Senator Diaz Urges Colleagues to Remember OWS 11-Mile March During 2012 Budget Vote

New York State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) has released the following statement in regard to his Senate colleagues' participation at Monday's Occupy Wall Street 11-Mile March to support the Millionaires Tax:

"It is good to know that some of my colleagues in the Senate joined yesterday's Occupy Wall Street 11-Mile March to support the Millionaires Tax.

Earlier this year, I called upon my Senate colleagues - especially the Black and Hispanic Senators who represent less fortunate communities - to oppose Governor Andrew Cuomo's Budget because it did not include the Millionaires Tax.

In order to save Governor Cuomo from being embarrassed by passing a Budget without the support of Black and Hispanic Senators, my colleagues voted for the Cuomo Budget with all of its cuts and with no Millionaires Tax, leaving me and Senator Tom Duane to be the only Senators to vote to oppose the Budget.

If Governor Cuomo does not include the Millionaires Tax in the 2012 Budget, I hope that these same Senators who marched 11 miles and others will remain firm and oppose any such Budget."

 

Celebrate Puerto Rican Heritage Month

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

&

COMITÉ NOVIEMBRE...Mes de la Herencia Puertorriqueña   

Invite You to Celebrate 

Puerto Rican Heritage Month 

 United by our Puerto Rican pride...Unidos por nuestro orgullo boricua

Thursday, November 17, 2011

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm 

Kismet Caterers

1995 Westchester Avenue, Bronx, NY

(3 blocks south of Parkchester Train Station)  

Enjoy an evening of music, dancing and delicious tapas of Puerto Rico as we honor community leaders and their accomplishments.

For information & to RSVP call 718-590-3522 or email lroldan@bronxbp.nyc.gov  

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ URGES BRONX RESIDENTS TO APPLY TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY BOARD

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. today invited Bronx residents to make a difference in their community by joining their local Community Board. The Office of the Bronx Borough President will be accepting applications for all 12 Community Boards from city residents who reside, work or have professional or other significant interests in the Bronx.

“Participation on local Community Boards can provide Bronx residents with a forum to share with their community their expertise and talents,” said Borough President Diaz. “It is important that community residents participate in the decision making process in their communities on important budget, land use and service delivery issues.”

Applications are available at the Borough President’s Community Board office at (718) 590-3914 or at your local community board office. Interested applicants may also get forms on line at bronxboropres.nyc.gov. The deadline for submission of applications for the next round of appointments is February 3, 2012.

The End of an Institution at The Daily News 

   Layoffs at the Daily News has ended the 43 year career of veteran reporter Bob Kappstatter. Kappy as most have called him, was only one of many people at the Daily News to be laid off in what is being called a downsizing at the paper. 

   When we started our column 100PERCENT in the Bronx News several years ago we tried to pattern it to be much like the column that Bob Kappststter was writing. When we would meet at different events we would kid each other about our columns, and it just is not going to be the same without Kappy around anymore. 

   When we went to the Daily News website to see Kappy's column Thursday we saw a message web page vanishes. To find out more about the layoffs at the Daily News you can go here.

   UPDATE:
   To view Kappy's last column titled "Castro Vs. Tapia" which has disappeared from the Daily News website
click here while it is available.

  

CONTRACT EXTENSIONS TURN BACK CLOCK TO CITYTIME

 

City Comptroller John C. Liu today stated the following in response to questions about the City’s intention to award $290 million in unspecified, multi-year extensions to information technology ("IT") contracts:

"This simply preserves the CityTime model of contracts, which pays consultants based on hourly rates rather than fixed price deliverables. Today's approvals are deeply concerning, especially
after the Administration's encouraging testimony just earlier this week aimed toward a more unified, City-wide strategy for IT contracts.
 There was an opening to competitively bid these services, instead these extensions were rubber stamped for the same crop of vendors, some of which have been in use since 2008. Today’s decision reflects poor planning and bad business practices.

“My office will closely examine the contract packages once we receive them and continue to monitor the integrity of the procurement process.
 We must ensure that the City of New York is fully leveraging economies of scale and, most importantly, enhancing services to New Yorkers."

BACKGROUND
In January 2011, Comptroller Liu rejected a $286 million DoITT contract request for ECTP, which had mushroomed from a $386 million initial budget to $666 million. Of particular concern was the vague budgeting formula applied to the bulk of the contract allotting unspecified "time and expense" costs; this would have allowed outside consultants to bill on an hourly basis and collect exorbitant fees, as in the case of the original CityTime project.  Working together with City Hall, the Comptroller's Office registered a restructured $95 million fixed-price contract tied to results, rather than open up taxpayers to a potential CityTime 2.

In May 2010, Comptroller Liu released a report outlining the problems associated with large IT projects undertaken by the City.  The report found the City’s management of IT projects in recent years plagued with excessive cost overruns and missed deadlines, putting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars at risk or explicitly wasted. Comptroller Liu's report outlined primary symptoms of "Why System Development Projects Fail" and provided a number of recommendations to ensure better oversight of IT projects. The report is available at:
http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/audits_2010/05-13-10_FS10-136S.shtm
 

Post Office Closure Hearing

As the Postmaster responsible for all Post Offices in your area, I would like your opinion concerning a possible change in the way postal services are provided. Our tentative plans will only lead to a formal proposal if we are satisfied that a maximum degree of regular and effective service can be provided.

Spuyten Duyvil Station is being studied due to declining office workload, which may indicate that maintaining this facility is not warranted. There are a number of alternate sites within a short radius of this office to provide the sales of stamps and the mailing of most package items.

If you would like an opportunity to discuss alternatives with us, a postal representative will be at St. Gabriel's School, 590 West 235th Street, Bronx, NY 10463 on 11/10/2011 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m...

If you have any questions, you may contact LaTRAYER Sumter-Moreau at (212) 330-2345.
Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,
HOWARD SAMPLE
Postmaster

Senator Rivera and Assembly Member Castro Host Job Fair for Bronxites

Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Nelson L. Castro will be hosting a job fair Friday, November 4th from 9:30am to 1:30pm at the Bronx Library Center at 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. Friday's Job Fair was organized in collaboration with the NYS Department of Labor and the Bronx Women’s Resource Center. With unemployment hovering at 14% in the Bronx, higher than any other borough, it is critical that our elected officials are working with community based organizations to help connect local businesses to Bronxites looking for employment. 

WHO:    Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assembly Member Castro 

WHAT:   Job Fair 

WHERE: Bronx Library Center - 310 East Kingsbridge Road

WHEN:  Friday, November 4th - from 9:30am-1:30pm

- Senator Rivera and Assembly Member Castro available from 12:30pm-1:30pm 

Employers that will be present on Friday include: Aflac, Albert Einstein, Best Choice Home Healthcare, FEDEX, Food Bank, HHH Continuum of Care, Jewish Home Lifecare, MTA- Metro North Railroad,  United Healthcare, SoBRO, Morton Williams, US Customs and Border Patrol, New York Life, St. Barnabas Hospital and the Wyndham Garden Hotel.

 

LIU STATEMENT ON SCHOOLS F.A.C.T. ACT

New York City Comptroller John C. Liu issued the following statement in response to questions concerning the enactment of the Schools Facility, Accountability, Capacity and Transparency Act today.

“The DOE can do better to reduce overcrowded schools and classrooms starting with better understanding of how space is currently used. The Schools F.A.C.T. Act will push the DOE further in this direction and we thank the Mayor and the Council for enacting this measure.”

Comptroller Liu’s office in September released an audit of the DOE’s “Blue Book” estimates of available space in schools.  The Blue Book is used by the DOE and the School Construction Authority to assist in making decisions regarding the placement of new schools and programs in pre-existing buildings and plans for major capital projects and upgrades that may increase capacity. The audit found errors in both the measurements of rooms’ sizes and their use, whether for instructional or non-instructional purposes.  Details of the audit’s findings are available at:
http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/audits_2011/09-14-11_ME11-064A.shtm