Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
FBI Probing Bronx Political Machine According to the New York Post
FBI ‘probing’ Bronx political machine
That was a headline on one page of today's New York Post.
The Post goes on to report about former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver first however, and how FBI agents arrested Silver. Federal investigators are looking at voter fraud and financial mismanagement in the borough the Post then states, and the agents are from upstate, not the Manhattan office.
As the Post story continues it is evident that this is nothing new, but a fishing expedition going on to get new Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie who is also the Bronx Democratic County Leader. The full New York Post story is here.
The Daily News reports about Heastie's dead mother embezzling close to $200,000 from a Bronx Non-Profit in 1997 She was given 5 years probation and passed away a short time later. That story can be found here.
Other stories are popping up about the past of now Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, but where was Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson all those years/ Is U.S. Attorney Phreet Bharara going to investigate the Bronx DA?
Here in the Bronx many unusual things have occurred such as the Bronx District Attorney and U.S. Attorney's offices try to use a former assemblyman as a mole in the Bronx Democratic County organization. This former assemblyman was charged with voter fraud by a grand jury, but the Bronx DA and U.S. Attorney allowed him to continue in office and be re-elected not once but two times.
There is the case of the signature of Derek Jeter on one Bronx petition. Then there were stories that the old lever voting machines would have votes recorded on them even before the first voter, or added after the election was over. I could go on.
The U.S. Attorney would not be doing his job if he was not looking into what the Mooreland Commission did not finish. Perhaps we will see a new governor also. However why has the U.S. Attorney brought in outsiders from upstate to work on this project, does he not trust his own Manhattan office?
Dominican Heritage Month Celebration
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Celebrates
Dominican Heritage Month
At Salsa Con Fugeo
2297 Cedar Avenue, Bronx
Thursday, February 26, 2015
12 noon
Call718-590-3989 or emailsmalave@bronxbp.nyc.gov to confirm your attendance.
MAYOR DE BLASIO RELEASES PRELIMINARY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2016
“I’ve always said that budgets are about values and the kind of city we want to be. Our Preliminary Budget is fiscally responsible, progressive, and honest, building on last year’s strong foundation. We are guarding against the real risks ahead and making targeted investments that will protect New Yorkers, expand opportunity, and help create a stronger, safer, and fairer New York City.” – Mayor Bill de Blasio
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Today, Mayor Bill de Blasio presented New York City’s Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2016, building on last year’s strong foundation and reflecting the administration’s commitment to a fiscally responsible, progressive and honest budget process.
The Mayor’s preliminary budget—totaling $77.7 billion—takes a cautious approach, targeting investments and guarding against risks. Despite another year of economic growth, risks and challenges remain—and that is why the administration has focused on targeted investments that will create a stronger, safer, and fairer New York City by enhancing public safety and expanding opportunity for all New Yorkers.
ECONOMIC OVERVIEW AND THE RISKS AHEAD
The national economy continues to grow at a moderate pace, with Gross Domestic Product projected to grow 3 percent and the economy adding 2.8 million jobs this year. New York City’s economic production remains strong, and its employment growth continues to outpace the nation.
However, it’s very clear that those benefits have not been shared by all, with far too many in New York City and across the country struggling, and income inequality continuing to grow. Most job growth continues to come from low-wage sectors, while the share of New York City households making moderate or middle income has steadily declined in recent years to approximately 25 percent.
The City also faces significant uncertainties this year with federal and state aid. With changes in Congress, partisan gridlock, and expiring programs, the City is at risk of losing vital funding, and, with the potential for another sequestration looming, it seems unlikely that the Republican Congress will adopt the President’s proposed offsets. On the state level, funding continues to fall short of the State’s obligations, with a $2.6 billion shortfall in education aid in FY16 despite the Campaign for Fiscal Equity settlement, and a $15.2 billion gap in the MTA Capital Plan.
With the current economic expansion already exceeding the average length of post-war expansions, and the potential for unexpected events, it’s important to note that tax revenues and other funding have both declined during past downturns.
A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET
With those challenges in mind, the de Blasio administration’s FY 2016 Preliminary Budget is a fiscally responsible plan that takes a cautious approach, targeting investments to key programs that will create a stronger, safer and fairer New York City.
Last year, every independent monitor and rating agency affirmed fiscal responsibility as a foundation of this administration.
This year, the administration is building on that strong foundation. The FY2016 Preliminary Budget is balanced as a result of the administration closing a $1.8 billion deficit, while maintaining a balanced budget in FY2015, boosting reserves at a rate of $750 million a year through the out years, and further reducing out year budget deficits.
When Mayor de Blasio took office on January 1, 2014, all of the City’s labor contracts were expired. Since then, the City has settled 71 percent of the expired contracts by reaching fiscally responsible settlements with both civilian and uniformed employees, while securing $3.4 billion in unprecedented, guaranteed healthcare savings geared toward bending the cost curve.
TARGETED SPENDING TO PROTECT NEW YORKERS AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITY
Keeping New Yorkers Safe
Mayor de Blasio’s Preliminary Budget includes real investment in public safety, such as:
· $11.3 million a year to add 45 new ambulance tours and $6.7 million a year to add 149 new EMS dispatchers, aimed at improving emergency response times.
· $7.3 million in FY2015 and $4.2 million in FY2016 to replace all NYPD bullet-resistant vests over five years old.
· $10 million to expand the Police Cadet Program to nearly 600 cadets, putting them on the pathway to education and careers.
· $3.2 million to enhance how the Law Department handles frivolous lawsuits against police officers.
· $35.5 million to reduce use-of-force incidents and violence and $3.6 million to improve applicant vetting and recruitment at the Department of Correction.
Investing in Education
The Preliminary Budget moves forward the Mayor’s education priorities, including:
· $340 million for high-quality, full-day universal pre-K for all four-year-olds, building on this year’s success.
· $190 million to expand after-school programs to over 100,000 middle school students.
· Funding for 128 Community Schools, including the transformation of 94 renewal schools.
· Key reforms that were codified in the UFT contract, including $4.9 million to provide 594 Model and Master teacher positions.
· $0.7 million a year for Literacy Intervention Teams to support students with dyslexia.
· $0.8 million a year to provide language services for limited-English proficient parents.
· $29 million to expand academic intervention and support for STEM at community colleges.
· $300,000 to complement a recent $859,000 federal grant for the NYSolar Smart Initiative at CUNY, part of the administration’s sustainability and resiliency agenda.
· $1.1 million to expand the Fatherhood Academy at CUNY, helping fathers ages 18 through 24 improve their job and education prospects as part of the Young Men’s Initiative.
Protecting the Most Vulnerable
The budget also makes key investments to protect New York City’s most vulnerable populations, including children, the homeless, and immigrants:
· Major investments to address the homelessness crisis, including:
o $28.4 million for rental assistance and support to move homeless New Yorkers out of shelter.
o $8.6 million for prevention programs and support services to keep New Yorkers stably housed.
o $4.3 million for the PATH Community-Based Demonstration Project to improve family services like counseling and eviction prevention.
o $0.9 million to expand drop-in center access to street homeless can access vital services.
· $11 million next year—and over $26 million total over the next three years—for Administration for Children’s Services child welfare reforms, including training and prevention.
· $16.5 million over the next three years to expand community health centers in underserved neighborhoods.
· $1.8 million to improve children’s health, including a child health survey and a campaign to promote reading.
· $5 million to increase staffing for ID NYC, to address high demand.
Supporting Economic Development
The Mayor’s Preliminary Budget supports small businesses and job creation, including with:
· Tax reform that streamlines and modernizes the tax code to reduce the burden on NYC businesses and provide relief to up to 45,000 small businesses and manufacturers. The reform is revenue neutral for the City.
· $1.4 million a year to expand access for small businesses to the City’s MWBE program, including technical assistance, to make City contracting more inclusive.
· $4.6 million to improve service at the Department of Buildings, to speed up inspections and cut bureaucracy for small businesses.
SENATOR KLEIN CALLS FOR EVEN MORE RELIEF FOR NEW YORK CITY HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS
Plan Would Expand Upon Governor’s Proposed Property Tax Circuit Breaker
Today, Independent Democratic Conference Leader Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) called for broadening tax relief for New York City homeowners and renters that would otherwise not be included in the original property tax circuit breaker first proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. In order to provide more meaningful relief to New York City households, Klein unveiled three proposals seeking to enhance the current circuit breaker plan that would: 1) factor in an individual or families’ city Personal Income Tax (PIT); 2) increase the maximum benefit to city renters and 3) increase the percent of annual rent that is attributed to property taxes to up to 20%.
Under this new plan more than 375,000 additional New York City residents would likely benefit that would otherwise not receive any tax relief under the Governor’s proposal.
Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein said: “New York City renters and homeowners shoulder one of the highest tax burdens in New York State. We need to provide relief for more New York City households in a way that reflects the reality of what they are paying for a roof over their heads. This plan puts more money back in the pockets of renters and homeowners with a sensible, realistic approach tailored to the real needs of those who live in New York City and creates a more level playing field between the NYC renters and homeowners.”
New York City, unlike other areas throughout the state, has a more diverse tax mix but draws from a broader range of other taxes to pay for local services. By limiting the circuit breaker to property taxes alone city taxpayers receive less tax relief than their fellow New Yorkers elsewhere across the state. In addition, renters, which constitute a majority of New York City households, would not receive their fair share under the current proposal.
The Klein plan seeks to create parity between renters and homeowners by increasing the maximum benefit from $750 to $2,000. In addition, Klein would increase the percent of annual rent that is attributed to property taxes to 20% thereby meeting the general standard of housing affordability threshold - where a tenant would have to pay more than 30% of his/her income in rent to qualify.
For example, under the Klein plan a renter earning approximately $82,000 and living in New York City with a monthly rent of $2,300 would see a benefit of about $600, whereas under the Governor’s plan he/she would receive nothing. Similarly, a homeowner making $80,000 and paying property taxes around $4,700 would receive a benefit of approximately $250, whereas under the Governor’s plan they would not qualify.
RENTER
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HOUSEHOLD
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INCOME
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$82,000
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INCOME
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$80,000
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MONTHLY RENT
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$2,335
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Prop. Taxes
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$4,750
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PIT
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$547
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PIT
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$547
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Governor’s Plan
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Governor’s Plan
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% of income threshold to obtain benefit (6%)
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$4,920
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% of income threshold to obtain benefit (6%)
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$4,800
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Annual rent attributed to Prop. Tax (13.75%)
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$3,853
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Overage (Prop. Tax in excess of 6%)
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$0
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Overage (Prop. Tax in excess of 6%)
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$0
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Benefit
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$0
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Benefit
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$0
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IDC Plan
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IDC Plan
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% of income threshold to obtain benefit (6%)
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$4,920
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% of income threshold to obtain benefit (6%)
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$4,800
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Annual rent attributed to prop. Tax (20%)
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$5604
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PIT included
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$547
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PIT included
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$547
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Total tax burden
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$6,151
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Total tax burden
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$5,297
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Overage (Total taxes in excess of 6%)
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Overage (total taxes in excess of 6%)
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$497
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Benefit (48%)
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$591
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Benefit (50%)
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$249
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Sunday, February 8, 2015
STATEMENT OF NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER SCOTT M. STRINGER ON MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO’S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
Mayor Bill de Blasio was right to focus on the critical issue of affordable housing today. New Yorkers from all walks of life need to be able to put down roots in our city, and that is becoming increasingly difficult as rents rise and wages stay flat for too many working families.
I look forward to learning more specifics of the Mayor’s plan, including issues related to affordability thresholds, subsidies like 421a, and infrastructure investments that will have to be made to support the planned growth. The success of the Mayor’s blueprint will depend on leveraging each of these tools to build up new communities and strengthen existing ones.
Many of the Mayor’s proposals are initiatives I have long supported, such as raising the minimum wage and expanding Bus Rapid Transit and ferry service throughout the boroughs. I also strongly support the Mayor’s push to end homelessness for military veterans in our City and look forward to working with the Administration to advance a policy agenda that attacks the City’s homelessness crisis.
In the coming days, I will be reviewing the details of the Mayor’s proposals as presented in the Preliminary FY16 budget.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Statement Of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara On The Convictions Of Malcolm Smith And Vincent Tabone
“As the jury unanimously found, the give-and-take of the political process should not be the giving and taking of bribes, which is what Malcolm Smith and Vincent Tabone tried to make it. Smith gave, and Tabone took, a $25,000 cash bribe to permit Smith to run for New York City Mayor as a Republican. Smith and Tabone were not alone in this scheme – Smith also bribed Daniel Halloran, another Republican Party official. And sadly, this was just one of many pockets of corruption this Office has uncovered in New York, which has become the ‘show me the money’ state. It should not be asking too much to expect public officials at least to obey the law. This Office will continue the vigorous prosecution of political corruption until every public official understands that violating the public trust will likely land you in prison.”
New Assembly Speaker Heastie Appoints Four Member Ethics Search Committee
In a move to listen to those assembly members and others who have called for ethics reform new Speaker Carl Heastie has named a four member assembly search committee to find names to head an Assembly Ethics Committee
The four assembly members named to the search committee are Assembly members Democrats Todd Kaminsky of Long Island (also a former assistant U,S, Attorney), Shelley Mayer of Yonkers, Michele Titus of Queens, and Republican Janey Duprey from Plattsburg.
The charge of the search committee is to come up with six candidates to be an executive director to head a new office of ethics and compliance. The final choice will be up to Speaker Heastie, who has also pledged to seek ways of caping outside income and changing the way per diems are disbursed.