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 The Commercial Rent Tax in its previous form is outdated and we’re proud to make the first changes in over a decade to bring relief to thousands of small businesses.”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.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Criminal And Civil Charges Against Prominent Researcher For Theft Of Government Funds And Other Offenses

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Scott J. Lampert, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), announced today the filing of criminal and civil charges against ALEXANDER NEUMEISTER (“NEUMEISTER”), a prominent researcher into neurological disorders who, at all times relevant to the charges, was a professor of psychology at a New York City medical school (the “School”).  NEUMEISTER was charged with using his position at the School to convert tens of thousands of dollars of federal grant funds, as well as funds belonging to the School, to his personal use by spending them on, among other things, trips for family members and trips and meals for himself and a social friend (the “Friend”).  Among other expenses, NEUMEISTER used approximately $9,000 in government funds to pay for eight roundtrip flights from New York City to Salt Lake City to visit the Friend, as well as more than $4,300 in School funds to pay for the Friend to enjoy a nine-day, all-expense paid trip to a resort hotel in Miami Beach.  In addition, NEUMEISTER falsely claimed that the Friend was a research study participant in studies that NEUMEISTER was overseeing for the School, and caused the School to pay over $10,000 of the School’s own funds directly to the Friend.  To date, NEUMEISTER has not repaid any of the misappropriated funds.

NEUMEISTER was arrested on November 21, 2017, in Ogdensberg, New York, and appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge in the Northern District of New York on November 22, 2017.  He will be presented before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman in Manhattan federal court today.  In addition, a civil case was brought against NEUMEISTER in Manhattan federal court earlier today.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As alleged, Alexander Neumeister, fraudulently charged tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses as research or school-related expenses.  For allegedly betraying the trust of the medical school that employed him and the government institute that funded his research, Neumeister now faces serious federal charges.”  

Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert said:  “The defendant allegedly stole thousands of dollars from grants that were meant for important mental health research.  We will continue to hold individuals accountable for blatant misuse of federal funds.”

According to the allegations in the Government’s criminal and civil complaints[1]:

From 2012 through 2014 (“Covered Period”), NEUMEISTER was employed by the School and served as the principal investigator for a variety of research studies, many of which were funded by grants issued by the National Institute of Mental Health (“NIMH”).  As the principal investigator of these studies, NEUMEISTER was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the studies.  NEUMEISTER was provided a credit card by the School, referred to as a procurement card (“P-Card”), and was authorized to charge study-related expenses to the P-Card, but in doing so he was required to identify to which specific funding source (i.e., which grant or other source) each such expense should be allocated.  To the extent NEUMEISTER allocated expenses to NIMH grants or School expense accounts, the School would pay the expenses using funds it received from NIMH or its own funds, respectively. 

During the Covered Period, NEUMEISTER used his P-Card to charge tens of thousands of dollars of expenses that were personal in nature and unrelated to his research studies or employment at the School.  Nevertheless, NEUMEISTER falsely classified, or caused others to classify falsely, these expenses as related to his research or for business purposes related to his position at the School, which resulted in the expenses being paid for using NIMH funds or the School’s own funds.  For example, during the Covered Period, NEUMEISTER used his P-Card to charge the following personal expenses, all of which were ultimately paid for with NIMH or School funds:   

• airline tickets so that the Friend could travel from Charlotte, North Carolina, or Salt Lake City, Utah, depending on where the Friend was then living, to New York City, where NEUMEISTER was then living;
   
• airline tickets so that NEUMEISTER could travel from New York City to Charlotte and Salt Lake City to visit the Friend, as well as lodging, bar tabs, meals and other travel-related expenses associated with this travel;
   

• an all-expense paid trip to Miami Beach for the Friend, during which the Friend was given authorization by NEUMEISTER to use NEUMEISTER’s P-Card to pay for food, beverages, and beach facilities; 

• an iPhone for the friend; and 

• airline tickets so that NEUMEISTER’s spouse could travel from Newark, New Jersey, to Vienna, Austria, to attend a family event.
   

When one of NEUMEISTER’s supervisors at the School questioned him in connection with an audit of his P-Card charges, NEUMEISTER, among other things: (1) asked that the audit findings not be disclosed to others because it would jeopardize his job and his children’s ability to attend the School without having to pay tuition; and (2) offered to pay back certain of the expenses that he had charged to the P-Card.  Yet, Neumeister never repaid any of the misappropriated funds and later denied much of the improper conduct. 

           

NEUMEISTER, 51, of Hamden, Connecticut, is charged with one count of theft of government funds, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Judge.  NEUMEISTER is also charged with civil claims under the False Claims Act, through which the Government may recover damages and civil penalties arising from his conduct.

Mr. Kim thanked HHS-OIG for their efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.

The criminal case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dina McLeod and Christopher B. Harwood are in charge of the prosecution.

The civil case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher B. Harwood and Anthony J. Sun are in charge of the matter.

The charges contained in the criminal 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 criminal and civil complaints, and the description of the complaints set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation. 

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Settlement With Brooklyn Hospital To Ensure Rape Survivors Are No Longer Illegally Billed For Forensic Rape Examinations

Hospital Will Pay Restitution To Patients & Change Billing Procedures

A.G. Sends Letters To Additional NY Hospitals Seeking Info On Policies

Schneiderman: Survivors Are Entitled To Cost-Free Emergency Care Under New York Law  

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced an agreement with The Brooklyn Hospital Medical Center (“Brooklyn Hospital”) after an investigation that revealed the hospital illegally billed sexual assault survivors for forensic rape examinations. As part of the settlement, Brooklyn Hospital will maintain a Sexual Assault Victim Policy that prevents such improper billing, and will provide full restitution to improperly billed sexual assault survivors.

Attorney General Schneiderman has also sent letters to 10 additional hospitals across New York State seeking information on their policies. Attorney General Schneiderman reminded New Yorkers that survivors of sexual assault are entitled to cost-free emergency care under New York law, which requires those services to be provided free of charge through the state’s Office of Victim Services.

“It’s hard to imagine the heartache and anxiety a survivor must feel having to fight a collection agency over an unlawful bill for a rape kit. It’s unacceptable, and we will not allow it to continue,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “I want to be clear: survivors of sexual assault are entitled to cost-free emergency care under New York law – and we will do everything possible to ensure they get the respect and care they deserve.”

Attorney General Schneiderman initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint that a survivor of sexual assault was billed seven separate times by Brooklyn Hospital for a forensic rape exam administered in Brooklyn Hospital’s emergency room.

The Attorney General’s investigation further revealed that between January 2015 and February 2017, Brooklyn Hospital conducted 86 forensic rape exams – and in 85 out of those 86 cases, the hospital either improperly billed the patient directly, or billed the patient’s insurance plan without advising the patient of their payment options as required by law. Brooklyn Hospital had sent some of these improper bills to collection. Click here to read the settlement agreement.

New York State Executive Law Section 631(13) provides that when a hospital furnishes services -- including a forensic rape examination (FRE) – to any sexual assault survivor, it shall provide such services to the patient without charge and shall bill the Office of Victim Services (OVS) directly, or alternatively, the sexual assault survivor may voluntarily opt to assign the costs to private insurance. The purpose of Executive Law 631(13) is to ease payment of FREs by providing for submission of bills to OVS; provide quality exams; and give survivors of sexual assault the ability to choose a means of payment for their FREs, either through the OVS program or their own insurance. Allowing sexual assault survivors to choose to have OVS directly pay for services helps ensure privacy and confidentiality. This increased privacy increases the likelihood that a survivor will submit to the FRE, which in turn increases the ability of law enforcement agencies to identify offenders.

“It is unconscionable that a survivor who undergoes an intensive rape kit collection process would then receive a bill in the mail to pay for her own rape kit. What other crime victims must cover the costs of their own crime investigations? This goes to the very heart of blaming the victim, and we commend A.G. Schneiderman for stopping this illegal practice in its tracks,” said Sonia Ossorio President NOW-NY.

Hon. Judy Harris Kluger, executive director of Sanctuary for Families, said, “At Sanctuary for Families, we assist survivors of many forms of gender violence, including domestic  violence, sex trafficking, and sexual assault. We applaud Attorney General Schneiderman for uncovering the untenable practice of charging sexual assault survivors for forensic rape examinations. Institutions like hospitals should be places of refuge and healing for gender violence survivors. Victims should not be re-traumatized by receiving a bill for the collection of evidence used to find and prosecute the person who assaulted them.”

“Survivors of sexual assault should not have to pay for an evidence gathering medical exam. New York State law provides for direct payment through its Office of Victim Service for all sexual assault medical exams,” said Mary Haviland,Esq., Executive Director, NYC Alliance Against Sexual Assault. “A hospital may not charge the patient for that exam. We applaud Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for taking the initiative to make sure that charging survivors of sexual assault for medical exams does not take place in New York State.”

“No survivor of sexual assault who consents to a Forensic Rape Exam should ever receive a bill for medical services that NYS hospitals are obligated to provide. Receiving an underserved notice from a collections agency is a traumatizing reminder of a devastating event, and completely unnecessary. As NYS's oldest Rape Crisis program, CVTC praises the actions of the Attorney General's Office in ensuring that every survivor of sexual assault has access to the free medical exam promised by New York State,” said Christopher E. Bromson, Executive Director, Crime Victims Treatment Center.

Safe Horizon CEO Ariel Zwang said, “Rape survivors deserve expert and immediate medical care after an assault, including access to a rape kit. The Violence Against Women Act requires states to pay for these sexual assault forensic exams—there should be no cost to survivors. For so long, survivors and victim advocates fought to change the law so that survivors would not incur the cost of these important exams. We applaud the Attorney General’s office for ensuring enforcement of this law, holding hospitals accountable who have unnecessarily charged for this exam, and standing up for survivors.”

"The Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims thanks the Attorney General for ensuring state mandated free forensic rape exams for survivors of sexual assault. This law is of the utmost importance for survivors, and no medical facility should consider itself exempt,” said Kimberly Sanchez, Co-chair, Legislative Committee, Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims.

New Yorkers with complaints regarding hospital billing or other health-care related issues may contact the Attorney General’s Health Care Helpline at 1-800-428-9071.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr - Join Santa & Mrs. Claus Thursday December 7th

Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz - OPEN LETER TO GOVERNOR ANDEW M. CUOMO

What You Should Know 
By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz 
32nd Senatorial District 

Governor Cuomo Should Act to Protect Medicaid Patients who need Topical Oxygen Wound Therapy 

SENATOR RUBEN DIAZ 

You should know that I have written to you before about the importance of Topical Oxygen Wound Therapy to New Yorkers who are on Medicaid. 

Topical Oxygen Wound Therapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from chronic, open wounds that come from diseases like diabetes and have not responded to other treatments.  It is only used after other treatments fail. Patients use it in the convenience and comfort of their own homes. It literally saves people from having limbs amputated. 

You should know that New York State’s Medicaid patients who need this treatment are overwhelmingly low-income Black and Hispanic people, and more of these patients live in the 32nd Senatorial District in the Bronx than in any other part of the State of New York. 

You should know the state decided to cover this treatment nearly 10 years ago but that the state Department of Health more recently has tried – repeatedly – to end coverage for this important treatment. 

That prompted my colleagues and me in the Legislature to pass a bill making sure that New Yorkers on Medicaid continue to have access to Topical Oxygen Wound Therapy. The bill passed unanimously in the Assembly and passed the Senate 60-3. If you total the votes in the Legislature, the bill passed 205-3! 

You should know that just last month, the state Health Department’s own panel of health care experts -- whose job it is to oversee what benefits the state offers under Medicaid -- voted unanimously to continue covering Topical Oxygen Wound Therapy indefinitely. 

You should know that Governor Cuomo should sign this bill into law. 

New York State was a leader when it decided to cover Topical Oxygen Wound Therapy in 2008. The federal government, the Veteran’s Administration and other programs have followed New York’s lead.   

Our state should continue to be a leader now. 

Dear Governor Cuomo, as we enter the holiday season, I can think of no better or more compassionate gift to New Yorkers who suffer from these painful and debilitating wounds than ensuring they can receive a treatment that helps them heal and helps fortify their dignity. 

Please sign the Topical Oxygen Wound Treatment bill. 

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