Ischia Bravo for Assembly - FORMER BRONX DEMOCRATIC COUNTY DIRECTOR, ISCHIA BRAVO, CONDEMNS RIVAL AS ALBANY’S “LEAST PRODUCTIVE LEGISLATOR”

   Candidate for the Bronx’s 78th Assembly District, Ischia Bravo, castigated her opponent Assemblyman José Rivera for being the least productive member of the New York State legislature. Her words follow a report released by Politico today on those legislators who have backed the least amount of legislation this year.

According to the Politico article, Rivera has reportedly not introduced any legislation in the 2016 session and only a single bill in the past four years. This is by far the lowest amount of legislation of any Assembly person.

“The people of the 78th District deserve better than an absentee representative,” Bravo said in a statement. “Assemblyman Rivera is not doing his job, and it's time we put someone in Albany who will actually do the work. There is too much that needs to be done to have someone asleep at the wheel.”

Bravo highlights there are many public servants who work for free; while Rivera is paid by taxpayer funds to essentially do nothing.

“True public servants don't have the luxury of doing nothing – we have to work for the people,” stated Bravo. “As your Assemblywoman, I will fight to bring affordable housing, better education, and good-paying jobs to our district. I will be a tireless advocate for our community, and my office will always be open to anyone who needs help. It’s time for a change - so let's move forward together towards a brighter future for our district.”

Bravo faces Rivera in the September primary, and is encouraging all residents to take an active role in improving their elected representation in Albany.  The Politico article elaborates that Rivera is the only elected official, of the 211-member State Legislature, not to sponsor a bill this year. 

“That is absolutely shameful,” says Bravo.

In February 2016 Bravo, the former Executive Director of the Bronx County Democratic Committee, launched her bid to represent the 78th Assembly District of the Bronx, covering the areas of Kingsbridge, Belmont, Fordham and Bedford Park.  She previously served the people of the Bronx as Executive Director of the Bronx Democratic Party for 7 years while under the leadership of the current Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Carl Heastie.

NYS Assembly Members Mark Gjonaj & Luis Sepulveda - Van Nest Family Day

    Proudly invite you to the 2016

 Van Nest Family Day! 

 

Saturday, August 6, 2016
 1:00pm to 4:00pm  

Van Nest Park (Van Nest Avenue & Unionport Road).

Come joins us at this spectacular event.
We hope to see you there!

Assemblymember Michael Blake - Afro Cultural Parade

   The African community is the fastest growing demographic in the Bronx. The National Ghana Parade Council, the National Council of Ghanaians Association, the African Friends of Us, and Aduana Kuo of North America will host the Afro Cultural Parade & Festival.  The event will take place on Saturday, August 13th in Crotona Park in The Bronx from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This year’s theme, “Youth Empowerment,” will focus on positioning African youth in diaspora for greatness and leadership. With the current social climate, the affiliated organizations with this year’s festival are creating opportunities for youth through mentorship, job opportunity, and development to engage the next generation of leaders.

Join as we showcase our traditional Durbar procession, host dynamic local and international African artists, and provide a platform for our vendors sell everything from fabric to native foods.

Through community programming, we are #BuildingABetterBronx.

   

Rep. Engel On Zika Cases in U.S.

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, released the following statement on recent developments surrounding the Zika virus:

“Reports of the first locally transmitted cases of Zika on the continental United States serve as a reminder that action to address this virus is long overdue. This distressing news comes on the heels of the first reported case of microcephaly in New York City.

“As public health experts have said for months, Zika is not a distant threat. Yet House Republicans left town for the summer without passing legislation which can be signed into law, and would protect Americans during this public health crisis. Instead, the GOP put forward a meager package that would have robbed funding from other public health programs, undercut the Clean Water Act, and made it more difficult for women to access contraception, thus impeding prevention efforts. When the GOP plan failed to move forward, Republicans rebuffed Democratic efforts to compromise.

“Federal agencies urgently need more resources to conduct research, control mosquito populations and educate Americans about this health emergency. Congress must provide those resources so we can finally mount the response needed to tackle the Zika virus head-on.”

Council Member Andrew Cohen - Upcoming Events

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All participants must MAKE AN APPOINTMENT IN ADVANCE  BY CALLING OUR OFFICE AT 718.549.7300 OR EMAILINGDISTRICT11@COUNCIL.NYC.GOV.

: PARKCHESTER MAINTENANCE INCREASE SETTLEMENT

  Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda and Senator Ruben Diaz announced Tuesday, Aug. 2 a proposed settlement with the management of the sprawling Parkchester South Condominiums over its efforts to impose a 15.19 percent maintenance increase on unit owners there.

  Under the terms of the proposed settlement still being worked out, unit owners who meet documented requirements of financial hardship would have the maintenance increase spread out over four years.

  The announcement of the proposed settlement came at a Town Hall meeting held by the two legislators at at St. Paul's Church gymnasium at 1891 Degraw Avenue that drew a crowd of concerned unit owners.  

   Assemblyman Sepulveda, who is an attorney, and Senator Diaz, a unit owner who is lead plaintiff, filed a lawsuit in Bronx state Supreme Court on March 23against the Parkchester South Condominium's management over the maintenance hike management said it needs for structural repair work. The court has barred management from evicting any of the 8,286 unit owners for failure to pay the increase until the outcome of the court case.

   "During the last several months through litigation, we have met with the attorneys for the Parkchester board and the Parkchester management to discuss a resolution of the massive increase in maintenance to the owners of the units," said Sepulveda.

   "We've gone back and forth in several court appearances. We have exchanged legal information, and we have requested that they provide us with financial information throughout this process. As a result of this, the attorneys and management have come back with a settlement proposal for the unit owners," he continued. 

   The settlement proposal is premised on the income of individuals, and on what percentage of their income goes to paying their mortgage, their maintenance and other expenses, Sepulveda said.

  "The main point of the proposal is that rather than a one-time 15.19 percent charge, we're going to break it down into percentages for four years," Sepulveda said. "I believe this will help alleviate some of the concerns of people who are living on fixed incomes and those who truly cannot afford to pay such a large increase in maintenance."

   

   Sepulveda warned that "We are going to continue to litigate unless we can reach a final resolution that's helpful to those individuals who are truly in need financially."

   Parkchester management has said it needs the one-time increase to cover the cost of repairs for serious structural problems. Once work is finished in 2017, it has indicated maintenance fees would return to 2015 levels.

   Assemblymember Sepulveda noted that Parkchester management has also agreed to provide certain financial documents to help determine various issues, including the bidding process and selection of contractors to determine if management used the most cost effective measures.

   "We have an accountant who has been reviewing the information to see if there are any problematic issues financially," said Sepulveda. "We haven't uncovered anything yet -- and we hope that we don't. But we intend to remain vigilant throughout this process."

   Senator Diaz stated that "While I am grateful for every effort to try to resolve this matter so that the families, the senior citizens, the disabled, and all of our neighbors in Parkchester South may receive some financial relief and have a more reasonable way to pay their bills, I remain concerned that last year's budget and the projected budget for 2016 have not yet been shared with the condo owners and residents.

  "Transparency remains a key factor," Diaz continued. "We all need to be able to review those documents to see where and how the money was spent, and will be spent."

  The  huge city-within-a-city, built by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. toward the end of the Great Depression, is now home to large numbers of South Asians, comprised of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indians. Some 20 percent or so residents are African-American and Latino.

6th ANNUAL SUMMER STREETS EVENT FEATURES FREESTYLE TRIO TKA!

  Sunday August 7^th  2016 The Bainbridge Ave & E. 204^th Street Merchants, Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj & Councilmember Andrew Cohen in conjunction with MAS Productions will proudly present the popular Summer Streets outdoor festival on E 204^th Street Between Bainbridge & Decatur Avenues from 12pm-6pm.

This event is rain or shine and is set to take place this Sunday, August 7^th. NYC Hire will also have an informational table available to sign up anyone seeking employment. Highlights include but are not limited to: shopping, music, Hayrides, GIVEAWAYS and most importantly: HEADLINERS TKA—the legendary trio of Freestyle.. Plenty of activities will be available throughout the day including a “Fun bus” provided by the Bronx Children’s Museum, and more.

Last year this location was chosen to showcase The Street Workout World Cup New York—which is the biggest calisthenics event in the country. Spectators watched as the best of 2015 battled to proceed as the victorious winner that gets the chance to attend the Finals in Moscow. The annual Summer Streets event is a local favorite for children and adults alike, as there are activities for ALL ages.

BP DIAZ ALLOCATES OVER $5.5 MILLION TO BRONX EDUCATION PROJECTS

   Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced that his office is providing more than $5.6 million in capital funds to 59 education projects all over the borough as part of his FY2017 capital funding allocations.

Projects funded this year include; classroom upgrades, the creation of new media centers, library renovations, technology upgrades, playgrounds, auditorium renovations and other physical plant improvements in public schools across The Bronx. In addition, Borough President Diaz has allocated over $2 million in capital funding to each of the borough’s City University of New York (CUNY) institutions. 

“The education of our children is perhaps the most important responsibility we have as elected officials, and I remain as committed as ever to providing all the necessary resources our borough’s schools need to help our students strive for excellence in education,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.  “This critical funding helps keep our educational institutions vibrant, and our students, teachers and parents inspired. Funding like this is critical to our borough’s continued growth, and I am proud to have funded so many important school projects in every corner of our borough.” 

School projects funded by Borough President Diaz this year include $200,000 for the renovation and upgrade of the Bronx Center for Science & Mathematics auditorium, $500,000 to rehabilitate playgrounds at P.S. 194 and P.S. 214 in partnership with the Trust for Public Land, and $79,000 for new auditorium seats at P.S. 304. Borough President Diaz also funded dozens of technology upgrades at schools across the borough, among other projects.   

“I understand the importance of education, and I am proud to have provided funding to so many worthy projects,” said Borough President Diaz. “Upgrading our school facilities is one more step forward towards providing better education in The Bronx, and is an important component as we continue push to improve the lives of our 1.4 million residents.” 

Borough President Diaz also noted that his own personal history with CUNY made it especially important for him to fund the borough’s public higher education institutions through his capital budget. 

“I know firsthand how important our CUNY colleges are, being a graduate of Lehman College and a CUNY ‘two-fer’ myself,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Our CUNY institutions provide students from all walks of live with a high quality education, and their continued success is vital to our borough’s continued positive transformation. 

Since taking office in 2009, Borough President Diaz has funded a total of 303 school projects for $40,621,000. During the same period, he has provided $11,004,000 to 19 higher education projects in every corner of the borough. 

A complete list of education projects funded by Borough President Diaz in FY 2017 can be found at http://on.nyc.gov/2a3lXem. A complete list of higher education projects funded by Borough President Diaz in FY 2017 can be found at http://on.nyc.gov/2a3A6bd.