MELISSA MARK-VIVERITO, JEFFREY DINOWITZ, ET AL ... And then they call themselves defenders of the poor?

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York

   You should know that there is an old saying that goes like this: “It’s one thing what you say, and another is what you do.” If we apply this expression to elected officials, we can see that all too often, what they say and what they do aren’t always the same.

You should know that some of these elected officials in New York say one thing and do the opposite, and they are often the first ones to call themselves defenders of the poor.

HaHaHaHa!

One of these elected officials is our New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who together with the Democratic majority, approved and passed a law that adds an additional burden to the poor - especially senior citizens.

This new law requires for everyone to pay an extra 5 cents for each plastic bag people will use to put their groceries in. We all know that there are items which need 2-3 plastic bags.  That means people will have to pay 5 cents for each one. (And stores that break this law will be hit with a $250 penalty.)

It is important for you to know that there are many senior citizens in New York City who receive a total income of between $500 and $600 per month. This means that each month, these seniors have to decide if they should pay their rent, pay for their medications, pay for their rice and beans, or pay for their utilities. The cost for these plastic bags imposed upon the poor and our seniors by the so-called "defenders of the poor” just adds insult to injury.  

Instead of our City Council Members using their votes to help defray costs or burdens for our senior citizens and poor people, and instead of finding ways to help decrease day-to-day expenses for people in need, the New York City Council continues to slowly crush our poor and our seniors by taking away money they just don’t have.

I have to publicly commend the Bronx Democratic City Council Members who voted to oppose this punitive measure, who include James Vacca, Rafael Salamanca, Annabel Palma, Vanessa Gibson, and the Council Members from the other boroughs: Inez D. Barron, Joseph Borelli, Robert Cornegy, Jr., Chaim M. Deutsch, Inez E. Dickens, Mathieu Eugene, Vincent Gentile, David G. Greenfield, Barry S. Grodenchik, Karen Koslowitz, Rory Lancman, Steve Matteo, Darlene Mealy,  Deborah L. Rose, Mark Treyger, and Eric A. Ulrich.

Another case that has been highlighted this week in the news involves a lawsuit that was filed against a Democratic Member of the New York State Assembly, Jeffrey Dinowitz.

According to an article titled “PS 24 assistant principal sues DOE” written by Shant Shahrigian, that was published on May 3, 2016 of The Riverdale Press: “The Spuyten Duyvil School’s (P.S. 24) Assistant Principal Manny Verdi says northwest Bronx Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is seeking to keep minority and lower-income students out of the school, one of several bombshell allegations in a suit he filed on Tuesday against the Department of Education (DOE), Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and District 10 Superintendent Melodie Mashel.”

These are very serious charges.

I’m not saying whether the allegations are true or not, but if this report is credible, then my question is: How can this be so?

We already know that Jeffrey Dinowitz has been a vocal opponent of New York Charter Schools, which were created primarily to serve the educational needs of minority students.  Charter schools enrolment are made up of more than 90 percent of Black and Hispanic children.  Our children get a good education in these Charter Schools.

So how does Jeffrey Dinowitz – a Democrat who claims to be a defender of the poor – oppose Black and Hispanic children from being allowed to attend a public school in Riverdale, and at the same time, also oppose Charter Schools?

This is something that cannot be tolerated.

My question to Assemblyman Dinowitz is: “If you don’t want our Black and Hispanic children going to your neighborhood school, and you also oppose sending our Black and Hispanic children to charter schools, how can you claim to defend the needs of the poor?

If we look at these cases: the harm done by the City Council to the poor and senior citizens, and the other cases of preventing Black and Hispanic children from attending a good public school, and also opposing Charter Schools so our Black and Hispanic children could have good educational opportunities,  then I have to wonder why they call themselves defenders of the poor.

I am Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

EDITOR"S NOTE:

We have to agree with Senator Diaz on the plastic bag fee, but he needs to read the law again, and probably again.

As for Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz - He did help with you depose a hispanic Bronx Democratic County Leader to have a Black Assemblyman become the new county leader. With Assemblyman Dinowitz's help your  black candidate for a judgeship was able to defeat a hispanic candidate who was supported by the former county leader. Assemblyman Dinowitz also helped your Hispanic candidate in the most recent city council special election in the South Bronx. 

As for politics in schools - Assemblyman Dinowitz has never brought the former Republican State Senate Majority Leader (who was convicted of corruption) to an political event in a school. Assemblyman Dinowitz also has not used a political event in a school to advance his candidate for office in a special election. 

Assemblyman Dinowitz is doing his job to find out why a top performing public school in his district is no longer the school it once was. He does not want to have a charter school pull any children away, especially minority children, as you Senator Diaz would. 

Look in the mirror before you put your foot in your mouth Senator Diaz.

And that is what you should know.

Weekend Street Festivals

  There were many competing street festivals around the Bronx today, and I visited two of them in the Northwest Bronx. The Kingsbridge Heights Neighborhood Association had a Health Fair on Reservoir Avenue, while the Jerome Gun Hill BID had Jerome Avenue closed from Gun Hill Road to East 208th Street. Below are a few photos of each event.

Left - Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and soon to be Councilman Andrew Cohen stopped by the Kingsbridge Heights Health Fair being held on Reservoir.

Right - Cohen, Dinowitz, and KHNIA members pose for this photo in front of the giant inflatable exercise ball used at the Health Fair. 

It was a different story on Jerome Avenue as you see in both photos. Vendors lined both sides of Jerome Avenue with almost anything you wanted.

 

  

Left - There was a roving clown who made animals out of balloons for the kids.

Right - Roberto Garcia (far left) of Montefiore Hospital stands next to outgoing 15th Councilman Joel Rivera, 80th Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, 81st Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, soon to be 11th City Councilman Andrew Cohen, 14th Councilman Fernando Cabrera as they pose in front of a Montefiore Hospital ambulance. Montefiore Hospital was a main sponsor of the event.

Liberty Democratic Association "Spring Fling"

  The annual Spring Fling  by the Liberty Democratic Association (based in the 80th A.D.) was a huge success, as over 75 people and many elected officials came to cheer on the LDA.

  New York City Comptroller John Liu, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, City Councilman Jimmy Vacca, State Senators Jeff Klein and Gustavo Rivera, State Assembly Members Jeffrey Dinowitz, Marcos Crespo, and Honoree Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson. Conspicuously absent was 80th Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera, while her announced challenger Mr. Mark Gjonaj was in attendance. 

  All the elected officials praised the LDA in one way or another for their joint or individual help, as all the members of the LDA joined together to say that it is a team effort that makes the LDA so successful in what they do. Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Members of the LDA pose with honoree Assemblywoman Gibson

Bronx County Committee Chair Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz with 80th A.D. District Leader Kenny Agosto and Assemblywoman Gibson.

Left Senator Klein  -----  Right Councilman Vacca  Address the LDA.

Manhattan Borough President and 2013 candidate for Mayor Scott Stringer listens as Kenny and the LDA sing happy birthday to him.

Left-Comptroller John Liu shakes hands with 80th A.D. candidate Mark Gjonaj. Right- Members of LDA pose for a photo with 80th A.D. candidate Mark Gjonaj. 80th A.D. Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera did not attend the event.

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New York State Assembly Resolutions
From Bronx Members

 

Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo (D-Bronx) introduced a resolution calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to memorialize March 21^st as the 17^th Annual Kick Butt’s Day in the State of New York. Kick Butts day is a national day of advocacy and education against tobacco use.

“It is vital that we recognize the gains made to reduce cigarette smoking amongst New Yorkers, therefore, now is not the time to cut back on such important programs. We must oppose the NYS Senate’s support of a 5 million cut to tobacco cessation programs. Cigarette smoking continues to be the cause of the most preventable deaths in the country, and Kick Butts Day is just one of the many ways we are continuing to fight against this addiction,” Assemblyman Crespo said.

In NYC since 2002, we have seen 35%  reduction in adult smoking. Moreover, teenage and adult tobacco use rates have fallen faster in NYS than in the US as a whole. Nonetheless, there is still a staggering 15% New York high school students who are smokers.

According to data completed by the Bronx Smoke Free Partnership, the Bronx has the highest smoking rates in New York City where 3,000 High School students in the Bronx smoke. In the Southeast Bronx 1 in 4 adults are smokers. While the national average is 15% in a given community, the Bronx neighborhoods still average 25% of the population as smokers.

“Furthermore, I commend the institutions across New York State and those in the Borough of the Bronx, such as Bronx Breathes who collaborated with Montefiore Medical Center, The Bronx Smoke Free Partnership, The American Lung Association, The American Cancer Society and particularly the thousands of youth across the country that are today advocating for tobacco cessation through Kick Butt’s Day activities,” Assemblyman Crespo said.

Anyone needing assistance to quit smoking should call the State hotline: (1-866) NY QUITS (1-866-697-8487).

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) announced today that he has introduced new legislation that would prohibit employers from demanding login information, including usernames and passwords, to popular social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter as part of their hiring process.  The legislation would also protect the privacy of current employees.

Employers are beginning to use various new tools in decisions concerning the hiring, promotion, and discipline of prospective and current employees.  Recently, there have been reports of employers demanding login information, including usernames and passwords, to popular social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as to email accounts and other extremely personal accounts.  This information is being used as a condition of hiring, promotions, and lateral movement within companies, and in matters relating to disciplinary action including firing of individuals.

This type of request can lead to unfair and discriminatory hiring practices and constitutes a serious invasion of privacy by the employer.  Employees have the right to make their social media public or private through the individual websites, and they should have every right to maintain this level of privacy in their workplace or during an interview.  In this economy, many people cannot walk away from a job and are forced to submit to employers’ requests for passwords for fear that they will not be hired otherwise.  This bill would remedy this serious issue, maintaining prospective employees’ right to privacy and reducing the risk of unfair and discriminatory hiring practices by employers.

“This legislation will address a terrible and growing abuse by certain employers.  The right to privacy and protection from coercion and discrimination must be maintained.  I urge all of my colleagues in the State Legislature to protect the rights of job seekers and support this bill,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz.