Constantinides, Torres, Diaz, Intro Gun Registry Legislation

  City Council Member Costa Constantinides and Council Members Ritchie Torres  announced today’s introduction of legislation guaranteeing community access and mandating a community notification requirement within the City’s gun offender registry.  Constantinides and Torres were joined by bill co-sponsor Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Constantinides said, “This online gun offender registry bill will promote public safety and guarantee our communities are notified when a registered gun offender lives within their neighborhood.  Gun violence is a public policy challenge which requires a multitude of solutions.  Protecting the public’s right to know their neighbor is an essential building block of fostering stronger community relations.  The Gun Offender Registry bill will better equip our city in the effort to combat and eradicate gun violence.”

Torres said, “We must take every measure to stem the tide of gun violence in New York City.  This bill will create a commonsense crime-fighting tool that provides both law-enforcement and community members with real-time information on violent gun-offenders in their neighborhoods.”

Diaz said, “A safer New York State, and a safer nation, demands that we shine a light on those individuals who would commit gun crimes in our neighborhoods. An easily-accessible gun crime registry will serve as an excellent tool not only to keep neighborhoods informed about crime, but to serve as a deterrent from such acts. I am proud to stand with my colleagues today to reintroduce this legislation, which I first proposed in my 2013 ‘State of the Borough’ address, and I look forward to seeing it become law.”

From January 2013 to July of this year, there have been 1,400 shooting incidents and there have been 1,190 shooting victims.  

The bill mandates that registered gun offenders will be listed in a publicly available online sub-directory, which will provide a searchable database.  Individuals can sign up for free automatic email notifications when an offender moves into a geographic area they specified.

The registry will be updated on a monthly basis and will include: the offender’s name, block on which they live, a physical description, the crime the offender was convicted of, and sentence imposed.  Gun offenders are required to be registered for only four years from the date of release or after conviction, after which their names are expunged.

The bill sponsors were joined in support by their colleagues, along with other elected officials and community groups.

“As we expand our City’s efforts to reduce gun violence and make New York a safer place to live, all New Yorkers should be assured that they will have access to up-to-date information that will assist them in protecting their families,” Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson, chair of the Council’s Public Safety, said. “Ensuring access to accurate information about convicted gun offenders, this legislation is a creative approach to enhancing the array of options available to every New Yorker as we join together to combat gun violence.”

“By making the existing gun offender registry public we are telling these criminals that they are no longer just being watched by the police, but by everyone. I am confident that this step will help fight the increased gun violence I have seen in my district and act as a safety measure for families concerned about their safety in their own neighborhoods. We must be willing to work together, with our fellow elected officials, the police department and community organizations to ensure that our neighbors are able to access this resource. Together we will show that gun violence is not tolerated in our community and never will be,” said Council Member Andrew Cohen.

"New York residents deserve access to any information that will help them lead safer lives and give them the tools to better protect their families. By allowing for community access and mandating community notification to the City's gun offender registry we will give our citizens the knowledge they need to make smart choices. I stand with my colleagues in government in fighting for this vital piece of legislation," said State Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein.

Committee of 100 Democrats 10th Annual Free Community Barbecue

  On Saturday August 23rd the Committee of 100 Democrats will be hosting their 10th Annual Free Community Barbecue.  This event will run from 12 - 6 PM and be held on East 204th Street between the Grand Concourse and Mosholu Parkway. There will be as usual lots of free food for the community, live entertainment, elected officials,and those who want to be elected, as well as a good time for all.

  Committee of 100 Democrats Chairman Ricky Martinez said that "The Committee has done this for the last nine years, and the Free Community Barbecue just keeps getting bigger every year." Last year we had to move the location from the small East 205th Street to much larger East 204th Street location to accommodate all the people who attend. Martinez expects more than 600 people to attend the Committee of 100 Democrats 10th Annual Free Community Barbecue, and promises that those who attend will enjoy it.

7th Annual Allerton Festival on August 24th

	The 7th Annual Allerton Avenue Festival!

Don't miss the 7th Annual Allerton Avenue Festival taking place on Sunday, August 24, 2013 from 12pm to 5pm, rain or shine, on Allerton Avenue from Boston Road.

The purpose of this event is to bring the community together to celebrate the cultural diversity that make our neighborhoods a great place to live, work and raise a family.   

The day will feature an International Food Show with food samplings of African, Albanian, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, Chinese, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Jewish, Latin-American, Thai and many more cuisines!  

Kid's activities and games, clowns, face painting, balloon art, hayrides, giveaways, vendors and live performances all day hosted by Baron Ambrosia of The Culinary Adventures of Baron Ambrosia on the Cooking Channel.

I invite you to join me at this fantastic, fun-filled annual community event.    

I look forward to seeing you there!

- Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj 

What's the Difference Between Governors Andrew Cuomo, Chris Christie, and Rick Perry?

What You Should Know

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz

32nd Senatorial District

 You should know that there is an old saying: “You can indict a ham and cheese sandwich.”  This means that the level of proof needed to indict a defendant might not be very high.  It also means that the power and resources available to the prosecutors may be so strong that they can crush anyone who gets in their way.

You should also know that on August 15, 2014, Texas Governor Rick Perry was indicted by a Texas grand jury for charges relating to the abuse of power. According to the August 19, 2014 edition of the New York Times: “The indictment, returned by a grand jury on Friday in Travis County, Tex., stemmed from Mr. Perry’s efforts to force the resignation of Rosemary Lehmberg, the county’s district attorney, after her arrest on a drunken-driving charge. Mr. Perry threatened to veto funding to her office unless she quit, a threat that he ultimately carried out by vetoing $7.5 million earmarked for the Public Integrity Unit that was intended to fight official corruption.”

You should know that the US Attorney for the District of New Jersey has been busy investigating charges against Governor Chris Christie relating to the abuse of power.  On June 25, 2014, the Daily Beast reported:  “Just a few days after the lane closures on the George Washington Bridge became its own term with a scandal-signifying suffix, Dawn Zimmer, the Mayor of Hoboken, alleged that two members of Christie’s Cabinet told her that she would not receive additional money to rebuild her town unless she decided to go ahead with a proposed real estate project. Zimmer described being pulled aside by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno at an event and informed what the deal was: Do as the administration wants or watch your town struggle to bounce back. Guadagno, for her part, has categorically denied Zimmer's accusations.”

Here in New York State, the rule of law is that when the actions of the director or board members of an organization that is funded by the State are displeasing to the Governor, the Governor has the power to intervene.

We all know how this happened to the National Puerto Rican Day Parade's Board, to the Hunts Point Multi-Service Center, and to the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty.  If board members refused to resign, the Governor would use his power to stop the funding.

In the case of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman found that there was no wrongdoing by the Board President Madelyn Lugo - nor any Member of the Board – yet the entire Board was forced to resign.

In the case of the Bronx Hunts Point Multi-Service Center, which was founded in 1968 by former City Councilman Ramon Velez and provided health care to 600 people per week, the government cited poor management and diminished their funding.  In 2012, the State quietly shut down the Hunts Point Multi-Service Center, giving only two weeks for the counselors to transfer 470 patients to other Bronx methadone clinics.

In the case of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, Mr. William Rapfogel resigned as the Chief Executive, pled guilty to grand larceny, money laundering, tax fraud, and filing false documents to the Board. Mr. Rapfogel, husband of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver's Chief of Staff, and the organization he led for more than two decades, had received millions of dollars from the State through Speaker Silver. Mr. Rapfogel paid more than $3 million dollars in restitution and was sentenced to 3-1/2 to 10 years in prison.

My dear reader, if we think about how in Texas, an organization can turn the tables and bring charges against the governor, it seems to me that they have opened Pandora's Box for the rest of us.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is no difference between the three governors.  We will wait and see how the rule of law plays out for the future.

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

State Senators Jeff Klein and Andrea Stewart-Cousins to Run on Women's Equality Line

  100,00 signatures will be submitted by the Cuomo camp with incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo and Lieutenant Gover Kathy Hochul heading a third party independent line,  There are nine state senator candidates in all including incumbent IDC leader Jeff Klein, Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, Terry Gibson, CecliaTkaczrk, Ted O'Brien, and four challengers who are filing petition signatures to run on the 'Women;s Equality Party' line. This according to the Hudson Valley Democrat. 

UPDATE
The Daily News reports that Former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn led a rally in support of the Woman's Equality Party at City Hall today. The full daily news story with a photo of Ms. Quinn's stylish new hairdo can be found here. 

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF THE NEW NY WORKS OFFICE IN THE BRONX

 In Photo are  (l to r) Council Member Vanessa Gibson, Assembly Member Marcos Crespo, Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC) President Marlene Cintron, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., State Senator Gustavo Rivera and State Department of Labor Commissioner Peter Rivera participated in a ceremonial ribbon cutting for NY Work today.

  State Department of Labor Will Bring No-Cost Services Direct To Bronx Businesses

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of the new NY Works Office, which as part of the Unemployment Strikeforce, will bring no-cost business services directly to Bronx companies looking to hire. In partnership with the State Department of Labor, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, the office was officially opened this morning.

"Connecting job-seekers with employment opportunities in their communities is one of our administration's top priorities, and opening this new office in the Bronx is a great way to match even more of the area's residents with companies that are looking to hire," Governor Cuomo said. "I encourage all businesses in the region to check out this new resource in their community to find out more about how New York State can help them find the workforce they need to grow."

When businesses look to relocate or expand, one of the first concerns is to identify an available workforce. These initiatives help companies find and train workers based on the specific needs of that company. Using a systematic approach, Department of Labor helps businesses tap into the Bronx workforce by finding hiring and training incentives, and matching job seekers to needed skill sets. The Department of Labor has already assisted more than 1,000 businesses under the program and placed 3,100 individuals into jobs, including more than 1,900 who had been unemployed longer than 27 weeks.

Department of Labor Commissioner Peter M. Rivera said, “Governor Cuomo’s Unemployment Strikeforce positions resources where they can do the most good in the communities that need them most. I encourage any business in the Bronx looking for workers to come visit our new office and take advantage of these resources.”

The NY Works Office is located in Room 123 of 851 Grand Concourse and is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Unemployment Strikeforce is a multi-pronged effort, announced in May, to boost employment in areas with the highest unemployment rates. Through a partnership of the State Department of Labor, Empire State Development and other public and private partners, the effort will strategically augment services in Bronx, Jefferson, Lewis and Kings Counties.

Additional office locations in the Bronx for businesses and job seekers can be found at:www.labor.ny.gov/strikeforce.

The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation helps businesses and job seekers connect to available resources in the Bronx.

          For more information about the Unemployment Strikeforce:

          Bronx to Work Initiative, please call 

         1-888-4-NYDOL or www.labor.ny.gov/bronxworks.

Apply Now for Elementary and Middle School Afternoon Programs

 This come from Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda. 

  Dear Friend,

I hope you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer.  For those of you with children preparing to go back to school, now is the time to apply for elementary and middle school afterschool programs.

This year, there are more programs available than ever before.

Mayor de Blasio invested an additional $145 million to increase afterschool for middle school students across the five boroughs. This means schools across the City are offering afterschool programming right in your neighborhood—and for the first time ever, the overwhelming majority of public middle schools will have high-quality afterschool programs on site.

From volleyball and hip-hop dance to cooking classes and computer and graphic design courses, there’s an afterschool program available right in your neighborhood—and you can start applying now. These no-cost programs offer a variety of options for safe, educational afterschool activities throughout the school year.

Afterschool programs are:

• No cost to you
• Five days a week
• Starting September 8th

Click here to apply for an elementary or middle school afterschool program for your child.

I hope that you will take advantage of these great resources for our children!

Your Assemblyman,

Luis R. Sepúlveda

Bronxtalk 78th A.D. Debate Was Lackluster

   The scheduled Bronxtalk 78th A.D. Debate between incumbent Assemblyman Jose Rivera and challenger Fernando Tirado became a one man show when Assemblyman Rivera did not show. Bronxtalk host Gary Axelbank blasted Assemblyman Rivera for not showing saying that it is the responsibility of elected officials to show up and debate. Axelbank went on to say that this was not the first time Jose Rivera has not showed up to debate in Rivera's more than decade run as an elected official. The show went on with only 78th A.D. candidate Fernando Tirado, and an empty chair as you can see in the above photo to represent Assemblyman Jose Rivera.  

  Candidate Tirado who was given the entire half hour did not go over Jose Rivera's tenure as assemblyman, saying instead that people know who he is and what he has done in the district. Axelbank quickly asked about Assemblyman Rivera asking for political favors when Tirado was the District Manager at Community Board 7. Tirado talked it down like he did on many of Axelbank's questions saying that there was no meeting in his 5 year tenure as the District Manager of CB 7. Axelbank's asked why should people vote for you over Assemblyman Rivera as there have been others who were just like you in the past? A vague answer that he was better than Rivera was given. To a question as to just why he was let go as the District Manager of CB 7 Tirado answered that none of the accusations that were made are true. Tirado said that he quit when his name was being slandered and he had enough.

  Answers to other questions on the Kingsbridge National Ice Center coming to the Armory, Education, Kingsbridge Road Merchants, and more were answered in the normal way a challenger would by saying that he would try to improve or help without any real solid answers. 

  After the show I asked candidate Tirado about 33rd State Senate candidate Jose Padilla Jr. he had on his petition who was knocked of the ballot, and Padilla's claim that one of Tirado's paid consultants was also getting paid by 33rd state senate candidate Fernando Cabrera. Tirado just shrugged it off as he walked away.   

  The next Bronxtalk debate is for the 34th State Senate District seat, and Axelbank said that both incumbent Jeff Klein and challenger Oliver Koppell said they will show up. Bronxtalk is seen on Cable channell 67 or 33 (depending on your cable provider) on Monday night at 9 PM. The show is repeated several times during the week, and available at www.Bronxnet.org.