It was billed as Coffee With Your Congressman at Casa Clema Restaurant located at 1731 University Avenue in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx. Local Assemblywoman Yudelka Tapia was also at the restaurant to speak and answer questions as Congressman Adriano Espaillat is having this Coffee with him as a way to discuss his constituents concerns throughout his congressional district in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
Assemblywoman Tapia mentioned that people tell her that they are afraid to go to the supermarket and want to feel safe. She added that the state allocated Twenty-four Billion dollars for education and wants to make sure children learn what they need to. Congressman Espaillat also spoke of bringing millions of dollars to the district for various programs including Three Million dollars for the Rain-Tolentine Senior Center near where the Coffee with the Congressman was being held. He wants to distribute resources fairly throughout his district, saying maybe some more resources to the Bronx which has been shortchanged over the years. He mentioned that his district may change again if the Congressional District lines are redrawn, but he will fight to keep as much of his current district that he has.
Congressman Espaillat then took questions from the packed restaurant. The first question was about public safety. Congressman Espaillat answered it by saying that he spoke to Mayor Adams and new Police Commissioner Caban to get more resources in his district. There was a question about the high cost of housing, which was answered that more affordable housing is needed, but that is not always possible. The congressman said that when the Average Median Income is projected for affordable housing in his district, income from the rich Upper East Side and Scarsdale is included thus raising the AMI.
To a question on the excess of migrants in NYC and their treatment, the congressman said that he had been to the southern border several times, and that he has asked for Thirty-Two million dollars for New York City from FEMA to help with the migrant situation. To a final question about Scooters and Electric bikes being driven unsafely in the streets and on the sidewalks, he answered that he would like to see them registered, have insurance and have licensed riders so that if they break the law the rider can be ticketed just like any car or truck on the road, and it can be picked up by cameras. He thanked everyone for coming and promised to return for another Coffee with Your Congressman.
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