Yes that is New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo pumping his own gas this morning into what looks like a state owned car that he travels around the state in at a self service station, and answering a reporter from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise's question, but why? Where is the security detail, and staffers that travel with and protect the governor? Also did the governor save the state any money by pumping his own gas?

 

 

 

BRONX APARTMENT WORKERS WIN NEW CONTRACT THAT RAISES WAGES, PROTECTS FAMILY HEALTHCARE

32BJ of the SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 14, 2011

BRONX RESIDENTIAL WORKERS WIN NEW CONTRACT THAT RAISES WAGES, PROTECTS FAMILY HEALTHCARE
--Borough-Wide Strike Averted--
--Workers Maintain Healthcare and Retirement Savings--

32BJ and the Bronx Realty Advisory Board (BRAB) reached a tentative four-year agreement this evening that raises standards for more than 3,000 apartment building workers by  providing annual wage increases while maintaining employer-paid family health care and secured pension benefits. The agreement narrowly averted a strike, which would have affected 250,000 Bronx residents throughout the borough including Riverdale and the South Bronx.

“A strike would have been costly, not only to building workers and to landlords, but to the  Bronx tenants whose buildings would have been affected. I am pleased that a deal has been reached, and that we have avoided what would have been a devastating strike,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. 

Senator Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) praised 32BJ and Bronx Realty Advisory Board for coming to the table to reach a tentative four-year agreement that provides for annual raises and maintains healthcare and pension benefits for building workers. Senator Rivera joined Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and other legislators on Sunday, March 13, 2011 in calling for the Bronx Realty Advisory Board and 32BJ to reach a fair agreement to avoid a Bronx-wide strike of building workers.
"Bronx workers stood together to make sure these jobs remained good jobs.  Thousands of Bronx families will benefit from this contract, which provides much needed wage increases during this tough economy," said Kyle Bragg, 32BJ Vice President. "We want to ensure workers can support their families and save for their futures."
The tentative agreement provides a 6 percent wage increase.  In addition, the agreement maintains employer paid family healthcare and pension benefits, which were sticking points during negotiations.
"We were able to keep what’s most important to our families, affordable healthcare and pensions," said Angel Ortega, who is a father of five and a Riverdale super. "It was a tough few months, but we're glad we didn’t inconvenience the residents and are eager to keep serving the Bronx."
The new tentative contract covers more than 3,000 supers, assistant supers, janitors, handypersons, porters, firepersons, doormen, elevator operators and garbage handlers. This deal averts a strike that would have directly affected a quarter of a million New Yorkers living in over 1,000 apartment, condo and co-op buildings in the Bronx.

Bronx members of 32BJ will vote on ratifying the contract later this month.
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 .
 

  

Borough Taxis: Let the City Know What You Think! New York City is Looking for Your Opinion. 

You may have heard about the Mayor’s proposal to establish a new category of livery cars that can make on-street pickups outside of Manhattan ­– just like yellow cabs do.  It will give New Yorkers in all five boroughs another safe, reliable and convenient option for getting around. The program aims to improve taxi availability while bringing yellow-taxi-like amenities (e.g., metered fares, credit/debit card payment, easier-to-spot cabs) to the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. The City wants to hear from residents about your experiences with taxis and car services, and has a developed a short online survey where your voice can be heard.  The survey, available in both English and Spanish, is available at www.nyc.gov/taxi. Spread the word!

 

 

Title XX Funds Restored in Senate Budget Bill

March 14, 2011 For Immediate Release

State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz (SD 32) announced today that the New York State Senate has completely restored Title XX funding for discretionary programs in its one-house budget bill.

 “I am pleased and grateful that Senator Skelos and the Senate Republicans, as well as my conference Leader John Sampson and the Senate Democrats, worked to ensure that this very important funding was restored,” stated Senator Díaz.

New York State receives $103 million in Title XX funding from the federal government which is allocated to the Office of Children and Family Services.  $66 million is used for mandated programs: Adult Protective Services and Domestic Violence Programs. The remainder, $37 million, is distributed to the counties to fund programs at local discretion.  These discretionary programs may include senior services, low income day care, and supportive housing services, as an example.

“Governor Cuomo’s Executive Budget for the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year would have eliminated all the funding for the discretionary programs and kept it for mandated services.  While the mandated programs are important, I could not stand by while other programs, such as services to senior citizens faced the possibility of being completely decimated,” continued Senator Díaz.

The New York City Department for the Aging recently released a list of 105 Senior Centers in all five boroughs that were slated to close, resulting in the loss of 2.5 million meals, in order to cope with this expected loss of funding.

“Now that we have passed this first hurdle and restored Title XX funds for discretionary programs, I call on  Governor Cuomo to follow our example,” concluded Senator Díaz. 

After State Senator Carl Kruger's Indictment, is State Senator Shirley Huntley Far Behind?

The New York Post writes a story here about New York State Attorney General Eric Schniederman 's office  investigating State Senator Shirley Huntley, and her ties to a certain non-profit that may have received over $400,000.00 of questionable grants, and possible nepotism. 

The Post lists names and amounts of money received by said names, and how they may be involved with the Queens state senator. The Post also asked questions of the involved parties including the AG's office, getting no comments from all. This is very interesting reading, and could signal  the end of another state senators career.

Tragic Bus Crash on I-95 

At 5:30 AM a tour bus crashed into a sign post for exit 14 on the southbound side of I-95 just below the Bronx-Westchester borderline. 13 people were killed,and others were hurt. I-95 continues to be shut down while the accident investigation continues. Police have been told that a tractor-trailer truck may have side-swiped the bus before the bus crashed.

Here is a statement from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on the tragic bus crash

“This tragic loss of life has saddened the entire Bronx. The thoughts and prayers of 1.4 million Bronxites go out to the victims of this crash and their families, and my office is ready to assist them in any way we can during their hour of need,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

 

Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz to His Colleagues: You Can Give My Campaign the Money!

New York State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) issued the following statement after receiving media inquiries about whether or not he would return campaign money received from Senator Carl Kruger, who surrendered to federal authorities yesterday:

"I have no intentions at all to return any money that has been donated to my Re-Election campaign.  Anyone who knows me knows that my votes cannot be bought, and that my convictions will not change because of any campaign contribution by anyone.

I would like for my colleagues who may be confused about what to do with campaign money they received from Carl Kruger before he was indicted, that if any of them feel guilty that they took Carl Kruger’s money for their campaigns and don’t know what to do with it, they can give it to my campaign. I won’t feel guilty at all.

My colleagues, my friends, and my enemies may all feel free to donate directly to my campaign by credit card to by visiting the following address: https://secure.piryx.com/donate/ZxBtmPQf/Ruben-Diaz-for-State-Senate-Committee/

Donations by checks should be made payable to Ruben Diaz for State Senate, and mailed to Ruben Diaz for State Senate,  P.O. Box 229, Bronx, New York.10460"

Assemblyman Dinowitz, Council Member Koppell, and State Senator Espaillat Hold Town Hall Meeting

Thursday night the room was filled with constituents as Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz opened the Town Hall Meeting. He along with City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, and State Senator Adriano Espaillat were there to hear what their constituents had to say about the upcoming budget cuts proposed, and where each elected official stands . Each elected official gave an opening speech on how they were fighting budget cuts while trying to work with other elected officials statewide to find monies somewhere or ease the drastic cuts proposed. 

Questions ranged from senior centers closing, teacher tenure, empty stores on Johnson Avenue in Riverdale, a baseball field still waiting to be fixed in Van Cortlandt Park, the water filtration plant also in VCP, caps on malpractice suits,  parking meters, and the removal of special needs children from programs by the DOE to name only some of the topics discussed. 

Senator Espaillat said that he was against ending LIFO for teachers, because that would be against gains made in collective bargaining agreements as we see in other states. He added that the pain of the cuts must be spread around so all share and some do not share more than others as we see in this budget proposal. 

Assemblyman Dinowitz blamed Mayor Bloomberg for cost overruns on the water filtration  plant, and said that he wished that we had the two billion dollars in cost overruns for this years budget. On the subject of empty stores on Johnson Avenue Dinowitz said the owner of many of the empty store Friendland Properties "is a pig" by keeping the stores empty and was actually driving out businesses from the street by asking for  exorbitant rents. Councilman Koppell added that the local community board was checking into possible down zoning the area so the empty stores could not be demolished to put up a high rise building.

When it came to the baseball fields still awaiting fixing, Councilman Koppell explained that there was a problem with the winning bidder on the project and that the project had to go to the second bidder. Assemblyman Dinowitz however brought up the proposed ice skating rink by the mayor and VCP Conservancy, saying that that project will get done in eight months. 

Councilman Koppell said that his office will look into the removal of special needs children from current programs by the DOE, and that he believes in the local public schools.  Assemblyman Dinowitz had a different opinion of the DOE by saying that we were bamboozled by the mayor on how good test scores were. He added we found out after the election for mayor that said test score were inflated and much lower in reality. 

A question as to why parking meters were removed for muni-meters was answered by Dinowitz that it is a way to get more money, while Koppell said that there is a savings on the collection of money, and due to smaller cars more can park in the same area. 

As the town hall meeting winded down it seemed that there were many questions that still remained on peoples minds, as they were told by the elected officials that they will be fighting all the way for them. Will it still be three men in a room in Albany, or will there be input from every elected official around the state? When it comes to the city, will Mayor Bloomberg's budget ax swing more than it has to? One will have to wait and see what happens, what gets cut, and what is sparred this year.