Monday, February 8, 2016

Senator Klein introduces new Paid Family Leave legislation; Bill would grant New York’s hardworking families 12-weeks paid leave by 2017 Inbox x



  Bill would grant New York’s hardworking families 12-weeks paid leave by 2017

 State Senator Jeff Klein introduced Paid Family Leave legislation (S.3301A) on Monday that would grant New York’s hardworking families up to 12-weeks off to take care of a newborn or a sick loved one without fretting over finances.

“No person should ever have to choose between what their heart is telling them to do and what their bank account allows them to do. Dealing with the magical time of welcoming a newborn into the world or the essential time of seeing a loved one through a serious illness shouldn’t be a luxury for the few. We must make it a priority to pass my Paid Family Leave bill to give the workforce the time off that they need to deal with the ups and downs of life,” said Senator Klein.

Long a champion of Paid Family Leave, Senator Klein’s bill puts no burden on businesses and could cost employees as little as 27 cents a week. If passed, it could take effect by 2017 with benefits incrementally increasing as employees pay into the system until 2020 when full benefits are realized.

Under this proposal, workers taking Paid Family Leave could receive:

  • ⅔ of the employee’s average weekly wage, up to 35% of the statewide average weekly wage by January 1, 2017.

  • 70% of the employee’s average weekly wage, up to 40% of the statewide average weekly wage by April 1, 2018.

  • 75% of the employee’s average weekly wage, up to 45% of the statewide average weekly wage by April 1, 2019.

  • 80% of the employee’s average weekly wage, up to 50% of the statewide average weekly wage by April 1, 2020.

A Paid Family Leave eligible employee must work for a business for at least four weeks.

Federal law allows workers to take 12-weeks of unpaid family leave, but working- and middle-class New Yorkers cannot afford to be out of work for without pay for a three month period.

California, New Jersey and Rhode Island have enacted Paid Family Leave proposals.

As a father of two young children, I know first-hand how important it is for a parent to be there for a child in their early years. Unfortunately many families are forced to make the unfair choice of being able to truly care for their newborn or earn the income they need to survive. Enacting comprehensive paid family leave will greatly improve the quality of life of countless middle class New Yorkers. We owe this to our children and our children's children,” said Senator David Carlucci.

“As the cost-of-living in New York rises, it has become increasingly difficult to raise a family or care for a sick loved one, while trying to keep your financial head above water. Many families struggle with choosing between their personal and work lives, when they should be focused on welcoming a new family member or staying by their loved one’s bedside. New York State has always been a leader, and now is the time for us to lead again - we must pass Paid Family Leave,” said Senator Diane Savino.

“Upstate New York has always had some of the hardest working families in the state. When families are faced with a big change - the arrival of a child or a family member’s illness - they deserve the peace of mind that, after working hard every day, they will not be forced to choose between caring for those who are most important or their paycheck. That is why I am proud to support Paid Family Leave. Together, we can ensure that every family has the peace of mind they deserve,” said Senator David Valesky.

“As a long time advocate for affordability in New York, I understand how important Paid Family Leave is to New York’s working and middle class families. Raising a family in an increasingly expensive city has left many people trying to balance their budget over spending time with loved ones when they are most in need. Many New Yorkers already recognize this - with 80 percent of New Yorkers supporting Paid Family Leave. It’s time for the legislature to recognize this, too, and to pass Paid Family Leave,” said Senator Avella.

Welcome 19 New Members to The Bronx Chamber of Commerce



  WELCOME 19 New Members!

Since December 2015 to February 8, 2016 - Nineteen New Member Companies have joined The Bronx Chamber of Commerce. They are:
    
A.S.A.P Mortgage 
ATM  Advantage
Apple Bank
Century 21 Schneider Realty
Cablevision Media
Destructive Game World LLC
Financial Services
Flushing Bank
Home Helpers
ISE Office
Informa Energy Inc
Morgan Stanley
New York Life
Pergolis Swartz Inc
S & M Moving
Sothebys International
Stadium Tennis Center
South Bronx Overall
Williams Center  / Jackson ddp
 
Let's keep the momentum going to make a Greater Bronx Chamber of Commerce. 

I need your support and cooperation to strongly request companies that you do business with to join the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. If you do not ask, it does not happen.

Inform your contacts that "if they want do continue to do business with you and your company, they should join the Bronx Chamber of Commerce". If you make it a requirement, they will join!

We are witnessing a renaissance in our great borough that is unprecedented. Together, we will grow the Chamber, enhance its influence and further improve the image of "The Bronx"!
 
Below is a Brochure that includes a Membership Application. If you need a supply of the printed Brochure to distribute or display in your office or place of business, please contact Josann Ferguson at (718) 828-3900.

Nunzio Del Greco
President and CEO
Bronx Chamber of Commerce
"The Network For Business Success"
1200 Waters Place, Suite 106
Bronx, NY 10461
718-828-3900
Nunzio@bronxchamber.org
 
Please mark your calendar and plan on attending some of 
the following events:
 
February 11, 2016   Annual Valentine's Business Networking
                                Marriott Resident Inn 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
 
February 24, 2016  African American Heritage Cocktail Party
                                Tosca Marquee 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
 
March 9, 2016         Irish Heritage Luncheon
                                Rambling House 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
 
March 18, 2016       Women of Distinction Luncheon
                                Villa Barone Manor 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
 
April 13, 2016          Annual Gala
                          Marina del Rey Caterers 5:30 pm -10:30 pm
 
May 3, 2016            Annual Golf Outing
                                Trump Links 11:30 am - 8:00 pm
 
June 16, 2016          Annual Business Expo
                            The Mall at Bay Plaza 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

December 14, 2016   Annual Holiday Party  
       Villa Barone Manor 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm


SEPÚLVEDA AND DIAZ TO HOLD RALLY FEB 10 WITH PARKCHESTER CONDO OWNERS IN FRONT OF MANAGEMENT OFFICE TO PROTEST ‘DRACONIAN’ INCREASES IN COMMON CHARGES



  Will seek court injunction to block imposition of the new charges 

  Assemblyman Luis SepĂşlveda and State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr. have scheduled a rally of Parkchester owner-residents for the afternoon of Feb. 10, at 4:00 p.m., in front of the management office to continue their protest against management and the board’s plan to impose a 15+ percent monthly increase in common charges assessed to Parkchester South condo owners. They will also announce plans to file for an injunction to block imposition of the common charges hike, with individual owners to be asked to contribute $15 for legal costs. 

“The fact that repairs may be necessary throughout Parkchester South,” said SepĂşlveda, “does not give management or the board carte blanche to do as they please and without any discussion impose draconian increases that will be devastating to the elderly, single families, the disabled, and others who are already struggling to keep up.” 

SepĂşlveda added that Parkchester South management and board “needs to be more accountable and to participate in meetings with the community and its elected officials.” 

State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr. joined in support. “While Parkchester Management insists that they are operating with full transparency, it’s more than two months that I have been waiting for them to send me a copy of the projected budget for 2016,” said Diaz. “This sudden boost of more than 15 percent in the monthly maintenance burden is unaffordable and unacceptable for the families, seniors, and residents who never saw it coming. 

“I also need to be very clear,” continued Diaz, “especially as a government official, that I refuse to partake in any closed-door meetings with Parkchester management. If management has something to say or to share, we all need to be able to hear what it is." 

For further information please contact Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda at 718-931-2620. 


ENGEL STATEMENT ON PRESIDENT’S ZIKA VIRUS FUNDING REQUEST



  Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement on President Obama’s request for funding to respond to the spreading Zika virus:

“The President’s request for funding to address the Zika virus shows that the Administration is taking this problem seriously, and Congress should act quickly to provide these resources.  This funding will help meet specific needs for containing this disease and helping those it has affected, such as vaccine development, health worker training, care for pregnant women, better detection methods, and management of mosquito populations in the United States and throughout the Americas. 

“I am concerned that the Administration’s request doesn’t address access to family planning information and supplies, which must be central to the response.  Nearly 20 million Latin American women of reproductive age lack access to contraception.  Unfortunately, access is often most limited among low-income women and those living in rural areas—populations facing the greatest risk of Zika infections.

“The path forward must include a comprehensive campaign to educate populations about the risks of Zika and the possibility of sexual transmission, paired with enhanced and sustained access to contraception. Women need the right tools to make informed decisions about whether and when to have children. So in addition to the plan the Administration has outlined, we should be supporting the United Nations Population Fund, which is uniquely suited to meet these challenges.

“As Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I will continue to monitor this situation and push Congress to provide whatever resources are needed.”


Bronx Jewish Community Council - Project HOPE Passover Delivery 2016

















Spring Art Workshops at Wave Hill 


Bronx, NY, February 8, 2016—Let your creativity bloom at Wave Hill this spring with a budding new season of art workshops. Connect with nature while enhancing your skills in photography, painting, collage and more. Led by professional artists, these workshops encourage artistic ingenuity, growth and communion with the outdoors. Space is limited—register today!

................................................................................. 

What: Spring Art Workshops

Where: Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence 

Schedule: Collage & Mixed Media Series 

Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471

In this two-part series, learn to use layering techniques and mixed media with artist Wennie Huang. 

Sign up for one or both parts. Each session in this two part series is three classes long. $125/$95 Wave Hill Member.

Part I: Nature Morte: 

Thursdays, March 17, 24, 31, 10AM‒1PM 

Wave Hill’s historic interiors become the setting for studies of Nature Morte, or still lifes. Participants explore complex compositions of personal items mingled with natural objects.

Part II: The New Landscape: Thursdays, April 7, 14, 21, 10AM‒1PM 

Reinvent Wave Hill’s gardens and vistas by combining collage materials and found items. 

See the current exhibition in Glyndor Gallery, then explore composition, color and texture, as well as concepts, perspectives and memories related to the natural world, to depict the essence of the landscape.

Nature Photography: Capturing Stillness and Motion: Tuesdays, April 5, 12, 19, 26, May 3, 10, 10AM−1PM 

What relationship do you desire between still and moving objects in your pictures? Using the exhibition (Not so) Still Life as a reference, photographer Benjamin Swett guides students in experimenting with different methods for capturing both movement and stillness in nature. $260/$200 Wave Hill Member. 

Painting: Al Fresco Abstractions: Wednesdays, May 5, 12, 19, 26, 10AM−1PM 

Working with pastel, paint, drawing, found images and more, explore the process of deconstructing and reconstructing the observed world with artist Rachael Wren. With Wave Hill’s landscape as a
starting point, work with rhythm, shape, texture, space, scale and composition to depict the inner 
spirit of your subject. Rachel Wren’s work is on view in Wave Hill House this spring. $175/$135 Wave Hill Member.

Drop-in Art Workshop: Tree Portraits with Sgraffito: Sunday, May 1, 11AM-2PM

Sgraffito is the Italian art of scratching through a ceramic or plaster surface to reveal a contrasting 
color beneath. Join local sgraffito artist Marie Leo to capture the sinuous lines of trunks, branches and twigs while etching a scratch board of your own. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult.

Materials fee: $15/$10 Wave Hill Member per kit, which includes one scratch board, one tool and 
scratch-paper practice sheets. Registration not required. Arbor Week event.


Saturday, February 6, 2016

100 PERCENT Saturday Feb. 6, 2016


100 PERCENT
By Robert Press

State of The City 

     Before I get into the State of The City speech by Mayor Bill de Blasio, we should find out just who will be running in the 17th City Council Special Election on Tuesday morning starting at 10 AM. That is when the Board of Elections will begin hearing arguments as to why or why not any of the 10 candidates that were challenged will remain on the ballot. As I said last week I expect no more than five candidates to remain on the ballot. It seems that unlike in past elections (the 2009 14th City Council race to be specific) the campaign manager of candidate Fernando Cabrera keep on the ballot candidate Yudelka Tapia who then took enough votes away from the incumbent Councilwoman Maria Baez to give candidate Fernando Cabrera the victory. In the 17th City Council Special Election it seems that the same Campaign Manager in this race for the Bronx Democratic County organization candidate Rafael Salamanca wants to knock off the ballot a certain candidate who could be the Yudelka Tapia in this race in 2016. Then again the campaign manager has gotten older, and lost a few elections since 2009. That was the reason I have called candidate Julio Pabon and not the Bronx Democratic County organization candidate the favorite to win the 17th City Council Special Election.  
   Speaking of the City Council they voted themselves a 38 percent pay raise yesterday, and while you may say that is to big a pay raise it has been ten years since the last pay raise for the council members. It is to bad that every other city employee did not get the same 38 percent pay raise over the last ten years, just ask any police officer. 
   As for the State of The City Speech by Mayor Bill deBlasio, was it just the luck of the Bronx that the mayor gave it at Lehman College, or was the mayor trying to send a message to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. who has been named as a potential primary challenger to the mayor in 2017. I did not attend Mayor deBlasio's  State of The City Speech, as I was doing my duty as a member of Bronx Community Board #8 by attending a very important Land Use Committee meeting. By the way the Land Use Committee of CB 8 voted to reiterate its rejection of both the MIH and ZQA proposals submitted to the City Council, and urged the members of the city council to also reject both. There was discussion that the public and community boards do not have enough time to hold public hearing (such as before), and why the City Council which has fifty days to hold hearings is rushing the process in just one week. 
  As a member of Bronx Community Board #8 I am up for reappointment this year (my sixth year on BXCB 8), and have been told by two different supporters of 17th City Council candidate Rafael Salamanca who are members of the Bronx Democratic County organization that I had better watch what I write about the Bronx Democratic County organization candidate in the 17th City Council Special Election since I am up for reappointment to BXCB 8. 
   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will be giving his State of The Borough Address on Thursday Feb. 18, 2016 starting at 11:30 AM, at Cardinal Hayes High School located at 650 Grand Concourse. You can call 718-590-6116 to reserve your seat as space is very limited.
   Lastly I dusted off my crystal ball for a Super Bowl prediction. My crystal ball had a victory by Carolina 27 - 13 over Denver.  
    If you have any political information (especially about the 17th City Council special election) that you want to share or have checked out, any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on this blog, you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press. 
    

Friday, February 5, 2016

Statement from CM Cohen re: Compensation and Reforms Legislation





  “Today, the New York City Council passed an unprecedented package of reforms.  These reforms will significantly improve the transparency of the Council and ensure that we as Council Members focus solely on representing all 8.5 million New Yorkers.  As a New York City Council Member, I often work days, nights and weekends throughout my district and at City Hall.  I pledged as a candidate that I would not accept any lulus and that I would be a full-time Council Member.  I am proud to say that I have kept that promise.  I have never accepted a lulu in my capacity as the Chair of the Committee on Mental Health and I closed my law practice in order to dedicate myself fully to working for my constituents.   These historic reforms – including the official designation as ‘full time’ - will allow us as legislators to serve the public to the best of our ability.”