MAYOR DE BLASIO AND SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCE ADVISORY COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND REFORMS TO NEW YORK CITY’S PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM

Commission, to be co-chaired by Vicki Been and Marc Shaw, will develop proposals to make property taxes more fair, straightforward, and transparent

  Today, Mayor de Blasio and Council Speaker Johnson announced the formation of a new advisory commission, co-chaired by Vicki Been and Marc Shaw, to develop recommendations to reform New York City’s property tax system to make it simpler, clearer, and fairer, while ensuring that there is no reduction in revenue used to fund essential City services. The commission will solicit input from the public by holding at least 10 public hearings. The last in-depth review of the system by a government-appointed commission was in 1993.

The Commissioner of the Department of Finance Jacques Jiha, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Melanie Hartzog, Director of the City Council Finance Division Latonia McKinney, and Deputy Director and Chief Economist Council Finance Division Raymond Majewski will serve as non-voting ex-officio members. 

“To be the fairest big city, you need a fair tax system. For too long, New York City taxpayers have had to grapple with a property tax system that is too opaque, too complex, and just feels unfair,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “New Yorkers need property tax reform, and this advisory commission will put us on the road to achieve it.”

“This is an important first step towards addressing inequities in this city’s broken property tax system. It is crucial that we work to bring clarity and fairness to this process, which has long perplexed the public and left many feeling hoodwinked by the city government tasked with representing them. The Council looks forward to rolling up our sleeves and addressing this long-standing problem,” said Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

Vicki Been is the Boxer Family Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, an Affiliated Professor of Public Policy of the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and Faculty Director of NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. Previously Been served for three years as Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development for the City of New York, where she led the 2400-person agency in: designing and implementing Housing New York, a comprehensive strategy for addressing the City’s need for affordable housing. Been has written extensively about New York City’s property tax system and its primary abatement and exemption programs.

Marc V. Shaw is the Interim Chief Operating Officer for CUNY. Shaw also serves as the Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Budget, Finance, and Fiscal Policy, as well as Chair of the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance.  Previously, he served as a Senior Advisor to Governor David Paterson, Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning at Extell Development Company and First Deputy Mayor to Michael Bloomberg.

Also announced today, advisory commission members include:

Carol O’Cleireacain is an Adjunct Professor at the Milano Graduate School for Mangement & Urban Policy at the New School, a Senior Consultant to the Brookings Institution’s Task Force on the State Budget Crisis, and Of Counsel to the LIATI Group, a boutique merchant bank, which focuses on public infrastructure investments. O’Cleireacain has a long history in public service, with appointments as Deputy Mayor for Economic Policy Planning and Strategy (Detroit), Deputy State Treasurer (NJ), Director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management & Budget, and Commissioner of the NYC Department of Finance.

Felice Michetti is Chairperson and CEO of Grenadier Realty Corp, one of the largest affordable housing owner and operators in New York State. Michetti also serves on the board of the Community Preservation Corporation. Previously, she served as Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation under Mayors Dinkins and Giuliani. Michetti served as First Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation under Mayor Koch.

James Parrott is Director of Economic and Fiscal Policies at The Center for New York City Affairs at The New School. In previous positions, Parrott worked for the Fiscal Policy Institute, the Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for New York City, the City of New York (as chief economist for economic development), and for the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union.

Gary Rodney is Chairman of City Real Estate Advisors (CREA LLC), a low-income housing tax credit syndicator. As Chairman, Rodney works with the senior management team of CREA and its partners to help finance quality affordable housing in cities across the country. Prior to assuming this role, Rodney served as the President of the New York City Housing Development Corporation.

Elizabeth Velez is President and Chief Contract Administrator of the Velez Organization and is on a number of construction-related boards, including the New York Building Congress, the National Hispanic Business Group, the Association of Minority Enterprises of New York (AMENY), the Mayor's Commission on Construction Opportunity, the Board of ACE Mentor of New York and the NYC Department of Business Services Advisory Board. 

The advisory commission will evaluate all aspects of the current property tax system with an eye to transparency, efficiency and fairness.  Its comprehensive review will include, but not be limited to:

·         The tax classification system;

·        The methods of determining property market values and        

       assessments;

·         Treatment of property value increases;

·         Relief for low-income and senior homeowners; and

·         Method of calculating tax rates.

The advisory commission’s recommendations may include changes that could be made at the City level, as well as those that would require state legislation.  The commission will also review comparable property tax systems across the nation, including different methods for property valuation and homeowner protections.

Property taxes are an important component of a local government’s tax base – in New York City, they make up 45 percent of the local tax base – and are essential to quality service delivery.  New York City’s current property tax system is set forth in state law and has been in existence for nearly four decades.  Its complex structure classifies properties into multiple categories, referred to as tax classes, and contains provisions that govern fractional assessments, market valuation restrictions, and caps on growth, among other things.  Application of the various provisions of state law can result in differences in taxes paid on properties, which may become more pronounced with the passage of time.

“New York City’s property tax system has long been the subject of criticism and controversy,” said Commission Co-Chair Vicki Been. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with Mayor de Blasio, the City Council, Co-Chair Marc Shaw, and this smart, thoughtful, balanced, and pragmatic group of experts to propose reforms to make the system fairer for all New Yorkers.”

“Twenty five years ago, I served on a joint commission to address the city’s tax system. Much has changed since then and many issues have arisen that need to be resolved. I applaud Mayor de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson for committing themselves to the difficult task of reforming the system together. It won’t be easy, but the cooperative nature of this joint commission indicates to me that both sides are serious about the need for change. I am honored to be a part of this commission and excited to begin the hard work necessary to enact change,” said Commission Co-Chair Mark Shaw.

“As the Commissioner of the City agency responsible for administering the NYC property tax, I look forward to assisting the Commission in its mission to study the property tax system and make recommendations to make the property tax system fairer, more predictable and more transparent,” said Department of Finance Commissioner Jacques Jiha.

“The City is taking a hard look at our property tax system to ensure that hardworking taxpayers – our fellow New Yorkers – are being treated fairly. Our goal is to provide more transparency to a system that has for decades left New Yorkers in confusion,” said Office of Management and Budget Director Melanie Hartzog. “This commission will provide much needed clarity for homeowners and help us take steps to create a fairer city.”

“Property tax reform is one of the most pressing issues facing New York today and has been a focus of the Council Finance Division for decades. The current system is in many ways unfair and fails to meet the needs of everyday New Yorkers. This joint Commission will seek to answer the classic questions of tax policy; can we make the system fairer? Can we make it work better with the City’s economy? Can we make it more transparent and easier for the public to understand? We look forward to finding solutions that can have a direct impact for homeowners,” said Council Finance Division Director Latonia McKinney.

Chancellor Carranza Visits The Bronx Charter School for Excellence

  Chancellor Richard Carranza visited the Excellence Community Charter School located at 1960 Benedict Avenue in the Bronx to see the newly opened seven story building the charter school is now housed in. Several reporters including myself were able to accompany Chancellor Carranza as the CEO of Excellence Community Schools Dr. Charlene Reid took him on a tour of the new school. 

We visited a kindergarten class first where the children were immersed in learning. All of us then fit into the elevator to ride up to the seventh floor to see some older children. The school is a K - 8 school, with some children leaving in the seventh grade to go onto specialized schools. we saw algebra being taught in a seventh grade math class. We visited a computer room, music room, the gym, cafeteria, and almost every room in the school as Dr. Reid wanted to show how this charter school was working.  

A student has to apply to be admitted to a charter school, and there are a series of steps the charter school must go through before admitting students. The procedure is that any current student in the charter school has the right to stay in the school. the next step in admission is that any siblings of current students are given preference. the next step if there is room available is for the home district, then the city district, and lastly if there is room available any student from anywhere in New York State can be admitted. The last step or two rarely happens as space is very sought after in charter schools, and this school I was told has a wait list of almost one thousand applicants. 

After the tour Chancellor Carranza met privately with Dr. Reid, and then took some questions from reporters before leaving. There were questions from other reporters about the admission policy, what resources charter schools receive, and how they may differ from public schools. Having been a parent leader years ago I asked the new chancellor about poor student performance in most Bronx schools. I went into specific details about the Average Yearly Progression numbers now compared to before Mayoral Control, and received the answer "I am new here, we have to look at the numbers, they don't always tell the whole story etc." I heard that fifteen years ago from then Chancellor Joel Klein, and said that to current Chancellor Carranza. I offered my help as I did to Chancellor Klein, but parents want to know why their children have problems in public school. 

Above - Chancellor Carranza meets Dr. Reid.

Below they observe a kindergarten class.

Above - The pair check in on a computer lab room.

Below - The chancellor takes a selfie of himself under the college flag.

Above - Chancellor Carranza poses with students in front of the Honor Roll Board.

Below - The charter is so successful it has acquired space around the corner on Pugsley Avenue.

New Stringer Report: 90% of City Contracts for Human Services Submitted Late for Registration, After the Contract Start Date

Thousands of non-profits – many serving most vulnerable New Yorkers – go unpaid for months, forced to deliver services without a registered contract

HRA, DHS, DOE are worst offenders, submitting over 99% of their new contracts retroactively

Stringer calls for new, transparent tracking system for all contracts, strict agency timelines

  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released a new reportthat found pervasive delays in the City’s contracting system, particularly for human services contracts where 90.8 percent were submitted late for registration in Fiscal Year 2017 – half of them by six months or more. Moreover, all contract types had extensive delays – 81 percent of new and renewal contracts across all City agencies were submitted late in FY 2017.

The report highlighted “Type 70” contracts, which support programs for some of the City’s most vulnerable populations – including seniors, the homeless, and children – and found that some agencies, including the Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS), submitted a shocking 100 percent of their contracts late in FY 2017, forcing cash-strapped non-profits to resort to taking loans and potentially putting themselves at financial risk.

Vendors can only be paid once a contract is registered, so “retroactive” contracts (or those registered after a contract’s start date has already passed) force vendors into a risky, catch-22 choice: wait to begin work, which can stall projects and drive up costs, or begin work without a registered contract, which can cause significant risk and financial burden to a vendor.

For human services providers, whose programs often support the City’s most vulnerable populations – such as delivering meals for seniors and providing shelter for homeless families – the stakes raised by retroactive contracts are particularly high. These services are critical and moreover, vendors are often non-profit organizations with limited budgets and cash flow. When contracts are registered retroactively, vital supports for communities are put at risk, while the non-profits themselves are often forced to take out loans to meet payroll and other expense needs.

“Behind every human services contract are people who need support from our City – food to eat, a roof to sleep under, or someone to care for them. But our slow contracting system is hurting the very organizations that the City’s most vulnerable communities depend on each day,” said Comptroller Stringer. “With non-profits already under pressure from Washington, here in New York City the bureaucratic process only makes their jobs harder. This comes down to our priorities as a city. We owe it to all our neighbors to deliver necessary services in a timely manner. And there’s a common-sense solution to this problem – hold City agencies accountable. We need to reform our contract system and make it more transparent. If a shipping company can track millions of packages as they cross the globe, we should be able to track a contract as it moves through City agencies.”

The City’s procurement process involves oversight from a number of agencies before a contract can be registered with the Comptroller’s office. While oversight is crucial to ensure that required procedures are followed and to root out corruption, waste, and fraud in City spending, the length of time it takes for a contract to work its way through all stages of review – most of which do not have deadlines – is a primary source of contract delays. Making matters worse, there is no public-facing system for tracking contracts as they make their way through the various stages of review, leaving vendors uninformed about the status of their contracts.

The Comptroller’s report includes an extensive analysis of City contracts for FY 2017, with a particular focus on human service contracts.

Vital Services Threatened by Retroactive Human Services Contracts

New York City relies on an extensive network of non-profit human service organizations to meet the needs of our diverse population. Despite their integral role in delivering City services, community-based non-profits struggle the most with delayed contract delays as their tight budgets and responsibility to deliver vital services stretches their organizations thin.

The Comptroller’s report examined Type 70 contracts – the designation for program contracts – among seven City agencies that contract for the majority of human services programs, finding for Fiscal Year 2017:

• Of the total 2,448 Type 70 contracts registered for the seven human service agencies, 2,224, or 90.8%, were retroactive by the time they reached the Comptroller’s Office.
• Moreover, the Comptroller’s analysis found that half of human service contracts were retroactive by over six months, with the average retroactive period at over 209 days.
• Retroactivity among human services contracts was higher than for other contracts. In FY17, 81% of all new and renewal contracts arrived at the Comptroller’s Office for registration after the contract start date had passed, and over one-third of all contracts were late by more than six months.
• These delays often force non-profit vendors to take loans from the City in order to make payroll and cover other expenses. In fact, in FY17, the City’s Returnable Grant Fund processed 751 loans for non-profits worth a combined total of $149.9 million – many necessitated by delayed contract awards.

Length of Retroactivity Among Registered Human Service Contracts

	Under 30 days	31 – 60 days	61 – 90 days	91 – 189 days	181 – 365 days	Over 1 year	Total
Number of contracts	428	158	155	371	709	403	2,224
% of total	19.2%	7.1%	7.0%	16.7%	31.9%	18.1%	100%
Average number of days retro	7.1	45.1	76.5	133.7	269.7	504.0	209.5

Four Agencies – HRA, DHS, DOE, DFTA – Worst Offenders

• Of the seven agencies the Comptroller’s report focused on, two agencies – the Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) – submitted 100% of their program contracts retroactively, meaning not one contract from these agencies arrived for registration prior to the contracted start date.
• The Department of Education (DOE) and the Department for the Aging (DFTA) did not do much better. DOE submitted all but one of its 406 program contracts retroactively (99.8%), and DFTA submitted 98.9% of its contracts retroactively, with only 3 of its 275 contracts registered before the contract start date.

Oversight Works but is Non-Existent for Most Agencies

While the Comptroller’s report found widespread problems in the agency contracting process, by comparison, the analysis found that once contracts are submitted to the Comptroller’s Office, they are processed and registered within 19 days on average. The vast majority, 96 percent, of contracts submitted to the Comptroller’s Office by the seven agencies examined were registered within an initial 30 days review window.

To help alleviate the burden placed on vendors that wait months for contracts to make it through the City’s review process, the Comptroller’s Office proposed two recommendations:

• Assign each City agency with a role in contract oversight a specific timeframe for their contract review work. By holding agencies to specific timeframes, the contracting process can be expedited and standardized.
• Create a public facing tracking system to allow vendors to monitor the progress of their contract through each stage of the contract process. Making the contract process more transparent would introduce real accountability to the City’s oversight agencies.

To read the full report, click here.

$1.8 BILLION AHEAD OF PROJECTIONS, MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW GOAL TO AWARD $20 BILLION TO M/WBES BY FY 2025

Mayor also increases the maximum amount of key City loan program for M/WBEs and small businesses from $500,000 to $1 million per business

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that the City is two years ahead of schedule to meet his OneNYC goal, which aims to award $16 billion to minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs) by the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. The City has awarded approximately $7.8 billion to M/WBEs since the goal was established in 2015 – $1.8 billion more than initial projections. As a result, the Mayor will increase his OneNYC goal to award $20 billion to M/WBEs by the end of FY 2025.

Today the Mayor also announced an increase in the loan cap on the City’s Contract Financing Loan Fund, a program that allows M/WBEs and small businesses to access affordable loans. Currently, M/WBEs and small businesses have access to loans totaling $500,000. Beginning this summer, M/WBEs and small businesses will be able to access loans totaling up to $1 million per year at a low three-percent interest rate.

These two announcements come on the heels of the 2018 Disparity Study which analyzed the disparity between the availability of firms owned by minorities and women in the market area where the City does business and the utilization of those firms for procurements by City agencies.

“I have said this before, and I’ll say it again: this city works best when all New Yorkers – regardless of race, gender or ethnicity – have the resources they need to contribute in our economy,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We are reaching historic highs when it comes to awarding contracts to M/WBEs, and with our new OneNYC goal, we are reminding all available M/WBEs interested in doing business with the City that we are in fact open for business.”

“When we invest in minority and women entrepreneurs across New York City, we reinvest directly in our communities,” said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives. “Bringing people of color and women into City contracting improves our work and empowers our communities.”

“M/WBEs are an essential part of the City’s economy, and I thank Mayor de Blasio and Deputy Mayor Thompson for their leadership in the making the M/WBE Program a priority,” said Jonnel Doris, Senior Advisor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of M/WBEs. “We are glad to report that we are ahead of schedule on our OneNYC goal by $1.8 billion, and we look forward to continuing this work in partnership with the M/WBEs, who have been champions for the Program, to create an economy that works for all.”

“Under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s leadership, we are committed to building a more inclusive local economy,” saidGregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “Our new goal for leveraging the City’s purchasing power will help even more M/WBEs succeed, which will go a long way toward promoting equity of opportunity here in New York City.”

Since the launch of the Contract Financing Loan Fund in March of 2017, the City has loaned more than $6 million to over 30 businesses, allowing these businesses to perform on over $37 million worth of work. Approximately 90-percent of these businesses are City-certified M/WBEs.

Increasing access to affordable loans for M/WBEs supports the Mayor’s $20 billion M/WBE OneNYC goal, which is part of the City’s broader OneNYC plan to become the most resilient, equitable, and sustainable city in the world. The increased loan limit will allow M/WBEs to perform on more City contracts, improving their ability to hire more workers and purchase materials as they ramp up to work on City projects.

These two announcements come on the heels of the 2018 Disparity Study which found a higher percentage of M/WBEs among businesses available to work with the City of New York compared to the 2012 Study. In 2012, when the previous Study was completed, the City found a 37-percent availability rate of M/WBEs within the City’s market area. The 2018 Study has found an M/WBE availability rate of approximately 50-percent in the City’s market area.

In a change from the previous Study, the 2018 Disparity Study supports the setting of participation goals for Asian-American businesses in Professional Services – one of the four industry classifications – and for Native-American businesses in all industry classifications, including professional services, construction services, standard services, and goods.

As of the end of quarter two of FY 2018, the City reached a 20-percent utilization of M/WBEs, meaning that M/WBEs were awarded 20-percent of the value of City contracts from July 1 2017-December 31, 2017. The City currently has a goal to award 30 percent of the value of City contracts to M/WBEs by end of FY2021, a goal the Disparity Study supports.

The City is continuing to certify available firms as per the Mayor’s goal of City-certifying 9,000 M/WBEs by end of FY 2019. Currently, the City boasts nearly 6,000 certified M/WBEs in its Program, a roughly 50-percent increase since the beginning of the Administration.

The Administration is reviewing all findings and recommendations of the Study as it relates to the current City-wide M/WBE program.

The full Study and Executive Summary can be found here.

A NIGHT IN THE BRONX ON ARTHER AVENUE RAISES OVER $125,000 TO BENEFIT BRONX CATHOLIC SCHOOLS REGION

Joe Torre presents awards to David Greco, Jerome Raguso, and Sister Marguerite Torre for their Commitment to the Students Attending Bronx Catholic Schools.

   Over 150 guests raised close to $125,000 at A Night in the Bronx on Arthur Avenueon Wednesday, May 23. Guests gathered at the historic Arthur Avenue Market in the Bronx’s “Little Italy” where the event benefitted the 27 elementary schools within the Bronx Catholic Schools Region.

Joe Torre, Hall of Fame Yankees Manager, and Fr. Jonathan Morris, Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, honored David Greco, owner of Mike’s Deli and Jerome Raguso, owner of Gino’s Pastry Shop; for their unwavering support for community development in the Bronx and Bronx Catholic schools. Sister Marguerite Torre, member of Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk, and Joe Torre’s sister, was also honored for her personal commitment to students during her 50 year career as a Catholic educator.

“As a school principal, I loved seeing the students each day and, of all the things I miss, it’s by far the children,” said Sister Marguerite after accepting the Bronx Catholic School Award from her brother.   

Guests enjoyed live-entertainment and Italian-American fare from Mike’s Deli, the Original Arthur Avenue Deli and cannolis from Gino’s Pastry Shop.

The Catholic School Regions of Northwest/South Bronx and Northeast/East Bronx are two of nine Catholic elementary school regions in the Archdiocese of New York. Each of the nine regions is located within different geographic regions and is a separate, not-for-profit, educational corporation chartered by the New York State Department of Education. Both Bronx regions combine to educate over 8,500 students throughout the borough.

About Bronx Catholic Schools

Bronx Catholic schools are uplifting communities that encourage children to lead fulfilling, charitable lives. We welcome families of all religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, with a special commitment to providing underserved students with the values and skills to break the cycle of poverty.

Joe Torre with Honoree Sister Marguerite.

Van Nest Memorial Day Services

 In what is now a refurbished park with new equipment for the children of the area at White Plains Road and Van Nest Avenue a Memorial Day Ceremony took place Monday. Elected officials were on hand as were members of the Armed forces, including World War II veteran Norman Moore. The only thing missing was the flagpole to fly the flag up. 

 About 50 people gathered to hear Mr. Rich Vitallo speak of the Top Dog 45 Unit. Councilman Ritchie Torres pledged to fix the park before next year's Memorial Day Ceremony, and thanked those veteran's on hand for their service to the country. Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez of the 80th A.D. now speaking at her second Memorial Day Ceremony of the day also thanked those who fought for the United States. 

 Ms. Bernadette Ferrara and Ms. Rose Marie Vasti (of the Van Nest Community Association) read a list of names of soldiers no longer with us. Retired Master Sergeant John Perez read a poem of exactly what a soldier has done for the people of the United States and what it means to our freedom. 

Above - Mr. Rich Vitallo speaks about Memorial Day.

Below - Councilman Ritchie Torres thanks the veterans for their service, and pledges to have a new flagpole up for next years Memorial Day ceremony.

Above - Retired Master Sergeant John Perez, tells the story of what it means to be a soldier.

Below - World War II veteran Norman Moore was on hand for the Memorial Day Ceremony.

Above - Three shots are fired on Memorial Day to represent the 21 Gun Salute for fallen soldiers. 

Below - The lone bugler blows Taps also for the fallen soldiers.

VISION ZERO: MAYOR DE BLASIO CALLS FOR SPEED-CAMERA EXPANSION IN ALBANY AND ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR SAFER REDESIGN OF NINTH STREET IN PARK SLOPE

With life-saving school zone speed camera law in danger of expiring, Mayor urges expansion bill that will allow cameras along corridors like 9th Street, where they are currently banned

 With the City’s School Zone Speed Camera program set to expire in Albany next month, Mayor de Blasio today called on the State legislature to immediately reauthorize and expand the life-saving program. Standing at the site of a deadly crash in Park Slope that took the lives of two children and an unborn baby, the mayor unveiled a safer street design but urged Albany to do its part to protect kids in school zones. Under legislation now being considered, the number and coverage area of cameras would be expanded -- and allowed for the first time along corridors like 9th Street, where they are currently barred.

“We are doing our part with a redesign of 9^th Street to reduce speeding and make it safer. Now we need Albany to its part. We need school zone speed camera legislation extended and expanded immediately to prevent future tragedies on our streets. Speed cameras save lives,” said Mayor de Blasio.

DOT’s proposed redesign, which includes expanded pedestrian access and protected bicycle lanes, will be released at a community workshop tonight. It will be presented to Community Board 6 in June, with installation slated this summer following community feedback.

  

“For the last few months, DOT’s planners, designers and engineers have been hard at work coming up with a safe and smart redesign of 9^th Street,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.  “Under the Mayor’s leadership, we will expand pedestrian space, and also add safer crossings and protected bicycle lanes. We look forward to getting feedback in June from the local community board, stakeholders and elected officials about our proposed plans.  At the same time, we also look forward to making our closing argument in Albany next month for school-zone speed cameras, which have been such a critical component in our Vision Zero efforts that have helped New York City buck national trends -- with fatality declines for four straight years.”

Key Reforms to the Speed Enforcement Camera Program:

·         Authorize the City to install speed cameras at an additional 150 school zones—more than double the current number.

·         Revise the definition of a school zone to allow DOT to address speeding on streets that are near a school, as opposed to only the street or streets on which a school is located.   For example, despite three different schools located along 7^th or 8^th Streets in Park Slope, no cameras are now allowed along 9^th Street, which students from those schools walk across every day. 

·         Extend the program until 2022

Comprehensive Redesign of 9^th Street (Prospect Park West to Third Avenue)

• Corridor redesign focuses on improved pedestrian and cyclist safety.
• Protected bicycle lanes for six avenue blocks (nearly one-mile distance) with shortened crossings and slow-turn treatments at intersections.
• Modified loading regulations to reduce double parking.
• New narrower cross sections reduce speeding while maintaining vehicle flow and emergency access.

Following the March crash along 9^th Street that claimed the lives of two children and an unborn baby and seriously injured several others, the City is also pushing reforms in Albany that will escalate fines and suspend the vehicle registrations of repeat speeding and red-light running offenders, and require physicians to notify the DMV following medical events that could cause drivers to lose control of their vehicle.

State Senator Jose Peralta said, "It is vital that we increase, once and for all, the number of speed safety cameras in school areas across the city. The time for excuses is over. There is plenty of evidence that shows that this program has been successful since pedestrian, cyclist and motorist-related crashes have been reduced by 15% where speed cameras are installed. My proposal to increase the number of speed cameras has only one goal: Protect schoolchildren and New Yorkers in general. We must act before the current school zone speed camera program expires this summer, so children will not be at risk when they return to school in September. I applaud the Mayor and DOT for their efforts to increase road and pedestrian safety across the city, and I urge my colleagues in the State Senate to pass my bill to increase the number of speed cameras."

"We must commit to work together to redesign our city's unsafe streets so we can prevent future tragedies and protect our children," said Assembly Member Dan Quart. "Speed cameras are a proven, effective way to save lives and I'm proud to cosponsor legislation that will expand Vision Zero to more school zones and encourage safe driving."

EDITOR'S NOTE:

While we agree something must be done to stop speeding, a speed camera does not stop reckless driving. The only proven way to stop reckless driving is to have more police officers on patrol to catch abusive speeders, and those who drive recklessly to get them off the road which a speed camera does not do.  

We ask the two legislators whose comments we left in this press release from Mayor de Blasio if they know just how the speed camera program came about. 

This reporter was at the public school in State Senator Jeff Klein's district where then Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the NYCDOT claimed it registered over 90 percent of the drivers going over the (then) 30 MPH speed limit. It was assumed that the DOT surveyed the heavily traveled Riverdale Avenue in front of the elementary school. When I asked just what street was surveyed, I was told a different street Fieldston Road several blocks away from this school was surveyed. The road had four reasons for the high rate of speeding. It led to an entrance of the Henry Hudson Parkway, it led to the private community of Fieldston, it led to the private Riverdale Country school, and fewer vehicles drove on the surveyed part of Fieldston Road. All four factors as to why speeding would occur. 

Mayor Bloomberg knew how to use figures to his advantage, not tell the whole story, and let people assume what you want them to think. Mayor de Blasio is attempting to do the same thing. It should also be the reckless drivers that he goes after, and the only way is to have more police officers patrolling the streets. 

Don't think what Mayor de Blasio wants you to think, because speed cameras can not, and do not get reckless drivers off the road. Only a police officer can do that.