“Since adopting the nation's most progressive affordable housing law last spring, the City has already approved developments with 4,500 affordable homes. Today’s vote for 550 Washington, a project that includes important funding for Pier 40’s Hudson River Park, is a huge win for the community and New York City. I congratulate Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member Corey Johnson and all those who worked so hard to ensure that any new development serves the needs of their community.”
Friday, December 16, 2016
Bronx Borough President - Have a Happy Hanukkah
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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW By Senator Rev. Rubén DÃaz
Governor Cuomo Calling A Special Session to Kill New York City’s Taxi Industry
You should know that Governor Andrew Cuomo is planning to call us legislators back to Albany for a Special Session next week.
You should also know that in my opinion, it is ridiculous to call us to Albany at the very end of the year just to vote to remove any responsibility from Uber to get approval from local authorities, and do whatever they want. This will kill all of New York City’s livery bases, destroy our local taxi industry, and effectively cut the throats of our taxi drivers.
On the other hand, these State regulations they would like to ram through would not apply in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Ladies and gentlemen, you should also know that I am only one vote, and my vote may not really count because I am sure that Governor Andrew Cuomo has already made a deal with the Assembly Speaker and the Senate Leader to have enough votes for him to do whatever he wants to do.
But for right now, this Black guy from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, with the kinky hair and the broken English is not planning to go back to Albany until January 4, 2017.
So, for all of those Uber followers and supporters who want to kill New York City’s local taxi industry, I am afraid you will have to do it without my vote and in my absence.
I am not planning to go to negotiate my salary increase so that Uber and the Governor can get away with killing New York City’s taxi industry.
I am Senator Ruben Diaz and this is what you should know.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
A.G. Schneiderman Indictments Of 13 Current And Former City Fire And Police Department Employees In Half Million Dollar Insurance Fraud Scams
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters and New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo today announced the indictments of 13 public employees in Queens and Brooklyn, including New York City Police Department Traffic Agents and FDNY EMT’s, Lieutenants, and Paramedics for allegedly committing insurance fraud against the American Family Life Assurance Company (“AFLAC”). It is alleged that these city employees signed up for disability insurance through AFLAC, and manipulated the system by forging physician’s or supervisor’s signatures to file false insurance claims. This group of defendants allegedly collectively stole over half a million dollars. Each defendant stands accused of one count of grand larceny and one count of insurance fraud for thefts that ranged from over $3,000 to over $100,000 per defendant.
“Public employees are entrusted to adhere to the highest code of conduct. Yet these defendants undermined the public trust in government and the integrity of our insurance system by perpetrating this alleged scheme,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Cracking down on public corruption is a top priority for my office, and we will continue our relentless work with our partners in law enforcement to root out fraud and waste wherever we find it.”
DOI Commissioner Mark G. Peters said, “Today’s arrests result from a lengthy DOI investigation into dozens of City workers, including fire and police department employees. We depend on honesty and integrity from all our public servants and these workers failed us. Our independent investigation will continue to root out this corrupt behavior with more arrests expected to follow.”
Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo said, “The individuals accused of these crimes had sworn to serve and protect the public, but instead they betrayed the public to serve their own selfish greed. The Department of Financial Services appreciates the opportunity to have worked on this case and commends Attorney General Schneiderman and Commissioner Peters for their efforts in bringing these defendants to justice.” The following defendants were arrested this morning on charges of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and Insurance Fraud in the Second Degree, both class C felonies. Grand Larceny in the Second Degree is charged when the value of the stolen property exceeds $50,000. Upon conviction, a class C felony is punishable by up to fifteen years in prison:
- MARC MASTROS, 37, of Queens, N.Y., a former FDNY EMT, began working for the agency in September 1999 and resigned from the FDNY in March 2014. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $118,630 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
- DEVON GRAHAM, 46, of Queens, N.Y., has been employed as an FDNY EMT since May 2005. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $71,310 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
- KENNETH LAMBERT, 35, of Hasbrook Heights, N.J., has been employed as an FDNY EMT since February 2004. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $91,056 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
The following defendants were arrested this morning on charges of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree, both class D felonies. Grand Larceny in the Third Degree is charged when the value of the stolen property exceeds $3,000. Upon conviction, a class D felony is punishable by up to seven years in prison:
- JUAN MASTROS, 28, of Queens, N.Y., has been employed as an FDNY Paramedic since May 2009 and resigned December 9, 2016. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $34,176 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
- SUSAN JAMES, 58, of Queens, N.Y., a former FDNY EMS Lieutenant, began working for the agency in March 1996 and retired from the FDNY in October 2013. She is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $9,950 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
- CALEB LAUES, 41, of Queens, N.Y., has been employed as an FDNY Paramedic since February 2004. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $41,590 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
- JOSE SOLIS, 34, of Valley Stream, N.Y., has been employed as an FDNY Paramedic since April 2008. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $27,229 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
- MOURAD TOUATI, 48, of Queens, N.Y., a former FDNY EMT and current Department of Correction (“DOC”) Officer, began working for FDNY in January 2008 and left in 2014. He joined DOC in May 2014. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $31,146 and was arraigned in Queens County Supreme Court.
- RANDOLPH LOWE, 57, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been employed as an NYPD Traffic Enforcement Agent since March 2008. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $4,753 and was arraigned in Kings County Supreme Court.
- ANTHONY MIRANDA, 58, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been employed as an FDNY EMS Lieutenant since March 1996. He is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $22,550 and was arraigned in Kings County Supreme Court.
- MELISSA OVALLE, 35, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been employed as FDNY EMS Lieutenant since January 2005. She is charged with defrauding AFLAC approximately $20,670 and was arraigned in Kings County Supreme Court.
- YOLANDA POWELL, 47, of Brooklyn, N.Y., a former NYPD Traffic Enforcement Agent, began working for NYPD in October 2003 and resigned from the NYPD in December 2015. She is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $9,505 and was arraigned in Kings County Supreme Court.
- VALERIY YEDVABSKIY, 58, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been employed as an NYPD Traffic Enforcement Agency since May 2009. She is charged with defrauding AFLAC of approximately $27,010 and was arraigned in Kings County Supreme Court.
The Attorney General would like to thank the New York State Department of Financial services for the referral in this matter. The Attorney General would also like to thank the New York City Department of Investigation for partnering with the OAG on this investigation.
With offices around the state, and a jurisdiction that is not limited by county, the OAG is uniquely positioned to simultaneously prosecute defendants in multiple venues in cases like this one.
The Attorney General’s investigation into this matter remains ongoing.
Prosecuting the case are Assistant Attorney General Kevin B. Frankel and Special Counsel Brian P. Weinberg of the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Daniel Cort and Deputy Bureau Chief Stacy Aronowitz. The investigation was handled by Investigator Angel Laporte of the Attorney General’s Investigations Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Investigator John McManus. The Investigations bureau is led by Chief Dominick Zarrella. Forensic Auditor Kristina Kojamanian assisted in the investigation under the supervision of Forensic Audit Section Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro. The Forensic Audit Section is led by Chief Auditor Edward J. Keegan, Jr. Legal Support Analyst Katharine Litka of the Public Integrity Bureau also assisted in the investigation.
Handling the case for NYC DOI is Assistant Inspector General Sara Levinson, Data Analyst Nicholas Devine, all under the supervision of Inspector General Frank J. Carine, Assistant Commissioner Michael Healy, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Michael Carroll and First Deputy Commissioner Lesley Brovner. The investigation also received assistance from DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for NYPD. Cindy Licata, Senior Criminal Investigator, handled the case for the Department of Financial Services.
Bronx Democratic County Holiday Party
The Bronx democratic County organization held their annual holiday party last night, and below are a few photos of the event with captions. Thanks go out to Anthony Perez the Executive Director of the BDCC, and his mother who cooked the delicious food. I left before Mayor Bill de Blasio arrived.
Above - Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo chats with City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
Below - The County Leader has on his ugly sweater a few minutes later as he poses with the speaker.
Above - County Leader Crespo also pit on a moose hat complete with musical moving antlers.
Below - Assembly Speaker (and former county leader) Carl Heastie with Assemblyman (and former BDCC Chair) Jeffrey Dinowitz.
Above - State Senator Jeff Klein with Assemblyman Victor Pichardo.
Below - Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. with Senator Klein.
Above - Executive Director of the BDCC Mr. Anthony Perez reads off the long list of names of elected officials from the Bronx and others who are in attendance.
Below - County Leader Marcos Crespo speaks to the packed room, however his antler hat had to be turned off as it also was making music as the antlers were moving.
Riverdale Avenue Holiday Lights
The official Holiday lights on the South Riverdale Avenue merchants corridor from West 236th to West 238th Streets were turned on yesterday by State Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, and Councilman Andrew Cohen. The three local elected officials were helped out by KRVC and several youngsters who caroled along the route from the KRVC office to the front of the popular Yo Burger restaurant where Senator Klein turned on the holiday lights.
Above - The group Began at the KRVC office located on West 236th Street and Riverdale Avenue.
Below - The group led by Senator Klein greeted people and merchants such as John from Botany Bay Florists along the way to the holiday lighting
Above - The young carolers march to Yo Burger where they will sing several songs before Senator Klein throws the switch to light the holiday lights on Riverdale Avenue.
Below - Senator Klein and his staff have reached their destination Yo Burger.
Above - The carolers sing several songs before Senator Klein turns on the holiday lights.
Below - They pose with the elected officials
Above - Councilman Cohen says a few words as he stands with Senator Klein and Assemblyman Dinowitz. To the councilman's right is the owner of Yo Burger Mario.
Below - Senator Klein turns on the holiday lights.
The elected officials pose with some merchants and Ms. Tracy Shelton (with the Christmas hat on) Executive Director of KRVC who help make the holiday lights happen.
STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON ACS REPORT INTO THE DEATH OF ZYMERE PERKINS
“This report uncovered a troubling series of lapses and missed opportunities in ACS’s failed effort to protect Zymere Perkins. Procedures were not followed, common sense was not exercised, and due diligence was lacking up and down the chain of command responsible for Zymere. I will not accept excuses for this failure and I will not accept the notion that every single one of these tragedies cannot be prevented. The buck stops with me. As a result of this investigation, we’ve ordered the firings of three employees directly involved in Zymere’s care. We’ve moved to suspend and demote another six employees who should have shown better judgment in carrying out one of the most important and difficult missions of City government. As we transition the agency to new leadership, we will continue to embrace bold reforms capable of meeting our mandate: the protection of every child who needs our care. I will accept nothing less.”
BETTER JOBS, HIGHER WAGES: MAYOR DE BLASIO TO SECURE THOUSANDS OF GOOD JOBS FOR NEW YORKERS IN THE LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY
16,000 new jobs at all education levels, 1,000 paid internships, average salaries of $75,000
Mayor Bill de Blasio today unveiled a $500 million initiative, LifeSci NYC, to spur an estimated 16,000 new, good-paying jobs and establish New York City as a global leader in life sciences research and innovation. New Yorkers hoping to secure a career-track job in a growing industry and struggling with the rising cost of living will have access to 1,000 paid internships, new training programs and job placements in a field with average salaries of $75,000. The City will develop a new “Applied Life Sciences Campus” mirroring successful Cornell-Tech model.
“We have to break the vice grip of stagnant wages and the ever-rising cost of living in this city. That’s why we are giving thousands of New Yorkers a foothold in the 21st century economy through paid internships, training and career-track jobs,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We are creating a springboard into the innovative Life Science economy for our workers, innovators and startup businesses that will make our whole economy stronger.”
“Increasing opportunities for the study of life sciences in New York City benefits all of our communities by providing paths to stable, well-paying careers. LifeSci NYC will positively impact thousands of New Yorkers, and I would like to thank the de Blasio Administration for working hard to make this program a reality,” said Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “I am especially proud that the New York Proton Center will be opening in East Harlem, where their services will touch the lives of thousands of cancer patients in need of treatment.”
“We are making strategic investments to diversify and grow our economy. We can lead the nation in Life Sciences and harness the sector’s incredible job growth. We already have the best research institutions in the world, and by investing in lab space, talent and emerging firms, we can vault New York City to the industry’s forefront,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen.
“The life sciences industry is not only producing new discoveries that improve people’s lives, but it also has the potential to play a major role in the future of our five-borough economy,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Maria Torres-Springer. “We’re making these groundbreaking investments to bring 16,000 good middle-class jobs to New Yorkers from all backgrounds. And working with industry leaders, we’re going to help shape the sector’s growth to ensure it remains accessible and inclusive.”
The life sciences and biotechnology industry includes a wide array of disciplines focused on developing cures, treatments and technologies. Its companies work to develop new vaccines and pharmaceuticals, build advanced prosthetic devices, and design software that makes diagnostics more accurate.
With 16 percent growth in jobs since 2009, the life sciences sector is among the fastest growing in the city. It offers a wide range of technical jobs such as microbiologists and lab technicians, as well as non-technical jobs in areas like marketing and administration. Roughly 30 percent of jobs in the industry require only a high-school diploma or Associate’s Degree, while another 50 percent of jobs require only a Bachelor’s Degree.
With more than 100 research foundations and nine academic medical centers, New York City is home to one of the largest concentrations of academic life sciences research in the world. However, challenges such as a shortage of commercial laboratory space have made it hard for New York City to hold on to young companies spinning out of its research institutions.
‘LifeSci NYC’ will generate 9,000 new direct jobs in the sector, 7,000 new jobs in related fields, and 7,400 construction jobs, increase economic output by $2.5 billion a year, attract $6.5 billion in additional private investment, and generate $1 billion in tax revenue. The City will develop a new Applied Life Science Campus along Manhattan’s East Side or in neighboring Long Island City, unlock 2.8 million square feet of private investment in new commercial lab space, provide training programs for workers and facilitate collaboration between the City’s leading medical research institutions, pharmaceuticals, startups, venture capital firms and philanthropies.
The ten-point plan includes a major focus on workforce development programs to connect New Yorkers to jobs, with 1,000 new paid internships at leading life sciences companies. Working with the City University of New York, other schools and teaching hospitals, the initiative will create new curricula focused on skills-building in the life science sector.
To further boost this sector, the Mayor will assemble a new Life Sciences Advisory Council, a world-class team of experts from academia, industry, philanthropy and finance, to advise the City on its life science programs and catalyze strategic partnerships with the larger industry. The council will be co-chaired by Doctors Harold Varmus and Vicki Sato. Dr. Varmus is a Nobel Laureate and former director of both the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. He currently serves as a Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine and as a Senior Associate at the New York Genome Center. Dr. Sato is the Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, the Chair of Denali Therapeutics, and a member of the Board of Directors of Bristol Meyers Squibb. She previously served as President of Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
“As a strong proponent of New York City’s contributions to the life sciences, I am pleased to have an opportunity to help expand this critical sector under City Hall’s new initiative,” said Dr. Harold Varmus, co-Chair of the Mayor’s Life Sciences Advisory Council.
“As a relative newcomer to New York City but a long time veteran in the biotechnology and pharma industries, I look forward to working with Dr. Varmus and the Mayor’s team to help create a world class biomedical innovation center in New York,” said Dr. Vicki Sato, co-Chair of the Mayor’s Life Sciences Advisory Council. “The rich history of innovation and biomedical discovery in this city, together with the commitment of its business and civic leaders, can deliver improved healthcare and catalyze economic growth.”
The Ten-Point LifeSci NYC Plan
- Invest $100 million to create a new Applied Life Sciences Campus. The de Blasio Administration will provide funding to create a world-class facility along Manhattan’s East Side or in neighboring Long Island City that drives bio-engineering innovations, research and development (R&D) partnerships and entrepreneurial training. The campus will serve as an institutional anchor for the life sciences industry, much as Cornell Tech serves as an anchor for applied sciences and engineering.
- Provide $50 million to expand network of life sciences R&D facilities. To remain at the forefront of the innovative research that leads to new businesses, the Administration will make targeted investments in New York City’s existing academic medical centers and research institutions. The City will provide capital to a network of up to eight non-profit research facilities, to help create new workspace for research with a high potential for commercialization and job growth.
- Invest $10 million to expand network of incubators for life sciences start-up facilities. To provide affordable space for the next generation of life science startups, the City will invest in up to five new incubators and innovation centers, with the first expected to open in late 2017. Incubators will be located near existing research centers to better support innovators and connect skilled workers with jobs.
- Commit $20 million a year in matching funds to support early-stage businesses. Young life sciences startups often struggle to secure the capital they need to expand. By committing $20 million in seed and growth funding, and seeking matching funds from private sources, the City will help spur growth of up to 80 companies, helping them expand and create new jobs for New Yorkers.
- Invest $7.5 million to create internships and life sciences curricula. The City will launch a new internship program next summer, which will connect students each year with opportunities at life sciences companies and institutions. Organizations that have already agreed to take on interns include global pharmaceutical companies such as Roche and Elli Lilly, research institutions such as the New York Genome Center, and investors such as Deerfield Management. The City will also provide funding to support the development of new curricula for local colleges and universities, based on input from local employers, to prepare the next generation of life sciences talent.
- Commit $300 million in tax incentives to attract investment in commercial lab space for life sciences businesses. The high cost of lab construction has resulted in a shortage of space for new life science companies. By offsetting that cost, the City will unlock affordable lab space for growing companies that provide accessible, middle class jobs for New Yorkers.
- Modernize land use policies to encourage new space for life sciences firms. To more than double the potential areas for life sciences jobs, the Administration will clarify regulations to make explicit that lab space for life sciences R&D is permitted in the majority of commercial zones. In addition, the administration will leverage upcoming rezonings to include life sciences sites where appropriate.
- Provide $7.5 million to create a Life Sciences Management Corps. The City will provide financing to life sciences startups to help them secure experienced entrepreneurs to help launch and grow their businesses in New York City. These entrepreneurs will be committed to growing companies, cultivating new talent and creating good and accessible jobs in the five boroughs.
- Provide $3.8 million to expand training programs for entrepreneurs. The de Blasio Administration will provide funding to expand and improve on two successful programs, serving up to 500 companies over the course of the program. NYCEDC will expand its Bio and Health Tech Entrepreneurship Lab (ELabNYC) with new curriculum in areas such as corporate commercialization and project management. It will expand the SBIR Impact program, which helps life sciences firms compete for funding through the National Institute of Health’s Small Business Innovation Research program.
- Launch the Mayor’s Life Sciences Advisory Council. The Life Sciences Advisory Council, with experts from academia, industry, philanthropy and finance, will advise the City of New York on its life science programs and catalyze strategic partnerships with the larger industry. The council will work with the administration to promote New York as a global center for life sciences.
Learn more at LifeSci.NYC.