Governor Signs Dinowitz/Zeldin Measure to Address and Prevent Child Identity Theft

   New York State Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee Chair Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) announced today the signing of legislation that he sponsored along with Senate Consumer Affairs Committee Chair Lee M. Zeldin (R-Suffolk) that would allow parents and guardians to freeze the credit record of their children in order to prevent identity theft (A.8955-B/S.6682B). Governor Cuomo signed the measure in to law on Friday, November 21^st. The law had become increasingly necessary as a 2011 report by ID Analytics, an identity theft protection firm, noted that an estimated 140,000 minors are at risk of falling victim to identity theft every year. Moreover, a 2011 study, from CyLab, a research center at Carnegie Mellon University, examined 41,000 children who were registered with a commercial identity protection service and found that 10% of them had someone else using their social security number.

            “This law gives parents the ability to take proactive steps to protect their child’s identity and their credit information. Child identity theft can go on for years without a parent realizing it is occurring and this can have harmful effects on the child’s credit report,” Mr. Dinowitz noted.  “This can lead to serious problems later in life for the children when they apply for student loans, try to find a job or attempt to build their credit. Parents have every right to freeze their child’s credit and stop a potentially horrible situation from ever occurring.”

“With today’s constant stream of data-sharing and the 24-7 use of technology to store personal information, reports of identity theft have soared and children are quickly becoming the number one target,” Mr. Dinowitz said. “Knowing that a child will not be applying for credit cards or taking out loans for many years, criminals see a window of opportunity for credit abuse that can take place for a long time before anyone is made aware of the fraudulent activity. It is more important than ever for parents to have a way to shield their children from the lingering and detrimental effects of identity theft. This law allows parents to freeze their child’s credit report, prevent child identity theft and help New York push back against a rapidly growing problem.”

            The law requires credit reporting agencies to place a credit record freeze on a child’s account at the request of parent or guardian. Following the freeze, a consumer reporting agency would be prohibited from releasing the child’s credit report or any information included in the report to any third party, with a few minor exceptions as required by law. The credit freeze could be removed at the request of the parent or guardian or by the child once he or she turns 16 years old.

City Announces Contract Agreement Between Local 891 School Custodians and 32BJ Public School Cleaners and Handypersons

Agreement conforms to existing pattern settlement, includes 18 percent wage increases over nine years and guaranteed health care savings

  The de Blasio administration announced today that a contract agreement has been reached between Local 891 School Custodians and their employees, 32BJ cleaners and handypersons. The 32BJ cleaners and handypersons work primarily in the City's public schools, but they are not employees of the City; rather, the Local 891 School Custodians serve as the individual employer.

The nine-year agreement covers October 22, 2007 through October 21, 2016 and includes 18 percent in raises over the contract term and a $1,000 bonus, as well as required health savings that will offset the cost of the contract. The settlement conforms with the established pattern that was fully accounted for in the City's adopted budget and labor reserve, meaning that there are no new costs for the City as part of this agreement.

The agreement maintains existing benefits for the approximately 5,000 full-time equivalent school cleaners and handypersons who keep New York City public school buildings safe and clean for more than one million children.

The gross cost of the agreement is $211.1 million, which will be offset by approximately $21 million in guaranteed health savings - resulting in a net cost of $190.2 million.

Under the agreement announced today, employees will receive a total of 18 percent in raises over the nine years of the contract. This includes approximately eight percent in restructured payments for the 2008-2010 round of bargaining, in lieu of the raises that had been granted by the previous administration to much of the rest of the municipal workforce, provided in incremental lump sum payments through 2020. The employees will also receive a total of roughly 10 percent in raises through 2016, for the 2010-2017 round of bargaining.

"This agreement between Local 891 and 32BJ public school cleaners and handypersons means yet another step forward in ensuring respectful and productive relationships with the employees who serve New York City and its people," saidMayor de Blasio. "By conforming with the established pattern, including guaranteed health savings, this agreement is affordable for the City and its taxpayers, while still providing workers with the fair wages they deserve."

"I am pleased that the collective bargaining process has brought about a fair wage increase for the hard working members of Local 32BJ," said Robert J. Troeller, President and Business Manager of Local 891 International Union of Operating Engineers. "The custodial workers in the public schools have worked far too long without an increase. Due to numerous budget cuts, these workers have become increasingly productive. It's good to see these men and woman recognized and rewarded for their work."

The Problem with New York City and the Department of Homeless Services

What You Should Know
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District

You should know that a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet with Commissioner Gilbert Taylor from the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), to discuss a variety of issues that impact the homeless population in the City of New York.  I am very concerned with the lack of transparency on the part of DHS with regards to the disparity and secrecy with which it pays its providers not only in the Bronx but throughout the City.

You should know that back in August of this year, on the basis on information provided by DHS, I supported the tenants of 941 Intervale Avenue in my District, while DHS advocated for the closing of this site.  This was a mistake. In the weeks and months since then, we have gathered more information and have come to the conclusion that our efforts were misguided. Our focus should have been centered on the funding that was provided for that site and its corresponding expenses. Our research has uncovered great disparities in rates that are paid to shelter providers whether they operate Hotels, Clusters or Tier II sites, yet expectations are the same across the board.

It is important for you to know that it is with great concern that I write about these issues today, as it appears that DHS and the City have created a system with such varying levels of service that some families are assigned to shelters that provide 24 hour security and have a robust staffing pattern that is well positioned to meet the needs of those families, while other shelters are given insufficient funding and they struggle to ensure that families’ basic needs are met and that they provide a safe and secure environment. How is it possible for me to sleep at night, knowing that these extreme circumstances exist in a system that houses the most vulnerable New Yorkers?

You should know that there have been numerous shelter openings throughout the City since the start of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, and I am aware that many of these new sites have opened with rates in excess of $120.00 per unit per day.  These facilities include the Pan American Hotel and the Westway in Queens, as well as the Capri in the Bronx, among others. Furthermore, during my meeting with Commissioner Taylor, I specifically asked him why DHS is paying a Brooklyn based non-profit, Housing Bridge, more than an incumbent Bronx based provider, Aguila Inc., for the exact same services in the exact same building located at 3001 Briggs Avenue in the Bronx. The Commissioner had no answer.

It is important for me to let you know that after some further research by my staff, we discovered that Housing Bridge was started by Isaac Leshinsky, a supporter of Mayor Bill de Blasio, and a member of his transition team. This is completely unacceptable. First of all, there are many capable Bronx based social service providers that could have assumed responsibility for this site.  However, it is most concerning that a dramatically higher rate is being paid to Housing Bridge when the incumbent provider could have continued operating the site equally as well or better than Housing Bridge, had they been paid the same rate.

You should know that our research uncovered even more discrepancies with regards to rates in City owned sites as compared to non-City owned sites. In the fall of last year, DHS released an (Request for Proposal) RFP for four City-owned sites. This RFP indicated the following rates for these sites:

Site-                                                                    Units              Rate

MacDounough                                                    15               $144.09 per unit per day

Dean Street                                                          12               $136.41 per unit per day

Fannie Barnes                                                      31               $78.70 per unit per day

Rose McCarthy -                                                 36               $85.13 per unit per day

recently awarded to Horace Bridge  

If I understand this correctly, these rates are for social services, security and maintenance, since rent, taxes and utilities are paid by the City. How is it possible that City owned sites have such rich social services and security packages and Hotels and Clusters are funded so inadequately?

How can the same standards be applied across the board when there is such disparity between the rates that are being paid? How is it possible that performance expectations are applied so consistently across all shelter types yet funding disparities make it all but impossible to meet these expectations?  It makes a mockery of the VENDEX system and the Shelter performance reports that are used by the City to rate providers.

You should know that after my office reviewed the DHS Comprehensive 4-Point Plan to reduce homelessness, I was struck by the fact that there are over 3000 cluster units throughout the City.  It is my understanding that these cluster sites house some of the largest families in the system, yet the rates that are being paid at these sites are significantly lower than at City owned sites. These cluster providers have to pay rent, taxes and utilities.  I am also struck by the fact that an administration and its agency’s leadership touts itself as being concerned about the health and safety of the families throughout the shelter system, yet does not feel compelled to adequately fund sites so that there can be 24 hour security at every site and appropriate social services at every site to ensure successful results for all families.

Furthermore, I am also struck by the fact that while DHS was instituting dramatic cuts to cluster providers, DHS failed to cut rates at their City owned properties.  Some of these city owned shelters are the best-funded and best-staffed programs in the system.  It appears that an across the board 3% cut would have yielded the necessary monies to fund the rental assistance program being advanced by the Mayor and would not have created the unsafe conditions that currently exist in the under-funded programs. The cluster sites may not be the most ideal model, but it is the only avenue DHS has to quickly house large families. Yet the burden of the rate cut was solely felt by Cluster providers. How is it possible that DHS feels comfortable to cut the rates at 3000 apartments that house over 50% of the families with children in the system, yet it pays more at hotels with small rooms?

You should know that during my meeting with the Commissioner, I specifically requested details with regards to rates paid to providers who support the many homeless families and individuals throughout the City. That request included a list of every shelter in New York City, both contracted and non-contracted, indicating the rates paid at each site, and which sites are City-owned and which sites are not.  It is important for you to know that as of today, I have not received a response.

This is Senator Ruben Diaz and this is what you should know.

STATEMENT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ANDY KING REGARDING THE DEATH OF AKAI GURLEY

  New York City Council Member Andy King, co-chair of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, released the following statement regarding the death of Akai Gurley, 28, who was shot on Friday in a Brooklyn public housing stairwell by a NYPD probationary officer with less than 18 months on the job.

“I am saddened by the loss of another life in our city. My heart and prayers go out to the family of Akai Gurley. As the shooting is under investigation, it is my hope that the NYPD will not only look into the cause of this tragic death but I urge the Department to review its training methods so that young officers are comfortable on the beat,” said Council Member Andy King (12th CD, Bronx).  “This is not a scenario where we want to blame the NYPD officers without having solutions.”

Muni Meters - Broken or Missing in Action

  Above is a close up of a Muni Meter on Riverdale Avenue between West 236th and West 238th Streets. Below is a photo of the other Muni Meter space on this block which is in front of Yo Burger. 

 You see that this Muni Meter is completely missing. By the way the NYPD van driving by in the background was just a coincidence. This is becoming almost a regular practice with Muni Meters that the coin slots are jammed so credit or debit cards must be used. It would not surprise anyone to see that card skimming devices like those at ATM machines could be placed in the card slots. Anyway be very careful if you do have to use a credit or debit card and check the slot to see that there are no skimming devices in there.

This problem has popped up on White Plains Road and in other major shopping areas where there are Muni Meters.

102nd Albanian Independence Celebration

  Former Assemblyman Steve Kaufman was the Master of Ceremony for the 102nd celebration of the independence of Albania.













Left - First it was the American National Anthem that was sung.
Right - Then it was the National Anthem of Albania that was sung.

  Mr. Esad Rizai the Founder and President of the Albanian-American Society Foundation inc. gives greetings to the audience.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. addresses the audience, as the first Albanian member of the state assembly Mark Gjonaj listens.

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj thanks BP Diaz Jr. for coming, and also tells everyone that we are all one people.

A group photo of Assemblyman Gjonaj, BP Diaz Jr., Honoree Beqir Sina, AASF President Rizai, and Ferit Hoxha Ambassador of Albania.

This however is what it was all about- Tradition of the Albanian culture.

Mayor Bill de Blasio visits Lehman College to announce New 'Career Pathways' Program

  Dr. Ricardo Fernandez welcomes Mayor Bill de Blasio to Lehman College. Standing in the photo are Lehman College Nursing students who are enrolled in the Career Pathways Program.  

  De Blasio said that under the previous mayor this program only gave real career jobs to 7 percent of the enrolled. All it did was to produce a high percentage of low paying dead end jobs. De Blasio is changing that so people enrolled in this program will get higher paying career jobs with future advancement.  

  During the hour long Press conference Public Advocate Letitia James echoed the mayor's words, as did his Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development who is in charge of the Mayor's Workforce Development.

  Students from the Lehman College of Nursing were standing with the mayor and One student Barbara told of the opportunities for higher paying jobs that she now has rather then having to take much lower paying jobs with no future for advancement. Also in attendance were local elected officials Councilman Andrew Cohen, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, and State Senator Gustavo Rivera who the mayor acknowledged, but none of them spoke. You can see Councilman Cohen and Assemblyman Dinowitz in various photos below.

  After taking a few Questions on topic the mayor opened it up to any questions from the media. Most of the questions were about the shooting in Brooklyn late last night. While the mayor said that the police commissioner was addressing the issue at another press conference, he did say that it was a rookie officer, it occur ed in a NYCHA area that was not properly lighted, and that cameras will be installed by the end of this year in all NYCHA houses. I got to ask the mayor why the Jerome Park Reservoir has an inner and outer fence to keep people away from seeing the water while the Central Park Reservoir has only one fence with a beautiful jogging path all around it. I added is this a case of your tale of two cities. Mayor de Blasio answered me by saying that he would talk to the Commissioner of DEP on it.

  Mayor de Blasio talks about the previous administration, and the wrong priorities when it came to job programs.

  Public Advocate James commends Mayor de Blasio for changing the priorities of this jobs program area.

  One of the Lehman College students tells of teh new opportunities that this revamped jobs program has given her in the field of nursing, with many future possibilities. 

  Mayor de Blasio answers questions afterwards.

New Throggs Neck Mall

 Joseph Kelleher Vice President of Simone Developers and Chairman of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce is bent over to the the weight that has been lifted off his back with the official Grand Opening of the New Throggs Neck Mall. This two story mall features a full service Target store on the first floor, and several major retailers and other smaller retailers on the top floor. The retailers include Applebee's, TJ MAXX, Subway, Sketchers, Metro Optics, a Wine and Liquor outlet, an Urgent Care Facility, 5 Guys Burgers, and a few more stores to come.  

  The space where the new mall is was the old U.S. Postal facility was on Brush Avenue as the mall is located at 815 Hutchinson Parkway South. Lafayette Avenue is the cross street, and there is plenty of parking.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Mike Benedetto and others were on hand for the ribbon cutting.

Joe Simone of Simone Developers tells of how this mall was built, and the reason why.

Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. tells of the wonderful addition this mall will make to the Bronx, and the jobs that this mall is going to provide.

 State Senator Jeff Klein welcomed the new mall in his district, saying that it will give area residents more choice, and many new stores to eat or shop in.

 Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Lenny Caro give more reasons why this mall is good for the Bronx.

 You don't have to worry at this mall as you see one of the New security cars that will patrol the new Throggs Neck Mall.

 And of course the official Ribbon Cutting for the new Throggs Neck Mall by Joe Simone of Simone Developers.