WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, 

 
Look Who’s Talking About Treason?

You should know that I am reading Fred Dicker’s column in today’s 11/4/13, New York Post about how New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is getting leaders of the Democratic Party together for fight against the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) Leader Jeff Klein and his fellow IDC Members: Senator Diane Savino, Senator David Valesky and Senator David Carlucci – calling them “traitors to the Democratic Party.”

As you know, IDC Leader Senator Jeff Klein formed an alliance with the Senate Republican Party Leader, Senator Dean Skelos, where they both serve as Co-Chairs to the State Senate. They share the authority to bring and stop legislation from coming to the Floor of the Senate. They both run the Senate.

According to Fred Dicker, Governor Andrew Cuomo has pressured Members of the IDC to support him on certain issues, and since they refuse, Dicker quotes a Cuomo administration source: “He said members of Klein’s IDC would be “prime targets’’ of the governor’s attacks. “The governor thinks the IDC members are most vulnerable in Democratic primaries as traitors to the Democratic Party,’’ the source continued.”

You should know this is laughable. It is pure hypocrisy – and the biggest farce any leader could bring to the Democratic Party.  If we really want to talk about treason and the Democratic Party, let’s talk about Governor Andrew Cuomo himself.

You should know that Governor Andrew Cuomo did everything possible from stopping the Democrats from taking control of the State Senate. We all know that it was Governor Andrew Cuomo who stopped Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins from becoming the Leader of the New York State Senate by working behind doors to create the IDC.

Today we have a coalition of Democrats in the State Senate – something called the Independent Democratic Conference – and we can all thank Governor Andrew Cuomo for it. It was formed behind the scenes with his full support. Governor Andrew Cuomo did not want the Democrats to be in control of the State Senate, so he pushed for the formation of this coalition hoping to manipulate it – and of course, he blessed it.

And while we’re on the subject who is the traitor to the Democratic Party, you should know that it was Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Budget that cut services to senior citizens, closed community service organizations, cut services to Medicare, and hurt the poor and needy New Yorkers. He even refused to include the Dream Act in his Budget.

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s opposition to helping and supporting the most vulnerable New Yorkers goes completely against the heart of the Democratic Party. He may want to take a look in the mirror if he really wants to see who is committing treason against basic Democratic issues.


You should also know that during the last election, Governor Andrew Cuomo, the standard bearer of New York State Democratic Party, publicly supported Republicans running for State Senate. He backed GOP Senators Roy McDonald and Stephen Saland. He even backed GOP Mark Grisanti over Democrat Mike Amodeo.

You should know that while Senator Jeff Klein has just announced that he will be the major advocate of Bill de Blasio's plan to use tax hikes on the wealthy to fund universal prekindergarten – Governor Andrew Cuomo remains opposed to taxing the rich.

My dear reader, when anyone tells me that Governor Andrew Cuomo is attacking Senator Jeff Klein and the IDC and calling them traitors, I have to say: Please, GIVE ME A BREAK!

Senator Jeff Klein looks like a hero compared to Governor Andrew Cuomo. Even though I oppose Senator Klein’s efforts to promote the Reproductive Health Act, I have to applaud him because at least he was able to grab and hold on to some of the power and protect some legislation that helps the poor and the needy – and he does not ignore the needs of minority New Yorkers.

So ladies and gentlemen, when we talk about treason and who is the real traitor, all eyes, all fingers, all arrow and all darts have to be pointed at our beloved Governor Andrew Cuomo.

This is Senator Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

 

Senator Diaz and Assemblyman Sepulveda Introduce Legislation to Protect Shoppers

  Senator Ruben Diaz and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda will Introduce Legislation to Protect Macy's Shoppers

New York State Senator Rev Ruben Diaz and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda will introduce legislation to “amend the general obligations law, in relation to requiring mercantile establishments to cease collections upon a court order finding of not guilty of larceny in mercantile establishments.” This legislation is in response to the growing number of news stories about people who have shopped at Macy’s and other stores and have been erroneously charged with shoplifting.

Senator Rev Diaz stated: “This legislation is intended to protect consumers – especially Black and Hispanic men and women who shop at Macy’s or elsewhere – and who are not guilty of any criminal activity and do not deserve to be fined by the stores for crimes they did not commit.”

Assemblyman Sepulveda stated: “Our city is known for its rich diversity of persons of varying socio-economic backgrounds. Everyone has the right to purchase goods without fearing that they will be suspected of shoplifting. New York State Senator Ruben Diaz and I are proposing legislation that would require merchants to cease attempts to collect fines against a customer falsely accused of shoplifting. It is shameful that innocent people are blacklisted. We, as legislators, will continue to fight against these inherently unfair and unjust practices.”

Johnson Ave. Block Festival Sunday Nov. 10th

Johnson Avenue Block Festival

  

 

Sunday, November 10, 2013, 12-4 pm
Johnson Avenue, 235th-236th Street
Bronx, NY 10463

Featuring International Music, Art & Food!

ASSEMBLYMAN LUIS SEPULVEDA HOLDS RALLY AGAINST SHOP AND FRISK OUTSIDE MACY"S IN PARKCHESTER

  Close to 35 police officers from the 43rd PCT. and many barricades to hold back the crowd outside of Macy's in Parkchester were on hand as close to 75 people rallied against the Macy policy of "Shop and Frisking" its minority customers. The rally was set up and run by 87th A.D. Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda who had State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., 85th A.D. Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Democratic Primary winner in the 86th A.D. Hector Pachardo, Councilwoman Annabelle Palmer, and 87 A.D. District Leaders Julia Rodriguez and William Rivera helping him with the action. 78th A.D. Assemblyman Jose Rivera was also on hand, but he was doing his usual filming of the people and left before the action began. 

  All three assembly members and Senator Diaz bemoaned the use of jails in many Macy stores to hold and intimidate minority people whom Macy's had security follow around the store and accuse of stealing. Senator Diaz said that people of color are then forced to pay a fine to Macy's or face the risk of being arrested. It was said that in many of the cases when the person refused to pay off Macy's the charges were dropped by the judge when it went to court. Sen. Diaz said though "How many people want to go through that, and have the embarrassment of being arrested, they just pay whatever Macy's says they have to pay and are let go". He added if they were stopped for a crime, "Why then does Macy's not call in the police"? Who is letting Macy's do this, and just how many people has this been done to?

  Senator Diaz said he has introduced legislation bill # S5977 to stop this racial profiling that Macy's and other upscale stores are doing. The bill is to be introduced in the assembly by Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda. Each of the elected officials chastised Macy's for this policy, and soon to be Assemblyman Pichardo gave an account of when he was a teenager of being stopped while shopping in one such store. 

  The chant of the crowd went from "No More Shop And Frisk" to "Shame on you Macy's". I noticed some of the Macy employees looking at the crowd with a couple coming outside to see what was going on in the penned in area the police set up for the protest. I went into Macy's to see if there was any comment from the store, and was told "No comment from Macy's". At the end of the protest Assemblyman Sepulveda pledged that this was not going to be the last protest against stores like Macy's. "The protests will continue (and get larger) until Macy's and the others change their policies of racial profiling" he said.

 

Left - Just some of the police on hand for the protest against Macy's in Parkchester.

Right - The protesters as they were penned in across from Macy's.

 

Left - Assemblyman Crespo poses for this photo with a couple of the community affairs officers in the background.

Right - Some more of the police officers at the protest of Macy's.

Left - The crowd stayed for several hours as you see how dark it has become outside of Macy's in this shot. That's Female District Leader, and a community fighter for many years Julia Rodriguez hanging in there next to Senator Diaz as the protest continues.

Right - Soon to be Assemblyman Pichardo tells a story of how he was victimized as a teenager of this same situation Macy's is currently doing.

Adofo Carrion in 2017?

   Already Adolfo Carrion is looking to 2017 as it seems that losing the mayoral race this year has become reality. In a Daily News interview Carrion says that he will stay involved in reforming the political system and if need be to run again in 2017. The Daily News is non the kindest in pointing out Carrion's 3 percent in the latest Quinnipiac poll after spending over a million dollars he had on hand from a previous campaign. They are also quick to point out that Carrion raised only $175,000 in his entire campaign since announcing for mayor, calling it a lackluster effort.

  Carrion says though that he will embark on a 5 borough tour mostly visiting senior centers in Manhattan and the Bronx in the final days of the campaign. The News quotes Carrion  “I’m very happy with the solid foundation that we have poured and the message of my campaign,” when asked if he was content with how his candidacy had panned out. The News ends by saying that it is unclear how much support and money that Carrion received from the Independence Party in his campaign.

New Yorkers Brace for Cuts to Food Stamp Program

 

 The Daily News writes  that 225 million dollars are now gone from the federal food stamp program for New York State. The reason given is that funding added to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program in 2009 under the federal stimulus program ran out Thursday. This could mean a cut of up to $36.00 in buying power to a family of four, as The News reports that over 2 million New Yorkers are enrolled in the federal food stamp program.

  The bad news is not over with this cut as congress wants to cut the SNAP program even more. House legislation would cut SNAP by $40 billion over a decade, and would further require that recipients work or take work training 20 hours a week and would allow states to subject beneficiaries to drug testing. the Senate alternative would be a cut of $4 billion only.

100,000 People May be Forced to Change Health Plans in NY

   The New York Post writes that insurers are cancelling the insurance policies of close to 100,000 people in New York because the policies do not meet the new standards of "Obama Care" better known as the Affordable Health Care Act. The Post quotes New York State Health Department spokesman Bill Schwarz as saying that the current health plans are not compliant with the new Affordable Health Care Act.

  State elected officials from all over New York have received complaints from constituents that their health plans are being eliminated. The response from Albany based elected officials has been that the state has no control over the new FEDERAL regulations. Read the full New York Post article for more.

WHY I OPPOSE CASINO GAMBLING LEGISLATION

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

  You should know that when Senate Bill 5898, supported by Governor Andrew Cuomo and sponsored by Senator Bonacic, came to the Floor of the Senate to propose an amendment to the State Constitution to authorize casino gambling in New York State, I voted NO. When this vote came to the floor of the Senate on June 21, 2013, I was proud that seven of my colleagues: Senator Espaillat, Senator Hoylman, Senator Krueger, Senator LaValle, Senator Parker, Senator Perkins, and Senator Sanders all joined me and voted against this bill.

You should know that the bill passed, and on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, Proposal 1 will be on the ballot for voters in New York State to decide if they want to legalize and expand casino gambling in New York.

I still don’t support this measure that Governor Andrew Cuomo has been pushing hard to pass, and I will continue to publicly and ardently disagree with Governor Cuomo’s efforts to make this amendment to legalize casino gambling part of the State Constitution.

You should know that the purpose of putting Proposal 1 on the ballot and passing a Constitutional Amendment to allow for more casinos to open New York State is to bring more revenue to the State. The Governor believes that more casinos in New York State will open the coffers so that money will flow and help tourism, revenue and jobs.

The reason why I voted NO to legislation to legalize casino gambling – in a State where poverty levels continue to increase – is because gambling revenues will not draw from expendable income. Gambling revenues will draw from families’ necessities. Instead of helping the many New Yorkers who already suffer from gambling addiction, this amendment will only continue to destroy their worlds and further exploit vulnerable and poor New Yorkers and their families.

As a minister and a community leader, I have seen many good people get hooked on gambling - even senior citizens. I have seen it become an addiction, like drugs. I have seen families dispossessed from their homes. I have seen gambling destroy many lives.

You should also know that by legalizing casino gambling, gambling addiction will increase and more and more families and children will suffer. Rent will not get paid. Food will not be on the tables. People will suffer.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have opposed legislation to expand casino gambling in New York State, and I will continue to oppose it.

This is Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.