Engel Introduces the Empire State Equity Act to Increase Federal Medicaid Funding to New York State

    Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today introduced the Empire State Equity Act with Congressman Paul Tonko and Congressman Thomas Suozzi. This proposal would protect all New Yorkers from dangerous Medicaid cuts, such as those included in Trumpcare.

“Last week, we were faced with an irresponsible proposal from Congressional Republicans that would have left a huge hole in New York’s budget, under the guise of providing financial ‘relief’ to New Yorkers,” Congressman Engel said. “In reality, this proposal would have robbed billions of dollars from our constituents and restricted our state’s ability to run its Medicaid program. To deal with such draconian cuts, our state would have been forced to raise taxes, cut Medicaid benefits, limit Medicaid eligibility,  and lower provider rates – all of which would have harmed every New Yorker, including those it purported to protect.”

To safeguard New Yorkers against this kind of financial blow, Engel has introduced the Empire State Equity Act, which would increase federal Medicaid funding for New York State by billions of dollars.

“Thankfully, Trumpcare failed last week,” Engel said. “But my colleagues and I want to be at the ready in case the House GOP pushes another misguided Medicaid policy in the future. Medicaid is a lifeline for New Yorkers – especially for seniors, children and the disabled. This bill will make sure they are not harmed by guaranteeing, should our state again face a cut to its Medicaid budget, that our citizens are made whole.”

“While some members of Congress are content to play political games at the expense of their constituents, I'm proud to join members of the New York Congressional Delegation in support of this legislation, which provides much-needed property tax relief while protecting New York's healthcare system," Governor Cuomo said. "This measure doesn’t rob Peter to pay Paul, it provides real savings for New Yorkers. This state pays much more to the federal government than it gets in return, and I urge Congress to do the right thing by passing this bill and helping to level the playing field between New York and the rest of the nation once and for all."

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON THE SENATE VOTE TO ALLOW STATES TO WITHHOLD FEDRAL FUNDING FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD

  “Shameful. The GOP’s anti-woman agenda couldn’t be clearer and Vice President Pence has crowned himself its leader. Fresh off of yesterday’s meeting on women’s issues, Vice President Pence cast a tie-breaking vote to allow the Senate to gut funding for women’s healthcare and Planned Parenthood. New York City stands with women and will safeguard the breast exams, cancer screenings, birth control and family planning they need, while proactively pushing back against the Republican anti-woman agenda.”

Assemblymember Michael Blake - Shark Tank Open Casting Call

Friends,

On April 19th, Values Partnerships will be working with ABC’s Shark Tank and holding casting calls for diverse entrepreneurs in New York City. The casting calls will take place in Harlem and Brownsville; companies will be selected to pitch their businesses on a first come, first serve basis. I encourage everyone who owns a small business to attend and to share this event.

You can register using the links below:

http://sharktankdiversitytour.com/harlem/

http://sharktankdiversitytour.com/brownsville/

Michael A. Blake

Assembly Member 79th District, South Bronx

Chase Bank located at 75 East 161st Street robbed This Afternoon.

  The above Chase Bank branch located at 75 East 161st Street was robbed just before 2 PM today. Police from the 44th Precinct aided by other police in the area caught up with the suspect who apparently passed a note to a teller, was given an unidentified amount of cash, and fled on foot. The unidentified robber was caught less than three blocks away from the bank on Jerome Avenue. 

Above - A letter is placed on the door of the bank saying it is closed, but not excatly why.

Below - Police capture the suspected bank robber less than three blocks away on Jerome Avenue across from Yankee Stadium.

BP DIAZ ISSUES 'ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT REPORT'

The Bronx was home to record $3.2 billion, 14.2 million sq. ft. of development in 2016

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. released his “Bronx Annual Development Report” this morning at a development roundtable hosted by the Greater New York Construction User Council. The event took place at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.

The report finds that 2016 was one of the most successful years the Bronx ever had in regards to development. More than $3.27 billion in total investment took place in the borough in 2016, 37 percent higher than in 2015. The borough also saw 14,204,253 square feet of total development during the same year, 41 percent higher than 2015, which included 5,234 residential units of all types.

“In 2016, The Bronx once again saw an amazing influx of new development of all types. We are the place to be. And there is a good reason for that. Great people, resilient people, make up the more than 1.4 million residents who call this borough home,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Working together with our business and development leaders, our community boards, non-profits, elected officials and committed residents of The Bronx we are all—together—making The Bronx an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

The full report can be read at http://on.nyc.gov/2mMLbVN.

“We have seen incredible growth in The Bronx, across the board, from job creation to affordable housing to the addition and renovation of green spaces and park land,” saidMarlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. “With over $3 billion having been invested in our wonderful borough in 2016 alone we are continuing to find ways to improve the life of the more than 1.4 million people who call The Bronx home. We look forward to seeing these projects blossom, as we continue to build on the successes that fostered positive transformation in our borough.”

In addition to outlining the growth the borough saw in 2016, the “Bronx Annual Development Report” also illustrates the year-to-year investment and construction The Bronx has played host to since 2009, when Borough President Diaz first took office.

Since then, the borough has seen more than $12.7 billion in total development, as well as more than 68.5 million square feet of total development construction. A total of 29,058 residential units have also been constructed in The Bronx since 2009, as well.

Above - Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. introduces a panel of five developers who have belived in the Bronx. (l-r seated) Joseph Farkas - Ceo/Founder Metropolitan Reality Associates LLC, Ms. Rella Fogliano - Founder Macquesten Construction Management LLC, Mr. H. Gut Liebler - President Simone Healthcare Development, Mr. Guido Subotovsky - President Azimuth Development Group LLC, and Ms. Margarette Lee Partner Youngwoo Associates LLC.

Below - As each member of the panel spoke BP Diaz Jr., and the BOEDC President Marlene Cintron were the first to clap for the business success. 

Mr. Joseph Farkas was the first to tell of his success of turning the once famous then closed Stella Doro Bakery into a high class shopping center. Mr. Farkas said that he is looking for his next Bronx properety, as other members of the panel also said.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES RE-ENTRY SERVICES FOR EVERYONE IN CITY JAILS BY END OF THIS YEAR

Jail population down 18% since Mayor took office

  Mayor de Blasio today announced that by the end of this year, every person in the Department of Correction’s custody will receive re-entry services to help connect them with jobs and opportunities outside of jail, as well as five hours of programming per day during their stay to address vocational, educational, and therapeutic needs. The Mayor also reiterated major reductions in the jail population in the last three years.

“Everyone deserves a second chance. We’re working to break the cycle of returning to jail for those in City custody by making sure they have opportunities to learn and grow while in jail, and connecting them with the re-entry services to support a pathway to stability when they leave,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Re-Entry Services for All Detainees by End of 2017

Re-entry services are critical to preventing recidivism and ensuring that people leaving DOC custody have opportunities to embark on a productive and stable path. The City is building a system in which every person who enters city jails will be provided with new tools and services that will help to promote a stable future. By addressing vocational, educational, therapeutic and other needs in an individualized way, time inside jail can be used productively to lay a foundation that can prevent future interaction with the criminal justice system.

The administration’s new system will begin with expanded risk and need assessment on the first day that someone enters jail, offer five hours every day of programming that addresses an individual’s unique needs, and continue with support – including new employment and educational programs – after someone leaves jail and returns to the community. A 2013 RAND Corporation study showed that participation in prison education, including both academic and vocational programming, was associated with an over 40 percent reduction in recidivism—saving $4 to $5 for each dollar spent.

By the end of 2017, every single person who enters City jails will be meeting with counselors, starting day one, who will assess their unique risks and needs. These counselors will work with detainees to develop an individualized approach for their time in custody that will include efforts to identify vocational and educational needs and help them connect with the right programs during their stay. Everyone in City custody will be matched with five hours per day of vocational, educational, and therapeutic programming that will help lay a foundation to best support long-term stability after release.

Jails to Jobs

·       Peer Navigators: Everyone leaving city jails after serving a sentence will be paired with a Peer Navigator from a new public health-informed program in which peers who have successfully stabilized after incarceration help those who are recently released to achieve this same stability.

·       Transitional Employment: Everyone leaving city jails after serving a sentence will be offered paid, short-term transitional employment to help with securing a long-term job. Research has shown that connecting those recently released from prison to short-term transitional jobs can reduce recidivism by 22%.

·       Trained workforce providers: All City-funded workforce professionals will be trained on issues and laws related to working with people with criminal records, including the Fair Chance Act, legislation signed by Mayor de Blasio that prohibits discrimination based on a person’s arrest record or criminal conviction.

Educational subsidies: Additionally, the City will continue its partnership with the City University of New York to offer 500 people per year who leave City jails after serving a sentence educational subsidies to support getting certificates and other credentials that promote career advancement, including the opportunity to become a certified peer and join the Peer Navigators for the Jails to Jobs program.

This re-entry initiative will be implemented in partnership with the New York City Diversion and Re-Entry Council, which includes over 100 leaders from various parts of the criminal justice system.

Serious Violence is Decreasing in DOC Facilities

Since the Mayor took office, the jail population has decreased 18% – from an average population of 11,478 in December 2013 to an average of 9,362 this month. The population just at Rikers Island has fallen 23%. This drop was largely driven by intentional efforts to reduce the number of people who go into jail and how long they stay – while still protecting public safety.

The successful diversion of those who do not belong in jail has meant a higher concentration of inmates who are more likely to commit violent acts. Despite this challenge, serious violent incidents are decreasing by double digit percentages in nearly every category. These decreases affirm the shift away from punitive segregation to more effective rehabilitation methods.

From calendar year 2014 to 2016:

·       Assaults on staff with serious injuries decreased 38 percent

·       Assaults on staff with minor injuries decreased 21 percent

·       Serious uses of force decreased 51 percent

·       Minor uses of force decreased 14 percent

·       Inmate fights with serious injuries decreased 9 percent

The drop in incidents resulting in any type of injury – coupled with an increase in uses of force without injury – indicate that new de-escalation trainings for staff  have helped officers learn successful strategies to end fights or intervene in tricky situations without anyone getting hurt.

While the jails are still seeing an increase in stabbings and slashings, those incidents represent less than 1.5% of all jail violence, and contraband confiscations increased 33% from 2015 to 2016. The administration continues to advocate the State to change the law that would permit the Department to use ionizing body scanners that are more effective at finding small blades. Since the department stopped using these scanners in 2013 under State law, slashing and stabbing incidents have risen, and returning them to use as soon as possible is a key part of the strategy to make our jails safer.

In a separate, related announcement, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today released two Requests for Proposals to create innovative programming and support existing services for New Yorkers reentering communities after periods of incarceration. Using criminal forfeiture funds obtained through settlements with international banks that violated U.S. sanctions, the District Attorney’s Office is also funding the creation of a blueprint for a new Manhattan Criminal Court Resource Center to better enable low-level offenders to navigate and utilize programs and services that comprise non-jail sentences, ranging from community service to mental health programs.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. said, “Any effort to reduce crime must address the needs of those returning to our communities after being incarcerated. Unless we provide these individuals with access to the resources they need – from employment to supportive housing to mental health services – the cycle of recidivism is bound to continue. Similarly, as we work to reduce unnecessary incarceration, we know we must not only expand sentencing options for low-level offenders that do not include jail, but provide better access to these programs and services for the thousands of defendants that come through our courts each year. I look forward to investing in programs that have been proven to be successful in reducing recidivism, and to learning more about the new and innovative work happening in this field, with an eye toward funding more projects in the future.”

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said, “We support re-entry programs and other efforts to rehabilitate formerly incarcerated people.”

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said, “We share a common goal of preventing crime in New York City and programs aimed at breaking the cycle of recidivism will help reduce crime and make our communities safer for all.”

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES TWO APPOINTMENTS TO THE RENT GUIDELINES BOARD

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced two new appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board: David Reiss, a Brooklyn Law School professor specialized in property law, and Hilary Botein, a professor at Baruch College’s Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. The board is responsible for establishing rent adjustments for approximately one million dwelling units subject to rent stabilization in New York City. Reiss and Botein will serve as public members of the Board.

“Professors Reiss and Botein are experts in real estate law and urban policy planning and will serve New Yorkers fairly as they work to strike the right balance on any rent adjustments,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I am honored to have them accept these positions on the Rent Guidelines Board as we work to make this City more just and more equitable, and thank K. Sabeel Rahman and Steven Flax who have served New Yorkers so well.”

About David Reiss

Professor Reiss concentrates on real estate finance and community development. He is the founding director of the Community Development Clinic, and teaches a Property Law Colloquium at Brooklyn Law School. He is an Edward V. Sparer Public Interest Law Fellowship Committee Member. 

Reiss, who also currently works at NYU’s Furman Center, was a visiting clinical associate professor at the Seton Hall Law School Center for Social Justice; an associate in the New York office of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in its real estate department; and an associate in the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster in its land use and environmental law group.

He clerked for Judge Timothy Lewis of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Prior to attending law school, he worked for a non-profit organization that assists people who have psychiatric disabilities as they make the transition from shelters and hospitals to independent living.

About Hilary Botein

Hilary Botein is an associate professor at Baruch College’s Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. Her research explores factors that influence urban development, with special attention to policies and programs underlying affordable housing and community development, including for vulnerable populations. She teaches courses on housing policy, housing and community development policy, and a course for the National Urban Fellows graduate program. She has been at Baruch since 2007. She was a Public Policy Fellow at Columbia University.

From 1999 to 2003, she was Director of Program & Policy Development at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Prior to her academic career, she worked for 18 years as an attorney and policy analyst on affordable housing and economic justice issues, primarily in New York City.

About the NYC Rent Guidelines Board

The NYC Rent Guidelines Board is mandated to establish rent adjustments for the approximately one million dwelling units subject to the Rent Stabilization Law in New York City. The Board holds an annual series of public meetings and hearings to consider research from staff and testimony from owners, tenants, advocacy groups and industry experts. The RGB staff is responsible for providing administrative support to the Board and prepares research regarding the economic condition of the stabilized residential real estate industry including operating and maintenance costs, the cost of financing, housing supply and cost of living indices. The RGB staff engages in year-round research efforts, publishes its reports for use by the public, other governmental agencies and private organizations, and provides information to the public on housing questions.

Turkish Banker Arrested For Conspiring To Evade U.S. Sanctions Against Iran And Other Offenses

Complaint Further Alleges That the Defendant Used His Position at Turkish Bank to Facilitate Access to the U.S. Financial System and to Conceal International Financial Transactions for Iranian Entities in Violation of U.S. Sanctions

   Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging MEHMET HAKAN ATILLA with conspiring with others, including Reza Zarrab, a/k/a “Riza Sarraf,” to use the U.S. financial system to conduct transactions on behalf of the Government of Iran and other Iranian entities, which were barred by United States sanctions, and to defraud U.S. financial institutions by concealing the true nature of these transactions. ATILLA was arrested on March 27, 2017, and will be presented later today in Manhattan federal court before United States Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim stated: “As alleged, Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a Turkish banker, participated in a years-long scheme to violate American sanctions laws by helping Reza Zarrab, a major gold trader, use U.S. financial institutions to engage in prohibited financial transactions that illegally funneled millions of dollars to Iran. As alleged in the criminal complaint unsealed today, Atilla worked with Zarrab to create and use fraudulent documents to try to disguise prohibited Iranian financial transactions as food that would qualify under the humanitarian exception to the sanctions regime. United States sanctions are not mere requests or suggestions; they are the law. And those who use the American financial system to violate the sanctions laws, as Atilla is alleged to have done, will be investigated and prosecuted aggressively. I thank the FBI and the career prosecutors in my Office for their tireless work and dedication in this and other important investigations of alleged sanctions violators.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Iran continues to illustrate it will use whatever means necessary to evade sanctions and violate U.S. law. Our work in this case shows the unscrupulous behavior by exposing how the men charged allegedly moved massive amounts of money through U.S. banks disguised as humanitarian efforts to feed people in need. In this instance, they allegedly utilized a Turkish national and a financial institution that knowingly shielded the true nature of the transactions. The FBI and the U.S. Intelligence Community have dedicated investigators and analysts who won’t stop weeding out every action Iran takes to continue its alleged illegal activity.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1]:

Beginning in or about 1979, the President has repeatedly found that the situation in Iran constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with the threat. Pursuant to these presidential declarations, the United States has instituted a host of economic sanctions against Iran and Iranian entities pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (the “IEEPA”). This sanctions regime prohibits, among other things, financial transactions involving the United States or United States persons that were intended for the Government or Iran or Iranian entities.

Specifically, ATILLA, Zarrab, and others protected and hid Zarrab’s ability to provide access to international financial networks, including U.S. financial institutions, to the Government of Iran, Iranian entities, and entities identified by the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control as Specially Designated Nationals (“SDNs“). They did so by, among other things, using the Turkish bank at which ATILLA acted as Deputy General Manager of International Banking (“Turkish Bank-1”) to engage in transactions that violated U.S. sanctions against Iran. In particular, they took steps to protect and hide Zarrab’s ability to supply currency and gold to the Government of Iran, Iranian entities, and SDNs using Turkish Bank-1 without subjecting Turkish Bank-1 to U.S. sanctions. As described in more detail in the Complaint, ATILLA, Zarrab, and others conspired to create and use false and fraudulent documents to disguise prohibited transactions for Iran and make those transactions falsely appear as transactions involving food and thus falling within humanitarian exceptions to the sanctions regime.

MEHMET HAKAN ATILLA, 47, is a resident and citizen of Turkey. ATILLA is charged with conspiracies to violate the IEEPA and to commit bank fraud. The conspiracy to violate the IEEPA carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. The bank fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Division, and the Department of Justice, National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance in the arrest, and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance on this case.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.