Congressman Eliot Engel Writes to CDC Requesting Immediate Assistance to Help Fight Legionnaires' Disease in Bronx

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel has written to CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD requesting immediate assistance to help fight the latest cases of Legionnaires’ Disease that have recently occurred in the Co-op City section of the Bronx.

As of April 25^th, the latest cluster of Legionnaires’ has affected one apartment building and sickened three residents, causing one death. While Legionnaires’ is typically treatable with antibiotics, it can be dangerous for the elderly and those with other health complications. A prior outbreak of Legionnaires’ occurred in the Bronx in 2015.

“ I am extremely alarmed by these cases and ask that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) work with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) to investigate the cause of these cases without delay,” Engel wrote.

Full text of the letter can be found below:

April 26, 2018

Robert R. Redfield, MD

Director

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road

Atlanta, GA 30329

Dear Director Redfield:

   I write regarding the recent cases of Legionnaires’ disease that have occurred in Co-op City in the Bronx, New York. I am extremely alarmed by these cases and ask that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) work with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) to investigate the cause of these cases without delay.

   As of April 25^th, this cluster has affected one apartment building and sickened three residents, causing one death. While Legionnaires’ is typically treatable with antibiotics, it can be dangerous for the elderly and those with other health complications. For these New Yorkers especially, it is of the utmost importance that the cause of these cases is identified and addressed as soon as possible. City officials have instructed high-risk residents of the affected building not to shower until the situation is resolved. This is hardly a practical or long-term solution, and underscores the need to remedy this problem as promptly as possible.

   I ask that the CDC assist the NYC DOHMH by providing the added resources and expertise necessary to identify the cause of these cases and make recommendations as to how future cases of Legionnaires’ disease can be avoided. These three cases, coupled with the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that occurred in the Bronx in 2015, underscore the need to thoroughly investigate potential triggers of Legionnaires’ – not just in Co-op City, but throughout New York – and eliminate them. The CDC’s assistance will help to both alleviate the situation quickly and afford the people of Co-op City much needed peace of mind.

   I thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your reply.

     Sincerely,

     Eliot L. Engel

     Member of Congress

MAYOR DE BLASIO AND SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCE $125 MILLION INVESTMENT TO ENSURE ALL SCHOOLS RECEIVE AT LEAST 90 PERCENT “FAIR STUDENT FUNDING”

Builds on $230 million increase in fair student funding during first term of de Blasio administration

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and Speaker Corey Johnson announced an additional $125 million annual investment in “Fair Student Funding” (FSF) for New York City public schools, starting in the 2018-19 school year. FSF provides the majority of most individual schools’ budgets, and is used at the principal’s discretion, mostly to hire teachers and staff, as well as to purchase materials and educational resources and support student and family activities. 

The historic increase in FSF will support the Mayor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda and his promise to make New York City the fairest big city in America, so that, by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time, and two-thirds of graduates are college-ready.

“We’ve waited years for the State to act, but our kids can’t wait another day,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We’re increasing Fair Student Funding to get every school to at least 90 percent and help ensure they have the resources they need to provide an excellent education to our 1.1 million school children.”

“Our hard work and persistence paid off. Under this agreement, every school district will receive more funding for things like art programs, sports activities and additional teachers. We included this in our budget response, and the Administration to its credit made it a priority. This is a wonderful example of us all working together, and I am so proud of my Council colleagues and friends at City Hall for making this happen,” said Speaker Corey Johnson.

“New York City understands that public education is not an expense but an investment, and we are continuing to put our money where our mouth is by investing in our kids, families, and public schools,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “More funding means more teachers, guidance counselors, and social workers; more professional development; and an opportunity to bring new materials and technologies into the classroom. The increase of the FSF floor is an important step in putting our schools on a path to Equity and Excellence for all, and to addressing unacceptable and historical inequities in the way our schools have been funded.”

With this investment:

• The FSF “floor” will increase to 90 percent – no school will be receiving less than 90 percent of their FSF, compared to 81 percent at the beginning of the de Blasio administration and up from the current floor of 87 percent. This impacts 854 schools and 588,285 students – in every borough and community school district – that are currently below the 90 percent floor.
• The current FSF average across all schools will increase to 93 percent, compared to 88 percent at the beginning of the de Blasio administration and 91 percent currently. The de Blasio administration previously made a $230 million annual investment to bring the FSF floor from 81 percent to 87 percent, and the average from 81 percent to 88 percent.

The administration’s previous investments in FSF have supported record-high graduation rates, record-high college enrollment rates, record-low dropout rates, and a high-quality pre-K seat for every New York City 4-year-old. In order to fund all schools at 100 percent of their FSF,  New York State must provide the funding mandated by the Campaign for Fiscal Equity settlement. For the 2018-19 school year, the State is $1.2 billion short of that legal mandate.

Historically, schools were provided with resources based primarily on the size of their student body. The FSF formula was introduced in 2007 by the Department of Education and provides additional funding per student based on need, including additional funding for students with disabilities, English Language Learners, low-income students, and students performing below grade level.

For the 2015-16 school year, the Administration invested $59 million to raise the floor to 82 percent and raise all Community and Renewal Schools to 100 percent, and raise the average FSF to 89 percent. For the 2016-17 school year, the Administration invested $168 million to raise the floor to 87 percent and to raise the citywide average to 91 percent, and invested an additional $2 million to increase funding for English language learners.

The increase in Fair Student Funding is aligned to our Equity and Excellence for All agenda. Through the Equity and Excellence for All initiatives, we are building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our schools are starting earlier - free, full-day, high-quality education for three-year-olds and four-year-olds through 3-K for All and Pre-K for All. They are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier - Universal Literacy so that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade; and Algebra for All to improve elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensure that all 8th graders have access to algebra. They are offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework - Computer Science for All brings 21st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All will give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools. Efforts to create more diverse and inclusive classrooms through Diversity in New York City Public Schools, the City's school diversity plan, are central to this pathway. 

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS THREE MEMBERS TO RENT GUIDELINES BOARD

  Mayor de Blasio announced three appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board. The Mayor appointed Leah Goodridge as a tenant representative, Angela Sung Pinsky as an owner representative, and Rodrigo Camarena as a public member representative. 

The Rent Guidelines Board determines annual rent adjustments for approximately one million apartments across the city subject to the Rent Stabilization Law.

Leah Goodridge, a tenant representative, is the Supervising Attorney of the Housing Project at Mobilization for Justice where she litigates housing cases in New York City, state, and federal courts.  Previously, she was a Staff Attorney at the Safety Net Project of the Urban Justice Center where she litigated housing matters and organized legal clinics and community workshops for residents. Goodridge’s legal scholarship has been published in the Duke Forum for Law and Social Change journal. After law school, Goodridge launched the Community Economic Development Project at Medgar Evers College (City University of New York) to teach nonprofit law to entrepreneurs seeking to start nonprofits and small businesses in communities of color.  For her work in grassroots community development, she was awarded the Fulbright Specialist grant to teach at the University of Malta. Goodridge earned her J.D. from UCLA School of Law and a B.A. from Vassar College.

Angela Sung Pinsky, an owner representative, is the Executive Director of the Association for a Better New York. Prior to joining ABNY, Pinsky served as Senior Vice President for Management Services and Government Affairs at the Real Estate Board of New York where she was responsible for REBNY’s commercial and residential Management Divisions and led advocacy efforts on building code, sustainability, and federal issues that impact New York City real estate. Pinsky is the former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayors for Economic Development Robert C. Lieber and Daniel L. Doctoroff. In that role, she worked on economic development initiatives including long-term planning and sustainability, urban development, and government technology. Pinsky earned a Masters in Urban Planning and Economic Development from New York University and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Rodrigo Camarena, a public member representative, currently serves as an independent consultant for non-profit organizations and social enterprises. Previously he served as the Executive Director of Business Growth Programs for the New York City Department of Small Business Services where he led the development and launch of new initiatives designed to combat economic inequality and support entrepreneurship in New York City. Camarena currently serves as the Board Chairperson for Mixteca Organization Inc., a community-based organization offering preventative health, educational, and legal services to New York’s recently-arrived Mexican and Latin American immigrant community. He earned an MSc from the London School of Economics and a B.A. from New York University.

Bronx Jewish Community Council - Random Acts of Kindness

Random Acts of Kindness:

Two Unique Volunteer Opportunities

1. We are looking for a two volunteers to do friendly visiting twice a month in the Riverdale area. 

2.  We are looking for 3-4 families to help set up and serve at our annual brunch on Mother's Day (Sunday May 13, 2018) at the Sue Ginsberg Senior Center in Pelham Parkway. Set up will begin at 10:30 AM and the program will end by 1 PM.

If you are available to help with either of these very meaningful acts of kindness please contact Niti Minkove, Director of Volunteers 

at 917-693-3084 or email nminkove@bjcconline.org

Thank you!!!!

Learn more about Bronx Jewish Community Council's volunteer opportunities and how to get involved at www.bjcconline.org 

Cynthia Nixon Calls for Repeal of Cuomo’s Failed APPR Teacher Evaluation System

Diane Ravitch joins other educators in launching  ‘Educators for Cynthia’ to elect a bona fide public education advocate who prioritizes learning, not testing in New York schools

  On the eve of the New York State United Teachers Representative Assembly in Buffalo, Cynthia Nixon, candidate for governor, called on Andrew Cuomo today to immediately repeal the teacher evaluation system he championed. Known as the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR), Cuomo’s teacher evaluation system relies on high-stakes testing to evaluate teachers. Education historian Diane Ravitch and dozens of New York educators are rallying behind Cynthia Nixon’s demands with the launch of Educators for Cynthia. Signers include teachers, principals, school board members, superintendents, SUNY and CUNY professors, and former NYSUT statewide officers.

At the time APPR was enacted, Cuomo described it as “one of the greatest legacies for me and the state.” But it helped spur 25 percent of parents to opt out of state tests and was roundly denounced by educators and advocates. Cuomo has since tried to distance himself from the APPR, but it remains on the books, including requirements for additional standardized tests that serve no educational purposes other than to grade teachers.

“A couple years ago Andrew Cuomo described teacher evaluation based on high stakes testing as one of his greatest legacies, now he is hoping that parents and teachers have forgotten all about it,” Cynthia Nixon said. “Enough of the delays and excuses Governor Cuomo, it is time to repeal the APPR now.”

“Cynthia Nixon has a vision that will put education on the right track by refocusing New York schools on the dignity of teaching and the joy of learning,” said Diane Ravitch, education historian. “She will provide the resources our children need to succeed. Andrew Cuomo's policies have disrespected teachers as a profession and undermined the education of our children."

The “Educators for Cynthia” group cites additional education reform priorities Cynthia supports including: providing students a rich and balanced curriculum rather than one oriented around standardized tests; ensuring equitable school funding by fully funding Foundation Aid; and delivering fair and full funding for SUNY and CUNY to expand opportunity and improve quality.

“Our public school teachers must be treasured and lifted up for the hard work they do every day in the classroom educating our children.  Instead, Andrew Cuomo has vilified and punished teachers, underfunded our neediest schools and deprived students of the educational opportunities and social and emotional supports they need, and placed SUNY and CUNY on a starvation diet which undermines the quality of higher education and decreases opportunities for students who need a leg up,” Cynthia said. “As governor I will make public education from pre-K through college a top priority, our children and our future depends on it.”

"Andrew Cuomo is the king of test and punish education reform,” said Marla Kilfoyle, a teacher in the Oceanside Schools. “He insisted that teachers had to be evaluated based upon standardized tests even though all the evidence said it was bankrupt idea. He has refused to repeal his own failed policy and Cynthia Nixon is a breath of fresh air. She has a strong record on standing up for our public schools and teachers and I am proud to support her."

Former Dominican President Leonel Fernandez Reyna To Visit Bronx County

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz

District 18 Bronx County, New York

Former Dominican President Leonel Fernandez Reyna To Visit Bronx County

You should know that this Thursday, April 26 at 8:30 am the former President of the Dominican Republic, the Hon. Leonel Fernandez Reyna will be visiting Bronx County.   The purpose of his visit is to have a breakfast dialogue with members of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization chaired by Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz.

The former President Fernandez, at the invitation of Councilman Diaz, will be Addressing about 150 pastors and ministers at Maestro's Caterers located at 1703 Bronxdale Avenue in Bronx County.

President Fernandez is also scheduled to meet with the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo the Chairman of the Bronx Democratic Party.

For more information please call the Revda. Samaris Gross at 347-613-1491.

I am Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz and this is what you should know.

Rev. Ruben Diaz, Sr.

New York City Council Member 18^th District  

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We hope the former President of the Dominican Republic has a good time in NYC. We hope he has a hearty breakfast with the Hispanic Clergy Organization headed by Reverend Diaz Sr.

We also hope that the former President of the Dominican Republic can give our Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. some tips on running for higher office. Finally, we hope that the President of the Dominican Republic brings Bronx Communist (so called Democratic) County Leader Marcos Crespo a nice big Cuban cigar for Comrade Crespo to smoke.

Engel Submits Testimony at Townhall Blasting the Postal Service for Poor Performance

  Congressman Eliot Engel submitted testimony at a town hall event hosted by the United States Postal Service on Tuesday blasting postal officials for the inadequate response to the systemic issues plaguing mail service in Westchester and the Bronx.

“The issues plaguing the Postal Service in Westchester and the Bronx have been out of control for quite some time,” Engel wrote. “Late deliveries, missing or lost mail, non-existent customer service, and a complete lack of accountability have become the norm here, and it seems that no matter what we do, the problems persist.”

The townhall event was organized in response to calls by Engel and Senator Chuck Schumer to have an open forum where postal officials could hear directly from constituents who have been affected by poor service.

Full text of the Congressman’s testimony can be found below:

“I regret that I am unable to attend this evening in person, as I am in Washington. But this meeting is of critical importance and is, quite frankly, long overdue.

“The issues plaguing the Postal Service in Westchester and the Bronx have been out of control for quite some time. Late deliveries, missing or lost mail, non-existent customer service, and a complete lack of accountability have become the norm here, and it seems that no matter what we do, the problems persist. I have written letters, made phone calls, and hosted meetings with postal officials at the local, state, and federal level over the course of the last 3 years sounding the alarm about these issues. And though we see temporary improvement after every meeting, things quickly revert back to substandard levels soon thereafter. This is completely unacceptable. We have heard every excuse under the sun as to why mail delivery has been poor, but what we haven’t heard are lasting, long-term steps that are being taken by the Postal Service to ensure the entire system is finally rid of these systemic problems. That is what we are all looking for here this evening. It isn’t enough to say the regular mail carrier is on vacation, or someone is new to the route and is still learning the ropes. My constituents deserve better than that, and I hope we get it here tonight.

“In addition, I must also note that I am dismayed by how unresponsive the Postal Service has been to all parties involved during this whole fiasco. Every phone call or meeting I have had with a postal official has been precipitated by weeks, even months of back and forth with a liaison before I receive straight answers to any of my questions. The same has been true for my constituents, who have logged complaints with their local branches that have gone absolutely nowhere. The Postal Service needs to do better, across the board, to ensure it is listening to the feedback it is getting and responding to that feedback in a timely manner. Maybe then we’ll begin to see the progress that has been so desperately lacking in our area. Thank you.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It is unfortunate that the public did not know of this town hall meeting so that we the public who use the USPS could advise the Postmaster of what is happening at the local post office. Be it less staff, computer break downs, closing post offices for lunch breaks, or just plain old bad service by the USPS and not the clerks behind the windows.

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