Senator Rubén Diaz Keeps His Word and Votes NO on Budget Extender Bill without “Raise the Age”

You should know that even though some of my colleagues gave their word that they would not pass a budget without Raise the Age, I kept my word and voted NO against Senate Bill 5491. 

Here is a video link to my Senate Floor Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh-ga3JN9gY&feature=youtu.be 

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Senator Diaz's Assembly friends and Team Diaz members are calling out Republicans in the State Senate for voting no. I will have to go to the Board of Elections to check if Senator Diaz Sr. has changed party enrollment, or is it that he is up to his old tricks in the state senate and is now looking for a couple of Amigos again.

Assemblymember Pichardo: Budget extender protects schools, hospitals and essential programs

 “I voted to pass a budget extender to fund state government at its current spending. While not ideal, the extension avoids a government shutdown and ensures that vital programs and services can continue without disruption.

   “A shutdown would have jeopardized funding for education, hospitals and public housing. The extender makes sure our schools remain open, protects CUNY funding and ensures that important services for our most vulnerable continue.

    “This extender provides a safety net. Looking forward, I’ll continue focusing on a fiscally responsible, fair state budget that maintains these and other vital services such as criminal justice reform and investments in critical infrastructure.”

News From Assemblyman Blake - We Are Doing Our Job in Albany -Blame the Republicans For No Budget

Statement on the Assembly passing the state budget extender to protect funding for schools, emergency services, vital programs

I voted to keep state government operating (A.7067/A.7068). Passing a budget extender, when we have been working very hard to come to a full budget agreement, is a hard decision to make; but it’s the responsible thing to do. A government shutdown absolutely had to be avoided.

“If the state had shut down, funding to schools and emergency services would have stopped. Lifesaving programs – such as those that help seniors afford their prescription drugs, food and housing assistance for the poor, and care for the sick and disabled – would have lapsed. Our schools, which are owed the most Foundation Aid/Campaign for Fiscal Equity funding in New York City, and our hospitals such as the Bronx Lebanon Clinic and Montefiore Clinic, deserved for us to give them some resolve now rather than waiting for us to address other critical issues. We can’t let disagreements in government become threats to the health and well-being of millions of New Yorkers.

“Now, with the extender in place as a safety net, we must focus on passing a comprehensive, fiscally responsible, fair state budget this week that addresses: #RaiseTheAge so that 16 and 17 year olds are no longer tried as adults in Criminal Court, Education funding, particularly Foundation Aid, Community School and Advanced Placement funding, affordable housing and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), and Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises.

“School budget votes are next month, and without a state spending plan, districts would be left in the dark regarding how much funding they will have for the next school year. I will keep fighting to ensure that a final state budget delivers for families in The Bronx.

I salute Speaker Carl Heastie, the first Black Speaker in New York State history and currently the only Black Speaker in the country, for standing up for the rights for young people, especially young people of color, by demanding that we #RaiseTheAgeRight.”

Statement in response to NY Senate Republicans disparaging comments about the #RaiseTheAge budget negotiations

The reprehensible comments about #RaiseTheAge by New York State Senators Ashkar, Omara, Croci, Young, Funke, Robach and their allies are absolutely disgusting, blatant lies to distort the reputation of communities of color and intentionally inserts confusion on who would be eligible for this opportunity of being treated as a young person.  #RaiseTheAge is the effort so that 16 and 17 year olds are no longer tried as adults in criminal court..  They are knowingly lying about individuals who would not be removed from criminal court for political gain.  They should actually try to work with us in a bi-partisan manner and follow the exemplary leadership of Speaker Carl Heastie, who is focused on helping young people rather than writing a headline at their expense.

These Senate Republicans may not realize it, but, the words they used to describe these young people, some of whom have been charged non-violent crimes and are awaiting trial, is the epitome of Trump-like fear mongering; racially charged, divisive in nature, and utterly appalling.  They should take time to learn the story of #KaliefBrowder, a young man who was arrested for allegedly stealing something as simple as a bookbag and spent almost three years in solitary confinement before being driven to suicide.

The New York State Senate Republicans casting these atrocious words should focus on doing their job to ensure that hard working government workers get paid on time, which the extender Bill will allow, while we continue to responsibly debate these critical issues.  Now is not the time for rhetoric.  Stop the behavior of using racist and discriminatory innuendos, grow up and realize that now, more than ever, is the time to #RaiseTheAge and #RaiseTheAgeRIGHT!

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Guilty Plea Of Leader Of Heroin Trafficking Ring That Operated Throughout New York City

Christopher Quinones Will Be Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison; Heroin Ring That Quinones Operated Sold Drugs Laced With Animal Tranquilizer

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the guilty plea of Christopher Quinones, the leader of a large-scale heroin trafficking ring. Quinones, of Brooklyn, pled guilty today to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He will be sentenced on April 21 to seven years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision.

“We have no tolerance for dangerous drug trafficking rings like the one Christopher Quinones orchestrated,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “As New York continues to suffer through a serious opioid crisis, my office will continue to aggressively prosecute those criminals who fuel the cycle of addiction.”

Christopher Quinones was the leader of the heroin trafficking ring, and personally stamped the heroin he sold with “Times Up” and other monikers to signal to his customer that the product was coming from him.  The investigation, conducted by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the NYPD’s Brooklyn North Gang Squad, led to the recovery of over 1,000 glassines of heroin, some of which was cut with the animal tranquilizer ketamine. Quinones purchased and re-sold heroin on a daily basis out of several locations in Brooklyn.

At the time of his arrest in January 2017, Quinones attempted to flee police by running across rooftops while holding onto a book bag.  When he was apprehended, police discovered Quinones had filled his bag with his drug stash.  The bag included hundreds of glassines, bags of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Quinones also had a scale and his stamping equipment, including ink, inside of the bag.

The investigation, which began in fall 2015, led to the arrests of 9 other individuals who were all charged with Conspiracy to commit Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree: 

• Melvin Nieves, of Staten Island, New York
• Raphael Rodriguez, of Queens, New York
• Pablo Rodriguez, of Queens, New York
• Walter Quinones, of Brooklyn, New York
• Jose Perez, of Brooklyn, New York
• Johnny Gonzalez, of Brooklyn, New York
• Victor Beltran, of Brooklyn, New York
• Saul Drullard, of Queens, New York
• Brian Estevez, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The charges against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

In addition to prosecuting major drug trafficking rings, the Attorney General has taken numerous steps to combat the opioid crisis in New York. In June of 2011, Attorney General Schneiderman introduced state legislation for I-STOP, an online Prescription Monitoring Program or a “PMP,” that enables doctors and pharmacists to report and track controlled narcotics in real time. The OAG has also aggressively enforced laws that require parity in health plan coverage of mental health and addiction treatment, reaching agreements with six companies. Attorney General Schneiderman also announced national agreements with Cigna and Anthem, who both agreed to remove prior authorization requirements for medication-assisted treatment nationwide. The office has also reached agreements with Purdue Pharma and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., to ensure that these opioid makers engage in responsible and legal marketing.

Attorney General Schneiderman Announces Lawsuit And Other Legal Action Against Trump Administration For Illegally Blocking Cost-Saving, Pollution-Cutting Energy Efficiency Standards

Coalition Takes Action Against Trump DOE For Violating Federal Law By Obstructing Implementation Of Energy Efficiency Standards For Common Consumer And Commercial Products

 These Common Sense Standards Would, Over Time, Save Consumers And Businesses Approximately $24 Billion, Provide Energy Savings Equivalent To The Annual Electricity Consumption Of 36 Million Households, And Eliminate Millions Of Tons Of Air Pollution

Schneiderman: We Won't Hesitate To Use The Full Force Of Our Office To Protect New Yorkers

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, leading a state and municipal coalition, today announced that he is commencing legal action against the Trump Administration for violating federal law by delaying energy efficiency standards for several common consumer and commercial products - such as ceiling fans, portable air conditioners, walk-in coolers and freezers, commercial boilers, and more.

The six standards being blocked by the Trump Administration offer dramatic air pollution reductions, as well as energy- and cost-savings to consumers and businesses. According to federal Department of Energy (“DOE”) estimates, the standards would combine to eliminate emissions of 292 million tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, 734 thousand tons of the pollution that creates soot and smog, 1.2 million tons of the potent climate change pollutant methane, and over 1,000 pounds of highly-toxic mercury, over a 30 year period.

Over this same period, the Appliance Standard Awareness Project estimates that the efficiency standards would together save over 443 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity – the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of over 36 million households. The DOE itself estimates that the six standards would provide net savings to consumers and businesses of approximately $23.8 billion.

"Energy efficiency standards are vital to public health, our environment, and consumers. This is yet another example of how the Trump administration’s polluter-first energy policy has real and harmful impacts on the public health, environment – and pocketbooks – of New Yorkers,” Attorney General Schneiderman said.  “By blocking these common sense standards, the administration is reversing progress in cleaning the air we breathe and fighting climate change – and denying consumers and businesses some $24 billion in savings. I will continue to use the full force of my office to compel the Trump administration to live up to its obligations to the law and the people of New York.”

Attorney General Schneiderman and the coalition charge that the Trump DOE is violating both the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (“EPCA”) and Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”) in the following ways:

• delaying the effective date of final energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans.
• stalling the final standards for compressors, walk-in coolers and freezers, power supply equipment, portable air conditioners, and commercial boilers, by failing to publish them in the Federal Register.      

Joining Attorney General Schneiderman in the lawsuit regarding ceiling fans are the Attorneys General of the states of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the City of New York. The same coalition, plus the Attorney General of Maryland, are joining Attorney General Schneiderman in sending a 60-day notice regarding the other standards. 

The DOE published new energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans as a final rule on January 19, 2017, with an effective date for the rule of March 20, 2017.  However, the Trump Administration has subsequently delayed the rule’s effective date twice – most recently pushing it back to September 30, 2017 – asserting that stalling the standards was a non-substantive action, and that seeking public input on the delay would be “impractical, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest.” 

Attorney General Schneiderman and the coalition charge that these delays are illegal, violating EPCA’s “anti-backsliding” provisions by effectively weakening the final standards published in January, and violating the APA by being undertaken without the public notice and comment required by law when substantive changes are made to published final rules. Accordingly, the coalition has filed a lawsuit in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals against the Trump DOE over its illegal delay of the effective date of the ceiling fan efficiency standards. The suit seeks a court order to require the standards to go into effect immediately. Click here to read the petition for review.

Regarding energy efficiency standards for compressors, walk-in coolers and freezers, power supply equipment, portable air conditioners, and commercial boilers, DOE issued a “prepublication notice” of a final rule for compressors on December 5, 2016 and for the four other products on December 28, 2016.  The posting of these five rules triggered a limited “error correction” period for the public to identify any typographical or numbering errors for correction by the Department. By law, DOE was then required to publish final energy efficiency standards for compressors by February 21, 2017 and for the four other products by March 15, 2017. To date, the DOE has not published any of these final standards. 

The coalition charges that the DOE’s failure to publish these five final energy efficiency standards violates EPCA’s standards setting deadline requirements.  In accordance with requirements of EPCA, the coalition is sending a 60-day notice today to the DOE of its intention to sue the Department over these violations.  If the Department fails to publish the five energy efficiency standards as final rules within 60 days, the coalition intends to file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court asking the court to declare that the DOE has failed to perform mandatory legal obligations, and require the Department to immediately publish the final rules. Click here to read the 60-day notice.

New York City Experiences Safest First Quarter in Modern Compstat-Era

Seven Fewer Murders, Forty-two Fewer Shootings, and 1,219 Fewer Index Crimes Compared with 2016

   New York City’s sustained reduction in violence and overall crime continued through March 2017, making this the safest first quarter in the modern Comstat-era. Compared with the same time period as last year, the first quarter of 2017 had: 7 fewer murders, or -10.2%; 42 fewer shootings, or -22%; and 1,219 fewer index crimes, or -5.2%.  

For the month of March 2017, there were 7,253 overall index crimes reported, compared with 7,948 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 695 crimes, or -8.7%. There were 18 murders reported in March 2017, compared with 28 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 10 crimes, or -35.7%. There were 104 rapes reported in March 2017, compared with 101 in March 2016. This is an increase of 3 crimes, or +3.0%. There were 949 robberies reported in March 2017, compared with 1,168 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 219 crimes, or -18.8%. There were 1,528 felonious assaults reported in March 2017, compared with 1,611 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 83 crimes, or -5.2%. There were 907 burglaries reported in March 2017, compared with 1,036 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 127 crimes, or -12.5%. There were 3,329 grand larcenies reported in March 2017, compared with 3,588 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 259 crimes, or -7.2%. There were 418 grand larceny autos reported in March 2017, compared with 416 in March 2016. This is an increase of 2 crimes, or +0.5%. There were 48 shooting incidents reported in March 2017, compared with 67 in March 2016. This is a reduction of 19 shooting incidents, or -28.3%.

“New York City continues to experience historic reductions in crime, as seen in the first quarter of 2017,” said Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “I am proud of the men and women of this Department, who remain focused on further reducing violence while working to strengthen relationships through neighborhood policing by solving problems and fighting crime.”

"The continued reduction of violent crime across the five boroughs is nothing short of remarkable, with this past quarter being the safest in the Comp-Stat era," said Mayor de Blasio. "The City is on pace for a record year in lows for shootings and homicides. These trends are due in large part to the NYPD's effective precision and neighborhood policing models that aim to root out violent crime in the small pockets where it still exists and work with the public stop crime before it starts and solve it when it occurs. A big congratulation is due to Police Commissioner O'Neill and the men and women who wear the uniform."

There were 225 crimes reported in the Transit Bureau in March 2017, compared with 178 in March 2016. This is an increase of 47 crimes, or +26.4%. There were 406 crimes reported in the Housing Bureau in March 2017, compared with 405 in March 2016. This is an increase of 1 crime, or +0.2%.

Note: All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revisions, or change.

April at KRVC

Mark your Calendars for Five April KRVC Events  &  Two Other BIG Ones this Spring

Coming Up Later this Spring: krvcdc.org/news krvcdc.org/events Also check out our community calendar! www.krvcdc.org

Friends of VCP's April 2017 Enewsletter

Friends of VCP's April 2017 Enewsletter 

We are excited to be celebrating our 25th Anniversary this year. As part of the celebration we have a limited edition 25th Anniversary hat. New or lapsed members, can join the Friends for only $25 and receive a hat. Current members, can purchase a hat for $15 (includes shipping.)  

Throughout 2017, we will be celebrating our anniversary in many different ways including our first fundraiser for the year- A VIP Reception and New York Philharmonic Concert on Tuesday June 13th.  Ticket information will be available in the next few weeks.  

This spring is also packed with several free programs for the community.  Below is a list of our April events and all of our spring events can be found on the Events Page of our website.  

We hope to see you in the Park this Spring!  

Christina and all of your Friends at the Friends of VCP

      Friends of VCP's April Events

Food Scrap Drop-Off 

Tuesdays April 4th to May 30th from 4pm to 6pm 

We want to use your food scraps to make compost and grow veggies at the Van Cortlandt Park Garden and Compost Site. This site will be operated by the NYC Compost Project hosted by The New York Botanical Garden. For more information about NYC food scrap drop-off site guidelines, e-mail compost(at)nybg.org.

Held at the Garden & Compost Site – enter the Park at Broadway and Mosholu Ave.

Get Active Hiking Series

Second Saturday of Each Month at 10am

This is a great opportunity to learn about the ecology and the history of the Park. Please wear appropriate shoes and bring plenty of water and a snack for the hike.

April 8th, meet at the last stop of the 1 train (near Broadway and W. 242nd Street): Tibbetts Wetland Tour led by our Wetland Internship for a Healthier Bronx Interns.

Woodlawn Clean Up Day

Saturdays April 8th meeting at 10am

Join us and Women of Woodlawn for hands-on service projects to improve the Northeast Corner of Van Cortlandt Park around Woodlawn Playground.

Meet in front of Woodlawn Playground on Van Cortlandt Park East just south of Oneida Avenue.

Mycoremediation & Fungi Cultivation Workshop

Thursday April 13th from 4:30-6:30pm

Want to learn how to cultivate your own gourmet mushrooms?  Intrigued by the amazing abilities fungi mycelium can provide to remove pollutants from our soils and water?  FVCP is embarking on two project using fungi mycelium to remove pollutants from the soil and water and we would like to pass along the knowledge to you.  Please contact John at john@vancortlandt.orgto register for a workshop.  See vancortlandt.org/events for additional dates.  Space is limited to 15 people per workshop.

Earth Day Volunteer Event

Saturday April 22nd meeting at 10am

Join us on Earth Day to volunteer for one of two projects in Van Cortlandt Park.

Garden & Compost Site Prep for Planting Season: meet at the Garden & Compost Site- enter the Park at Broadway and Mosholu Ave.

Trail Restoration Project: meet at the last stop of the 1 train (near Broadway and W. 242nd Street)