to be held on August 23, 2022 as a result of a lawsuit filed in Steuben County that overturned our district maps and forced a delay in these elections. Any other positions not mentioned here are uncontested and will not appear on a primary ballot.

Testifying Against Rent Increases at the Rent Guidelines Board

The NYC Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) is continuing to receive testimony from the public about proposed rent increases for rent stabilized tenants in New York City. I attended their public hearing in the Bronx earlier this week, and testified that their proposed rent increase of up to 4% for a one-year lease and up to 6% for a two-year lease is excessive and will make it difficult for families in our community to stay in their homes. The final vote will be taken at a public meeting on Tuesday, June 21 (livestream and meeting info available here). I believe it is imperative that the Rent Guidelines Board freeze the rent for rent stabilized tenants. Each year, the RGB issues reports on income and expenses for property owners as well as income and affordability of renters. The data from 2022 shows that costs for property owners actually declined by 2.8% between 2019 and 2020 (the most recent years for which data is available). Accounting for inflation, net operating income (defined as the difference between income received from rent payments minus operating costs for the building, which is functionally a measure of money available to invest in the building and to generate profits for the property owner) has increased by 46.6% since 1990 citywide. Average rent collections did fall by 3.8% between 2019 and 2020, so I do acknowledge that there may be less money generated now than there was when the RGB had approved rent freezes in the recent past. However, I think the data is still clear that property owners generally earn profits at a much greater rate than in other sectors of our economy, and there is still a substantial impact felt by tenants from the past several decades of pro-landlord policies.

Local Update: Bronx Bus Redesign to Take Effect June 26

As you may have noticed, New York City Transit and the MTA have started to post signs informing bus riders that certain bus stops will be removed as part of the upcoming Bronx Bus Redesign. These changes will go into effect on Sunday, June 26 and are the culmination of three years worth of outreach and planning from the MTA. I know that some of you will be inconvenienced by the removal of some bus stops, and I did lobby the MTA to maintain bus stops at 2735 Henry Hudson Parkway (near Schervier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center), Sedgwick Avenue and West 195th Street (located a very long block from the next closest bus stop at Kingsbridge Road), and East 233rd Street and Van Cortlandt Park East (near to Indian Field and western Woodlawn residents). The MTA only agreed to restore the Bx16 bus stop at East 233rd Street and Van Cortlandt Park East, stating that the Bx10/Bx20 bus stop at 2735 Henry Hudson Parkway is located in a non-ADA accessible driveway and claiming that the stop at West 227th Street is closer to Schervier (which I think is false, since most people cut through the driveway at 2735 Henry Hudson Parkway). This being said, while I do believe that this redesign does not bring much-needed improvements in bus service to our community, the process that the MTA undertook was comprehensive and deserves praise. There was ample opportunity for public input, and they were responsive to the outcry in our community against making changes to express bus service. The MTA has said they will revisit the proposed changes to express bus service, but have not decided on a new timeline. However, I believe it is not likely to occur before the MTA finishes with the Queens and Brooklyn bus redesign projects that are actively underway. If you have thoughts or concerns about the Bronx Bus Redesign, you can submit feedback to the MTA here: https://mta-nyc.custhelp.com/app/comments_bronxbus. You can also see more about the changes that are coming here: https://new.mta.info/project/bronx-local-bus-network-redesign.

Albany Update: Governor Signs Abortion Access Protections Into Law

I shared last week a summary of the legislation that we passed in the Assembly to protect access to abortion services and additional supports for abortion providers in New York. I am pleased to share that Governor Hochul has signed this package of legislation into law. To read about the bills we passed, as well as other legislation from this year's session, please see last week's newsletter here: https://conta.cc/3xyRhM9

Around the Community: March Against Hate, Final Shred Day, RAIN Center, Riverdale Y, MMCC, PS 7

I was excited to attend the inaugural New York/New Jersey Walk Against Hate, held in Van Cortlandt Park and organized by the Anti-Defamation League. This was a great event, especially as our community (like many around the country) has seen a concerning rise in hateful activity. We were joined by Congressman Ritchie Torres, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Ambassador Asaf Zamir (Consul General of Israel in New York), Consul General Jorge Islas López (Consulate General of Mexico in New York), Tanya Gersh (Solutions to the Rise of Hate & Antisemitism), Pastor Gilford Monrose (Executive Director of Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships), and many members of our community.

We hosted our fourth and final free paper shredding event of the season, and we helped community residents securely dispose of hundreds (if not thousands) of pounds of sensitive documents. If you missed our events this season, please stay tuned for additional events. We typically host these events once per year, but we may try to host another in the fall as well.

I visited the RAIN Center in Wakefield this week, and was excited to share with them a $15,000 grant that I successfully secured on their behalf as part of our state budget. The RAIN Center does great work for older adults in Wakefield and throughout the Bronx, and it was wonderful to speak with people during lunch about their thoughts and concerns for our community.

I also visited the Riverdale Y this week, where I spoke with neighbors and members of the Riverdale Y Senior Center about what they want to see improve in our state and in the Bronx. Lots of great questions and comments!

I also stopped by the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center during the senior center's lunch. MMCC does fantastic work helping improve food access for older adults, as well as excellent programming and developing a really lovely community for local residents.

Graduation season is here, and I was thrilled to attend at PS 7. Congratulations to all of the students, families, teachers, and school staff who worked so hard to get to this point. Good luck in middle school!

Supporting Federal Legislation to Protect the Integrity of Congress

Like many of you, I watched the recent January 6 Commission hearing with a mixture of shock, sadness, and anger. It is deeply concerning that so many of our country's supposed leaders had actively requested pardons for their actions on and leading up to January 6, 2021. The fact that so many of them requested pardons indicates to me that they knew what they were doing was wrong, which is deeply disturbing and causes me great concern about the integrity of our fundamental democratic institutions. I was pleased to join Congressman Ritchie Torres at City Hall to unveil a new federal bill which would require any Member of Congress who makes or has previously made a request for a pardon to disclose such a request to the Ethics Committee. We were also joined by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson as well as Community Leader Miguelina Camilo. I strongly support Congressman Torres in this effort, and am hopeful that this proposal will get done so that we can be sure that our Congressmembers have the best interests of our democracy at heart.

Poll of the Week: Climate Change

The poll last time asked "How do you think New York State is doing on our efforts to combat climate change?" The results are below: We are doing enough: 12% We are doing a lot, but can always do a little more: 17% We are not doing enough, and need to do a lot more: 51% We are not doing anything: 5% We are doing too much: 10% Other: 4% Undecided/Unsure: 2%

This week's poll is about your thoughts on school safety. After the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, many parents have clamored for increased security measures at New York City's schools. Suggestions have included keeping all doors to schools (including front doors) locked during the school day, installing buzzer systems with cameras, and other ideas. I am interested in your thoughts about how to keep our schools safe. If you have thoughts or suggestions on this, please feel free to email me at DinowitzJ@nyassembly.gov.

MAYOR ADAMS AND NYC PARKS ANNOUNCE PILOT EXTENDING SUMMER HOURS AT THE HIGH BRIDGE

Summer pilot will extend closure time to 10 p.m. daily through September  

 Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue announced a pilot that will extend High Bridge hours this summer, giving New Yorkers expanded access to the iconic landmark connecting the Bronx and Manhattan. The pilot will move the bridge’s closure time from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. starting today through September 30, 2022.  

 

“Our green spaces and public parks were lifelines for so many New Yorkers over the past two years of the pandemic,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “The High Bridge is an iconic place with some of the most breathtaking views the city has to offer over the Harlem River and I'm proud to expand the hours so more New Yorkers can enjoy it as we head into summer.” 

 

“Summer is here and what better way to enjoy our longer daylight hours than by using some of our City’s best assets – our parks,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Extending The High Bridge hours for New Yorkers will give access to greener, cooler space as the temperature rises in the warmer months.”  

 

“The High Bridge is a historic connection between neighborhoods, boroughs, and parkland – and now through this pilot, New Yorkers will have expanded access this summer!” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “We are happy to keep the bridge open until 10 p.m. through September for Manhattan and Bronx residents to enjoy.”  

 

The High Bridge is New York City’s oldest standing bridge and a historic passageway between the neighborhoods of Washington Heights in Manhattan and Highbridge in the Bronx. In 2015, the restored bridge was reopened after being closed for more than four decades. As the only interborough bridge designed exclusively for pedestrians and bicyclists, the High Bridge provides New Yorkers with access to more than 125 acres of parkland including Highbridge Pool, baseball fields, basketball courts, bike trails, a skatepark, playgrounds and lawns. 

 

“During the pandemic, New Yorkers turned to our parks and open spaces as recreational opportunities for their children and families. Today’s Announcement by Mayor Eric Adams and Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue of a pilot program to expand the hours of The High Bridge recognizes the importance of providing access to our open spaces to serve more families particularly as the summer season is approaching. I’m pleased to see The High Bridge prioritized as a major anchor of recreation and open space that connects our residents from the Bronx to Northern Manhattan. The High Bridge is the oldest standing walking bridge in our City and as a result of this pilot program, more Bronxites will have access to it. My gratitude to my Colleagues, Manhattan Borough President Mark D. Levine, Council Member Carmen De La Rosa and Council Member Althea Stevens for their commitment and partnership,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.

“I’m extremely pleased that we were able to come together with an uptown, multi-borough campaign to extend the hours of accessibility on the High Bridge until 10 pm this summer. The High Bridge is a crucial connection for pedestrians and cyclists since it is the only way to get between Manhattan and the Bronx without a car, and this green space is truly a lifeline for many during these hot summer months. I want to thank everyone in the community who worked alongside Borough President Gibson, myself, and the Mayor to make this a reality,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.   

 

The High Bridge will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. through September 30, 2022. Visit the NYC Parks website to learn more about the High Bridge.