Wednesday, April 25, 2018

JOINT LETTER FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO AND SPEAKER JOHNSON TO MTA SEEKING ACCOUNTABILITY IN SPENDING CITY’S $418 MILLION FOR SUBWAY ACTION PLAN


   
 Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson today sent the letter, below and attached, to MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota regarding New York City’s $418 commitment to the MTA’s Subway Action Plan.

Joseph J. Lhota
Chairman                                                              
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
2 Broadway
New York, NY 10004

Dear Chairman Lhota:

We write to you today regarding the crisis in the subway system and the dramatic impact it is having on the lives of millions of New Yorkers. The staggering increase in delays has resulted in workers losing wages, patients missing medical appointments, and students arriving late to class.  According to a recent report by City Comptroller Scott Stringer, the annual economic cost of subway delays could total as much as $400 million. The continued health of the City’s economy and the vibrancy of our neighborhoods depend upon the MTA reversing the precipitous decline in subway service.   

As you know, the City of New York will contribute a one-time payment of $418 million to the MTA’s Subway Action Plan (SAP), disbursed pursuant to a payment schedule in 2018.This funding is in addition to the substantial investment City government already makes to the MTA on an annual basis that is now $1.8 billion -- six times the State’s direct annual contribution of $300 million. Furthermore, nearly 70% of the dedicated MTA taxes that pass through the State budget (which the State sometimes tries to claim as part of its own contribution) come from City residents, workers, and businesses. In addition, the City’s 2015 $2.5 billion commitment to the MTA Capital Plan is the largest general capital contribution in history.

As elected leaders of the City of New York who are responsible for its fiscal health, we must ensure that precious taxpayer dollars are not diverted away from the subway crisis to other MTA priorities.  The City pressed aggressively for a “Lock Box” as a condition of providing $418 million towards the SAP. Now that the Lock Box has been made explicit in State law, it must be put into practice by the MTA.

It is important that the MTA provide detailed information about each of the plan elements, including the scope of work being performed, how success is defined, and how progress is measured.  Unfortunately, although the MTA began implementing the SAP last July, it has provided scant details to the public on its progress and the MTA’s own “major incidents” metric shows little improvement in service.  City taxpayers deserve to know that they are getting a good return on their investment.   The public is skeptical when it comes to work performed by the MTA, especially given recent public reports about prolonged delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns on MTA projects.  For example, the East Side Access Project, which started with a budget of $4.3 billion and a completion date in 2009, will now require an additional billion dollars with a completion date in 2022 and an estimated price tag of $11 billion.  The Enhanced Station Initiative, which started with a budget of $936 million to renovate 33 subway stations, will now require $846 million to renovate only 20 stations.

It is incumbent upon the MTA to prove that it can be an effective steward of this short-term emergency plan and that the revenues with which it has been entrusted are prudently invested to deliver results.  To that end, we must have certainty that the Lock Box will be implemented and that the City’s contribution will actually be spent on projects that will improve subway service. This letter includes a series of questions and requests to provide the assurances we seek:  

Increase transparency: The MTA should provide a monthly update on the SAP to the MTA board, as well as regular briefings to representatives of the Mayor and City Council Speaker. These briefings should include updates on hiring, spending by plan category, and progress by plan initiative. These materials should be available to the public on the MTA’s website.

Conduct a midcourse review: Nine months into the plan, the MTA should evaluate the effectiveness of each SAP strategy. What are the specific performance objectives of each initiative? Which initiatives are having the most impact? Which initiatives the least? Based on this analysis, the MTA should reallocate staff and resources to the most effective strategies. 

Focus on core needs: The MTA should redeploy staff and resources from non-critical efforts, such as station painting and retiling, to core needs, such as signal and track inspection and repair. Under Phase I of the SAP, only 4 percent of the operating costs and 10 percent of the capital costs are allocated to fund physical signal upgrades. MTA staff have stated that signal problems are a major contributor to delay, so the authority should consider increasing funding for signals-related work. At the end of the day, riders care first and foremost about whether their train gets them to where they need to go and less about station aesthetics. And when station improvements are necessary, the MTA needs a renewed focus on making those stations accessible to people with disabilities.

Better measure progress: We recognize the MTA’s recent efforts to adopt better performance measures. To date, however, the agency has focused mostly on “Major Subway Incidents,” a blunt measure that does not capture the experience of the average rider. The MTA needs to measure progress through the reduction of time passengers spend waiting at stations or traveling on trains. The MTA also needs to do a much better job of earning the confidence of the riding public in the accuracy of these delay statistics. Several recent reports of arbitrary and inconsistent causes being logged for subway delays are concerning. A comprehensive overhaul of how subway delay statistics are recorded and reported should be formally included in the SAP so that progress can be tracked along with the rest of the plan.

Review operations: A comprehensive review of the use of signal timers and their effect on level of service and service reliability, as well as a review of scheduled service levels (especially at off-peak times), should be formally included in the SAP.

o   While the safety of the system needs to remain paramount, it has become clear that the balance between safety and service when it comes to the signal timers installed since the 1990s needs to be reevaluated. In light of that fact that in most parts of the system construction of new lines is unrealistic in the near term, we must do all we can to maximize the capacity of the system we have.
o   Recent reports have also indicated that scheduled service during off-peak times has never been fully restored since the post-financial crisis service cuts in 2010, even though off-peak ridership has grown. The MTA needs to find ways to efficiently allocate resources to increase service while balancing the needs for construction work during off-peak times.
o   Though New York City Transit (NYCT) President Byford has recently announced that these will be elements of his approach to combatting delays, formally including them in the SAP will bring transparency to the extent of the progress being made in these areas.

Plan for the future: To ensure the City’s contribution is money well spent, the MTA must have a plan for maintenance and inspection so that any gains achieved by the SAP are maintained over the long-term. This plan should also articulate staffing and resource needs and measure these against projected new revenues from the recently imposed taxi and FHV fees. The MTA must use these new revenues to end its cycle of financial crises. Furthermore, the anticipated multi-billion-dollar, capital-intensive, long-term modernization plan that will be necessary for sustained improvement must include details about how costs will be controlled.

The SAP represents less than five percent of the $8 billion operating budget of NYCT, but a lot is riding on its success. Failure is not an option and we firmly believe that a more transparent process can lead to better, more effective implementation.  We are eager for everyone to put politics aside and support the important work of improving the commutes of millions of New Yorkers. Beyond the SAP, fixing the subway will require fundamentally changing the way the authority does business, including identifying non-City-tax-levy dollars to assist with funding improvements.  In the meantime, the SAP must be successfully implemented.  We look forward to working with you, your senior leadership team, and the men and women of the MTA to turn the system around through the SAP.  We await your response.  


Sincerely,

Bill de Blasio                                                             Corey Johnson
Mayor, City of New York                                         Speaker, New York City Council

CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION ANNOUNCES ITS PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE


CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION ANNOUNCES ITS PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE FOR SPRING & SUMMER 2018

Commission to hold public hearings in all five boroughs

   Throughout the spring and summer of 2018, New York City’s Charter Revision Commission will hold public meetings and hearings across the five boroughs, soliciting input from New Yorkers on how best to improve the efficiency of local government and strengthen democracy.
The Charter Revision Commission will hold five public hearings, one in each borough, in April and May 2018. The hearings are an opportunity for the public to identify priority issues for the Commission that may warrant further study.  The public is encouraged to attend and offer testimony in front of the Commission on any aspect of the Charter.
The first public hearing will be held on April 25th at 6:30 pm at McKee High School Auditorium, 290 St. Marks Place, Staten Island, NY 10301.
The dates and locations of the initial five public hearings are:
Date and Time
Location
Address
April 25th at 6:30pm
Staten Island
April 30 at 6 pm
Bronx
Bronx Community College, 2155 University Ave, Bronx, NY 10453
May 3 at 6 pm
Queens
Queen Library at Flushing, 41-17 Main St, Queens, NY 11355
May 7 at 6 pm
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225
May 9 at 6 pm
Manhattan
The New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (Edna Barnes Salomon Room), 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018


The remainder of the Commission’s schedule is as follows:

May, 2018
Small groups of Commissioners will begin hosting a series of informal meetings in neighborhoods across the City to seek additional public input.  After Memorial Day, the Commission will hold a public meeting to identify key issues for further review.

June, 2018
Throughout the month, the Commission will hold forums to explore key issues identified after the initial public hearings. The Commission will invite experts to present on these issues.

July & August, 2018
The Commission will issue its preliminary report and hold public hearings in each borough on the report’s preliminary findings and proposals.

August, 2018
The Commission will hold two public meetings in August to finalize its report outlining its findings and any ballot proposals to amend the Charter.

September, 2018
Charter revision ballot proposals, if any, are filed with the City Clerk.

The Commission will notify the public when dates and locations of the remaining public hearings and meetings are determined. The Commission may schedule additional public meetings or change this proposed schedule as appropriate.

All locations will be accessible to individuals using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Induction loop systems and ASL interpreters will be available. In addition, with advance notice, members of the public may request interpretation into the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese), French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. Please make language interpretation requests or additional accessibility requests by emailing the Commission at requests@charter.nyc.gov or calling 212-386-5350.

About the Commission
The Charter Revision Commission is charged with reviewing the entire Charter of the City of New York, holding hearings in all five boroughs to solicit public input, and issuing a report outlining findings and recommendations to amend the Charter.

For more information, please follow the Charter Review Commission on twitter @NYCCharter or visit our website at nyc.gov/charter.  Please tweet at us using #2018charter

Monday, April 23, 2018

Bronx DA Scheduled Cases of Interest Week of April 23rd


Cases of Interest for the Week of April 23, 2018

Monday, April 23, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
Borko, N.  Montano, A 96 Appearance    ABEL CEDENO Bronx teen charged with Manslaughter for fatally stabbing a 15-year-old boy and injuring another teen at the Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation. 
Powers Barrett 60 Hearing KEITH WALTON Walton, an NYPD Deputy Inspector in the Bronx, is charged with Sexual Abuse and additional crimes for allegedly grabbing a female subordinate and ordering her to kiss him.
 




Tuesday, April 24, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
Smith, J. Montano, A. 96 Court Appearance CISCO WARD Charged with Assault, Destruction of Property and several other charges for a shooting at a Morris Heights Burger King which injured one man and then carjacking a vehicle with a baby inside in March 2017. 
Miras, J. Michels, S. 71 Court Appearance Gilrael Ruperto  Sentencing after pleading guilty to Robbery as a Hate Crime Against the Elderly for a series of attacks, and Promoting Prison Contraband for having a scalpel while he was incarcerated in Rikers Island.
Birnbaum, A. Justice Best. 60 Sentencing Christopher Coachman  To be sentenced after conviction of first-degree Manslaughter for strangling his girlfriend.
 




Wednesday, April 25, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
  NO CASES OF INTEREST   
 




 




Thursday, April 26, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
Dolan, M. Michels, S. 77 Court Appearance  Haya Konte Charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a mother who left her two children alone in their apartment when a fire erupted due to burning incense. The children, two-year-old and 18-months-old, were killed.
Di Chiara, L. Michels, S. 77 Court Appearance JESSICA MIXON Charged with Assault and Reckless Endangerment for allegedly pushing her 2-year-old son, who was strapped to his stroller,down the stairs at the 149th Street and Grand Concourse subway station on June 1, 2017. 
 




Friday, April 27, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
    NO CASES OF INTEREST  

BRONX DA’S OFFICE TO HOST CHILD SAFETY FAIR ON APRIL 21, 2018 IN HONOR OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH


Learn About Safety Issues; Children Receive Free NYPD Child Identification Cards 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that her office, in partnership with the New York City Police Department, Safe Horizon, the NYC Administration for Children’s Services and the Fire Department, will host the second annual Bronx Child Safety Fair, welcoming families to hear from experts on safety concerns, receive a free Safe Child ID Card and enjoy a fun-filled day of games, music and more.

 The fair, which commemorates Child Abuse Prevention Month, will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Saint Simon Stock School located at 2195 Valentine Avenue. Children ages 3 to 13 and their families are welcome to attend. 

 District Attorney Clark said “Our main priority is to keep children from harm and I hope that you will join me on Saturday to learn how to make our community the safest it can be. Our inaugural fair last year was a tremendous success and I am pleased to host it again. It is a wonderful, fun and educational event for the Bronx.”  

 Safety topics that will be covered include bike safety, bullying prevention, Internet precautions and safe sleeping. Assistant District Attorneys will also be on hand to discuss safe and unsafe touching and the NYPD will distribute free SAFE Child Identification cards which contain a child’s name, biographical information and a fingerprint image of both index fingers. The cards can be easily carried and are an important tool used by the New York State AMBER Alert and Missing Child Alert programs.

 The NYPD will be taking sign-ups for their summer youth programs. 

In addition to educational opportunities, entertainment will include a DJ, face painting, a bouncy castle, a raffle and free food.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 76 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SHOOTING TWO NYPD OFFICERS IN THE MIDST OF TWO ROBBERIES


One Officer’s Injuries Required A Year-Long Recovery 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 76 years in prison for shooting and seriously wounding two New York City police officers during a violent spree in the Bronx. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “Responding NYPD Officers risked their lives to stop the defendant, who left a trail of mayhem in the Bronx. Thankfully, they fully recovered and are back on active duty, promoted to detectives. The defendant will now spend the majority of his life behind bars for his vicious crimes.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Jason Polanco, 26, of Decatur Avenue, was sentenced today to a total of 76 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett. The defendant was found guilty by a jury on March 30, 2018 of first and second-degree Assault, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and two counts each of first and second-degree Robbery. 

 According to the investigation, on January 5, 2015, the defendant committed an armed robbery at a grocery store in the area of East 180th Street. Then-Police Officers (now Detectives) Andrew Dossi and Aliro Pellerano, and NYPD Sergeants Cesar Gomez and Michael Pomerantz and NYPD Detective Edelman Santos, who were at the end of their shift, heard the radio call about the robbery and rushed to the area. When Dossi and Pellerano approached the location where the defendant was, he fired multiple times, striking Dossi in his left arm and back. It took about a year for him to recover. Pellerano was struck in his arm and side. After the shooting, the defendant carjacked a Chevrolet Camaro at gunpoint, ultimately crashing and then fleeing on foot. The defendant was arrested on January 6, 2015.

 District Attorney Clark thanked BXDA Detective Investigators Rita Bobe-Saleh, Brian Santana and Rocco Galasso for their assistance in the case.

‘Andrew Sandler Way’ Street Renaming Ceremony




  The 'Renaming Ceremony' will take place on this Saturday April 28th from 11am -12pm, at the Northwest corner of West 238th St and Waldo Ave. It would be a wonderful showing of respect for friends and the community to come out this weekend to celebrate Andrew Sandler's life and work. 

Andrew Sandler is the former District Manager of Bronx Community Board 7 who passed away last summer; Prior to his work with CB 7, Andrew was the Director of Constituent Services for Council Member Andrew Cohen and former Council Member Oliver Koppell as well as being a former intern for Congressman Eliot Engel.  

State Senator Gustavo Rivera - NYS Budget Town Hall


  State Senator Gustavo Rivera is very excited to invite you to his First Annual New York State Budget Town Hall. Please join us at Claremont International High School on Thursday, April 26 at 6:00 PM. We will discuss how the budget process directly affects our community and hone in on five topics: Health, Education, Housing, Criminal Justice, and Transportation.  

Join The Bronx Young Democrats for Their Annual Spring Gala - THIS THURSDAY