A.G. Schneiderman Announces Arrest And Indictment Of Wall Street Financier Charged With Defrauding Multiple Victims And Stealing $800,000

Anthony Nyame, CEO Of General Capital Corporation, Allegedly Stole Deposits From Clients Intended For Loans, Including $375,000 From A Bronx Church

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced today felony charges against Anthony Nyame, 59, of the Bronx, for allegedly stealing $800,000 from multiple victims by fraudulently inducing them to believe his Wall Street based company, General Capital Corporation, had the ability to secure millions of dollars in loans. If convicted, Nyame faces up to 20 years in prison.

“The elaborate nature of this alleged scheme demonstrates just how shameless the defendant was in exploiting his victims,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “It is unbelievable that there are some who would scam religious institutions for personal financial gain. We will not allow fraudsters to rip off New Yorkers, and those who do so will be held to account.”

According to the indictment and statements made by the prosecutor at arraignment, Nyame allegedly solicited unwitting victims into believing that his company could arrange for tens of millions of dollars in loans provided they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to collateralize the loans. In one case, Nyame allegedly promised to obtain a $30 million loan for a Church located in the Bronx  that was seeking to build a multi-family dwelling on its property. Instead of using the deposits to secure the promised loans, Nyame allegedly diverted monies from the Church and other investors for his own personal use – including $71,000 in cash withdrawals and transfers to his personal bank account, $47,000 to pay for his Wall Street apartment and an additional $26,000 for assorted personal items. Nyame also transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to multiple companies and people around the world.

As part of Nyame’s scheme, he allegedly sent forged documents and fake emails to his victims that purported to come from the United States Treasury, including fake emails from the former Under Secretary David S. Cohen. The goal of the forged documents and fake emails was to convince the victims that the loans were delayed because they were in the process of being approved and verified by the US Treasury.

Nyame was arraigned today on the indictment before Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro in New York County Court.  Bail was set at $2 million bond over $1 million cash.

The defendant is charged with two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony), one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a class D felony), five counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree (a Class D felony) and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (a Class E felony).  

The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Attorney General thanks Special Agent Thomas Brodowski of the United States Treasury, Office of the Inspector General, for his assistance in this investigation.

BRONX DA’S OFFICE TO HOST ITS FIRST CHILD SAFETY FAIR ON APRIL 22, 2017 IN HONOR OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH

Learn About Safety Issues; Children Receive Free NYPD Child Identification Cards 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that her office, in partnership with the NYPD and Safe Horizon, will for the first time host a Bronx Child Safety Fair, welcoming families to hear from experts on safety concerns, receive a free Safe Child ID Card and enjoy a fun-filled day of games, music and more. 

  The fair, which commemorates Child Abuse Prevention Month, will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Mount Hope Community Center located at 55 East 175th Street. Children ages 3 to 13 and their families are welcome to attend. 

  District Attorney Clark said “Our main priority is to keep children from harm and I hope that you will join me on Saturday to learn how to make our community the safest it can be. I am pleased that one of our prosecutors, Danielle Pascale, Supervisor of the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Bureau, organized this important event for the Bronx.” 

  Safety topics that will be covered include bike safety, bullying prevention, Internet precautions and safe sleeping. Assistant District Attorneys will also be on hand to discuss safe and unsafe touching and the NYPD will distribute free SAFE Child Identification cards which contain a child’s name, biographical information and a fingerprint image of both index fingers. The cards can be easily carried and are an important tool used by the New York State AMBER Alert and Missing Child Alert programs.

  

  Representatives from several organizations such as the FDNY, the YMCA, the NY Public Library, Universal Pre-K, Odyssey House, and AAA will be also be available and the NYPD will be taking sign-ups for their summer youth programs. 

  In addition to educational opportunities, entertainment will include a DJ, face painting, a bouncy castle, a raffle and free food.  

Comptroller Stringer Audit: HPD Oversight Failures Lead to $12 Million in Questionable Payments

Millions of dollars were spent on demolition without required oversight, raising the specter of potential waste

HPD is unable to justify over 150 payments and prove jobs were completed or workers were paid prevailing wages

  According to a new report from New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, the New York City Department of Housing, Preservation, and Development (HPD) failed to properly review roughly $12 million in payments. In violation of City spending rules, HPD cannot verify whether these millions of dollars of payments for demolition work were appropriate, and whether all work was actually completed as required. As a result, unjustified payments of taxpayers’ money may have been made.

HPD is responsible for promoting the construction and preservation of affordable, high-quality housing for low- and moderate-income families across the City. As part of that work, HPD contracts with private companies to manage construction projects, demolish unsafe structures, and make building repairs.

To help ensure money is spent appropriately on construction and demolition work, City agencies are required to follow Comptroller’s Directive #7, which instructs them to establish “Engineering Audit Offices,” independent of agencies’ construction operations, to review and approve payments to contractors. These offices are responsible for conducting field inspections, verifying paperwork, and reviewing payroll data to ensure contractors have paid their employees prevailing wages.  During Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015, HPD’s Engineering Audit Office reviewed contractors’ payment requests totaling $56.1 million.

However, Comptroller Stringer’s audit shows that HPD was unable to prove its Engineering Audit Office appropriately reviewed payments made by HPD totaling roughly $12 million. Without evidence that those payments were appropriately reviewed or the work was being done as contracted, the City has greater exposure to waste, fraud, and abuse. It also means unscrupulous contractors could more easily deny workers their prevailing wages.

“When it comes to tackling our City’s greatest challenges, every dollar counts. But when we have no idea whether $12 million of spending is appropriate, we’re not doing our due diligence and serving New Yorkers as they deserve,” New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said. “These rules are in place to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse — and we have a clear example here of an agency that’s willfully violating them and putting millions of tax payers’ dollars at risk. It has to change.”

Specific findings in Comptroller Stringer’s audit include:

• Auditors reviewed a sample of 36 payment requests, totaling $10.2 million, from demolition companies and identified serious shortcomings with 32 — or 89% of them — totaling $9.6 million in HPD payments.
• Seven of the 32 problematic payments — totaling nearly $900,000 — were issued without any review whatsoever by the Engineering Audit Office.
• The other 25 questionable payments in the sample were reviewed in some way by the Engineering Audit Office, but auditors found most of those evaluations to be inadequate and incomplete. Of those 25 questionable payments:
  • The records for 18 of them lacked evidence of required field checks;
  • In 15 cases, there was no evidence of proper “desk audits,” where engineering auditors review payment requests, plans, documents, and permits;
  • Files for 22 of them did not include the documents necessary to check whether contractors paid their employees prevailing wages, as required by law;
  • In 8 instances, the payments did not comply with Procurement Policy Board Rules regarding prompt payment.
• When auditors expanded their search to include all demolition-related payments HPD made in FY14 and FY15, they identified 154 additional transactions — worth $2.3 million — that had not been reviewed by the Engineering Audit Office at all.

The Comptroller’s Office made 19 recommendations to HPD, including that its Engineering Audit Office conduct field visits to physically verify that payments align with completed work, that the agency perform all required prevailing wage checks, and that HPD ensure every payment request is submitted to the Engineering Audit Office and reviewed before being paid out.

“There are millions of dollars on the line, and behind every example of potential waste, there’s a family in need. Behind every contractor that doesn’t pay prevailing wages, there’s a hardworking New Yorker struggling to make ends meet. We have to do better,” Comptroller Stringer said.

To view the full audit report, click here.

MAYOR DE BLASIO DELIVERS REMARKS AT THE FUNERAL OF FDNY FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM TOLLEY

  I want to thank Father Patrick Woods and everyone at St. Martin of Tours for so warmly celebrating this good life, and allowing us all to be here together in our grief, and thanks to the bishops and all the clergy gathered with us.

Our hearts are broken today as we lay to rest a hero, William Tolley, affectionately known as Billy, 14-year veteran of the FDNY. We’re here to honor his life and to mourn its end.

We’re here to grieve with his family, to be here for them – his wife, Marie; his daughter, Bella; his mother and stepfather, Marie and Frank; his father and stepmother, Bob and Marion; his brother, Bobby, and his family; all who loved Billy so much, and of course his extended family that feels such grief right now, members of Ladder 135, Engine 286. And all members of the FDNY all feel today they’ve lost a brother.

And in their pain they still do the extraordinary every day. We saw on Sunday, even as firefighters feeling such a deep sense of loss, there they were yet again, there for all of us at the tragedy in Queens Village, fighting against the odds as they always do, working through their own grief but serving with their full hearts.

That’s what people do when they join the FDNY. They make a decision – a noble decision to run towards the danger. And no one epitomized that belief and that nobility more than Billy.

He laid down his life in the service of others. And his life was rich – so rich in fact, that it makes the loss even more raw and painful.

But let’s take stock and remember a rich life, a full life, a life full of feeling and love and giving to others, a life lived the way we all should live. That was Billy’s life. And let’s recognize the joy that pervaded his life. He lived with passion. And three things were his particular passions – his family, his work, and of course his metal band.

One friend said of him, “He was a hardcore rocker and also a firefighter with a baby seat in the back of his minivan.” Talk about range.

Billy poured his soul into his passions. And the life of a first responder called out to him. He wanted to be a firefighter even when he was a kid. He was a volunteer firefighter on the day – that tragic day, 9/11. And he rushed to Ground Zero from Hicksville. He spent hours searching for survivors.

He saw things that were not only painful, it could have discouraged someone from a life of service but instead for Billy his yearning to serve was only fortified. He answered the call. He joined the FDNY. He answered the call for 14 years until the final call came last Thursday.

Because he lived life to the fullest and he felt so much for all he loved, that afternoon he stopped in at a bakery near his firehouse because he was looking for the perfect desserts for Bella’s first communion but then, as he had so many times before, he responded to a fire call.

Tragedy struck in an instant.

For all of us as New Yorkers, we knew we had lost a hero and an example. But for one beautiful little girl she had lost her daddy. No words can take away the pain of that loss.

What Bella will know throughout her life is that her extended family of the FDNY will be there for her. Her mom told me last night at the wake how strong Bella had been, what a wise little girl she is.

She knows this is one family that never goes away and is always there, and what an outstanding tradition that is. The outpouring of support has been extraordinary both here in Bethpage and in New York City. Thousands came to vigils and wakes. So many more offered to help the family in any way they can. And all are inspired by the very generosity and kindness that typified that Billy’s life.

As I conclude, I want to say something to you, Bella. And I want to offer you a thought that comes from my own life. I lost my dad when I was young, a little bit older than you but still too young. My dad had worn a uniform too, that of the United States Army.

And I knew he was a hero. I knew he had done great things in the service of others. And you’re going to see throughout your life what that will mean. You’ll remember him always for all the good times you had together.

Sometimes, of course, you’ll wish you knew him better, you wish you had more time but you’ll never have to wonder about his character, what he believed in, how he used his life on this Earth. You will know he was a hero and it will sustain you.

It’s a gift to you that will help you no matter what times you live through, good times and bad. It will be a constant in your life. And it will give you strength to know that that hero is watching over you.

The whole family, we honor you. We thank you for having raised up such a good young man who did so much for others. We will all miss Billy but we will keep his memory alive in all we do.

Thank you. God bless you all.

REPS. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT AND JOSÉ E. SERRANO CALL FOUL ON DEVOS AND DECISION TO CUT FUNDS FOR UPWARD BOUND

  Today, U.S. Congressmen Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and José E. Serrano (NY-15)sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and issued the following statement in response to the Department of Education’s recent decision to deny funding for Upward Bound TRIO grant proposals submitted by Fordham University and Columbia University in New York City. Upward Bound is a program that helps low-income high school students prepare to enter and successfully complete college.

“Upward Bound is an essential educational resource for some of our most vulnerable students, helping them graduate from high school in a timely fashion and putting them on a path to higher education,” said Rep. Espaillat. “It is unfortunate that Secretary DeVos rejected funding for Upward Bound programs at Fordham University and Columbia University that have collectively provided New York students invaluable educational services for decades due to a minor typographical error and a spacing issue.”

Rep. Serrano said: “The Upward Bound is critical for students in the Bronx, and the rejection of these applications will mean less opportunities for fewer students. The program is a key driver in helping low-income and potential first generation college students successfully enter and complete college. The grounds under which the U.S. Department of Education rejected the applications from Fordham University and Columbia University is disturbing and lacks common sense. Our students deserve better. At the very least these New York institutions –and the students they serve- deserve to have their applications reconsidered based on their merits.”

In the letter sent to Secretary DeVos, Reps. Espaillat and Serrano express concerns on the misguided decisions, which were not based on the merits of either projects’ proposal and the adverse impact to students eligible for the Upward Bound Program in New York City. Dozens of college applications from all around the country for grants, valued at millions of dollars, have been rejected by the U.S. Department of Education for trivial matters related to the application’s format, like font size/type and spacing, or typographical errors, rather than content or merit. If these universities’ Upward Bound Programs fail to receive funding, thousands of low-income and first-generation students in New York City and beyond will not be able to participate in the program this year, further putting their academic achievement at peril and threatening successful completion of secondary education.

Longtime Bronx Educator Honored By CM Andy King & Fellow Former PS 41 Students From 1971 In Original Classroom

  Baychester resident Lucille Nelson Richards, a retired educator in East Bronx schools, was treated to a surprise trip down memory lane on Thursday, when she visited her old classroom at Olinville's PS 41. 

 

In celebration of the Week of the Young Child, Council Member Andy King organized some of his third grade classmates from the school to present their teacher Ms. Richards with the first annual 12^th Council District Educator of Influence Award.  They were joined by Miss Perry's second grade class, the current inhabitants of Room 103, who welcomed Ms. Richards to their classroom with a round of applause.

 

The students asked Richards about her years as a teacher, her current interests and her favorite color. (Purple.)  Her advice to the students was to "Read, Read, Read", and mentioned she read a book a day at their age. 

 

Gina Washington, one of King's classmates in Richard's class, attended the event and thanked her former teacher for the impact she made on her life.

 

"I just want to thank you.  I don't know if it was because of you, but I've been an educator for 27 years," said Washington.

 

King encountered Richards at a block association meeting two years ago, where initially the two did not recognize each other.  They had not seen each other in over 40 years.

 

"I said, 'I had a teacher named Ms. Richards in 3rd grade' and she said "I was a third grade teacher at PS 41. Andrew?  We hugged and there were some tears" recalled King, who has not gone by Andrew in many years.

    

Ms. Lucille Nelson Richards was a career educator in the New York City Public School system. After substitute teaching around the borough for two years, she taught K-6 and communications arts at PS 41, the school from which her son graduated and daughter attended.  She retired as acting assistant principal at PS 160 in Co-op City in 1995. Richards also spent 13 years as the coordinator for the Bronx Learning Center and was a chapter leader for the United Federation of Teachers.

 

Council Member King spoke of the important to acknowledge educators as pillars of the community.

 

"It's called the Educator of Influence Award because we always remember that special someone who guided us in the right direction," said King. We should recognize those dedicated professionals who gave us those experiences we remember for a lifetime."

 

King will present the award annually to a Northeast Bronx teacher or retired educator with significant experience who has made an impact on the local community.

 

The Week of the Young Child™ was established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children in 1971 to acknowledge and recognize that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life.

Wave Hill Events May 12–May 19 Oh, Mama!

A Sunday in mid-May, in a garden as deeply loved as Wave Hill, is the perfect setting for celebrating Mom: think birding, a plein-air session of yoga, a visit to the Family Art Project and the chance to picnic on the Conifer Slope, a special Mother’s Day opportunity! Finish the visit on a Family Nature Walk, and a stop in The Shop to admire the handcrafted, sustainable gifts produced by in-store vendor Lovewild Design, a Brooklyn-based studio run by a group of mothers and their own families.

Mother’s Day Brunch is sold out, by the way, but we hear that, in addition to The Café itself, our caterer Great Performances will offer four different gourmet “Family & Friends Picnic Baskets,” plus one more for kids, with a mix of vegan and gluten-free options. More at wavehill.org.

This special Sunday, admission to the grounds is $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 children 6–18. As always, admission is free to Wave Hill Members and children under six. Reciprocal benefits, guest passes and family passes are not accepted on Mother’s Day.

SAT, MAY 13    FAMILY ART PROJECT: FABRIC FRAMES AND LAVENDER SACHETS FOR MOM

Celebrate Mom by creating a wrapped-fabric frame—bring a photo of her with you, if you wish—and adorn it with dried flowers and ribbons. Make a small, fragrant sachet gift tied with ribbons and bows and filled with dried lavender. Consider a special message you’d like to give to Mom. Attach your card and honor her with your sweet, scented gifts. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, MAY 13    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

SAT, MAY 13    GALLERY TOUR

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of the spring exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. The group show, Outcasts: Women in the Wilderness, explores how women have been treated and portrayed as outcasts in history, myth and biblical legend. In the Sunroom Project Space, Borinquen Gallo’s imaginary hive interior is informed by Wave Hill’s beehives. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, MAY 14    SPRING BIRDING

Welcome migratory birds back to Wave Hill this spring! Explore the gardens and woodlands with naturalist Gabriel Willowon a quest to spot some of our favorite feathered friends as they return to the Hudson Highlands. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Severe weather cancels. NYC Audubon Members enjoy two-for-one admission. Free with admission to the grounds. 

ON THE GROUNDS, 9:30AM

SUN, MAY 14    FAMILY ART PROJECT: FABRIC FRAMES AND LAVENDER SACHETS FOR MOM

Celebrate Mom by creating a wrapped-fabric frame—bring a photo of her with you, if you wish—and adorn it with dried flowers and ribbons. Make a small, fragrant sachet gift tied with ribbons and bows and filled with dried lavender. Consider a special message you’d like to give to Mom. Attach your card and honor her with your sweet, scented gifts. Free with admission to the grounds. Mother’s Day event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, MAY 14    IN THE SHOP: IN-STORE VENDOR LOVEWILD DESIGN

For Mother’s Day, Wave Hill welcomes Lovewild Design, a family and women-run studio in Brooklyn that started with wedding invitations, expanded to home and bath products and added pregnancy-specific goods when its family grew by a little one. Today, Lovewild crafts handmade lovelies like recipe dice, kitchen towels, screen printed bags, temporary tattoos and tea gift sets—perfect gift choices for Mom, and a great way to way your love for Wave Hill, too. All proceeds from your purchases support the garden and programming. Mother’s Day event.

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–4PM

SUN, MAY 14    YOGA IN THE GARDEN

Enjoy the garden as the setting for your yoga practice as you find your breath and become connected to the landscape. Classes are led by certified Yoga Haven instructors, for all levels. Please bring a mat and be on time. This class is held indoors in case of rain. Drop-in rate is $30/20 Wave Hill Member; series fee is $210/$130 for eight weeks.

ON THE GROUNDS, 10–11AM

SUN, MAY 14    MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH    SOLD OUT

Celebrate the mothers in your life at a festive Mother's Day Brunch in historic Wave Hill House. Brunch is $48/$33 Child plus tax and gratuity, and including admission to the grounds. Wave Hill Members save 10%. Please provide your Wave Hill Member number in your reservation request. Reservations may be made by calling 718.549.3200 x395 or emailingwavehillreservations@greatperformances.com; you will be provided with a secured credit card payment link to purchase tickets online. Please note that payment will not be accepted day-of. The deadline for reservations is noon on Wednesday, May 10. Mother’s Day event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 11:30AM and 1:30PM

SUN, MAY 14    FAMILY NATURE WALK

Join naturalist and educator Gabriel Willow on a family-friendly walk through the gardens or woodlands. No registration required. Ages six and older welcome with an adult. Severe weather cancels. Free with admission to the grounds. 

MEET AT WAVE HILL HOUSE, 12:30PM

SUN, MAY 14    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

MON, MAY 15    

Closed to the public.

TUE, MAY 16    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

TUE, MAY 16    GALLERY TOUR

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of the spring exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. The group show, Outcasts: Women in the Wilderness, explores how women have been treated and portrayed as outcasts in history, myth and biblical legend. In the Sunroom Project Space, Borinquen Gallo’s imaginary hive interior is informed by Wave Hill’s beehives. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM, starting March 15.  Closes 4:30PM, November 1–March 14.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

CM COHEN ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING RESULTS

COUNCIL MEMBER COHEN ANNOUNCES

2016-2017 PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING RESULTS

  On Wednesday, April 26^th, standing outside the 52^nd Precinct in Norwood, Council Member Andrew Cohen announced the 2016-2017 District 11 Participatory Budgeting (PB) results.  He was joined at the announcement by community residents and PB volunteers.

The announcement concluded a year-long process that gave residents decision-making power of $1 million towards community improvements in their neighborhoods. Throughout the fall, community residents were encouraged to submit project ideas at Neighborhood Assemblies, on the Council website and via email to Council Member Cohen’s office.  Over 125 ideas were proposed and then community volunteers reviewed the projects and created a final ballot.  This led to the voting week at the end of March where residents were able to review the proposals on the ballot, as well as place their votes on which projects they thought deserved funding.

There were a total of 10 proposals on the 2017 ballot, focused on renovations to parks and libraries, technology upgrades for schools, public safety and improved transportation throughout District 11. Anyone who lives in the district, 14 years and older – regardless of citizenship status, was welcome to cast a ballot. A total of 31 council members participated in PB this year, giving communities all over the City decision-making power of more than $30 million.

“Participatory Budgeting, once again, gave my constituents a direct voice in how their tax dollars are spent.  It truly is an innovative, grassroots process that encourages civic engagement and gives New Yorkers an understanding of how the City budget works,” said Council Member Andrew Cohen.

 2,237 residents throughout District 11 came out to cast their vote over a 9 day period between March 25^th and April 2^nd.  Voters were permitted to vote for up to any five out of the 10 projects that were divided into four different categories: education, parks & recreation, transportation and libraries.

The three winning projects which will be funded in the City’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget are:

·  Council District 11 Schools Technology Upgrade

$280,000 will provide technology upgrades at 8 schools: PS 20, PS 94, PS/MS 95, AmPark, PS 16, MS 280, PS 340 & Discovery High School (1,241 votes)

· Council District 11 Security Cameras 

$300,000 will be evenly divided to the 50^th, 47^th and 52^nd police precincts to install NYPD security cameras within District 11 (1,159 votes)

· Riverdale Library Renovations

$500,000 will be allocated to renovate the bathroom at the Riverdale Library.  The renovations will allow the bathroom to be upgraded to meet ADA requirements (1,114 votes)

“These projects will have a huge impact on the quality of life in our community.  Making our public spaces more accessible, upgrading technology for our students and improving our public safety are all worthwhile endeavors that I am proud to provide funding for,” added Council Member Andrew Cohen.