COUNCIL APPROVES KOPPELL-SPONSORED BILL SUSTAINING AND EXPANDING WORK OF CLIMATE CHANGE PANEL AND TASK FORCE

    At its meeting on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, the Council passed a bill co-sponsored by Council Member Oliver Koppell, a member of the Environmental Protection Committee, that institutionalizes and expands the work of the NYC Panel on Climate Change and the NYC Climate Change Adaption Task Force.

    The Panel and the Task Force were created by the Mayor in 2008 to evaluate the impact of climate change on New York City and to develop strategies to protect the city’s critical infrastructure from this impact.  

    The new legislation expands the scope of these bodies to include, not only consideration of the risks of climate change on the infrastructure, but also on the city’s communities, vulnerable populations, public health, natural systems, buildings and economy.  

    “The Council found global climate models predict that temperatures, precipitation, sea levels and extreme weather events will increase dramatically, even in the next ten years, creating the necessity of preparing for, or ideally preventing, the impact of these adverse climate changes on New York City,”  Koppell said. 

    The legislation requires that the Panel, consisting of climate change scientists, recommend climate change projections for the city not less than once every three years. Within one year of the Panel’s recommended climate change projections, the Task Force, comprised of representatives of the appropriate city, state and federal agencies, as well as private entities, will inventory the potential risks of climate change to the city, develop adaption strategies, identify issues for further study and issue a report to the Mayor and Council based on its findings. 

    “According to the Mayor’s Office of Long-term Planning and Sustainability, we are already seeing more extreme weather - more days of  heavy rainfall and days over 90 degrees, more frequent heat waves and more strong storms. Consequently, the work of the  Panel and Task Force in coming up with plans to deal with the negative impact of this extreme weather is very important and I am pleased that this legislation requires future administrations to maintain their efforts,”  Koppell said/

 

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

          WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS

    You should know that sometimes, no matter how good, how decent, or how honest your intentions may be, the way things come out might not always seem too good for you.

In Puerto Rico, there is a saying that “when it rains it pours,” meaning that all at once, everything comes falling on your shoulders.

To me, it started earlier this summer with simple knee replacement surgery that was supposed to take two weeks, after which I’d be as good as new, but the first surgery was complicated.  Things did not go as planned, and I had to stay in the hospital for four weeks.

Next, the criminal charge against Mr. Clement Gardner, the bookkeeper for the Christian Community Benevolent Organization, was expanded from the original charge to say that he stole $532,000 from the agency.

You should already know that I founded the Christian Community Benevolent Association (CCBA) in 1977 and it was the jewel of the South Bronx.  When the Bronx was burning and the South Bronx was left in ruins, our organization was creating jobs and holding the fort when banks and businesses and landlords abandoned the area.  The CCBA was an oasis for senior citizens, for our youth and for the unemployed.  We employed more than 1,300 people during the time when the South Bronx was seen as the worst neighborhood in the nation.

You should know that along with the conniving evil work of Mr. Clement Gardner, who destroyed the reputation of everything we had done for 30 years, that in May 2007, instead of arresting Mr. Gardner after he confessed to stealing from CCBA, the FBI sent Mr. Clement Gardner BACK to the Christian Community Benevolent Association where he continued to raid the not-for-profit agency.

And now, to add salt to the wound, my only daughter – the one who I love so dearly – fell in love with a police officer and in a domestic dispute, has been accused of scratching his car with a key.

This must be what they mean in Puerto Rico that  “when it rains it pours.”

But, the Lord who I serve always tells us in the Bible that He will never send us more than we can endure. To my God and Savior, Jesus of Nazareth the One who took me out of the gutter and has brought me into His graces and has blessed me with a family and a name and a place in this State – to Him be the honor,  glory, and praise.

I am State Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

RE: Shooting of Nine-Year Old Boy

“I am deeply saddened by last night’s incident on East 157th St. and Walton Avenue, near Yankee Stadium, where a nine-year old boy fell victim to gun violence.  I will keep him and his family in my prayers as we hope for his quick recovery. It is the second time in a week that this senseless act is committed in our borough and it is extremely disappointing. I know I speak for all Bronxites in condemning this despicable act.

“Ending gun violence has been a top priority of mine since I became an elected official, and despite our good work, too many firearms end up in the wrong hands  both through legal and illegal means.

“This is a national problem that urges us to revisit the Second Amendment and the true meaning of what it was intended to protect so we can better prevent these crimes and protect innocent people across our city and nation.

“This violence must stop, my office will continue to work to take as many illegal guns off of our streets as we possibly can to keep our children and families safe. I urge all Bronxites with knowledge of illegal guns in their community to call 866-GUN-STOP to anonymously report those guns to the police, a program that my office continues to promote through our ‘Peace in our Streets’ campaign,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

More information on the 866-GUN-STOP program can be found at the following link:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/rewards.shtml

 

 

SENATOR KLEIN SCHOOL SUPPLY GIVEAWAY

    State Senator  Klein gave away free school supplies to children living in the Pelham Parkway Houses during the Pelham Parkway House's Annual Unity in the Community Family and Friends Day. 
Below are a few pictures of Senator Klein and some of the children.

Committee of 100 Democrats 8th Annual Barbecue Huge Success

    The 8th Annual Committee of 100 Democrats Free Community drew over 1,000 people. There was a constant flow of people as the food and entertainment changed during the day, This year the event was held on East 205th Street around the corner from the Committee of 100 Democrats headquarters. This was also a special day for Committee of 100 Democrats Chairman Richardo "Ricky" Martinez (who is running for the 78th A.D. seat) as he heard over and over again people giving him their support in the upcoming September 13th Democratic Primary..  

    Congressman Eliot Engel was stuck in Washington so Senior Aid Joe O'Brien accepted the award  for a distinguished record of Public Service from the Committee of 100 Democrats for the congressman. Congressman Engel through redistricting will no longer serve this area of Bedford Park. Mr. Fernando Tirado Community Board #7 District Manager accepted the Committee of 100 Democrats Community Service award for his outstanding community work as District Manager of CB7. Tirado was chosen as the District Manager a few years ago when longtime District Manager Rita Kessler retired. Senator Jeff Klein an old friend of the Committee of 100 Democrats stopped by to say a few words before leaving for another event. Mr. Mark Gjonaj candidate for the 80th A.D. seat stopped in with a few dancers in traditional Albanian dress. Gjonaj and Martinez spoke of the struggle that they are having trying to run as independents against a well entrenched veteran political family (father and daughter), but that stories of improprieties are now coming out in the newspapers against their opponents the Riveras. 33rd State Senate candidate Manny Taveras who also has teamed with Mr. Martinez is running against another Rivera in office, brought along the Ruben Diaz truck that was loaned to him by Senator Diaz one of his supporters...Even the local 52nd Precinct Explorers jogged by as you will see in one of the photos below

                                                                                                                                                                          

Left - Richardo "Ricky" Martinez standing in front of one of the bands with two members of his assembly campaign.

Right - another band performs later at a different spot.

Left - Chairman Martinez with Community Board 7 District Manager Fernando Tirado and his award.

Right - Senator Klein an old friend of the Committee of 100 Democrats with Chairman Ricardo "Ricky" Martinez

Left - Dancers in traditional Albanian dress, and only part of the crowd in the background.

Right - Another view of the crowd.

Left - The explorers from the 52nd Precinct passed by on their way.

Right - You can see that as it got dark there was still a large crowd, as Mr. Martinez takes in a dance.

5th Annual Allerton Avenue Festival

   Sunday was the 5th Annual Allerton Avenue Festival Hosted by Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera. The festival was scheduled to run from 12 - 5 P, and I arrived at 12:30 PM to find very few people, the stage being set up, and only some of the tables or should I say vendors set up. For over one hour I went to explore and ask some questions.Since Allerton Avenue was closed for four blocks between White Plains Road and Boston Road I asked one of the officers how many people were expected, and was told a few hundred. I asked people at the tables if they were being charged for the spots, and many workers did not know saying they were not the boss. Those at the tables who knew told me yes, and it seemed that the answer most given was that there was different fees for different people. 

    I asked a few workers in some stores about the festival, and again mostly got the answer that they could mot say. One customer when I asked about Assemblywoman Rivera said that he is having a good laugh every day when he reads the stories about her in the New York Post. There was free cotton candy and popcorn being given out, but that was all as one woman commented on the prices being charged by the vendors saying she paid three dollars for a roasted ear of corn.

   Before I was about to leave I went into the Campaign office of Assemblywoman Rivera which was conveniently located right in the middle of the festival, asking if the assemblywoman was at the festival yet. First I was told not yet, and when I asked when she would be here I was told in about a half hour. Since in the past that could mean one hour or more I decided that I was not going to waste my time to see if Assemblywoman Rivera would even show up, and left a little after 2 PM after speaking to one of her opponents in the upcoming primary Irene Estrada Rukaj who walked away from me when I said that the primary was really between the Naomi Rivera and Mark Gjonaj..

check out the photos below

Left - Photo taken at 1:45 PM 

Right - Crowd in front of supermarket standing in the shade waiting for the event to start. Inside the store was empty as was the case in almost all of the stores that were open.

Left - shows one of the empty stores on Allerton Avenue.

Right - Shows Assemblywoman Rivera's campaign office an empty income tax office.

Assemblymoman Naomi Rivera --- It Just Keeps Getting Better Each Day

   In an old photo on the left from 2006 of Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera during better times when the money was flowing in to the Bronx Council for Economic Development, last week the New York Post reported that this non profit was Rivera's personal piggy bank. Today the Post reports that this investigation "sheds light" on an even bigger operation in a story called Twisted Web of Non Profits in Bx. . 

    Post reporter Candice Giove seems to be clearing out all the skeletons that may have been left when Assemblyman Jose Rivera (Naomi's father) packed his bags  in late 2008 after being deposed as the Bronx Democratic County Leader. This story zeros in the assemblyman and county leader  that Jose Rivera replaced in both positions Roberto Ramirez, and The Hispanic Federation. 

   According to the story Ramirez has done much better after leaving office with his consulting firm, MirRam and The Hispanic Federation, which was founded in 1998. "The federation has ties to almost every Hispanic lawmaker in The Bronx, but primarily benefits two men: political strategist Luis Miranda, who co-founded it and once served as its president, and Roberto Ramirez, a former Bronx Democratic Party boss" (is a quote from the story).. 

   MirRam most recently was the political consultant to State Senator Adriano Espaillats failed bid for the newly created 13th Congressional seat, and is now consulting to Senator Espaillats opponent in his reelection bid.

   

Bronx Redistricting City Council Meeting

   A photo can be a thousand words, but in this case of the City Council Bronx Redistricting hearing Held on Thursday August 23rd at Lehman College. You could almost count the Bronxites in the audience on you fingers and toes. In fact you could count the number of Bronx speakers at hearing on both of your hands and still have one finger left over. 10 people signed up to speak with one person who did not speak. Two of the speakers spoke for elected officials not present and  there was one city council member and one possible future council member (in 2013) in the sparse audience. After the 9 people spoke the chair of the hearing asked if there was anyone else who did not sign up, but who wanted to say something, and 3 more people came forward to speak of either Queens or Brooklyn. The chair then said that the commission would be taking a 15 minute break, and resume the hearing to see if anyone else who may have come late had anything to say. After about 20 minutes they returned, but there were no more speakers to be had. The hearing was then adjourned less than one hour after it started including the 20 minute break that was taken.

    After going over the numbers that were given out I noticed that according to the figures provided after adding and subtracting that there was a large net loss of people citywide. By borough the Bronx however gained over 75,000 people or about half the size of a district, while Manhattan and Staten Island both showed gains of over 1,000 people per borough. Brooklyn lost almost 40.000 people.and Queens lost about 160,000 people, the size of a council district. According to the figures provided the two council districts that lost the most people were the 10th (upper Manhattan including Marble Hill) loosing 23,507 people, and the 45th (Brooklyn, Flatbush & Flatlands) loosing 19,890 people. The two districts that gained the most population were both in the Bronx. The 17th (covering Mott Haven, and Melrose) gaining 20,437 people, and the 16th (Morrisania, Highbridge, and Morris Heights) gaining 17,131 people.The only Bronx council district to show a loss of people was the 14th (Fordham, Kingsbridge Heights, and West Bronx) of 1,044 people.

     We spoke to a couple Bronx council members who said that the Bronx delegation is looking for another Bronx City Council seat or at least a majority section of one that covers a part of the Bronx such as the 8th council district which has about 40,000 Bronxites in it.The Marble Hill area which is part of the Bronx mainland, and receives police, fire, EMS, schools, and other Bronx services, could also be easily part of a new Bronx council district. 

   September 5th is the City Charter mandated deadline for this redistricting commission to release its preliminary plan, and have public hearing on it between October 2nd and 11th of this year. November 5th it goes to the city council, and the council has until November 26th to consider the plan, present any suggestions for the January revised plan, where public hearings are held again before the final plan is submitted to the City Clerk who then submits the revised plan to the Justice Department for pre-clearance early in March of 2013.