Thursday, April 26, 2018

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS THREE MEMBERS TO RENT GUIDELINES BOARD


  Mayor de Blasio announced three appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board. The Mayor appointed Leah Goodridge as a tenant representative, Angela Sung Pinsky as an owner representative, and Rodrigo Camarena as a public member representative. 

The Rent Guidelines Board determines annual rent adjustments for approximately one million apartments across the city subject to the Rent Stabilization Law.

Leah Goodridge, a tenant representative, is the Supervising Attorney of the Housing Project at Mobilization for Justice where she litigates housing cases in New York City, state, and federal courts.  Previously, she was a Staff Attorney at the Safety Net Project of the Urban Justice Center where she litigated housing matters and organized legal clinics and community workshops for residents. Goodridge’s legal scholarship has been published in the Duke Forum for Law and Social Change journal. After law school, Goodridge launched the Community Economic Development Project at Medgar Evers College (City University of New York) to teach nonprofit law to entrepreneurs seeking to start nonprofits and small businesses in communities of color.  For her work in grassroots community development, she was awarded the Fulbright Specialist grant to teach at the University of Malta. Goodridge earned her J.D. from UCLA School of Law and a B.A. from Vassar College.

Angela Sung Pinsky, an owner representative, is the Executive Director of the Association for a Better New York. Prior to joining ABNY, Pinsky served as Senior Vice President for Management Services and Government Affairs at the Real Estate Board of New York where she was responsible for REBNY’s commercial and residential Management Divisions and led advocacy efforts on building code, sustainability, and federal issues that impact New York City real estate. Pinsky is the former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayors for Economic Development Robert C. Lieber and Daniel L. Doctoroff. In that role, she worked on economic development initiatives including long-term planning and sustainability, urban development, and government technology. Pinsky earned a Masters in Urban Planning and Economic Development from New York University and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Rodrigo Camarena, a public member representative, currently serves as an independent consultant for non-profit organizations and social enterprises. Previously he served as the Executive Director of Business Growth Programs for the New York City Department of Small Business Services where he led the development and launch of new initiatives designed to combat economic inequality and support entrepreneurship in New York City. Camarena currently serves as the Board Chairperson for Mixteca Organization Inc., a community-based organization offering preventative health, educational, and legal services to New York’s recently-arrived Mexican and Latin American immigrant community. He earned an MSc from the London School of Economics and a B.A. from New York University.

Bronx Jewish Community Council - Random Acts of Kindness


Random Acts of Kindness:

Two Unique Volunteer Opportunities

1. We are looking for a two volunteers to do friendly visiting twice a month in the Riverdale area. 

2.  We are looking for 3-4 families to help set up and serve at our annual brunch on Mother's Day (Sunday May 13, 2018) at the Sue Ginsberg Senior Center in Pelham Parkway. Set up will begin at 10:30 AM and the program will end by 1 PM.

If you are available to help with either of these very meaningful acts of kindness please contact Niti Minkove, Director of Volunteers 
at 917-693-3084 or email nminkove@bjcconline.org
Thank you!!!!

Learn more about Bronx Jewish Community Council's volunteer opportunities and how to get involved at www.bjcconline.org 

Cynthia Nixon Calls for Repeal of Cuomo’s Failed APPR Teacher Evaluation System


Diane Ravitch joins other educators in launching  ‘Educators for Cynthia’ to elect a bona fide public education advocate who prioritizes learning, not testing in New York schools

  On the eve of the New York State United Teachers Representative Assembly in Buffalo, Cynthia Nixon, candidate for governor, called on Andrew Cuomo today to immediately repeal the teacher evaluation system he championed. Known as the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR), Cuomo’s teacher evaluation system relies on high-stakes testing to evaluate teachers. Education historian Diane Ravitch and dozens of New York educators are rallying behind Cynthia Nixon’s demands with the launch of Educators for Cynthia. Signers include teachers, principals, school board members, superintendents, SUNY and CUNY professors, and former NYSUT statewide officers.

At the time APPR was enacted, Cuomo described it as “one of the greatest legacies for me and the state.” But it helped spur 25 percent of parents to opt out of state tests and was roundly denounced by educators and advocates. Cuomo has since tried to distance himself from the APPR, but it remains on the books, including requirements for additional standardized tests that serve no educational purposes other than to grade teachers.

“A couple years ago Andrew Cuomo described teacher evaluation based on high stakes testing as one of his greatest legacies, now he is hoping that parents and teachers have forgotten all about it,” Cynthia Nixon said. “Enough of the delays and excuses Governor Cuomo, it is time to repeal the APPR now.”

“Cynthia Nixon has a vision that will put education on the right track by refocusing New York schools on the dignity of teaching and the joy of learning,” said Diane Ravitch, education historian. “She will provide the resources our children need to succeed. Andrew Cuomo's policies have disrespected teachers as a profession and undermined the education of our children."

The “Educators for Cynthia” group cites additional education reform priorities Cynthia supports including: providing students a rich and balanced curriculum rather than one oriented around standardized tests; ensuring equitable school funding by fully funding Foundation Aid; and delivering fair and full funding for SUNY and CUNY to expand opportunity and improve quality.

“Our public school teachers must be treasured and lifted up for the hard work they do every day in the classroom educating our children.  Instead, Andrew Cuomo has vilified and punished teachers, underfunded our neediest schools and deprived students of the educational opportunities and social and emotional supports they need, and placed SUNY and CUNY on a starvation diet which undermines the quality of higher education and decreases opportunities for students who need a leg up,” Cynthia said. “As governor I will make public education from pre-K through college a top priority, our children and our future depends on it.”

"Andrew Cuomo is the king of test and punish education reform,” said Marla Kilfoyle, a teacher in the Oceanside Schools. “He insisted that teachers had to be evaluated based upon standardized tests even though all the evidence said it was bankrupt idea. He has refused to repeal his own failed policy and Cynthia Nixon is a breath of fresh air. She has a strong record on standing up for our public schools and teachers and I am proud to support her."

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Former Dominican President Leonel Fernandez Reyna To Visit Bronx County


WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
By Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz
District 18 Bronx County, New York

Former Dominican President Leonel Fernandez Reyna To Visit Bronx County

You should know that this Thursday, April 26 at 8:30 am the former President of the Dominican Republic, the Hon. Leonel Fernandez Reyna will be visiting Bronx County.   The purpose of his visit is to have a breakfast dialogue with members of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization chaired by Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz.

The former President Fernandez, at the invitation of Councilman Diaz, will be Addressing about 150 pastors and ministers at Maestro's Caterers located at 1703 Bronxdale Avenue in Bronx County.

President Fernandez is also scheduled to meet with the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo the Chairman of the Bronx Democratic Party.

For more information please call the Revda. Samaris Gross at 347-613-1491.

I am Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz and this is what you should know.


Rev. Ruben Diaz, Sr.
New York City Council Member 18th District  

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We hope the former President of the Dominican Republic has a good time in NYC. We hope he has a hearty breakfast with the Hispanic Clergy Organization headed by Reverend Diaz Sr.

We also hope that the former President of the Dominican Republic can give our Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. some tips on running for higher office. Finally, we hope that the President of the Dominican Republic brings Bronx Communist (so called Democratic) County Leader Marcos Crespo a nice big Cuban cigar for Comrade Crespo to smoke.

Engel Submits Testimony at Townhall Blasting the Postal Service for Poor Performance


  Congressman Eliot Engel submitted testimony at a town hall event hosted by the United States Postal Service on Tuesday blasting postal officials for the inadequate response to the systemic issues plaguing mail service in Westchester and the Bronx.

“The issues plaguing the Postal Service in Westchester and the Bronx have been out of control for quite some time,” Engel wrote. “Late deliveries, missing or lost mail, non-existent customer service, and a complete lack of accountability have become the norm here, and it seems that no matter what we do, the problems persist.”

The townhall event was organized in response to calls by Engel and Senator Chuck Schumer to have an open forum where postal officials could hear directly from constituents who have been affected by poor service.

Full text of the Congressman’s testimony can be found below:

“I regret that I am unable to attend this evening in person, as I am in Washington. But this meeting is of critical importance and is, quite frankly, long overdue.

“The issues plaguing the Postal Service in Westchester and the Bronx have been out of control for quite some time. Late deliveries, missing or lost mail, non-existent customer service, and a complete lack of accountability have become the norm here, and it seems that no matter what we do, the problems persist. I have written letters, made phone calls, and hosted meetings with postal officials at the local, state, and federal level over the course of the last 3 years sounding the alarm about these issues. And though we see temporary improvement after every meeting, things quickly revert back to substandard levels soon thereafter. This is completely unacceptable. We have heard every excuse under the sun as to why mail delivery has been poor, but what we haven’t heard are lasting, long-term steps that are being taken by the Postal Service to ensure the entire system is finally rid of these systemic problems. That is what we are all looking for here this evening. It isn’t enough to say the regular mail carrier is on vacation, or someone is new to the route and is still learning the ropes. My constituents deserve better than that, and I hope we get it here tonight.

“In addition, I must also note that I am dismayed by how unresponsive the Postal Service has been to all parties involved during this whole fiasco. Every phone call or meeting I have had with a postal official has been precipitated by weeks, even months of back and forth with a liaison before I receive straight answers to any of my questions. The same has been true for my constituents, who have logged complaints with their local branches that have gone absolutely nowhere. The Postal Service needs to do better, across the board, to ensure it is listening to the feedback it is getting and responding to that feedback in a timely manner. Maybe then we’ll begin to see the progress that has been so desperately lacking in our area. Thank you.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

It is unfortunate that the public did not know of this town hall meeting so that we the public who use the USPS could advise the Postmaster of what is happening at the local post office. Be it less staff, computer break downs, closing post offices for lunch breaks, or just plain old bad service by the USPS and not the clerks behind the windows.

JOINT LETTER FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO AND SPEAKER JOHNSON TO MTA SEEKING ACCOUNTABILITY IN SPENDING CITY’S $418 MILLION FOR SUBWAY ACTION PLAN


   
 Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson today sent the letter, below and attached, to MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota regarding New York City’s $418 commitment to the MTA’s Subway Action Plan.

Joseph J. Lhota
Chairman                                                              
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
2 Broadway
New York, NY 10004

Dear Chairman Lhota:

We write to you today regarding the crisis in the subway system and the dramatic impact it is having on the lives of millions of New Yorkers. The staggering increase in delays has resulted in workers losing wages, patients missing medical appointments, and students arriving late to class.  According to a recent report by City Comptroller Scott Stringer, the annual economic cost of subway delays could total as much as $400 million. The continued health of the City’s economy and the vibrancy of our neighborhoods depend upon the MTA reversing the precipitous decline in subway service.   

As you know, the City of New York will contribute a one-time payment of $418 million to the MTA’s Subway Action Plan (SAP), disbursed pursuant to a payment schedule in 2018.This funding is in addition to the substantial investment City government already makes to the MTA on an annual basis that is now $1.8 billion -- six times the State’s direct annual contribution of $300 million. Furthermore, nearly 70% of the dedicated MTA taxes that pass through the State budget (which the State sometimes tries to claim as part of its own contribution) come from City residents, workers, and businesses. In addition, the City’s 2015 $2.5 billion commitment to the MTA Capital Plan is the largest general capital contribution in history.

As elected leaders of the City of New York who are responsible for its fiscal health, we must ensure that precious taxpayer dollars are not diverted away from the subway crisis to other MTA priorities.  The City pressed aggressively for a “Lock Box” as a condition of providing $418 million towards the SAP. Now that the Lock Box has been made explicit in State law, it must be put into practice by the MTA.

It is important that the MTA provide detailed information about each of the plan elements, including the scope of work being performed, how success is defined, and how progress is measured.  Unfortunately, although the MTA began implementing the SAP last July, it has provided scant details to the public on its progress and the MTA’s own “major incidents” metric shows little improvement in service.  City taxpayers deserve to know that they are getting a good return on their investment.   The public is skeptical when it comes to work performed by the MTA, especially given recent public reports about prolonged delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns on MTA projects.  For example, the East Side Access Project, which started with a budget of $4.3 billion and a completion date in 2009, will now require an additional billion dollars with a completion date in 2022 and an estimated price tag of $11 billion.  The Enhanced Station Initiative, which started with a budget of $936 million to renovate 33 subway stations, will now require $846 million to renovate only 20 stations.

It is incumbent upon the MTA to prove that it can be an effective steward of this short-term emergency plan and that the revenues with which it has been entrusted are prudently invested to deliver results.  To that end, we must have certainty that the Lock Box will be implemented and that the City’s contribution will actually be spent on projects that will improve subway service. This letter includes a series of questions and requests to provide the assurances we seek:  

Increase transparency: The MTA should provide a monthly update on the SAP to the MTA board, as well as regular briefings to representatives of the Mayor and City Council Speaker. These briefings should include updates on hiring, spending by plan category, and progress by plan initiative. These materials should be available to the public on the MTA’s website.

Conduct a midcourse review: Nine months into the plan, the MTA should evaluate the effectiveness of each SAP strategy. What are the specific performance objectives of each initiative? Which initiatives are having the most impact? Which initiatives the least? Based on this analysis, the MTA should reallocate staff and resources to the most effective strategies. 

Focus on core needs: The MTA should redeploy staff and resources from non-critical efforts, such as station painting and retiling, to core needs, such as signal and track inspection and repair. Under Phase I of the SAP, only 4 percent of the operating costs and 10 percent of the capital costs are allocated to fund physical signal upgrades. MTA staff have stated that signal problems are a major contributor to delay, so the authority should consider increasing funding for signals-related work. At the end of the day, riders care first and foremost about whether their train gets them to where they need to go and less about station aesthetics. And when station improvements are necessary, the MTA needs a renewed focus on making those stations accessible to people with disabilities.

Better measure progress: We recognize the MTA’s recent efforts to adopt better performance measures. To date, however, the agency has focused mostly on “Major Subway Incidents,” a blunt measure that does not capture the experience of the average rider. The MTA needs to measure progress through the reduction of time passengers spend waiting at stations or traveling on trains. The MTA also needs to do a much better job of earning the confidence of the riding public in the accuracy of these delay statistics. Several recent reports of arbitrary and inconsistent causes being logged for subway delays are concerning. A comprehensive overhaul of how subway delay statistics are recorded and reported should be formally included in the SAP so that progress can be tracked along with the rest of the plan.

Review operations: A comprehensive review of the use of signal timers and their effect on level of service and service reliability, as well as a review of scheduled service levels (especially at off-peak times), should be formally included in the SAP.

o   While the safety of the system needs to remain paramount, it has become clear that the balance between safety and service when it comes to the signal timers installed since the 1990s needs to be reevaluated. In light of that fact that in most parts of the system construction of new lines is unrealistic in the near term, we must do all we can to maximize the capacity of the system we have.
o   Recent reports have also indicated that scheduled service during off-peak times has never been fully restored since the post-financial crisis service cuts in 2010, even though off-peak ridership has grown. The MTA needs to find ways to efficiently allocate resources to increase service while balancing the needs for construction work during off-peak times.
o   Though New York City Transit (NYCT) President Byford has recently announced that these will be elements of his approach to combatting delays, formally including them in the SAP will bring transparency to the extent of the progress being made in these areas.

Plan for the future: To ensure the City’s contribution is money well spent, the MTA must have a plan for maintenance and inspection so that any gains achieved by the SAP are maintained over the long-term. This plan should also articulate staffing and resource needs and measure these against projected new revenues from the recently imposed taxi and FHV fees. The MTA must use these new revenues to end its cycle of financial crises. Furthermore, the anticipated multi-billion-dollar, capital-intensive, long-term modernization plan that will be necessary for sustained improvement must include details about how costs will be controlled.

The SAP represents less than five percent of the $8 billion operating budget of NYCT, but a lot is riding on its success. Failure is not an option and we firmly believe that a more transparent process can lead to better, more effective implementation.  We are eager for everyone to put politics aside and support the important work of improving the commutes of millions of New Yorkers. Beyond the SAP, fixing the subway will require fundamentally changing the way the authority does business, including identifying non-City-tax-levy dollars to assist with funding improvements.  In the meantime, the SAP must be successfully implemented.  We look forward to working with you, your senior leadership team, and the men and women of the MTA to turn the system around through the SAP.  We await your response.  


Sincerely,

Bill de Blasio                                                             Corey Johnson
Mayor, City of New York                                         Speaker, New York City Council

CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION ANNOUNCES ITS PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE


CHARTER REVISION COMMISSION ANNOUNCES ITS PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE FOR SPRING & SUMMER 2018

Commission to hold public hearings in all five boroughs

   Throughout the spring and summer of 2018, New York City’s Charter Revision Commission will hold public meetings and hearings across the five boroughs, soliciting input from New Yorkers on how best to improve the efficiency of local government and strengthen democracy.
The Charter Revision Commission will hold five public hearings, one in each borough, in April and May 2018. The hearings are an opportunity for the public to identify priority issues for the Commission that may warrant further study.  The public is encouraged to attend and offer testimony in front of the Commission on any aspect of the Charter.
The first public hearing will be held on April 25th at 6:30 pm at McKee High School Auditorium, 290 St. Marks Place, Staten Island, NY 10301.
The dates and locations of the initial five public hearings are:
Date and Time
Location
Address
April 25th at 6:30pm
Staten Island
April 30 at 6 pm
Bronx
Bronx Community College, 2155 University Ave, Bronx, NY 10453
May 3 at 6 pm
Queens
Queen Library at Flushing, 41-17 Main St, Queens, NY 11355
May 7 at 6 pm
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225
May 9 at 6 pm
Manhattan
The New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (Edna Barnes Salomon Room), 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018


The remainder of the Commission’s schedule is as follows:

May, 2018
Small groups of Commissioners will begin hosting a series of informal meetings in neighborhoods across the City to seek additional public input.  After Memorial Day, the Commission will hold a public meeting to identify key issues for further review.

June, 2018
Throughout the month, the Commission will hold forums to explore key issues identified after the initial public hearings. The Commission will invite experts to present on these issues.

July & August, 2018
The Commission will issue its preliminary report and hold public hearings in each borough on the report’s preliminary findings and proposals.

August, 2018
The Commission will hold two public meetings in August to finalize its report outlining its findings and any ballot proposals to amend the Charter.

September, 2018
Charter revision ballot proposals, if any, are filed with the City Clerk.

The Commission will notify the public when dates and locations of the remaining public hearings and meetings are determined. The Commission may schedule additional public meetings or change this proposed schedule as appropriate.

All locations will be accessible to individuals using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Induction loop systems and ASL interpreters will be available. In addition, with advance notice, members of the public may request interpretation into the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese), French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. Please make language interpretation requests or additional accessibility requests by emailing the Commission at requests@charter.nyc.gov or calling 212-386-5350.

About the Commission
The Charter Revision Commission is charged with reviewing the entire Charter of the City of New York, holding hearings in all five boroughs to solicit public input, and issuing a report outlining findings and recommendations to amend the Charter.

For more information, please follow the Charter Review Commission on twitter @NYCCharter or visit our website at nyc.gov/charter.  Please tweet at us using #2018charter

Monday, April 23, 2018

Bronx DA Scheduled Cases of Interest Week of April 23rd


Cases of Interest for the Week of April 23, 2018

Monday, April 23, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
Borko, N.  Montano, A 96 Appearance    ABEL CEDENO Bronx teen charged with Manslaughter for fatally stabbing a 15-year-old boy and injuring another teen at the Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation. 
Powers Barrett 60 Hearing KEITH WALTON Walton, an NYPD Deputy Inspector in the Bronx, is charged with Sexual Abuse and additional crimes for allegedly grabbing a female subordinate and ordering her to kiss him.
 




Tuesday, April 24, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
Smith, J. Montano, A. 96 Court Appearance CISCO WARD Charged with Assault, Destruction of Property and several other charges for a shooting at a Morris Heights Burger King which injured one man and then carjacking a vehicle with a baby inside in March 2017. 
Miras, J. Michels, S. 71 Court Appearance Gilrael Ruperto  Sentencing after pleading guilty to Robbery as a Hate Crime Against the Elderly for a series of attacks, and Promoting Prison Contraband for having a scalpel while he was incarcerated in Rikers Island.
Birnbaum, A. Justice Best. 60 Sentencing Christopher Coachman  To be sentenced after conviction of first-degree Manslaughter for strangling his girlfriend.
 




Wednesday, April 25, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
  NO CASES OF INTEREST   
 




 




Thursday, April 26, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
Dolan, M. Michels, S. 77 Court Appearance  Haya Konte Charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a mother who left her two children alone in their apartment when a fire erupted due to burning incense. The children, two-year-old and 18-months-old, were killed.
Di Chiara, L. Michels, S. 77 Court Appearance JESSICA MIXON Charged with Assault and Reckless Endangerment for allegedly pushing her 2-year-old son, who was strapped to his stroller,down the stairs at the 149th Street and Grand Concourse subway station on June 1, 2017. 
 




Friday, April 27, 2018
ADA Judge Part # Status Defendant Name Case Details
    NO CASES OF INTEREST