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.

Is Governor Cuomo Backing Dan Garodnick for City Council Speaker

 According to Fred Dicker of the New York Post New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is secretly working with Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Carl Heastie and Queens Democratic County Leader Congressman Joseph Crowley to line up support for Councilman Dan Garodnick to be the next speaker of the city council. Dicker writes that it is not in the interest of the governor to have Melissa Mark-Viverito as the speaker to Mayor Bill de Blasio because both are of the left leaning thought.

  Another reason for not wanted Mark-Viverito as speaker would be that it would be a serious defeat for incoming Mayor de Blasio and would weaken his perceived power base. De Blasio wants Cuomo to raise taxes to pay for pre-k and after school programs, while Cuomo wants to lower taxes in an election year not raise them.   You can read the entire New York Post Fred Dicker article here.

 

The Four Amigos, the IDC, and Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito: How things change … or are They Just Double Standards?

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York

The Four Amigos, the IDC, & Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito: How things change … or are they just double standards?

You should know that back in 2009, when it came time to elect a new President in the State Senate, there were many candidates for the Democrats to choose from.  This was when the Four Amigos – Senators Carl Kruger, Pedro Espada, Hiram Monserratte, and I – got together and talked about how we could unite to get leadership in the Senate and make a difference.

You should know that at the time, in order for someone to become the Democratic Senate Leader, it required 32 votes, and it was a tight race.

In our planning, the Four Amigos decided what to do about each issue that each Amigo wanted to take care of.  Senator Pedro Espada wanted to be the first minority New York State Senate President Pro Tem.  Senator Hiram Monserratte wanted to Chair the Senate Consumer Protection Committee.  Senator Karl Krueger wanted to Chair the Senate Finance Committee.  And I wanted a promise that the gay marriage bill would not come to the Senate Floor for a vote.

Because of our success, the reaction to the Four Amigos was labeled a “coup” and a “scandal.”  We were vilified as the “Four Banditos.”  We were branded as being traitors, corrupt,
blackmailers, thieves, slimy, crooks, extortionists, deadbeats, selfish, greedy, shameful, stooges, clowns, opportunists - and accused us by saying the whole thing was some kind of "quid pro quo."  We were called all kinds of disparaging names.  Former New York State Governor David Paterson publicly professed that we were “disingenuous” and that we were engaged in “very nefarious practices.”

As of today, we have not recuperated from those attacks, in part because of the unfortunate personal affairs of my three colleagues – none of which were related to the demands we made in 2009.

Since that time, when another chance arose to elect a new Senate President, a different group of four Senators got together and (copied us) forming what is known as the Senate Independent Democratic Conference – the IDC.  The IDC is led by Senator Jeff Klein, and is comprised of three Senators: Diane Savino, David Carlucci, and David Valesky.  Their power-grab was formed, they claim, because they were fed up with the “selfish antics” of their leaders.

It is well known that the IDC clearly and openly made political demands, which were met by Republican Senator Dean Skelos, who agreed to share the leadership of the State Senate with Senator Jeff Klein.  The IDC Members were given Senate Committee leadership – AND a separate budget containing millions of dollars!

Those four IDC State Senators have been routinely praised for their coup/breakaway. The IDC members have been labeled as progressive leaders, virtuous, smart, bold, power-sharing and thoughtful.  They have been commended by unions, by the Governor, by editorial boards and reporters … almost everybody praises them because of what they did.

Now I am reading a column written by Michael Gartland in the December 29, 2013 edition of New York Post titled, “BLAS A ‘MARK’ MAN - Council-boss IOUs” casually listing the demands, deals, payouts and “plum paychecks” that are being made in the New York City Council in order for certain concessions to be made so that Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito will get the 31 votes she needs to be in control as the New York Council as Speaker.

According to Mr Gartland, there are many Council Members who have been promised Committee Chairmanships and other fabulous prizes if they vote for Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito to be the Speaker.

For example - and if that happens - Mr. Gartland mentioned how Council Member Julissa Ferreras will get to be the Majority Leader and receive an extra $23,000; Council Member David Greenfield will get to be the Chair of the Land Use Committee and receive an extra $18,000; Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer will get to be the Chair of the Finance Committee and receive an extra $18,000; and either Council Member Danny Dromm or Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez will get to be the Chair of the Education Committee and get an extra $10,000.  If Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito gets to be the the Speaker, she will get an extra $28,500.

My dear reader, please keep in mind that “Committee chairmanships carry generous taxpayer-funded stipends over and above the $112,500 base salary council members get annually.”

I don’t see anybody calling Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito or anyone involved in these dealings crooked or deadbeats - or requesting any investigation about possible ethical wrongdoings, or being accused of engaging in any type of "quid pro quo."  On the contrary, outgoing Council Member Lew Fidler is calling this a "standard."  He said: “No speaker has taken that job since I was there without discussing committee assignments with possible supporters.  This is standard.”

Now it is a standard thing for all City Council Members to partake in the practice of "quid pro quo" so Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito can be the Speaker of the New York City Council and in return, give back to the Council Members whatever they want or demand.

My dear reader, how things have changed!

Are we sure this is now a standard, and not a double standard?  How come it was not a standard for Senator Espada, Senator Monserrate, or Senator Kruger to ask for leadership posts?  How come it was not a standard for me to ask for the gay marriage not to come to the Senate Floor?

For us, it was considered corruption - but when I read about how Mr. Frank Seddio, the Chair of the Brooklyn Democratic organization is going around and asking and demanding (according to Mr. Gartland’s article) that “de Blasio promise his allies several city marshal’s jobs” – I have a few questions.

What would have happen if it weren't Kings Democratic Chair Frank Seddio demanding these appointments and political favors, but instead, if Bronx County Democratic Chair Carl Heastie was the one making these demands?  I can assure you that everyone under the sun would be calling for an investigation.  I can assure you that my very best friends, Gerson Borrero and Bob Kappstatter, along with the editorial boards of El Diario la Prensa and other publications would be accusing Carl Heastie of serious wrongdoing.  Where are you guys now? Why are you being so quiet? Where are all of my friends in the media who seeks purity and truth? Where is the outrage about all of the backroom dealings and threats that are going on right now?

I also have to ask myself, what ever happened to Curtis Sliwa who likes to talk about the leadership of Bronx County, and now he is keeping his mouth shut about Mr. Frank Seddio and the Brooklyn Democratic organization?  What about Governor Andrew Cuomo's Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), and what about the Honorable Eric Schneiderman who is New York State's Attorney General?  Ladies and gentlemen, where are the subpoenas and the investigations - and the press conferences?

I have to say that, at least to me, that this is much, much worse than what we were accused of doing.  And I ask myself: Is this how things have changed … or is it just a gross case of double standards?

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

A Great City Council Speaker for New York

This comes to us from Councilman Elect Mark Levine, and we wonder what committee Councilman Levine will be chairing for this letter of support.

After the mayor, the most powerful position in New York City government is the speaker of the City Council.  A strong majority of the new Council has now made their selection for this critical leadership post: Melissa Mark-Viverito.  

I have come to know Councilmember Mark-Viverito well, and I am confident she will be an outstanding leader for the Council and the city.  She is a movement progressive who has long been a powerful voice for social and economic justice.  She is a smart, hard-working, and inclusive leader who will be able to skillfully marshal critical policies through the new Council--in support of affordable housing, public education, low-wage workers, and more.

Melissa arrived to New York City from her native Puerto Rico at the age of 18. Over the years she has risen from labor organizer to community board member to being elected the first Latino to represent East Harlem. In the Council she serves as chair of the Parks Committee and founding co-chair the Progressive Caucus. Throughout her career she has shown an exceptional ability to bring diverse people together towards a common purpose. (If you haven’t read it already, don’t miss this week’s profile of Melissa in the New York Times.)

And as speaker, Melissa will make history as the first person of color in that critical post, and the first Latino to hold any city-wide elected position.

I couldn’t be more excited to be part of the diverse coalition, with members from all five boroughs and across the political spectrum, which has come together to elect Melissa Mark-Viverito as the next Speaker.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Melissa into her critical new role.   

Sincerely,

Mark Levine

Councilmember-elect, 7th District