Comptroller Stringer Announces Comprehensive Fiscal Audits of NYC’s Public Library Systems

Three Audits, Beginning with the Queens Borough Public Library

New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced today he will conduct comprehensive audits of New York City’s three library systems. Stringer officially commenced the series of audits by sending an audit engagement letter yesterday to Thomas W. Galante, President and CEO of the Queens Borough Public Library.

“Our public libraries are vital resources for New Yorkers and taxpayers deserve to know that public money is being used appropriately,” Stringer said. “My auditors will assess whether the spending practices of our library systems follow applicable rules and prudent business practices.  We want our libraries to maximize the value of the public funds they receive while finding ways that they can be more efficient and effective from top to bottom.”

The planned audits will examine a broad range of fiscal controls at the Queens Borough Public Library, New York Public Library (which serves Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island), and the Brooklyn Public Library including scrutiny of spending practices, executive pay and compensation. Auditors will also look at funding of capital improvements, the use of city tax levy funds as well as the oversight role of the library systems’ individual boards of trustees.

To read the Comptroller’s audit engagement letter, click here.

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JASA's Elder Abuse Training Institute Presents: The Role of Social Service Professionals

 

   

Elder Abuse Training Institute 

Presents

The Role of Social Service Professionals

Thursday, February 13th

9:00 am- 12:30 pm

UJA-Federation of New York 

130 E. 59th Street, NYC, Room 653/655

Topics will include:

• Types of elder abuse and risk factors
• Interviewing and counseling techniques
• Mock case presentation with audience participation
• Prevention and intervention strategies
• Interdisciplinary referral sources

Suggested attendees: social workers, case managers, geriatric case managers, legal and health care professionals, housing and home care providers, law enforcement, and advocacy coalitions that work with elderly.

Click Here to download JASA's Elder Abuse Training Institute brochure

Registration Deadline: February 10th

For more information or to register contact: 

Martha Pollack, LCSW at 718-286-1540 or mpollack@jasa.org.

Fee: $30.00 Light refreshments will be served.

 

 

Preschoolers at Bronx Special Ed. School Compete in Annual Winter Olympics

 

As U.S. athletes prepare for the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, about 100 preschoolers in the Readiness Program at New York Institute for Special Education (NYISE) will participate in their own annual Winter Olympics, Thursday, January 30, from 10 AM- Noon, in the Readiness Solarium, 985 Astor Avenue, behind the main building on Pelham Parkway North, Bronx.

Developmentally-delayed three to five-year-olds will participate in fun winter-themed activities designed to improve gross motor skills such as coordination, balance, strength and agility.

Each class will select a country to represent and make a flag for display at the Olympics. Students will wear their team color as they partake in Olympics-inspired games such as hockey, winter bowling, luge, ice-skating and snow ball fights with crumbled paper. The students will also get to participate in their favorite activity, the ice breaker.

A medal ceremony will follow and the children will be invited to create a large torch on the wall using pre-made painted hand-prints. Each student will receive a medal and be crowned a winner.

The New York Institute for Special Education, founded in 1831 as The New York Institute for the Education of the Blind, is one of the oldest and most respected schools in the nation that provides specialized services for children with disabilities.

WHAT:         WINTER OLYMPICS FOR PRE-SCHOOLERS AT NEW YORK INSTITUTE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION

DATE:           THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2014

TIME:           10 AM – NOON

PLACE:         READINESS SOLARIUM (BEHIND MAIN BUILDING AT 999 PELHAM PARKWAY NORTH)

985 ASTOR AVENUE

BRONX

*Please RSVP if interested in attending: Bill Easton at weaston@rubenstein.com*

State Labor Department Releases Preliminary December 2013 Area Unemployment Rates

 

  The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for December 2013, which are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s unemployment rate relies in part on the results of a telephone survey of 3,100 households (out of more than 7 million) in New York State. 

  The state’s private sector job count increased by 109,900 from December 2012 to December 2013. As reported last week, the state’s unemployment rate was 7.1% in December 2013. The economy added 10,400 private sector jobs in December 2013, bringing the state’s job count to a record high of 7,503,700. 

 

Unemployment rate highlights in December 2013:

• The counties in New York State with the lowest unemployment rates include:
  • Tompkins County (4.1%)
  • Nassau County (4.8%)
  • Putnam County (4.8%)
  • Rockland County (4.9%)

• The counties in New York State with the highest unemployment rates include:
  • Bronx County (10.6%)
  • Hamilton County (9.1%)
  • Jefferson County (9.1%)
  • Lewis County (8.9%)

LDA Elects New President

  The Liberty Democratic Association of the 80th A.D. elected Ms. Monica Major as its new President. Councilman Ritchie Torres stepped down as President when he was elected as the councilman from the 15th district. Since President Major was the secretary of the club, Ms. Marjorie Velazquez-Lynch was elected as the new treasurer. Since Ms. Velazquez-Lynch was the secretary of the club, Ms. Andrea Siegel was elected as the new secretary of the club. All three ran unopposed.

   State Committeeman Joe McManus suggested that since the next meeting of the club was not until the clubs Spring Fling event in May that the club consider endorsing its two local state elected officials now in case primary day is moved up. A motion was then made to endorse 80th Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, and a vote passed overwhelmingly. A motion was then made to endorse Senator Jeff Klein. Mr. Barry Soltz President of Jannel Towers said that the club should not endorse Senator Klein because Senator Klein is not a true Democrat, and is caucusing with the Republicans in the state senate. A vote was then taken to endorse  Senator Klein which passed overwhelmingly. 

  Congressman Charlie Rangel, Councilman Jimmy Vacca and Councilman Ritchie Torres stopped by to say hello and briefly speak to the club. 

 Left - Congressman Charlie Rangel enters the room, and is greeted by State Committeewoman Maria Gonzalez.

Right - Congressman Rangel poses with the Liberty Democratic Association Executive Committee. 

 

Left - Councilman Jimmy Vacca says a few words to club members.

Right - Councilman Ritchie Torres poses with New LDA President Ms. Monica Major and State Committeeman Joe McManus.

A Democratic Gimmick on the “Dream Act”: Do Nothing and Blame the Republicans

What You Should Know
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York

  You should know that here in Albany, the Capital of the State of New York, where laws for the state are debated and approved, you will find some elected officials who are doing nothing to protect our poor and needy communities and instead blame the Republicans for their inaction and lack of courage to stand for what they promised their constituents during election time.

You should know that in the Democratic Party in the Capital of the State of New York, we have a Democratic Governor, a Democratic Attorney General, a Democratic Comptroller, a Democratic Assembly, and we Democrats have thirty-three (33) out of 63 in the New York State Senate. Therefore, we have enough control and votes to approve anything we want including the allocation of 25 million dollars ($25,000,000) for the “Dream Act” within the 140 billion dollars that the Governor is proposing in the New York State Budget.

Then you might ask, why is that for the past three years we have not done it? Because there are some members of the Legislature that say one thing back in the City and to the Hispanic media and then say and do something quite different when they return to Albany, or when the Governor calls them.

I was surprised and amazed, to read an article in the New York Daily News, written by Mr. Kenneth Lovett titled: “Decision time.” This article was published on Monday, January 27, 2014 and it detailed how “a top democrat has expressed political concerns about the push to pass a bill to create a State Dream Act authorizing State financial assistance to college kids.” Mr. Lovett continues stating that “Several Legislative Democrats and Dream Act advocates said Senator Michael Gianaris…fears the issue could harm Democratic chances to get re-elected.”

There are also rumors that Governor Cuomo called Assembly members Felix Ortiz, Francisco Moya and others to his office and some of them joined the Governor by stating that “maybe it will be better for us to wait a little bit because the Republicans will not allow the vote to come to the floor.”

You should know that the Republicans never wanted to bring the gay marriage vote to the floor, it was because of Governor Cuomo and the Democrats’ pressure that forced the hands of the Republicans against their will and as you know gay marriage was voted and approved in New York State.

You should also know that the Republicans never wanted to bring to the floor “The SAFE Act legislation but the Governor and the Democrats one more time forced their hands and the SAFE Act was approved in New York State.

By writing this column, it is my intention to let you know that when we Democrats really want to do something, we do not need the Republicans because we have the votes, the unions, the Assembly, the press and the majority of Senators in the Senate.

It is my intention to let you, my dear readers know, that there is no reason why our community has to be waiting for three years to include 25 million dollars in New York State’s budget and create the “Dream Act.” We don’t have to blame the Republicans, we just have to be honest with our immigrant community and tell them if we really want it or not.

The Governor and my colleagues should put the same efforts, energy and desire that they put into passing gay marriage and the SAFE Act and once and for all stop the gimmick of blaming the Republicans and admit their lack of action.

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

 

Is Mayor DeBlasio's Pre-K Tax on Rich a Front For Higher Union Raises

  The New York Post reports that The clash between Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio over pre-K funding is turning into an all-out brawl, with allies of the governor claiming the mayor is pushing higher taxes to fund new contracts for his labor buddies. One source close to Gov. Cuomo told the post that “We’re hearing chatter from people that de Blasio wants to raise the income tax on the rich to use it any way he wants — including paying for labor contracts and raises.” The source also said that it is the union backed Working Families Party, allied with Mayor deBlasio who are pushing the mayor to get the tax hike and opposes the governor’s $2 billion proposal to cut property, business and estate taxes 

  De Blasio is pushing to raise city income taxes on those earning $500,000 or more to generate $530 million a year to cover pre-kindergarten classes for all kids. To do so Albany elected officials in the State Assembly and Senate would have to approve a tax hike in an election year. Cuomo countered with the $2.2 billion statewide offer to fund Pre-K which Mayor de Blasio said that Cuomo’s offer of $2.2 billion statewide for five years was both inadequate and unreliable. 

  Aides to Mayor de Blasio insisted there’s no secret agenda for the added tax revenues. “For more than a year, Mayor de Blasio has been 100 percent clear that this tax increase will only be used to fund pre-K and after-school programs for New York City kids. 

  After seeing Cuomo’s pre-K plan, even some Democrats from the city say they are less inclined to align themselves with de Blasio. You can view the entire New York Post article here.

Celebration of Black History Month 2014