BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ DELIVERS

SECOND “STATE OF THE BOROUGH” ADDRESS

   Thursday February 24th to a full house at DeWitt Clinton High School in the northwest Bronx, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. delivered his second “State of the Borough” address. During the speech, Borough President Diaz announced several initiatives his office will pursue in the upcoming year, such as bringing a first-class hotel to the Bronx, hosting the borough’s first ever education summit and expanding the successful “Peace in Our Streets” initiative against gun violence.

“Together, as ‘One Bronx,’ we come together today to offer a positive vision for the future of our borough,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “We come together to celebrate our successes while offering new ideas and concepts to build our borough for the future. In development, in housing, in business, in health, and in education, we are developing the ideas that will shape the future of our entire City, right here in the Bronx.”

During the speech, Borough President Diaz highlighted economic development in the Bronx. While highlighting specific cases, the borough president also noted that the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), which serves as the economic development arm of his office, has pushed more than $32 million in funding into the borough’s economy to a wide variety of businesses. In addition, the BOEDC provided assistance, financial or otherwise, to almost 700 Bronx businesses in the last year.

“My administration has and will continue to make intelligent economic development a reality.  We have taken major steps to market the Bronx to new businesses, to support our existing businesses, and to grow the overall economy of our borough,” said Borough President Diaz.

Part of growing the new Bronx economy is bringing new business to the borough. Borough President Diaz spoke at length regarding the initial steps that have been undertaken to bring a first-class hotel to the area near Yankee Stadium.

“This development would serve as a new tourism hub for our borough, while creating hundreds of good jobs for Bronx residents and greatly enhancing the area surrounding Yankee Stadium,” said Borough President Diaz.

On the future of the Kingsbridge Armory, Borough President Diaz noted that the Kingsbridge Armory Task Force would put forward recommendations for the future of the historic structure in the spring. The borough president also challenged Mayor Michael Bloomberg to join him in making the redevelopment of the historic structure a reality.

“The report of this task force must be the cornerstone of a new RFP, and I invite the mayor to join with me to responsibly redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory,” said Borough President Diaz.

Borough President Diaz also continued his call for a new “living wage” law in New York City, one that would require developers who receive heavy taxpayer subsidies to do better by their employees. Statistics show that income disparity in New York City has increased dramatically over the past two decades. In addition, there is considerable research that shows that a “living wage” law would not harm business, and that such laws provide workers with the ability to both improve their financial situation and rely less on government assistance.

“It is time to hold hearings on this legislation, and for the City Council to bring it to a vote. The people of New York City cannot afford to wait,” said Borough President Diaz.

Borough President Diaz focused on education in the speech, as well. He noted that this fall, his office will host the borough’s first-ever education summit, which will bring together education leaders from across the nation to both discuss the problems facing our public schools and to develop ideas for the future.

“We will work to foster innovation while also making sure our public schools, once again, are the best in the nation,” said Borough President Diaz. “We will put forward new ideas to make sure all students— from our most gifted to those who need extra help and everyone in between— are being served by our public school system. Our children must be prepared to enter college and the workforce, and the way to make sure that happens is to guarantee that our public schools are the best they can possibly be.”

The borough president also noted that his office has continued its fight to make public schools safer, by continuing to lead the fight to remove PCBs, a dangerous chemical that was used in school construction for many years, from school buildings. Borough President Diaz’s commitment to make the Bronx safer and healthier extends outside of schools, as well. He noted during the speech that he has allocated funding to convert one Bronx building to cleaner burning fuel, a move that will keep the building affordable to tenants while also contributing to a greener Bronx.

In addition, Borough President Diaz announced that his office will seek to create, in conjunction with the City Council, a new law requiring a “health impact statement” be developed as part of major development projects. This initiative would ensure that new development does not have an adverse impact on the health and well-being of neighborhoods across the City.

In other funding, this year Borough President Diaz provided more than $12 million in funding for schools across the Bronx, funding that was used to provided critical improvements to the physical plant of Bronx public schools. In addition, the borough president was able to leverage almost $16 million in funding into $442 million in new housing development across the borough. Borough President Diaz also highlighted new park improvements that have been made in the Bronx, as part of the $37.6 million he allocated in total capital funding this year.

The Bronx saw some hardships this year, but Borough President Diaz noted that even in the most trying times the borough came together in a positive way. A spate of bias crimes last year has led to the formation of a new task force, to be made up of clergy and community leaders from all faiths, ethnicities and sexual orientations, designed to stand together in the face of future hate crimes. In addition, the borough president pointed to the success of his “Peace on the Streets” initiative, which works to end gun violence in the Bronx. During the speech, the borough president took time to recognize the hundreds of volunteers who assisted with this effort, and urged all Bronxites to join this effort when it restarts in the coming weeks.

“We reached thousands of Bronxites, and the message we heard from them was loud and clear: they are tired of being terrorized in their neighborhoods… they are tired of keeping their children inside, for fear that they will be struck down by a stray bullet… they are tired of the violence. I agree…enough is enough,” said Borough President Diaz.

The borough president closed his speech with a call to all Bronxites to come together, as “One Bronx,” to support efforts in all neighborhoods to make the borough a better place to live.

“It is time to let the world know once again that the Bronx is a place of success. We face challenges— in education, in the economy, in making our borough a greener place. But we are all committed to the rebirth and continuing revitalization of our Bronx, “One Bronx”— the place we call home,” said Borough President Diaz.

KLEIN HOSTS ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH BREAKFAST

NYC COBA President Norman Seabrook to Give Keynote Address, Local Community Members Honored

   In celebration of Black History Month, State Senator Jeff Klein (D- Bronx/ Westchester) will host a complimentary breakfast at Villa Barone Catering Hall to honor everyday heroes. President of the New York City Correction Officers' Benevolent Association, Norman I. Seabrook will deliver the keynote address. In addition, Klein will be honoring distinguished members of the civic, business and law enforcement community. Honorees and members of the community will enjoy a live performance by the Trinity Baptist Church Choir.

  SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26^TH  AT 9:00AM

  Villa Barone Catering Hall, 737 Throggs Neck Expressway, Bronx
  "If you plan on attending you'll need to reserve your seat. Please 
  RSVP to 1-718-822-2049."

Dominican Heritage & African American Heritage Month Celebration

 

*Congressman Charles B. Rangel *Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer *NYS Senator Adriano Espaillat *NYS Assemblyman Herman D. Farrell *NYS Assemblyman Guillermo Linares *NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez *NYC Comptroller John Liu *NYC Councilman Robert Jackson

Cordially invite you to celebrate

Dominican Heritage Month

&

African American History Month

on

Friday, February 25, 2011

6:30 - 8:30 pm

at

Isabella Geriatric Center

515 Audubon Ave

(Corner of 192nd  Street)

 

 

RSVP to Aneiry Batista at 212-544-0173 or EventsRSVP@adrianoespaillat.org

 

Strike Vote Moves Bronx Apartment Building Workers One Step Closer to a Work Stoppage

As their contract’s expiration approaches, Bronx building workers voted Wednesday to authorize a strike, if necessary, to protect good jobs throughout the borough. Failure to reach a new contract agreement by the March 15^th deadline could lead to a strike of more than 3,000 Bronx apartment building workers at over 1,000 residential buildings.

“Undercutting the livelihoods of building workers not only hurts their families and our communities but could deny hundreds of thousands of tenants the services they depend on,” said Kyle Bragg, Vice President of 32BJ. “This strike vote shows we’re determined to keep the Bronx a place that working families can still afford to call home.”

Tonight’s vote came one week after workers rejected an unfair contract proposal by the Bronx Realty Advisory Board (BRAB), a real estate industry association representing Bronx building owners. The BRAB is seeking to strip away much needed benefits from these hard working men and women.

Contract negotiations between 32BJ SEIU and BRAB have been underway since February 8th, and several issues, including family health care and retirement savings, remain outstanding. The contract covers building superintendents, janitors, handypersons, porters, firepersons, doormen, elevator operators and garbage handlers.

“Nobody wants a strike, but we’re committed to do what it takes to get workers what they need,” said Bragg, “Working families need wages that keep pace with the city’s high cost of living.”

Workers are looking to maintain their benefits as well as moderate, cost of living wage increases. Under the current contract, the average Bronx apartment building workers’ wages range from $15.53/hr in the South Bronx to $17.07/hr in Riverdale, and they receive employer-paid family health care, pension and training in addition to vacation and sick leave.

“I voted yes for my family and for the families of all working people,” said Darryl Mosley, a Bronx doorman and father of two. “I feel like we’re being pushed out of the city with the rising cost of rents, mortgages, groceries, the subway, gas, you name it.”

Failure to reach an agreement, before the March 15th expiration, could lead to a strike directly affecting nearly 250,000 New Yorkers living in over 1,000 apartment, condo and co-op buildings in the Bronx.

With more than 70,000 members in New York, 32BJ is the largest private sector union in the state. For more information, visit www.standwithbuildingworkers.org.

City Council Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus Quietly Elects Officers

Here is the link  to a story on the election  by Celeste Katz of the Daily News. 

Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera; was elected as Co-Chair with re-elected Manhattan Councilman Robert Jackson. Jumaane Williams of Brooklyn and Melissa Mark-Viverito of Manhattan will serve as co-vice chairs. Debi Rose of Staten Island was elected treasurer, and Margaret Chin was selected for secretary.

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ TO DELIVER HIS “STATE OF THE BOROUGH” SPEECH

 

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will deliver his State of the Borough Address 2011 at the De Witt Clinton High School Campus on Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 11:30 am.  

At the ceremony the Borough President will share the many accomplishment of the last year and will outline his goals for the coming year.

Thursday, February 24 --- 11:30 am 

De Witt Clinton High School Auditorium- 100 Mosholu Parkway South 

 

Bronx BP Diaz Holds Sweethearts Luncheon for Senior Couples

  Thursday afternoon 40 couples each married over 50 years were the guests of BP Ruben Diaz Jr. for a "Sweethearts Luncheon" at Villa Barone in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx. Couples married as long as 62 years were on hand as the PS 51 Ballroom Dancers entertained them, had a filling lunch, and were greeted by the Bronx BP.
  The event was co-sponsored by HealthFirst who provide health coverage to young and old residents of the Bronx. With the new federal and state cuts to health care many are worried that eligible people for low cost or free health care may not find those services as facilitated enrollers will be the first to be cut. Without these vital people to connect those eligible with the needed services many community residents will not have the knowledge to find the health care services that they need.

BP Diaz with a few of the attendees.

 

Senator Rivera Releases Video, Urges Fellow Legislators to

Keep Their Campaign Promises to Pass Ethics Reform

54 of 62 current State Senators signed the

“New York Uprising Heroes of Reform” pledge during 2010 Campaign

Bronx, NY – Senator Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) released a video today posted on www.passthepledge.com, urging the 54 members of the Senate, both Democrats and Republicans, to keep their campaign promises to reform Albany by passing former New York City Mayor Ed Koch’s reform pledge. Senator Rivera introduced legislation that would make it mandatory for legislators to disclose all sources of income in order for their constituents to know whose interests their legislators are representing in Albany.

“New Yorkers are frustrated by the scandal, corruption and dysfunction that has plagued Albany for years and been a road block to passing common sense legislation time and time again,” Senator Rivera said. “Too often, politicians have put special interests or their own interests ahead of those that they serve. I am committed to passing reforms that will help restore New Yorkers' confidence in their government and elected officials because it is what our constituents deserve and Albany needs."

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos is among the 54 Senators who have pledged to pass ethics reform. The Senate has been in session for almost five weeks and yet Senator Skelos has shown no interest in bringing this legislation to the floor. Senator Rivera is calling on his colleagues that have pledged to reform Albany to bring this legislation to the floor for a vote and expedite the passage of ethics reform.

During the 2010 campaign season, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch received a commitment from 54 of the 62 current Senators, pledging to pass his “New York Uprising Heroes of Reform” pledge. Mayor Koch’s reform pledge includes calling for the immediate passage of ethics reform that includes financial disclosure, campaign finance reform, independent redistricting, and budget reform legislation.

Video can be viewed at http://passthepledge.com/post/3310481632/ethicsvideo

Here is the transcript of what Senator Rivera said.

“Last November, New Yorkers spoke loud and clear. They said “we’ve had enough of Albany’s dysfunctional and corrupt politicians.”

“My neighbors weren't being served. And instead of representing the people, the senator from our district represented the worst of government in Albany. I’m here to say we defeated him and I am ready to be an agent of reform.

“I have pledged my commitment to reform Albany, and 53 of my colleagues have done the same. We heard their message, we heard it loud and clear –  and now we must deliver.

“At the top of our list is ethics reform. Albany has seen its share of unethical politicians who stole taxpayer money, abused their offices and held themselves above the law. Common-sense legislation has been bogged down for decades because of partisan politics and special interests -- and for too long, money has had a louder voice than the people of the state from Western New York to the Bronx and out to Long Island.

“That's why I'm sponsoring a bill that will require comprehensive financial disclosure from all elected officials. So I say to all my colleagues, and the 53 other senators - Democrats and Republicans - who signed Mayor Koch's pledge – Keep Your Promise, Pass the Pledge and put government back where it belongs—in the hands of the great citizens of New York.”