Deputy Mayor Fabien Levy, Communications: Hi, good morning. My name is Fabien Levy, and I serve as deputy mayor for Communications for the City of New York. Thank you for joining us again. The mayor has once again convened to deliver vital information to New Yorkers whether it's managing the asylum seekers crisis, preventing gun violence building an economy that supports working families, our initiatives bring together leaders across city government and these media availabilities do the same.

 

By bringing our team together we can provide a clearer picture into the work we do and deliver more accurate and accessible information for all New Yorkers. Joining us this morning we have Mayor Eric Adams, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Chief Advisor to the Mayor Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar. Without any further delay, I'll turn it over to Mayor Eric Adams.

 

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much, Fabien. Thanks to the entire team for being here. Your days are full. Before we open up to questions I want to give you an overview. We have now more than 126,000 migrants, close to 127,000 that have come through our care since last spring. We have more than 118,000 total people in our care and out of that number, 64,000, a little over 64,000 are migrants.

 

In recent weeks, we've seen migrants arriving more and more quickly. Instead of the 2,400 people in a week that we had previously, we're now getting nearly 4,000 a week. So every day the team is just really pulling off miracles, housing, making sure that we do and provide the basic services so we don't have long lines.

 

And my number one agenda has been to ensure we don't have children and families sleeping on the streets of the city like we're seeing in cities across America. These Mayors, my colleagues across America, are doing the best they can, but it's clear that all of these cities are overwhelmed.

 

Since the humanitarian crisis began 18 months ago, not one family and child has slept on the street. Not one. Not one. I want to be very clear on that.

 

We are seeing that the 60 day notices with intensive case work support, they're working. Many people are deciding to find their own independent living arrangement or they're staying with family members or moving to other locales where they can stabilize their lives.

 

We're going to continue to use this successful model to help those transition out of the shelter system. And we have been clear from the beginning, we will continue to state    I think you're now hearing voices across the entire country    Massachusetts and others, Chicago, we need help from the federal government. This is overwhelming our cities. And no city should be going through this. It's unfair to taxpayers and it's unfair to the migrant and asylum seekers to be living in these conditions.

 

Early this week, the state of Massachusetts announced that they have 7,000 families in their care and they're nearly at their capacity. What I saw on the press announcement, they said what we have been saying for months. We are out of room. And this is just wrong for our cities to be going through this. New York City, Massachusetts and other partners have constantly called on the federal government to give us the support that we need. And we're looking forward to getting that support.

 

In addition to that, last week there was a statement put out by the former Hamas leader who called for some form of action throughout the globe and the New York City Police Department responded accordingly. Those officers who were assigned traditionally to plain clothed duties for one reason or another, we put out a directive that everyone would be in uniform. We had real omnipresence out throughout the streets. We went to sensitive locations that included synagogues, churches, in mosques, other houses of worship and other sensitive locations.

 

We beefed up patrol in our subway system and made sure that everyone was on high alert. We had a series of meetings with our faith leaders and other activists and organizers and organizations throughout the entire city, and the response was to make sure that we were all on high alert to know how to respond. If you see something, we wanted people to say something. But most importantly to do something and that's to notify the NYPD.

 

Thus far, there has been no dangerous threat to the city. We're going to continue to monitor and keep an eye out, as I've always stated, for the lone wolves who are radicalized in their own homes or at other locations. But our goal, number one goal, is to keep the people of this city safe.

 

I want to commend the New York police department for doing so. In addition to the statement that was put out last week, you're continuously seeing the actions of the NYPD as we continue to drive down dangerous crime. And we're going to do continue to do so.

Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey Announce Investigation of the City of Trenton and the Trenton Police Department

 

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey announced that the Justice Department has opened a civil pattern or practice investigation into the City of Trenton, New Jersey, and the Trenton Police Department (TPD).

The investigation will seek to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution and federal law by TPD. The investigation will focus on TPD’s use of force and its stops, searches and arrests. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of TPD policies, training and supervision, in addition to complaint intake, internal investigation protocols, complaint reviews, complaint adjudications and disciplinary decisions. 

“The public must have trust and confidence that police officers will treat them fairly and with respect,” said Assistant Attorney General Clarke. “The Justice Department is opening an investigation into the Trenton Police Department after an extensive review of publicly available information and other information provided to us suggesting that officers used force, stopped motorists and pedestrians and conducted searches of homes and cars in violation of the Constitution and federal law. Our experience has shown that policing practices that run afoul of the law and our Constitution can lead to distrust between police officers and the community. The Justice Department will conduct a full and fair investigation into these allegations, and if we substantiate those violations, the department will take appropriate action to remedy them.”  

“Police officers have the difficult job of keeping us safe, and most officers do this work with honor and distinction,” said U.S. Attorney Sellinger. “But if police officers abuse the trust the community places in them and fail to respect the constitutional rights of those in the community, and if the community feels threatened by those who wear the badge, it undermines public safety and endangers the very citizens they swore to protect and serve. Unfortunately, we have reviewed numerous reports that Trenton police officers may have used force inappropriately and conducted stops, searches, and arrests with no good reason in violation of individuals’ constitutional rights. This announcement reflects our office’s commitment to ensuring effective, constitutional policing in Trenton and throughout New Jersey. Trenton residents should be assured that we will conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of the Trenton Police Department, and that we will address any unlawful conduct we find.”

Before this announcement, officials from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey notified Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Director Steve Wilson of TPD and Director Wes Bridges of the Trenton Law Department, who have all pledged to cooperate with the investigation. As part of this investigation, the Justice Department will conduct outreach to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with TPD.

The Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Division will jointly conduct this investigation pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments through their law enforcement officers from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives people of rights protected by the Constitution and federal law. If the Justice Department has reasonable cause to believe that the law enforcement officers of a state or local government have engaged in a prohibited pattern or practice, the department is authorized to bring a lawsuit seeking court-ordered changes to remedy the violations. In this investigation, the department will assess the law enforcement practices under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Justice Department via email at USANJ.Community.Trenton@usdoj.gov or by phone at 973-645-2801. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the reporting portal of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, available at www.civilrights.justice.gov or the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s civil rights reporting portal, available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement/complaint.

Additional information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about civil rights enforcement at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey is available at www.justice.gov/usao-nj/civil-rights-enforcement.

The Justice Department will hold a virtual community meeting on October 23 at 7:00 p.m. ET. Members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the investigation. Please join the meeting via this link.

American Citizen Sentenced to Life in Prison for Providing Material Support to ISIS That Resulted in Death

 

Defendant Was a Sniper and Weapons Instructor for the Foreign Terrorist Organization and Fought in Multiple Battles in Syria

In federal court in Brooklyn, New York, Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, 46, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, was sentenced to life in prison for providing material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization, that resulted in death. Asainov was also sentenced to concurrent terms of 20 years in prison on related convictions of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS and obstruction of justice, and 10 years in prison for receipt of military-type training from ISIS. Asainov was convicted by a federal jury after a three-week trial in February.

“Mr. Asainov abandoned his family and country to fight for ISIS and train others to carry out its reign of terror, a cause to which he remains devoted to this day,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. “Now, he is being held accountable for his crimes with a sentence of life in prison. The Department of Justice is committed to bringing to justice those who would aid such murderous terrorist organizations.”

“This life sentence was rightly holds Asainov responsible for the carnage he inflicted as a sworn member of ISIS and protects the world community from this avowed killer,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “The defendant committed his life to that terrorist organization and became a lethal sniper for ISIS in Syria, training many other ISIS members to shoot to kill as ISIS waged its brutal, barbaric campaign. To this day, the defendant maintains his unrepentant allegiance to that evil cause. Like this defendant now knows, anyone who takes up arms in service of ISIS and causes death and destruction will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by this office.”

“The U.S. government worked tirelessly with our international partners to locate and return this U.S. citizen to face accountability for his crimes,” said Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “He's a convicted terrorist who fought for ISIS and taught others how to kill on behalf of their violent extremist ideology. Justice was served with today's life sentence.”

Between December 2013 and March 2019, Asainov provided and conspired to provide material support and resources in the form of personnel, including himself, training and expert advice and assistance, to a foreign terrorist organization, namely ISIS, knowing that ISIS was a designated foreign terrorist organization that had engaged in terrorist activity and terrorism. Asainov also received military-type training from ISIS, in violation of federal law.

On Dec. 24, 2013, Asainov abandoned his wife and daughter in Brooklyn, and boarded a flight at JFK International Airport, bound for Istanbul, Turkey. Along with a co-conspirator, Mirsad Kandic, by early January 2014, Asainov traveled to northern Syria in the area of Aleppo and joined ISIS as a fighter. Kandic was arrested in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS resulting in death by a federal jury in Brooklyn in May 2022, and sentenced to life in prison in July.

Over the course of approximately five years fighting on behalf of ISIS, Asainov fought in numerous battles against ISIS enemies, including engagements at Kobani, Tabqa, Raqqa, Dayr Az Zawr, and ISIS’s last stand in Syria at Baghouz, in March 2019. Asainov received training in how to use automatic rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. In Tabqa, in mid-2014, he volunteered to train as a sniper. Over time, Asainov became a sniper trainer or “emir” on behalf of ISIS, estimating that he taught nearly 100 students. A former U.S. Navy SEAL scout sniper testified at Asainov’s trial that the defendant’s sniper training course was consistent with what the former SEAL would expect to be taught in a sniper training program.

From Syria, the defendant attempted to recruit another individual to travel from the United States to Syria to fight for ISIS and sought to obtain funds to purchase a scope for his rifle from the same person. The defendant also told his estranged wife that he was fighting on behalf of ISIS, described by him in a recorded January 2015 voicemail as “the most atrocious terrorist organization in the world that ever existed.” Asainov’s estranged wife testified at his trial that he sent her a photograph of three dead fighters, one of whom was wearing a patch reading, “Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham,” i.e., ISIS, in Arabic script.

Asainov was captured in Syria after ISIS’s last stand at Baghouz, near the Syria-Iraq border. Just before his capture, Asainov discarded his rifle and destroyed his cell phone.

Asainov admitted to agents from the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force that he had fought in numerous battles on behalf of ISIS as a warrior and sniper, serving in several different katibas or ISIS fighting brigades. In recorded phone calls to his mother from facilities operated by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the defendant told her that he was carrying out Allah’s orders when he waged jihad and killed for ISIS, that he intended to return to waging jihad if released, and that he would fight until he “meet[s] Allah,” i.e., until his death. In September 2020, staff at a BOP facility confiscated a makeshift ISIS flag affixed to Asainov’s cell wall. The defendant had filled in an 8.5” x 11” sheet of paper with black ink and Arabic writing in the design of the ISIS flag. During his trial, the defendant reiterated his allegiance to ISIS to court personnel, stating that ISIS would rise again.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas M. Pravda, J. Matthew Haggans, Nicholas J. Moscow and Nina C. Gupta for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialists Wayne Colon and Mary Clare McMahon.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attachés abroad, and foreign authorities in multiple countries on multiple continents provided critical assistance in this case. The Bosnian and Herzegovinian authorities, and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Sarajevo provided extraordinary assistance in the investigation and prosecution. The Ministry of Justice for the Republic of Finland, the Stuttgart Police Department and Federal Office of Justice in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development in the Republic of South Africa, and the Prosecutor General’s Office in Ukraine, and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Offices in or responsible for those countries provided valuable assistance in the investigation.

Governor Hochul Announces Partnership With Code for America and IRS on First-of-Its-Kind Tool to Help New Yorkers File Taxes Directly for Free

Starting in 2024, New Tool Will Allow Eligible New Yorkers to File With Government at No Cost

Part of IRS’ Federal Direct File Pilot Program to Make Tax Filing Simpler, Provide Better and More Equitable Access to Refunds for Low-Income Families, and Expand Taxpayer Filing Options

Builds on Governor’s State of the State Commitment to Making Government Work Better for New Yorkers by Improving Access to Government Benefits and Services

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State will partner with Code for America on a first-of-its kind direct filing tool to help eligible New Yorkers electronically file their taxes with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for free. The announcement follows an update from the Internal Revenue Service that New York, as well as Arizona, California, and Massachusetts, will integrate state e-filing tools with the IRS’ federal e-filing tool as part of a limited, scaled pilot, beginning in 2024.

“Thanks to this first-of-its-kind partnership, New York is taking a major step toward modernizing our tax system and making it even easier for New Yorkers to access their tax benefits,” Governor Hochul said. “No one should have to navigate complex processes or pay out of their own pocket to file their taxes, and starting next year, we’re equipping New Yorkers with a new, innovative, free tool to give taxpayers more choices to file. I am incredibly proud that New York will be one of the first states in the nation to take this bold step, and I look forward to continued collaboration with our partners at the IRS and Code for America to ensure that New Yorkers can make the most of this new tool when it launches.”

New York filing software in 2024 will be built by Code for America, the leading civic tech nonprofit that works with community leaders and governments to build equitable, accessible digital tools and services. Once implemented, eligible New Yorkers will be able to jointly e-file their state and federal tax returns with state and federal tax authorities for free, without the use of tax preparers, promoting better and more equitable access to tax refunds – particularly for low-income families – and making the tax filing process easier than ever.

Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Amanda Hiller said, “I’m excited to be working with the IRS on this important project. The lessons we learn from this pilot will help ensure that Direct File, when fully implemented, will meet the needs of New York taxpayers. This really is the future of tax administration, with government providing a convenient, reliable and free tax return filing service.”

Code for America CEO Amanda Renteria said, “IRS Direct File has the power to transform access to the tax system, making filing simpler and more equitable for taxpayers. That’s why Code for America is excited to partner with New York – a longtime leader in advancing a fair and equitable tax system for all – to ensure that taxpayers filing with the IRS Direct File pilot have an easy and free solution for their state taxes. This tool will ensure that eligible residents of the Empire State can access the billions of dollars in state tax benefits they are due.”

New York’s partnership with Code for America represents a promising new approach to streamlining state tax filing, building on the state’s leading work to modernize state tax infrastructure. The partnership builds on Governor Hochul’s 2023 State of the State commitment to making government work better for New Yorkers by improving access to essential government benefits and services.

The New York Department of Taxation and Finance will work in close coordination with Code for America’s team of experts to develop the state e-filing tool’s scope, software, and capabilities. Consistent with plans laid out by the IRS, eligible taxpayers will have the option to share their federal return information with third-party state filing software after they have finished their federal returns using Direct File. In New York, Direct File users will be able to share their federal information with the filing tool built by Code for America. Code for America will prepare most of the state return using the federal return data, and most taxpayers will have to answer no more than a few simple questions to complete their New York tax return.

Existing options for free file services for low-income New Yorkers remain in place. For more information on available services see: www.tax.ny.gov/pit/efile

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria for New York’s direct filing tool will largely be determined by the IRS as part of the federal Direct File Pilot. The IRS expects that eligibility will likely be limited to taxpayers reporting certain types of income and claiming certain credits and adjustments. The scope of the pilot is subject to change, but the IRS currently anticipates taxpayers will be able to enter their information about these tax provisions:

• Income Reporting: W-2 wage income, Social Security and railroad retirement income, Unemployment compensation, Interest of $1,500 or less
• Credits: Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Credit for Other Dependents
• Deductions: Standard deduction, Student loan interest, Educator expenses

New York and Code for America will issue additional information about eligibility in the coming months ahead of the pilot launch.

IRS Direct File Pilot Program

The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act provided the IRS long-term funding for the agency to transform its operations and improve taxpayer service, enforcement, and technology. Projects like Direct File represent a goal of the IRS Strategic Operating Plan, to give taxpayers choices in how they interact with the tax agency. This includes choices in how they prepare and file their taxes, whether it’s through a tax professional, commercial tax software or free filing options. Direct File is one more option to file a federal tax return.

Since the delivery of the Direct File report in May, the IRS has been working to develop a limited pilot for the upcoming filing season, paying special attention to issues identified in the report related to customer support and state taxes. This limited-scale pilot will allow the IRS to evaluate the costs, benefits and operational challenges associated with providing a voluntary Direct File option to taxpayers.

New York, Arizona, California, and Massachusetts will work with the IRS for the initial state integration in the Direct File pilot in 2024. Taxpayers in nine other states without an income tax – Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming – may also be eligible to participate in the pilot.

About Code for America

Code for America has been at the forefront of tax simplification work in America, having successfully launched tax filing programs to ensure people in America receive the benefits they are due. Work in this area includes:

• GetCTC, a simplified filing tool that enabled low-income families to e-file streamlined returns claiming the Child Tax Credit and other tax benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 and 2022, nearly 200,000 households claimed an estimated $685 million using GetCTC.
• GetYourRefund, an online service that allows taxpayers to access Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services virtually, in partnership with nearly 100 sites across the country.

Code for America’s benefits enrollment research has found that state agencies in both red states and blue states alike are embracing tools, digital technologies, and strategies to streamline and modernize the delivery of benefits and services to millions of people across the country.

 

Attorney General James and Multistate Coalition Secure $10 Million from Mortgage Company for Wrongfully Taking Money from Homeowners

 

New York Will Receive $575,000 from Settlement with ACI Worldwide

New York Attorney General Letitia James and a multistate coalition of 48 state attorneys general, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico secured $10 million from a payment processor company, ACI Worldwide, over a 2021 testing error that led to the unauthorized withdrawal of $2.3 billion from the accounts of mortgage holders, including nearly $172 million from nearly 27,000 New Yorkers. A multistate investigation determined that the unauthorized withdrawals were possible due to significant defects in ACI’s privacy and data security procedures and technical infrastructure. New York will receive $575,000 in penalties from the settlement. The money that was wrongfully withdrawn from mortgage holders was refunded to homeowners in 2021. 

“Hundreds of thousands of homeowners nationwide and thousands of New Yorkers had money wrongfully withdrawn from their accounts because of ACI’s failure,” said Attorney General James. “Companies must be more diligent when handling consumers’ data and payment information to not cause worry and panic among consumers. I thank my fellow attorneys general for their partnership to hold ACI accountable for the harm and stress it caused homeowners.” 

ACI Payments, a subsidiary of ACI Worldwide Corp., is a payment processor for a variety of third-party clients, including mortgage servicers. Nationstar Mortgage, known publicly as Mr. Cooper, offered ACI’s Speedpay product to its customers so they could schedule and electronically pay their monthly mortgage payments through the Automated Clearing House system. On April 23, 2021, ACI was testing the Speedpay platform when it erroneously submitted live Mr. Cooper consumer data into the clearing house system. This resulted in ACI erroneously attempting to withdraw mortgage payments from hundreds of thousands of Mr. Cooper customers on a day that was not authorized or expected. In many cases, consumers were subjected to the attempted withdrawal of multiple mortgage payments from their personal bank accounts. While the vast majority of withdrawals did not ultimately go through or were reversed, 1.4 million transactions totaling $2.3 billion were processed, impacting 477,000 Mr. Cooper customers. While ACI took corrective steps to minimize the impact of the testing error, in some cases consumers were not able to access their money and were forced to incur overdraft or insufficient funds fees. Impacted consumers have received restitution from ACI and through other related settlements. 

The investigation determined that the April 2021 incident was possible due to significant defects in ACI’s privacy and data security procedures and technical infrastructure related to the Speedpay platform. In addition to paying penalties, today’s settlement requires ACI to take steps to avoid any future incidents, including requiring ACI to use artificially created data rather than real consumer data when testing systems or software, and requiring ACI to segregate any testing or development work from its consumer payment systems.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - Community Resources & Updates

 

Dear Neighbor,

 

Thank you for joining us for another week in review. 

We are gearing up for the 29th Tour de Bronx!  Tour De Bronx is an annual free cycling event that offers riders a 25-mile course through historic districts, waterfronts, and lush greenways. The annual event attracts both skilled and beginner cyclists and encourages alternative modes of transportation. This year, we are introducing a new 10-mile route and reintroducing our legendary 40-mile route! We can't wait to see you there. Registration is now open!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 718-590-3500 or email us at webmail@bronxbp.nyc.gov.

 

In partnership,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

IN THE COMMUNITY We kicked off Tour de Bronx today! Thank you to our sponsors and partners for joining us and working tirelessly year-round to bring us Tour de Bronx. Join us on October 22nd for a bike ride like none other from the Concourse to Castle Hill, Pelham Bay Park, and beyond. Register at ilovethebronx.com

Our step streets are staples in our beloved Borough! Thank you to CITYarts for giving our Shakespeare steps a makeover!

CITYarts is a not for profit that connects youth and artists to work together to beautify community spaces through murals and public art.

 

The Shakespeare Stairs mural was painted over the summer with artists Yorknam Lam, Chloe Huang, Natalie Caro along with the support and input of SYEP interns and students from surrounding schools and youth programs.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CONSUMER ALERT: DOS Division of Consumer Protection Offers Fire Safety Tips During Fire Prevention Month

 

New Yorkers are Encouraged to Review and Practice Fire Safety as the Coming Winter Months are the Peak Time for Fire-Related Incidents 

Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for “Tuesday’s Tips” – Practical Tips to Educate and Empower New York Consumers on a Variety of Topics

Secretary Rodriguez: “I encourage all New Yorkers to exercise caution and use these simple fire safety tips provided by our Consumer Protection team to prevent future fire-related incidents.”

For this week’s “Tuesday’s Tips,” the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is providing New Yorkers with fire safety tips. October is Fire Prevention Month, which is a good time for New Yorkers to review and practice fire safety as the coming winter months are the peak time for fire-related incidents. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported 343,100 home structure fires in the United States in 2021. According to NFPA, the top five causes of home fires and casualties include cooking, heating equipment, electrical distribution and lighting equipment, intentional fire setting and smoking materials, with cooking remaining the leading cause from 2016 to 2020.

“As temperatures start to drop, households are turning on their home heating equipment, taking out portable heaters and cooking more meals at home in an effort to stay warm,” said New York State Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “I encourage all New Yorkers to exercise caution and use these simple fire safety tips provided by our Consumer Protection team to prevent future fire-related incidents.”

“As we enter the colder months when we typically see an increase in home fires, now is the time to implement some simple fire prevention steps to help ensure your safety and your families,” said State Fire Administrator James Cable. “Have your chimney cleaned, your home heating equipment inspected, keep all portable heating equipment away from flammable materials, and never leave cooking unattended.”

Cooking Safety Tips:

• Never leave cooking unattended. Always “stand by your pan” and avoid being distracted while cooking.
• Make sure you have a fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it.
• Keep your smoke alarm connected while cooking.
• If you are simmering, baking or roasting food, check on it regularly and use a timer or your virtual assistant to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, or food packaging away from your stove top.
• Once a child is able to, let them help in the kitchen. It’s a great way to learn about cooking safety. Make sure to have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove.

Winter Home Heating & Fire Safety Tips:

• Only use fireplaces, wood stoves or other combustion heaters if they are properly vented to the outside and do not leak flue gas into the indoor air space. If planning to use a wood stove, fireplace or space heater, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not burn paper in a fireplace.
• Ensure adequate ventilation if using a kerosene, propane or other fuel heater. Also, use only the specific type of fuel a heater is designed to use—don’t substitute with another source.
• Space heaters should be kept at least three feet away from beds, clothes, curtains and other flammable materials. Never cover a space heater or place on top of furniture or near water. Space heaters should not be left unattended when used near children. If a space heater has a damaged electrical cord or produces sparks, stop use immediately.
• Extension cords should not be overloaded or run where they can become a tripping hazard. Never run extension cords under carpets or rugs. Avoid using extension cords with a space heater.
• Prepare for emergencies. Keep a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher near the area to be heated.
• If there is a power failure at home, use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns instead of candles, if possible. If you must use candles, use extreme caution. Never leave lit candles unattended, and do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Extinguish candles when you leave the room and before sleeping.

Alarms:

• Have a smoke alarm on every level of your home, inside each sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Interconnect the alarms so when one sounds, they all sound.
• Install smoke alarms and alert devices to help family members who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Alert devices, such as strobe lights, flash when the smoke alarm sounds.
  • Pillow or bed shakers may be useful to wake a person who is sleeping.
• Test your alarms at least once a month. Press each test button to make sure it is working.

Safety Plans:

• Plan and practice your home fire safety plan, including two exits from each room. Share the plan with all family members and guests.
• Have a plan specifically for children, older adults and people with disabilities. They may need more assistance than others in the household.
• Remove clutter to prevent trips and falls and allow for a quick escape.
• Make sure your home has bright lighting in stairways to prevent falls.
• Install handrails along the full length of both sides of the stairs.
• If there is a fire, get outside quickly and stay outside. Then call 9-1-1.
• If you can’t get outside, call 9-1-1 and let the fire department know. Wave a light-colored cloth or a flashlight from the window.
• Avoid smoke if you can. If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke.

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides resources and education materials to consumers on product safety, as well as voluntary mediation services between consumers and businesses. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection.

 For more consumer protection tips, follow the Division on social media at Twitter: @NYSConsumer and Facebook: www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: State Tax Receipts Higher Than Updated Projections Through the First Half of the Year

 

State tax receipts totaled $51.5 billion through the first six months of State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023-24, $1.7 billion higher than estimates released in the Division of the Budget’s (DOB) July Update to the Enacted Budget Financial Plan. However, tax receipts were $6.9 billion lower than the first half of SFY 2022-23, according to the monthly State Cash Report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“The economy exhibited resilience in the first half of the year,” DiNapoli said. “Continued job gains, wage growth, and easing inflation were all contributing factors to higher-than-expected tax receipts. However, global unrest, labor strikes, and a potential federal government shutdown could slow the economy, adding to existing budget challenges that include significant out-year budget gaps.”  

Through the midyear, personal income tax (PIT) receipts totaled $26 billion and were $49 million below DOB’s updated financial plan projections. However, PIT receipts were $7.2 billion lower than the same period in SFY 2022-23, reflecting, in part, this year’s financial market volatility as well as how PIT credits were claimed in SFY 2022-23 under the pass-through entity tax (PTET).

Year-to-date consumption and use tax collections totaled $11 billion which were 6.8%, or $698.4 million, higher than the same period last year and $105.3 million higher than DOB estimates. Sales tax receipts, the largest share of these taxes, increased by $563.1 million, or 6%. Business taxes, which included collections from the PTET, totaled $12.8 billion, $129.3 million lower than through September in the prior fiscal year, but $1.6 billion higher than DOB projections. 

The State’s General Fund ended September with a balance of $48 billion, $3 billion higher than DOB projected, primarily due to higher than anticipated tax collections and lower than anticipated spending.

Report

September Cash Report