Councilman Mark Gjonaj's NYC Moving Forward Week in Review - 7/2/2020 - Part 1

Dear Friends: I hope you and your families are continuing to stay well as we make strides and cautiously move forward. While we prepare to mark July 4th, due to the coronavirus pandemic, many parades, firework displays and celebrations are canceled. We would have loved to celebrate in person as always, but we have to put the safety and health of our communities first, celebrate differently and dedicate this July 4th to the strength and resilience of NYC and to the service and dedication of our first responders, medical personnel and essential employees.  Passing the city’s budget is one of the most important duties of the New York City Council. Earlier this week, the Mayor and Council reached an agreement on an $88 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2021. And while I was able to secure one million dollars in funding for programing and over seven million dollars in capital improvements for our district, I had to cast my vote against the overall spending package as I believe this budget could have gone much further in providing the relief that New Yorkers deserve especially during these difficult times.  Since the start of the pandemic our office has done over 90 food giveaway events in our district to help our neighbors in need. We are greateful to GrowNYC, Catholic Charities, ICNA Relief, AAOHA, Bronx Community Council, Martin Brower Distributors, Toli Management and others for their generosity. Starting next week if anyone in District 13 is in need of food, please check the attached flier for Food Pantries in District 13 or contact our office. To ensure you receive the best assistance with any issues, please contact us at (718) 931-1721, email us at MGjonaj@council.nyc.gov and follow us on social media for the most updated news. May this Independence Day bring prosperity and harmony to your families and may the stories of courage and selflessness of our First Responders, US troops, Medical Personnel and Essential Employees make this July 4th memorable by counting our blessings and truly appreciating our freedom and democracy. May God bless the United States of America! Sincerely, NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj District 13, Bronx

NYC Council Passes Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

"Passing the city’s budget is one of the most important duties of the New York City Council. Earlier this week, the Mayor and Council reached an agreement on an $88 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2021. And while I was able to secure one million dollars in funding for programing and over seven million dollars in capital improvements for our district, I had to cast my vote against the overall spending package. It was a hard decision but I felt that the budget didn’t represent the best interest of District 13 and the Bronx. First, our community pays the highest effective property tax rate than any other district in the entire city but yet this budget does nothing to address this injustice – and actually goes even further in unfairly burdening the renters and homeowners of our community. Secondly, the COVID-19 crisis has devastated lives, families and business. I believe this budget could have gone much further in providing the relief that New Yorkers deserve. For instance, locally owned businesses are barely staying afloat – and far too many have completely shut down – but this budget doesn’t set aside a single penny in grants or loans to help community-based businesses keep their doors open. Lastly, as we head into the summer, sufficient youth employment will be critical in ensuring that our young adults have constructive opportunities to learn, help provide for their families and contribute to our community. I believe that this budget could have gone much further in that regard. These are just a few of the reasons that I couldn’t in good faith support the budget presented to my colleagues for review and approval. But now that the budget has been passed, I will work to make sure that District 13 gets its fair share of funding and I will continue my fight to secure tax relief for a community that is already overburdened." NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj District 13, Bronx