Assembly Member Luis Sepúlveda and Senator Rubén Díaz to Announce Push for Key Voter Registration and Elections Reforms

    Assembly Member Luis Sepúlveda and Senator Rubén Diaz will hold a news conference to announce they will introduce legislation to make it a felony for boards of elections to dump or archive voters from registration rolls, requiring that such removals only be made upon confirmation either of the death of a voter or the out-of-state relocation of a voter, and to require boards of elections to notify voters by email, whenever possible, of changes in in polling sites. Sepúlveda and Diaz will also announce their support of legislation to provide for automatic registration of voters when they apply for or renew their driver’s license or non-driver ID (with the option for persons to opt out of becoming registered) and to allow voters to change party registration as easily and under the identical criteria applicable for new voter registration. 

WHEN: 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 26 

WHERE: City Hall steps (NYC) 

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Neither of these two elected officials candidates in the New York State Presidential Primary was victorious. 

State Senator Gustavo Rivera Launches Senior Centers Tour in the 33rd Senate District

     On Wednesday, April 20th, State Senator Gustavo Rivera launched a tour of senior centers located throughout his district. The tour started with consecutive visits to the William Hodson Senior Center and the Arturo Schomburg Center and will continue next week with stops at the SEBCO Mt. Carmel Center, RAIN Tolentine Center, Bronxworks Morris Innovative Senior Center and Fort Independence Senior Center. 

 

The purpose of this tour is provide seniors citizens in the 33rd district with valuable and relevant information, resources and services on important topics such as elder abuse prevention, fire safety, public safety and housing assistance. Senator Rivera's office has partnered with a number of local health providers and city agencies, including the New York City Fire Department, the New York City Police Department, the Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention, the New York City Department to the Aging, the New York City Department of Finance and the St. Barnabas Health System.

 

In anticipation of this tour and Older Americans Month in May, Senator Rivera's office has also created a useful senior resource guide which is now available at his district office. 

SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING VISITS: 

1) Center: SEBCO Mt. Carmel Center

    Location: 2405 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458

    Date: Monday, April 25, 2016

    Senator Meet & Greet: 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

    Event Time: 11:30 AM-1:30 PM

 

2) Center: RAIN Tolentine Center

    Location: 2345 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10468

    Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2016

    Senator Meet & Greet: 11:00 AM -12:00 PM

    Event Time:  11:00 AM -1:00 PM

 

3) Center: Bronxworks Morris Innovative Senior Center

    Location: 80 E 181st Street, Bronx, NY 10453 

    Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2016

    Senator Meet & Greet: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

    Event Time: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

 

4) Center: Fort Independence Senior Center

    Location: 3340 Bailey Ave., Bronx, NY 10463

    Date: Friday, May 13, 2016

    Senator Meet & Greet: 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

    Event Time: 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

EDITOR"S NOTE:

This year State Senator Gustavo Rivera is up for re-election.

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's Taffic & Moving Violations Forum

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's Legal Series Forum

Join us for our first Legal Forum on  Traffic & Moving Violations Thursday, May 12, 2015 6 pm to 8 pm Bronx House 990 Pelham Parkway South Bronx, N.Y. 10461 For more information, please contact the office of Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj (718) 409-0109

You & Clean Power Plan May 11 from 6-8 pm

Wednesday May 11, 2016 from 4:30 pm to 8 pm 

Future Plans for Harlem River Working Group

BCEQ Board Meeting

Conversation NYS Clean Power Plan 

HOLD THE DATE

We hope to be holding a series of meetings tentatively at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th Street. Room TBA  WE NEED TO CONFIRM

• The Harlem River Working Group will disucss updates on the Harlem River and plans for the year. 4:30 pm
• BCEQ will hold a brief Board meeting to discuss Educational and Environmental Awards. 6 pm
• A conversation with Department of Environmental Conservation on the State's Clean Power Plan 6:15 pm.  

These meetings are open to the public, but a reservation is necessary.  TBA

Directions:  http://www.bronxmuseum.org/visit

Harlem River Working Group (HRWG)

The HRWG will be meeting to discuss our successes, updates, and future plans.  

• Fall Festivals (Roberto Clemente and VCP) and Wilderness Inquiry Canoemobile
• Workshops on the Harlem River Long Term Control Plan
• What's next along the Harlem River Greenway
• Tibbetts Brook Daylighting
• BCEQ's Step 2 of the Harlem River Brownfield Opportunity Area Program
• City of Water Day Activities

A Conversation on the State's Clean Power Plan

The Clean Power Plan is a new rule set by President Obama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cut carbon pollution from large power plants – the biggest source of carbon pollution in the United States. The Clean Power Plan will reduce the pollution causing climate change and its impacts on New York. 

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) needs to develop a state plan to meet the goal that EPA has set for New York and would like your input. New York is better situated than most states to comply with the Clean Power Plan because it has reduced emissions substantially over the past decade.  Governor Cuomo’s clean energy programs will reduce these emissions even more. 

New York is working to develop strategies to provide broad benefits to communities - particularly low-income and communities of color – by reducing carbon pollution from power plants and doing so in a way that focuses on cleaner energy.  

They are looking to you to provide the vision for these strategies. 

NYS has the flexibility on how to meet the goals of the Clean Power Plan.  Help the state choose among various approaches, while also hearing about how the Clean Power Plan works with other air pollution and clean energy programs.

Link to the DEC website

HEAD'S UP:

Look for an invite to a discussion for the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program Workshopsthe second week in July before the City of Water Day.  We are planning to hold the Proposed 2-Hour Workshop at Manhattan College Lower Campus during the day.

 

We also plan a 30 minute brief presentation in the evening at another location.

COUNCIL PASSES THREE HOUSING BILLS SPONSORED BY WILLIAMS

    The New York City Council voted to pass three bills sponsored by Council Member and Deputy Leader Jumaane D. Williams. The three bills change Department of Buildings (DOB) permit filing fees and provide an extension of the J-51 tax exemption / abatement program.

Int. No. 831 alters permit filing fees for certain new building and alteration permit applications filed with DOB. The bill decreases fees for 1-, 2- and 3- family homes and increases fees for larger buildings.

"Decreasing new building and alteration filing fees will lessen the financial burden on our smaller building owners and encourage the maintenance of their properties. There is an increase in fees for larger developments included, as well. Permit fees have not been adjusted since 1991, and doing so will modernize the fee structure," saidCouncil Member Williams.

Int. No. 1118 and 1119 provides an extension of the tax exemption for the J-51 program for renovations of buildings and single room occupancy housing units. 

"The extension of the J-51 tax abatement/exemption program motivates property owners to make improvements on their properties, without the added burden of an onerous tax bill," Council Member Williams said. "Although we passed a straight extender of J-51 today, I look forward to continuing conversations with the Administration, Speaker and stakeholders on how we improve the program in the months and years ahead."

Public Forum on ACTIONHealth NYC

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Endorses Keith Wright for Congress

   “Keith Wright has been a key member of our community and I am proud to have him as a colleague and friend in public service. Keith helped rebuild Harlem. He has improved the lives of our residents with his unyielding support for affordable housing. His passion for education and the vital windows of opportunities it creates for our youth is one of the many areas, where his consistent advocacy has been invaluable.  Keith is a fighter for our neighborhoods. I look forward to continuing to work with him on the issues of immigration, providing a living wage, criminal justice reform, health care, equal rights, economic development and education. I support Assemblyman Keith Wright's campaign to serve as our community’s advocate and partner in Congress,” said Bronx Borough Ruben Diaz Jr.

 

“Borough President Diaz Jr. has served our community for close to two decades. Three years ago the people of our community affirmed his commitment to us by re-electing him our Borough President with overwhelming support.  During his service he has worked tirelessly on an ambitious economic agenda. As the Chair of the Committee on Housing, I have partnered with my friend and colleague Ruben Diaz. A part of his economic agenda was providing housing funds to build new units and create more new jobs. President Diaz’s leadership on economic development, education and public safety has produced results for all of us. I look forward to working with him, to continue our progress, as our community’s next Representative in Washington. I am honored to have my friend Ruben’s support," said Wright.  

   

Bronx Borough President Diaz Jr.’s endorsement adds to the growing list of many public officials including, Gov. David Paterson, Mayor David Dinkins, Senator José Serrano, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Assembly Member Denny Farrell, and Council Member Inez Dickens are also supporting Wright.

 

Wright has won the support of Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, the Uniformed Firefighters Association, Teamsters Joint Council 16, New York City District Council of Carpenters, and International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 1 and Local 79, Laborers International Union, and the Bronx County Democratic Organization.

 

Assembly Member Keith Wright represents the 70th District in the NY State Assembly and is the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing.

 

While in the State Assembly, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. served as Chair of the Committee on Election Law and on the Assembly’s Standing Committees on Education, Ways & Means, Children and Families, Environmental Conservation and Transportation. He was also a member of the Assembly’s Puerto Rican and Hispanic Task Force and the Black/Puerto Rican and Asian Legislative Caucus.

Above - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. explains that he waited until after his choice in the Democratic Primary Hillary Clinton won to endorse Keith Wright for the congressional seat that Charlie Rangel will soon be vacating. 

Below - Current Manhattan Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Keith Wright thanked Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. for his endorsement in a congressional district that covers Manhattan and the Bronx. 

CM COHEN & COMMUNITY LEADERS ANNOUNCE PASSAGE OF FIRST DOWN-ZONING IN 2 YRS

  On Wednesday, April 20th the New York City Council voted in favor of a down zoning amendment pertaining to a portion of the Woodlawn neighborhood. This change marks the first down zoning in over 2.5 years in the City of New York.

The area affected is property generally bounded by East 240th Street to the North, East 234th Street to the South, Viero Avenue to the West and Webster Avenue to the East. This section was previously an R7A District and will now become a R4A District. Before, the project area was 19 lots that were either zoned R7A or were split between R7A and R4A districts. R7A Districts are typically 7 and 8 story apartment buildings, while R4A Districts are one-and-two family detached homes.

This zoning change will provide a framework for orderly growth while protecting the established residential character of the neighborhood. The previous zoning did not adequately reflect the one-and-two family housing stock typically found on residential blocks. The change to a R4A District more closely reflects the existing built condition of the project area’s properties, and will protect against future development that would be out of scale and out of character that was permitted under the R7A zoning.

“The down zoning of Woodlawn will stop the destruction of the single family homes that currently gives the neighborhood its intrinsic character, as well as prevent high-rise developments from invading its narrow streets. This is something that the residents of Woodlawn have been in support of for quite some time and I am proud to have been able to make it a reality. I would like to thank Community Board 12, the Women of Woodlawn, the Woodlawn Taxpayers Association and the Webster Avenue Taxpayers Association for their backing on this issue and for continuing to ensure that this unique neighborhoods remains just that, unique,” said City Council Member Andrew Cohen.

"Bronx Community Board 12 was happy to rezone this portion of Woodlawn after several meetings with the local constituency and elected officials.  This rezoning is the result of careful planning between the Community Board, City Planning and Council Member Andrew Cohen's office to help preserve what makes Woodlawn a vibrant and close-knit neighborhood," said George Torres, District Manager of Community Board 12.  

  

The Woodlawn Heights Taxpayers and Community Association is delighted that Councilmember Cohen and the NY City Council passed this zoning amendment, as it will maintain the current character of our neighborhood, and prohibit large, multi-family dwellings from being built on our quite residential streets. Thanks very much to Councilmember Cohen and his staff for all their help,” said Kenneth Nugent, President of the Woodlawn Taxpayers Association.