NYC Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez - MTA Should Only Focus on Maintenance, Repair and the Signal System

   Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the Council Committee on Transportation, today proposed measures to improve service delivery by the MTA.

"Throughout the years we have witnessed how the City and State of New York have taken on great challenges and succeeded. Creating 3-K for All; the construction of the Mario Cuomo Bridge; the decrease in the unemployment rate to 6.4 percent, the lowest in six years; the renovation of the LaGuardia Airport, among other important projects, are just some examples our accomplishments.

 

"Motivated by our achievements as New Yorkers, I proposed earlier this week that the MTA should put a hold on starting new projects, focus completely on finishing all maintenance and repair work throughout all subway lines, and upgrade the New York City subway signal system by 2028.

 

"Since the 1980s, more than $100 billion have been invested in the infrastructure of the New York City subway. These dollars have not been effectively spent to improve service and safety. They have been bandages preventing the subway system from further collapsing. The Regional Planning Association's call for a "subway reconstruction public benefit corporation" echoes my proposal to make repair and maintenance the priority.

 

"In addition to working solely on maintenance, repairs and the signal system, the board should be reorganized to include two members of the New York City Council. Straphangers deserve to be more fairly represented. The MTA is not delivering the service New York City residents deserve and they need more voices that better reflect their experience riding the subway.

 

"New Yorkers need to see more results and transparency in the subway improvement process. We can raise over $27.1 billion over 10 years by implementing Comptroller Stringer's state bonds plan, Move NY's proposals, Mayor De Blasio's "Fair Fix" and Dinowitz' income tax set-aside. This revenue would be fully dedicated to funding the work I am proposing for the next ten years.

"As New Yorkers, I know we can take on this feat and work together to bring our subway system to the 21st century."

ENGEL on Reports of Tillerson Being Replaced by CIA Director Pompeo

  Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“I have serious concerns with how Rex Tillerson has performed at the State Department, but regardless of who is Secretary of State, it’s clear that Donald Trump has been trying to undermine the Department and hollow out our diplomatic corps. With his 31% budget cuts and the exodus of so many of our most senior foreign service officers, morale at the Department is hitting rock bottom. And without skilled diplomats working on national security issues like North Korea, every American is less safe.

“Here's what America needs going forward:  A Secretary of State who strongly supports the diplomatic corps, fully funding the State Department, USAID, and our other foreign affairs agencies, and showing the world that we want to extend a hand of friendship, rather than building walls of division.”

Assemblyman Dinowitz and State Senator Alcántara Pass Law to Combat Lead Poisoning

Newly signed legislation will require the New York State Department of Health Commissioner to take tangible action when a designation of lead poisoning risk is made.

  The recent revelations about NYCHA failing to disclose the presence of lead paint in some of their buildings has made a new law from Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and State Senator Marisol AlcaÌntara particularly timely, however the pursuit of protections against the dangers of lead has been two decades in the making. Under the new law, first proposed by Dinowitz in 1997, the New York State Department of Health Commissioner will be required to take such steps which will not only increase public awareness but also increases accountability on the part of landlords and other parties to address potential lead paint conditions. Previously when an area was designated to be at risk of lead poisoning, the NYS Health Commissioner was not required to provide written notice to affected residents or conduct a formal hearing if the condition was not remediated.

The health impacts of lead poisoning are well-documented and most acutely affect young children, ranging from neurological impediments and developmental delays to coma conditions and death. However, many individuals are unaware if and when they are living in an area that puts them at risk of lead poisoning. Lead paint was commonly used in homes built prior to a federal ban was implemented in 1978, and lead pipes and solder were used until 1986. Improperly performed renovations, industrial contamination, or old water pipes that have not yet been replaced are all examples of risk factors for lead poisoning.

The new law will first require written notice and demand for the remediation of lead paint conditions that are conducive to lead poisoning. If the notice and demand is not complied with, then the NYS Health Commissioner is able to conduct a formal hearing and may order abatement of the condition and assess a fine of up to $2,500. The abatement and fine cannot be ordered if the property owner is able to sufficiently prove that their lead paint condition will not cause lead poisoning.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said: “While NYCHA failing to disclose lead paint in some of their buildings has generated recent headlines, we have long known about the health risks associated with lead. Lead poisoning most severely affects young children and can cause irreversible neurological damage. The first step for parents to protect their children is to be made aware that there is a risk of lead poisoning in their area. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this important bill into law.”

State Senator Marisol Alcántara said: “Lead poisoning creates severe and lasting developmental delays in young children, and can even be fatal in extreme cases. Thousands of buildings across New York City were built before the federal ban on lead paint was instituted in 1978, and New Yorkers deserve to know if they or their children are at risk for lead poisoning. Low-income New Yorkers are especially vulnerable to poorly maintained or aging buildings that may contain lead, and I am very glad that Governor Cuomo has signed our bill, which I made a priority last session.”

STATEMENTS FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO AND DEPUTY MAYOR GLEN ON CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF EAST HARLEM PLAN AND BEDFORD ARMORY DEVELOPMENT

  “As we work to make this city more equitable, we are building and preserving affordable housing at a record pace. Alongside the East New York and Downtown Far Rockaway plans, the East Harlem plan and Bedford Armory Recreation Project mean thousands of affordable homes for neighborhood families. They mean jobs for local residents, community spaces for learning, growing and gathering, and investments in parks, schools, and roads. As we plan for the future, we protect the core values of our city and our neighborhoods – and most importantly the very residents who built these communities. We are making progress, and today we applaud Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Members Bill Perkins and Laurie Cumbo and the dedication of the East Harlem and Crown Heights communities for working with us to guarantee a fairer future for New York,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“This is big. We are making investments in communities that need more affordable housing for working families and seniors, better recreation space for kids and a clearer path to good jobs. These are important links in our growing housing plan that will shape these neighborhoods for decades to come. The City agencies, Council Members and communities that brought these plans together should be proud of the outcomes,” Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen said.

In addition to significant City investments to build and preserve nearly 4,000 affordable homes for the community, the East Harlem plan brings $178.2 million in City investments:

Capital improvements in NYCHA developments within East Harlem: $50 million.

Expand the Harlem River Greenway Link to connect 125th and 132nd streets: $83 million.

Improvements to the East River Esplanade: $15 million.

Build a comfort station in Harlem River Park: $4.7 million.

Create a small business Workforce 1 satellite center to increase access to employment opportunities for local residents: $500,000.

Renovate La Marqueta: $25 million.

Redevelopment of the 138,000-square-foot Bedford Union Armory will create:

250 homes for families earning less than $50,000 year, including for formerly homeless New Yorkers.

State-of-the art recreation center affordable to community residents.

Low-cost space for local nonprofits and a new medical facility for uninsured New Yorkers.

More than 750 construction jobs and 200 permanent jobs at the Armory.

In partnership with Council Member Cumbo, the project was greatly improved:

The City will maintain ownership of the entirety of the Bedford Union Armory property.

The City will prohibit the sale of market-rate residential condominiums.

The City will study the feasibility of redeveloping 516 Bergen Street, a City-owned parking lot, into more than 30 affordable homes for seniors. 

MAYOR DE BLASIO, SPEAKER MARK-VIVERITO, COUNCIL MEMBER GARODNICK ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO COMMERCIAL RENT TAX TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Changes include adding an income threshold to ensure help reaches those who need it most

  Mayor Bill de Blasio, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Member Dan Garodnick today announced a new bill that would make changes to the Commercial Rent Tax (CRT) aimed at helping New York City’s small businesses succeed. Effective July 1, 2018, the threshold for Manhattan’s CRT for businesses with income up to $5 million will increase from $250,000 to $500,000 annual rent, with the benefit provided on a sliding scale for businesses with income between $5 million and $10 million or paying $500,000 to $550,000 in rent. In total, the move reduces taxes for 2,700 small businesses, including 1,800 that will no longer pay the tax at all. Under this move, the average business owner will receive between $11,300 and $13,000 in annual tax relief. This represents the first change to the CRT since 2001 and specifically targets Manhattan’s mom-and-pop shops and small businesses with 99 percent of the benefit going to businesses with only one or two taxable locations. The bill was voted on earlier in the day by the City Council and will be signed by the mayor in the coming weeks.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of this city,” said Mayor de Blasio. “That’s why we designed the bill to ensure that they’re the ones we’re helping. The Commercial Rent Tax in its previous form is outdated and we’re proud to make the first changes in over a decade to bring relief to thousands of small businesses.”

“Manhattan’s small business owners have had to make too many sacrifices just to keep their livelihoods open. Intro 799-B would alleviate the financial burden of having to pay a rent tax on top of having to pay the rent itself for the borough’s businesses. Despite vast changes in the Manhattan real estate market and economic landscape over the last 15 years, the commercial rent tax has not been updated to reflect the realities on the ground. So this legislation reflects a long overdue step to provide relief to those businesses who have been struggling for far too long,” said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “I thank my colleague, Economic Development Chair Daniel Garodnick, for his leadership on this issue and advocating for our small businesses.”

“With storefront vacancies soaring and retail in crisis, the City Council is today taking a crucial step to support Manhattan’s small businesses,” said Council Member Dan Garodnick. “For the first time since 2001, we are reforming the unfair, commercial rent tax. By doing so, we are throwing a lifeline to businesses that make our neighborhoods special and provide jobs to New Yorkers from all five boroughs. This relief could not come soon enough and I join the 41 other co-sponsors of this legislation in thanking Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Mark-Viverito for their support.”

Currently, the CRT is paid by commercial tenants below 96th Street and above Murray Street in Manhattan who pay $250,000 or more in annual rent. The effective tax rate is 3.9 percent and has, for years, imposed an additional operating expense on small businesses, regardless of their income. For some small businesses, what they have owed in CRT has at times amounted to more than their net annual income, putting a serious strain on their finances. This change in tax policy is an effort to alleviate that strain and help New York City’s small businesses thrive. The total cost to the City is $36.8 million in Fiscal Year 2019.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

I left in the comment from Manhattan Councilman Garodnick, and left out the other comments from other Manhattan connected business affiliates or elected officials, since this is for Manhattan only and not the other four boroughs known as the 'Outer Boroughs'. Good going Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Mark-Vivirito. No wonder this city has gone downhill the last four years. At least one of you will be gone soon.

-BP DIAZ HOSTS ‘BRONX JEWISH HALL OF FAME’ CEREMONY

  Last night Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and the Bronx Jewish Historical Initiative honored the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, highlighting the rich and extraordinary history of the Jewish community of The Bronx.

The induction ceremony, emceed by 1010 WINS Radio’s Juliet Papa, honored former New York Yankee Ron Blomberg, former New York City Council Member June Eisland, playwright Miriam Hoffman, designer Joel Iskowitz, architect Daniel Liebeskind, Executive Vice President & CEO for the Jewish Community Relations Council Michael S. Miller, Bernstein Global Wealth Management’s Jeffrey Wiesenfeld and WPIX-TV anchor Marvin Scott for their contribution to the borough.

“The Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame showcases people who have made extraordinary contributions not just within their community but also throughout the world,” saidBronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “I want to thank this year’s class, folks from all walks of life, be it in sports, finance, the arts, real estate or public service, for all that they have done for The Bronx and beyond.”

The Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame was established by the Bronx Jewish Historical Initiative--co-chaired by Howard Teich and Marti Michael--in 2015. It is intended to honor Jewish individuals from the Bronx in recognition of their Bronx heritage and their lifetime achievement, epitomizing what makes our community great.

What You Should Know By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz The Big Winner Is

The Big Winner Is Senator Jeff Klein 

You should know that after seven long years of the back and forth of much criticisms and insults thrown at each other, finally (supposedly) The New York Democratic Senate will unite and become two in one. 

As you know in 2011 Senator Jeff Klein pulled away from the Democratic Majority in the Senate and created his own conference which he called the “Independent Democratic Conference” (IDC).    The result of this move was the IDC’s ability in joining the Republicans which helped to keep the Republicans in control of the Senate.   This resulted in a weakened Democratic Majority in the Senate. 

It is important for you to know that for the last seven years Senator Klein has proven to be very clever, quite Smart and a skilled leader.  Under the IDC Senator Klein has managed to obtain more resources, better benefits for himself, and the eight members that comprise his IDC.   So, what about the other twenty-five (25) members of the regular Democrats?  Well they have obtained zero, nada. 

Now, finally, (supposedly) there is an agreement. Well in this agreement Senator Klein and his eight member IDC will abandon their association with the Republicans and will now return and join the majority Democrats in the Senate. Well get this, not as one conference but two conferences.  Meaning that the IDC will continue to operate under the leadership of Sen. Jeff Klein, and the Regular Democrats will continue to operate under the leadership of Sen. Andrea Stewart Cousins.  Now the Democrat majority in the Senate can proudly declare that they operate with two heads! Ha, ha, ha. 

According to the agreement the two conferences will have equal share of benefits, and resources.   Meaning that Jeff Klein and his eight members will get more than the other twenty-five senators under Sen. Andrea Cousins. 

It is important for you to know that the big winner here is Jeff Klein and his eight member IDC. Senator Klein has skillfully managed to do away with the pressure of his many critics and avoids the threat of possible primary challenges.   

Now ladies and gentleman I fear that many other members of the regular Democratic Senators will be free to jump and join in with Jeff Klein and his IDC. 

You should know that by joining Klein and his IDC those Senators take the leap into the IDC, believing that it would be more beneficial for them and the districts they represent.   No one can criticize them for that because now it is viewed as, that they are all Democrats who are once again controlling the New York Senate.   

My dear reader, I strongly believe that Jeff Klein and the IDC will grow in membership and the regular Democrats will dwindle in membership little by little, one by one.  In return, this will make Jeff Klein more powerful, making him the one and only leader of the New York State Senate.   

This is Senator Ruben Diaz and this is what you should know.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. will only be in the state senate for less than two more months, that is because Ruben Diaz Sr. is the Councilman Elect to the 18th City Council District. 

There is already talk of the City Council extending term limits to a third term for council members only. 

What do you think of that Councilman Elect Ruben Diaz Sr?

That is what the people need to know.

BP DIAZ HOSTS ALBANIAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. hosted the borough’s official celebration of Albanian culture and heritage in recognition of the 105^th Anniversary of Albania’s Independence last night.

“The Albanian community has always had a strong connection to The Bronx,” saidBronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “As we celebrate Albanian Independence Day, I am proud to recognize several individuals of Albanian descent who have contributed to the ongoing success of our borough and our city.”

During the event, Borough President Diaz honored three individuals—Dr. Hasan Ademaj, Bajram Doka and Sander Çotaj—for their contributions to the civic life of The Bronx. In addition, three awards were posthumously accepted by the families of Ded Gjo Luli, Elez Ali Nezaj and Imam Isa Hoxha, all of whom are considered heroes in Albania.

The event was co-sponsored by the Albanian-American Society Foundation, the Sons and Daughters of Albania in America, the Albanian Community Center.

Above - Soprano Merita Halili and Maestro Raif Hyseni prepare for their performance.

Below - They were wonderful in singing and music background for both the American and Albanian national anthems.

Above - Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. speaks of the importance of the Albanian-American to the Bronx and New York City..

Below BP Diaz Jr., and Nathalia Fernandez (former Chief of staff to the first Albanian elected official) currently Gover Andrew Cuomo's Bronx Liaison, present a proclamation to Esat Rizai and Hajdis Alijaj proclaiming the day for Albanian Independence Day.