By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
District 32 Bronx County, New York
Governor Andrew Cuomo Just Did
it Again to
Get Even with Me and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo
You should know that on Monday,
December 16, 2013, the leaders of the New York State Republican Party,
Chairman Ed Cox, New York State Senate Republican Conference Leader Dean
Skelos, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and others, at the request
of myself and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, came to the South Bronx to distribute
2,000 toys to our needy and poor children for my annual event “Christmas
In The Bronx.” You should have seen the excitement that radiated from
the faces of all these children!
Two days later on December 18,
2013, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed and vetoed over 60 bills. One of his
vetoes, Veto #249 to be exact, was the Immigrant Service Enforcement Act
(A.158A-S.786A). I am the Senate sponsor of this bill, and Assemblyman
Marcos Crespo, who is also the Assembly Chair of the Task Force on New
Americans, is the sponsor in that house.
You should also know that on the
very next day, December 19, 2013, not one, but two articles were published
in the New York Times: Immigration Remakes and Sustains New York, Report
Finds and Life Expectancy of New Yorkers Rises With Influx of Immigrants,
Study Finds.
Ladies and Gentlemen, when the venerable
New York Times published not only one, but two articles on the positive
impact immigrants bring to New York City, we have a Governor vetoed a bill
that would strengthen protections against the rampant fraud to which immigrants
are frequently subjected. How could the Governor veto a bill that requires
immigrant service providers to register with the State? How could the Governor
veto a bill that increases fines against immigrant service providers who
seek to cheat the very people they are supposed to serve out of their hard
earned money? How could the Governor veto a bill that is essentially a
comprehensive consumer protection bill?
This bill is not only about protecting
immigrants who speak Spanish. This bill is about protecting immigrants
who speak Chinese, Russian, Creole, and even English speaking immigrants
from Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Consequently, the Governor’s
veto is not only about his failure to protect immigrants who speak Spanish.
His veto fails to protect the millions of immigrants who call New York
City home.
Since Assemblyman Crespo and I represent
communities in the Bronx, our concern is naturally for our constituents
who are immigrants and who make their home here. According to the New York
Times: “From 2000 to 2011, the Bronx’s foreign-born population increased
by about 85,300, the largest growth of any borough.” This growth, however,
is not only evident in the Bronx. Again, according to the New York Times,
in Staten Island the “immigrant population grew 36 percent, the largest
percentage increase of any borough.”
Ladies and Gentleman, a bill of
this magnitude and scope does not get introduced, negotiated, amended and
passed, unanimously in the Assembly and one vote shy of unanimous in the
Senate, overnight. For three long years, Assemblyman Crespo has been working
tirelessly with the legislative leaders in both houses, with the Governor’s
office and with New York City’s leading immigrant service providers and
advocacy groups, including the Coalition for Asian American Children and
Families, the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the Queens
Chapter for League of United Latin American Citizens, the New York Immigration
Coalition, Casa Puebla and New Immigrant Community Empowerment, to craft
a bill that everyone could support. Clearly, this bill had wide-spread
community and legislative support.
Even as final negotiations were
taking place with the Governor’s office prior to the Governor’s veto,
Assemblyman Crespo was willing to amend the bill further to address the
Governor’s concerns. Instead of a good faith effort on the part of the
Governor, the immigrants who contribute so much to the vitality, health
and well being of New York City were given a slap in the face.
You should know that when the
Governor vetoes a bill, he is required by state law to issue what is referred
to as a “veto message.” The Governor’s veto message in part states:“Unfortunately,
this bill fails to achieve its stated purposes, because, among other things,
some of its key provisions are preempted by federal law, so they are unenforceable
as State law.”
Since when did the Governor of New
York State become the lawyer for the Federal Government? Our Governor is
not the United States Attorney General. Why is the Governor hiding behind
Federal law as an excuse to veto this bill? There is no Federal gay marriage
law, yet the Governor pushed that bill through, going so far as to force
the Senate leaders to dispense with Senate Rules that govern floor debate.
There is no Federal law that allows for the use of medical marijuana or
is there a Federal law that decriminalizes marijuana, yet Governor Cuomo
seems more determined than ever to make marijuana more readily available
in our minority communities. There is no effort on the Federal level to
expand abortion the way Governor Cuomo wants to expand abortion here in
New York State.
You should also know that this is
not the first time that the Democratic Governor who is the head of the
State Democratic Party, the Party that is supposed to be the champion of
the immigrant, has treated New York City and its residents with such disrespect.
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s refusal to include funding for the Dream Act in
the State budget and his effort a few years ago to slash funding for senior
centers which serve many immigrants, are among two of the horrible examples
of how our Governor has treated the immigrant community.
You should know my dear reader,
that Governor Andrew Cuomo just did it again and I am afraid that he did
it to get even with Assemblyman Marcos Crespo and me for allowing Ed Cox,
Dean Skelos, and Rob Astorino to come to the South Bronx to give 2,000
toys to our needy and poor children.
I am State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz,
and this is what you should know.
