SENATOR KLEIN HONORS COMMUNITY LEADER ROSEMARY DURSO AT THE 19TH ANNUAL NEW YORK STATE WOMEN OF DISTINCTION CEREMONY

    Senator Jeff Klein honored Rosemary Durso, director of Boston Road’s Regional Aide Interim Needs (R.A.I.N.) at the 19th Annual Women of Distinction Ceremony in Albany on Tuesday evening.

Since 1998, Rosemary Durso has served the senior population and currently serves as director at Regional Aide Interim Needs Senior Center, Boston Road, a non-profit social service agency serving the senior population in the northeast Bronx. Her experience, expertise, and strong knowledge of the Bronx are instrumental in improving the quality-of-life for the senior population. A lifelong resident of the northeast Bronx, she remains active in her community. Durso has served on numerous boards, such as Community Board #11, Rotary Club, and Visions. She is also a founding member of the Networking Organization of Bronx Women, which began in 1978.

“Rosemary Durso has worked tirelessly to protect the health and enhance the quality-of-life for our senior citizens,” said Senator Klein. “Her steadfast commitment to serving her borough is inspiring, and I am proud to present Rosemary Durso with this year’s Women of Distinction Award.”

“I thank Senator Jeff Klein for this special honor as I enjoy serving the community and working at R.A.I.N. Senator Klein is a tremendous advocate for our senior population and his legislation and programming has truly helped the elderly,” said Durso.

JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center - Upcoming Cultural Events in June 2016

   “A Time to Dance,” a sparkling one-woman show written and  performed by Libby Skala on Sunday, June 5th at JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center at 2:15 PM. Libby Skala interweaves storytelling, music and dance to portray the dazzling 100 years of her great aunt Elizabeth "Lisl" Polk who transcends poverty, artist icrepression and the rise of Hitler through the love of dance to become a renowned dance therapy pioneer. “Funny.  Captivating.  Charming.” –The New York Times        Lunch served at 1:15 PM: salmon w/dill sauce or chicken breast, fusili pasta w/parsley, zucchiniProvencal, French bread, fruit. Lunch served at 1:15 PM. Refreshments will be served. Recommended senior meal contribution: $2.50 & event donation: $2.00. Non-Senior meal fee: $5.00, event fee: $3.00. Call senior center office 718-549-4700 by Wed. 6/1 for advance meal reservations.

Ling Tang, exuberant Chinese dancer & educator, will instruct one more dance class on Thurs. June 9^th before her interactive performance on Thurs. June 23rd at 1:00 PM at JASA Van Cortlandt Sr. Center. A nutritious kosher lunch of Salisbury steak or chicken salad will be served on 6/9 and breaded sole fillet or chicken salad on 6/23 at 12:15 PM. Recommended senior meal contribution is $2.25 and senior event contribution: $1.00. Non-Senior meal fee: $5.00, event fee:$2.00.

Nick Demopoulos, guitar, and Mariella, vocals, will perform classic jazz and Latin songs on Fri. June 10^th at 1:00 PM.Nick was the guitar player in NEA Jazz Master Chico Hamilton's ensemble and has recorded several albums with him.He has also released several recordings with his jazz trio, Exegesis.Mariella is a soulful vocalist and mainstay of the New York City circuit. Her poignant lyrics and masterful songwriting have earned her accolades worldwide. A delectable meal of baked chicken legs or gefilte fish loaf will be served at 12:15 PM. Recommended senior meal contribution is $2.25 and event contribution: $1.00. Non-senior meal fee: $5.00 and $2.00 event fee. Refreshments will be served.

Join us for a special dinner of honey lemon roast chicken or ocean perch, broccoli soufflé & carrot tsimmes at 5:30 PMon Wed. June 29^th followed by the Bronx Opera Ensemble in concert at 6:30 PM. Recommended senior meal contribution: $2.50 & event donation:$2.00. Non-Senior meal fee: $5.00, event fee: $3.00. Call senior center office 718-549-4700 by Fri. 6/24 for advance meal reservations.

JASA Van Cortlandt Senior Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave., First Floor 

Bronx, NY 10463

Phone: 718-549-4700

Fax: 718-884-6063

ASIANS NEED NOT APPLY: MINORITY EXCLUSION IN THE STATE GOVERNMENT WORKFORCE

Assemblyman Ron Kim, the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), Korean American Civic Empowerment for Community (KACE), and the YWCA of Queens have announced a broad, joint initiative for "true inclusion and real diversity" in the public sector. They and other community partners have spoken out against the clear disparity in Asian American representation in New York State’s government workforce, and will be collaborating together on potential solutions. 

They have written a letter to Governor Cuomo, signed by many Assembly Members and community organizations, asking him to address the issue: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzBmKKty-GfDemdRU0Z4VXp5YmM

There will also be a large public awareness campaign to reach out to all New Yorkers, encouraging everyone to spread the word, voice their concerns to their elected officials, and sign onto a petition supporting Bill A.08050 – the New York Minority Employment Act – which would include Asian Americans in efforts to reform the state hiring and recruiting system. 

The website for this initiative:

http://nymep.goaction.net/

“Claiming to champion greater diversity and inclusion while overlooking an entire group of Americans is wrong and misleading, and through his actions the governor has shown a deliberate neglect for the concerns of our community,” stated Assemblyman Ron Kim stated, “When representation of Asian Americans in the government workforce is less than half that of our state’s total workforce, there is clearly systemic inequality that must be dealt with. The support of my colleagues and my office’s community partners has given us a mandate to truly address this problem. Though we hope to work with the administration on this issue, this is only the first step in a larger, community-wide mission to build a public sector that represents all New Yorkers.”

Henrietta Ho-Asjoe, Interim Executive Director, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, stated: “Diversity and inclusion discussions exist to give a voice to the most historically excluded, as well as those with new perspectives and unheard experiences. The state workforce and Governor Cuomo's Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion are not in line with these goals. We invite Governor Cuomo to join in the fight against the model minority myth and urge him to make sure that those who serve and lead our state truly represent the community”  

Dongchan Kim, President of KACE, stated, “Asian Americans in New York State have been underrepresented in many aspects.  Especially in the NYS Government work force, only 3.8% are Asian Americans while 8.6% of the total state workforce is Asian American. When Governor Cuomo created the Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion in March 2016, we were very concerned about the fact that Governor Cuomo didn't pay heed to Asian Americans. The exclusion of Asian Americans is becoming systematic. Now we need a systematic measure to address the problem. The NYMEP Act will be the first step to address the problem."

South Asian Community Leader Dilip Chauhan stated, “We urge the NY State Governor to promote and encourage diversity in the state government workforce by including the Asian American population, evaluating the recruiting and employment practices of state government agencies, and mandating proper reporting - as well as including a Chief Diversity Officer in each of the respective agencies to monitor these initiative.”

“The Young Women’s Christian Association of Queens’ mission is to Eliminate Racism and Empower Women,” stated Katherine H. Kim, Executive Director of the YWCA of Queens. “We believe that while current law starts to address the structural inequalities that keep all New Yorkers from gainfully seeking employment in government positions, there is still a long way to go.  NYMEP will help everyone keep to task and ensure that our public servants truly reflect the wonderful diversity of our State.  As YWCAs are united in our mission, we have engaged our sister associations across New York State to stand with us in this effort. “

Assemblyman Gjonaj's Senior Tea Party

New York State Assemblyman
Mark Gjonaj

Invites you to his

Senior Tea Party

Friday, May 27,2016 

10:00am - 12:00pm 

F&J Pine Restaurant 

1913 Bronxdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10462

Come dressed in your best outfit for our Best Dressed Contest, Best Hat Contest and Prizes! 

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj's 80th District Office 

1126 Pelham Parkway South

Bronx, New York 10461

Phone: (718) 409-0109

Fax: (718) 409-0431

COMPTROLLER STRINGER: NEW YORK CITY ECONOMY CONTINUES EXPANSION IN FIRST QUARTER, BUT SIGNS OF A SLOWDOWN EMERGE

32,000 more New York City residents are engaged in the labor market now than last quarter, the highest quarterly increase in 12 years

Average hourly earnings for City private-sector workers, however, remain stagnant

 Strong gains in private-sector payroll jobs helped New York City’s economy grow by an estimated 3.4 percent during the first quarter of 2016, significantly faster than the national economy according to a Quarterly Economic Update released today by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. However, signs of a cooling economy emerged as average hourly earnings in the private sector were flat and venture capital fell for the first time since 2012.

“The City’s job market was a bright spot in the first few months of 2016 as more New Yorkers joined the workforce, but there are signs of a slowdown on the horizon,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “More City residents than ever before are now employed, but too many of the jobs we’re gaining are in low-wage industries. When New Yorkers work full time and still can’t afford a decent living, it undermines our entire economy.”

Released every quarter, the Comptroller’s Quarterly Economic Update examines a broad range of indicators that reflect the City’s current conditions in the national context.

Specific findings for the First Quarter of 2016 include:

Continued Overall Economic Growth 

• New York City’s economy, as estimated by Gross City Product (GCP), grew at a 3.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2016, greatly outpacing U.S. GDP growth of only 0.5 percent. While the past two years began with similarly divergent rates, over the course of those years, the gap in growth narrowed.
• New York City resident employment grew by 21,200 in the first quarter, reaching a record level of more than 4 million and raising the employment-to-population ratio to 58.1 percent. The spread between the national and the city employment-to-population remains close to its historical low.
• Signaling optimism in the local labor market, the number of city residents working or looking for a job soared. About 32,000 city residents joined or rejoined the labor force, the highest quarterly increase in 12 years.

Stagnating Wages 

• Of the total 41,700 private-sector payroll jobs added in the first quarter, nearly half (19,100) were in low-wage industries and 36 percent were in mid-wage industries. All major sectors expanded except for the high-paid financial activities sector.
• The continued dominance of low-wage job creation contributed to disappointing wage gains. Average hourly earnings for private-sector payroll workers grew only 0.1 percent year-over-year.
• Between the end of the Great Recession and 2014, average pay in low-wage industries has fallen 3.2 percent after adjusting for inflation. Real wages for mid-wage industries have grown 4.1 percent, while high-wage industries experienced 10.3 percent real wage growth in those five years.

Falling Venture Capital Investment and Weak Income Tax Collections 

• Venture capital investment in the New York metro area fell 6.2 percent to about $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2016, the first year-over-year decline since 2012. Nationwide, venture capital investment fell even faster, leading the New York metro area’s share of investment to grow from 10.7 percent in the final quarter of 2015 to 11.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016.

• Quarterly City personal income tax revenues fell 0.3 percent on a year-over-year basis, driven by a 28 percent increase in tax refunds. The steep increase in refunds was offset by modest growth in taxes withheld from paychecks (3.1 percent) and estimated payments (1.1 percent).
• A decrease in financial sector bonus payments contributed to relatively weak first quarter personal income tax collections. Wall Street bonuses are estimated to have been $23 billion in the 2015 bonus season, 15.9 percent lower than $27.5 billion in 2014, and the lowest level since 2011. Lower bonuses coincided with a 10.5 percent drop in Wall Street profits in 2015. 

Real Estate Market Growth, but Signs of Cooling 

• Manhattan’s vacancy rate for commercial property fell to 9.0 percent, the lowest first-quarter level since 2008. Vacancy rates in Midtown South dropped from 7.0 percent in the first quarter of 2015 to 6.3 percent this quarter, as Midtown overall and Downtown recorded smaller declines.
• New commercial leasing activity in Manhattan, however, fell 6.0 percent to 6.5 million square feet. The highest-leasing sector was TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information services), accounting for nearly 37 percent of new leases 10,000 square feet and larger.
• The volume of residential home sales increased 8.1 percent in Manhattan and 26.9 percent in Brooklyn. However, home sales in Queens fell 1.9 percent in the first quarter, after growing 32.7 percent in the final quarter of 2015. Similarly, average home sales prices increased in Manhattan and Brooklyn but fell in Queens.

“A strong City economy and job gains are always welcome news, but stagnant wages, a potential cool off in the commercial real estate market, and slowing venture capital investment are causes for concern.  We’ll be keeping an eye on these economic indicators and continuing to focus on enacting policies that ensure every New Yorker has a fair chance to share in our City’s growth,” Stringer said.

Croton Filter Plant - Agenda for FMC Meeting June 15, 2016

Croton Facility Monitoring Committee Meeting

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 – 7:00 PM

DEP Office – 3660 Jerome Avenue, Bronx NY 10467 - (718) 231-8470

Agenda

I Welcome, Meeting Call to Order Dan Padernacht, Chair

II Consider, Adopt June 15 CFMC Agenda - CFMC Representatives

III Consider, Adopt Meeting Minutes of March 22, 2016 -  CFMC Representatives

IV Jerome Park Reservoir Task Force Update - CFMC Representatives and Task Force on Public Access

V Update on Replacement Trees Installed in Community - Andrew Penzi, DPR

VI Update on Croton Funded Parks Projects  - Andrew Penzi, DPR

VII FY 2017 Water Rates -  Eric Landau, DEP

VIII Croton Costs Report and Construction Update - Bernard Daly, DEP

IX Old Business - CFMC Representatives, and Public

X New Business - CFMC Representatives, and Public

XI Adjourn

Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Wednesday, May 18 Bronx Chamber Business Breakfast

Assemblyman Mark Gjona - BESA The Promise at Bronx House

On Sunday May 22, 2016, Temple Hatikva is hosting a special screening of the acclaimed documentary BESA: The Promise. The film focuses on the tales of ordinary Albanian families taking in Jewish refugees escaping the horrors of the Nazi regime. 

Tickets will be sold at the door.

Please call in advance to reserve your ticket:

Klaudio Rroku (347) 671-4355

Sunday, May 22, 2016
10:00am
Bronx House
990 Pelham Parkway South
Bronx, NY 10461

For more information, please contact the office of 

Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, 718-409-0109