Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj Celebrates 102 Years of Albanian Independence

  Hundreds of Albanians and even many non Albanians (such as myself) helped Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj celebrate the 102nd Anniversary of the independence of Albania at Maestros in the 80th Assembly District. Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj is the first person of Albanian decent to be elected to the state legislature. 

  Elected officials on hand included Assemblyman Gjonaj's good friend and counterpart in the State Senate State Senator Jeff Klein. Gjonaj represents the assembly district that Klein held man years ago before being elected to the state senate in 2005. 

  

  There were performances from The Albanian School of the Bronx and Alba Life School in Brooklyn. Assemblyman Gjonaj gave out 3 citations for those who have helped the Albanian community the most. The first citation went to the Service Workers Union 32 BJ for having 20,000 of its 145,000 members being of Albanian heritage. The second citation went to the Bronx Jewish Community Council for its food pantry that services over 400 local people in the 80th A.D. area. Assemblyman Gjonaj was shocked to learn that of the 400 people serviced by the BJCC about 100 are Albanians. The third citation went to Mr. Zeqir Kukaj who helped set up the Albanian community in the Bronx. Gjonaj said to him 'Zequir 'Without you this could not have been possible'. Gjonaj said that there will soon be a new community center in the Pelham Parkway area. He said it will be for senior citizens, children, and the community as a whole. 

  Political buzz at the event- I spoke to a high ranking 32 BJ union official (who asked to remain anonymous) about Mayor de Blasio. The 32 BJ person said that they believes that de Blasio will be a one term mayor only, and we agreed on many of the reasons. We spoke of just who might challenge him in 2017, and Controller Scott Stringers name came up. Public Advocate Tish James was mentioned, but we agreed that she and de Blasio both in the race would hurt each other. We then went to who would run for City Controller should Stringer run for mayor. The names of 2 current borough presidents came up. Eric Adams of Brooklyn, and Ruben Diaz Jr. of the Bronx. I asked which of the 2 would 32 BJ endorse, and I was told since both BP's are very close friends of the union that 32 BJ might not endorse either of the 2 BP's.

  Senator Jeff Klein seemed confident that he and the IDC would have a seat at the table in January when the new state senate convenes. When I asked him if he was worried what may happen in 2 years, he looked at me and said 'look at what happened this year'. He added 'this was the year that Democrats were going to win the State Senate'. 'Democrats did not gain any seats, Democrats lost seats' he said harshly. 

 I am sorry that there are no photos of the event.

Bronx Democratic County Committee Holiday Party Dec 17th

Senator Jeff Klein Turns Up the Heat on the Coldest Bronx Buildings

   State Senator Jeff Klein today released a report, “Turning Up the Heat: An Investigative Report into The Bronx’s Coldest Buildings,” which includes a list of the top 15 heat code offenders in the borough.

As chilly temperatures set in, tenants, who reside in buildings on the list, have already called in complaints of “no heat” or “no heat/hot water” to the city’s Housing and Preservation Department.

The top offender, University Avenue L.P.’s 30 Buchanan Place, racked up 96 complaints from tenants as of October 1 and accumulated over 320 complaints since October 2013, according to HPD records.

“It’s deplorable that some residents are being left in the cold. My investigation reveals that landlords who landed on my office’s worst heat code offender list persistently left tenants without heat and this could lead to something chilling: death,” said Senator Klein.

“Buildings must remain in compliance with wintry temperatures upon us. HPD should create a task force to keep an eye on buildings in each borough with a high number of complaints, should help tenants understand their rights and require top offenders to post performance bonds to ensure that repairs are made on the landlords dime instead of the taxpayers,” Klein continued.

Top 15 Heat Offenders

Building Owner/ Location	2013 (From 10/2013)	2014(From 1/2014)	Starting 10/1/14	Total	Zip Code
UNIVERSITY AVENUE, L.P. (30 BUCHANAN PLACE)	37	289	96	326	10453
FORDHAM FULTON LLC (530 EAST 169 STREET)	74	185	25	259	10456
FORDHAM FULTON LLC (480 EAST 188 STREET)	5	195	35	200	10458
RIVERVIEW REDEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P. (1600 SEDGWICK AVENUE)	75	43	13	118	10453
B&L CONCOURSE HSNG AS (1290 GRAND CONCOURSE/1326 GRAND CONCOURSE)	45	63	11	108	10456
MARION ECHO TWIN ETC (2474 MARION AVENUE; 264 ECHO PLACE)	0	89	15	89	10458
1691 FULTON AVENUE ASSOCIATES, L.P. (1691 FULTON AVENUE)	50	30	0	80	10457
BRONX 360 REALTY LLC (930 FOX STREET; 940 FOX STREET; 940 SIMPSON STREET; 941 SIMPSON STREET)	34	44	2	78	10459
BOYNTON ACQUISITION C (875 BOYNTON AVENUE)	41	16	10	57	10473
1068 GERARD PARTNERSHIP, L.P.(1068 GERARD AVENUE)	24	32	0	56	10452
UNIMAC DEVELOPER, L.P. (1605 UNIVERSITY AVENUE; 1611 UNIVERSITY AVENUE; 1615 UNIVERSITY AVENUE; 1645 MACOMBS ROAD; 1669 UNIVERSITY AVENUE)	21	34	10	56	10453
UNDERCLIFF HOLDING LLC (1590 UNDERCLIFF AVENUE)	20	35	6	55	10453
NDI BOSTON RD DEVELET (1212 BOSTON ROAD; 1214 BOSTON ROAD; 1216 BOSTON ROAD)	19	31	2	50	10456
KINGSBRIDGE REALTY ASSOCIATES LLC (3424 KINGSBRIDGE AVENUE)	16	31	5	47	10463
STELLAR MORRISON LLC (1222 MORRISON AVENUE)	14	25	0	39	10472

In The Bronx, a correlation existed between heat violations and the percentage of residents living below the poverty level. Over half of the buildings that made the top 15 list were in zip codes 10453, 10456 and 10458, where approximately 40 % of residents live below the poverty line.

To combat persistent offenders, Senator Klein recommended that HPD monitor each buildings by borough by and create similar watch lists containing buildings with 20 or more complaints. He recommended that a HPD create a Heat Violator Task Force to conduct surprise compliance inspections of buildings on those lists.

Buildings owners are required to provide heat between October 1 and May 31.

Senator Klein also suggested that HPD require repeat violators to post a performance bond, which could be used if the city is forced to make heating repairs. Currently the city pays for repairs with non-compliant landlords and bills the owner, leaving no recourse for the taxpayer.

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj Celebrates 102 Years of Albanian Independence

New York State Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj is holding a celebration on Sunday, Nov. 30 at Maestro's Caterers in the Bronx in honor of the 102nd Anniversary of Albanian Independence. 

This year, Assemblyman Gjonaj, the first Albanian-American individual elected into government office, will celebrate and honor the contributions made to and from the Albanian community. Guests will enjoy food and refreshments, and performances from The Albanian School of the Bronx and Alba Life School in Brooklyn.

Honorable mentions will be presented to organizations and individuals whom have made tremendous impacts and contributions to the Albanian community in and outside of the Bronx. Honorees include 32BJ SEIU, BJCC: The Bronx Jewish Community Council and Zeqir Kukaj. 

The event be from 2 - 6 PM, with the flag raising ceremony and honors at 4 PM. For more information, please contact Nathalia Fernandez. 646 - 996 - 3537.

         

BP DIAZ ISSUES 'LINKNYC' WI-FI REPORT

  In a new report Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is calling on the City to pursue an environmentally-friendly component to the new, free wireless network, LinkNYC, announced by Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) last week.

The new system, which will replace existing public pay telephones with devices to create the world’s fastest municipal Wi-Fi network, should include the installation of solar panels as part of the new installations, said Borough President Diaz.

“DoITT needs to ensure that the implementation of the ‘LinkNYC’ plan is equitable, resilient and meets the needs of the people of this city regardless of their neighborhood or income level. Serious questions have been raised about ‘LinkNYC,’ and DoITT must address those concerns before this contract is approved,” said Borough President Diaz.

The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has taught us that all major infrastructure investments need to be implemented in a manner that incorporates sustainability and resiliency for major emergencies. 

The design selected has several desirbale feautures.  However, the 24-hour battery back up is insufficient.  After Hurricane Sandy, lower Manhattan was out of power for five days.  “LinkNYC” should be required to implement a design that incorporates solar power and reduces the network’s dependence on ConEdison.

Borough President Diaz’s report outlines various recommendations for the implementation of “LinkNYC,” including the potential inclusion of fire call boxes as part of the system. The report also discusses the various fiscal issues similar networks have faced in other cities, such as Philadelphia, Seattle and Akron. Greater transparency is needed in regards to the projected advertising revenue generated by this new system, in order to ensure greater equity in service delivery.

The report can be found at http://on.nyc.gov/11PZgCl.

Con Ed at its Best

  As the snow began to fall today, this is what the crosswalk of West 238th Street and Riverdale Avenue looked like as you crossed south. Not only were there openings in the steel metal plates that someone could trip over, but also gaps so that the heel of a shoe could drop into. . Con Edison has been working at this intersection for over a year on and off to put in a new 'High Pressure gas line'. One has to wonder how long does it really take, and why has it taken Con Edison so long? 

Left - Here you see a metal Con Edison plate has shifted to reveal an opening that a heel can get caught in as someone crosses over it. Also since snow and ice form on the metal plate there is an even more hazard of someone falling on these metal plates of Con Edison.

Below - Here you see another gap in the next pair of the Metal Con Edison plates. 

Here is another view looking north as you can see part of the crosswalk markings. 

Here a Con Edison truck is waiting not to pick up the materials and piping on the other side of the street, but to drop off more materials in a spot that is 4 blocks away from where Con Ed is working. Also note the NO STANDING sign that the truck is partially in. 

Taken the day before the snow fell, here is the area where Con Edison has used for storage on West 238th Street taking away up to 5 metered parking spaces, and looks like it will be here for the new year.

Left - The date of completion is 10-6-14.

Right - This date on another barricade has the completion date 12-2-14.

This is the reason Con Edison does not care how long it takes to complete this job. Workers are putting a "Raise Plow' sign on the pole on Riverdale Avenue before West 238th Street so snow plow drivers do not hit and move the Con Edison metal plates in the street. This way the even more dangerous snow covered Con Edison metal plate will not be seen. 

In the event there is an accident I have called this into the city so there is responsibility by the city and Con Edison. I do hope that does not happen.

Compounding Injustice in Ferguson

What You Should Know
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District

Compounding Injustice in Ferguson

You should know that in the wake of the November 24, 2014 Grand Jury ruling that Police Officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted for killing Michael Brown, demonstrations have erupted all of this nation - especially in Ferguson, Missouri.

People are frustrated and hurt and disappointed, and I agree that they have reason to be frustrated, hurt and extremely disappointed.  What I cannot agree with is the way people are expressing their frustration.

As you know, it was a White Police Officer who took the life of a Black youth.  This is not the first time this has happened.  There have been many occasions where Black and Hispanics have had their lives taken by White police officers - and there are even times when the police officers are not White.

My point is that I cannot understand why people in Ferguson, Missouri are taking out their frustration by hurting their own people by burning and looting businesses in their own community.

You should know that it is not easy for Blacks and Hispanics and Asians to create and own their own businesses.  Many people from our communities are struggling to keep own our own businesses, like bodegas, shoe stores, beauty salons, car repair shops, etc.  It is very hard to keep those businesses growing so people can take care of their families, raise their children, and pay their bills.

As you may know, Ferguson, Missouri is a mostly minority community and most of the businesses located there are owned by Black women and men and serve the needs of Black families.

This week's demonstrations in Ferguson are destroying the businesses and properties in a minority community - a community that has already been hurt by a great injustice.  On Tuesday morning, there were 25 buildings on fire in Fergeson, including AutoZone, Little Caesars, Walgreens, Juanita's Fashions R Boutique, Family Dollar store and a local beauty shop. Forty Ferguson-area businesses have been destroyed, including a Chinese restaurant, a Mexican Restaurant, a beauty supply store and other black-owned businesses. These businesses were vandalized and looted, with windows being smashed. 

On August 9, 2014 there was a great injustice when the White Police Officer Darren Wilson killing an unarmed Black 18-year old. There was further injustice when Ferguson prosecutor Robert McCulloch's failed to cause Darren Wilson to face criminal charges for shooting and killing Michael Brown.  But there is an even bigger injustice taking place in a riot-scarred community that is burning down its own businesses and destroying the community. 

When schools in our communities have to be closed because of violence in the streets, our children are the ones who are affected.  When businesses in our communities are forced to close, our people have to travel into other communities to buy things we need for our families - making our lives more difficult.  As people express rage and violence on the streets of our communities, our communities are being paralyzed.

Ladies and gentlemen, don't get me wrong.  I feel the pain in our community that was caused by the actions of the Police Officer Darren Wilson.  I understand all too well the pain and the anger that results when people from other communities come into our communities to hurt us, but I don't understand how or why any of us would want to compound the injustice by continuing to destroy the minority-owned businesses in our own communities.

If someone can explain that to me, please do.

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

State and Bronx Unemployment Rate Continues to Drop

State Labor Department Releases Preliminary October 2014 Area Unemployment Rates

Albany, NY (November 25, 2014) -

The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for October 2014. Rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s unemployment rate relies in part on the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York State each month.

The state’s private sector job count increased by 110,000 from October 2013 to October 2014. In October 2014, the number of private sector jobs in the state was 7,606,700. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 6.2% to 6.0% in October 2014, its lowest level since October 2008.

Local Area Unemployment Rates* (%),
October 2013 and October 2014
(not seasonally adjusted)*Data are preliminary and subject to change

October

2014*

October

2013

 Upstate NY (52-co. area)

5.5

6.6

  Metro Areas

5.4

6.5

    Albany-Schenectady-Troy

4.8

5.8

    Binghamton

5.9

7.1

    Buffalo-Niagara Falls

5.7

6.8

    Elmira

6.0

7.6

    Glens Falls

5.2

6.3

    Ithaca

3.9

4.6

    Kingston

5.7

7.0

    Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown

5.3

6.5

    Rochester

5.5

6.5

    Syracuse

5.8

6.8

    Utica-Rome

5.9

7.0

  Non-metro Counties

5.9

7.1

 Downstate NY (10-co. area)

5.8

7.7

  New York City

6.4

8.7

  Suburban Counties

4.8

5.8

    Nassau-Suffolk

4.8

5.8

    Putnam-Rockland-Westchester

4.9

5.8

The data in the preceding table are not seasonally adjusted, which means they reflect seasonal influences (e.g., holiday and summer hires). Therefore, the most valid comparisons with this type of data are year-to-year comparisons of the same month; for example, October 2013 versus October 2014.

Unemployment rate highlights in October 2014:

• The counties in New York State with the lowest unemployment rates include:
  • Tompkins County (3.9%)
  • Yates County (4.3%)
  • Saratoga County (4.4%)
  • Columbia County (4.5%)
  • Putnam County (4.5%)
  • Nassau County (4.6%)
  • Albany County (4.8%)
  • Ontario County (4.8%)
  • Rockland County (4.8%)
  • Suffolk County (4.9%)

 The Bronx came in at an even  9 %  down from 9.8 % in sept 204, and over 10 % one year age.

See County Unemployment rates (opens in new window) for current unemployment rates for all 62 counties in New York State.

Labor force data for the current month are preliminary and subject to revision as more information becomes available the following month. Revised estimates for prior months are available at: http://labor.ny.gov/stats/LSLAUS.shtm

Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These are the most up-to-date estimates of persons employed and unemployed by place of residence. Estimates are available for New York State, labor market regions, metropolitan areas, counties, and municipalities with population of at least 25,000.

See State and Area Unemployment Rates (opens in new window)

See Unemployment Rate Map (opens in new window)

See Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet (opens in new window)