inauguration of State Senator Alessandra Biaggi

  It was a happy day for State Senator Alessandra Biaggi as she was sworn in by the New State Senate Majority Leader Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. The overflowing Lovinger Theater pf Lehman College crowd roared in approval as Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins raised Senator Biaggi's hands. Senator Biaggi then went on to give a thunderous speech about how she would be bringing progressive legislation such as the Women's Reproductive Act, and other legislation that was held up during the Republican controlled State Senate. 

 Before the swearing in there were performances by local high schools and a few speeches by high ranking elected officials. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer spoke, and City Council Speaker (and Acting Public Advocate) Corey Johnson ran after Schumer pulling the paper from the seat that became attached to the back of Schumer's clothes. The speech by Schumer was much the same from the previous day at a different inauguration, where there was an 'Off the Wall' comment aimed at the current president. 

  

Corey Johnson gave the shortest, and probably the best speech when he didn't go after anyone, but told the story of being in Riverdale trying to convince some people to vote for Alessandra Biaggi for State Senate. After the Speaker several interns who worked on the Biaggi campaign were brought up, with a few telling what their work on the campaign meant to them. 

City Comptroller Scott Stringer came next, and Stringer who also worked the streets and poll sites piled some more soil on the Jeff Klein coffin. Congressman Eliot Engel said that he was most impressed by candidate Alessandra Biaggi, but Engel also could not end without going after the current president like U.S. Senator Schumer. State Senator Michael Gianaris was much more cordial in his remarks, and he introduced the first woman to replace two of the men in the room in Albany, that being the new State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. 

Senator Stewart-Cousins was beaming with joy now that Democrats have a majority in the State Senate. She then swore in Alessandra Biaggi as the new State Senator from the 34th Senate District.

Anthony Bland, Former Division I Men’s Basketball Coach, Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Bribery

Bland, a Former University of Southern California Men’s Basketball Coach, Pled Guilty to Accepting a Cash Bribe in Return for Steering College Players on His Team to Corrupt Financial Advisers

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTHONY BLAND, a/k/a “Tony,” a former men’s basketball coach at the University of Southern California (“USC”), pled guilty in Manhattan federal court to taking a cash bribe from athlete advisers in exchange for using his influence over USC college basketball players to retain the services of the advisers paying the bribes.  BLAND pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos.  Munish Sood, a financial adviser, previously pled guilty, pursuant to a cooperation agreement with the Government, in connection with this scheme.  

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As he admitted in court, Tony Bland, a former USC men’s basketball coach, abused his position as a mentor and coach to student-athletes and aspiring professionals.  He treated his players not as young men to counsel and guide, but as opportunities to enrich himself.  Now Tony Bland awaits sentencing for his crime.”

 According to the Complaint, the Indictment, statements made in court, and publicly available documents[1]: 

BLAND, a former men’s basketball coach at USC, agreed to accept a cash bribe in connection with agreeing to exert his influence over student-athletes on USC’s Division I men’s basketball team to retain the services of the bribe-payers, including once the student-athletes entered the National Basketball Association.   BLAND’s co-defendants, with BLAND’s knowledge and approval, also funneled additional money to USC student-athletes and their families in connection with efforts to sign these potential professional athletes.

Beginning in or around July 2017, and continuing into September 2017, when BLAND was arrested, BLAND’s co-defendants paid and/or facilitated the payment of a cash bribe to BLAND in exchange for BLAND’s agreement to exert his influence over certain student-athletes BLAND coached at USC to retain BLAND’s co-defendant’s business management and/or financial advisory services once those players entered the NBA.  In particular, as BLAND told Christian Dawkins and Munish Sood, during a recorded meeting, in return for their bribe payment, “I definitely can get the players. . . .  And I can definitely mold the players and put them in the lap of you guys.”  In addition, and as part of the scheme, with BLAND’s knowledge and approval, Dawkins and Sood paid or facilitated the payment of an additional $9,000 directly to the families of two student-athletes at USC.  In return, BLAND facilitated a meeting between Dawkins and Sood and a relative of a different player attending USC for the purpose of pressuring that player to retain the financial services of Dawkins and Sood.

BLAND, 38, of Los Angeles, California, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.  As a condition of his plea, BLAND agreed to forfeit $4,100.  The charge carries a maximum term of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.  Sentencing is scheduled for April 2, 2019, before Judge Ramos.

Mr. Berman praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

The charges contained in the Indictment against Christian Dawkins, Merl Code, Emmanuel Richardson, and Lamont Evans are merely accusations, and Dawkins, Code, Richardson, and Evans are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Trial is scheduled to commence against the other defendants on April 22, 2019.

Code and Dawkins are scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan in United States v. Gatto, No. 17 Cr. 686 (LAK), based on their conviction for participating in a separate wire fraud scheme to make payments to the families of men’s basketball student-athletes in connection with their decisions to matriculate in Adidas-sponsored Division I schools.

[1] The descriptions set forth below of conduct by BLAND’s co-defendants constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation with respect to BLAND’s co-defendants, including Christian Dawkins, Merl Code, Emmanuel Richardson, and Lamont Evans.

Statement Of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman On The Verdict In The Trial Of James Grant And Jeremy Reichberg On Corruption And Bribery Charges

  “As a unanimous jury found, Jeremy Reichberg orchestrated a years-long bribery scheme that led to tens of thousands of dollars in benefits being provided to a select group of NYPD officers to provide Reichberg with a private, paid police force.  These illegal acts clearly undermine the mission of the NYPD and leave the citizens of New York City poorer, and Reichberg’s subsequent attempt to hide evidence of his scheme from law enforcement cannot be tolerated.  We respect the jury’s verdict as to James Grant, and we thank the jurors for their service during this lengthy trial.  Our Office will continue to work with the NYPD and the FBI to prevent corruption.”

Attorney General James And Superintendent Vullo Announce $9 Million Settlement Of Federal Student Loan Servicing Claims With ACS Education Services

  Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo announced a $9 million settlement with the federal student loan servicer, ACS Education Services (currently known as Conduent Education Services).  This settlement is the first in the country to address claims that a federal student loan servicer steered distressed borrowers away from available income-based repayment plans towards other, more expensive options, thus costing them money and increasing their risk of default.  It also addresses for the first time claims that a federal student loan servicer deceived borrowers concerning the availability of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), a program that, under certain circumstances, provides forgiveness of student loan debt after a borrower works for ten years in a public-service job.  In addition to paying penalties and restitution to injured borrowers, ACS has agreed not to service loans for the major federal programs or private loans for the next five years.  Most eligible borrowers will receive between $100 and $450. 

“Students rely on college to be a ladder to success, but too often prohibitive costs and disingenuous loan servicers trap students in a quicksand of debt,” saidAttorney General James. “ACS has systematically failed borrowers by refusing to educate them on more effective federal repayment options, and instead, pushing them towards options that padded their bottom line. At a time when the student debt crisis is at an all-time high, federal loan servicers should be supporting borrowers, not deceiving them at every turn. Everyone deserves a fair opportunity to work towards a life without debt.”  

“While the federal government neglects students, New York once again acts. Today's action demonstrates the importance of states in taking action against student loan servicers who fail to respond to the needs of student loan borrowers as required by federal and state laws,” said Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo. “I am pleased that DFS acted collaboratively with the Attorney General's Office on this important settlement which provides restitution to New York borrowers who were defrauded.”

The $9 million settlement announced today resolves several claims against ACS concerning its mishandling of student loan borrowers’ accounts.  Most importantly, for several years, ACS steered struggling borrowers into forbearances, a temporary pause in payments, which are only a short-term solution for an inability to pay and usually increase the cost of a loan.  It pushed these forbearances instead of directing borrowers to apply for a program that pegs payments to income and family size called Income-Based Repayment (IBR), which would have required more time and effort on the part of the company.  Even after ACS largely stopped steering borrowers into forbearance, it continued to mislead borrowers, informing them that IBR was their best option despite the introduction of newer, more beneficial repayment options.  In order to take advantage of these new options, the borrowers would have needed to consolidate their loans into a newer loan program, meaning that they would have been assigned to another servicer.  Similarly, ACS informed borrowers who asked about PSLF that they were not eligible, even though they might have been if they had consolidated their loans.

In addition to misinforming borrowers about their options, ACS failed to provide borrowers who sought to consolidate their loans the necessary account information, preventing some from doing so for more than three years.  These borrowers potentially lost years of qualifying service towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness and access to better repayment programs.  ACS also failed to process IBR applications in a timely and accurate fashion; required some borrowers to reapply for IBR unnecessarily; misallocated payments by borrowers, in some cases costing them additional late fees or interest; made inaccurate reports to credit reporting agencies; did not inform private-loan borrowers about the possibility of the release of co-signers; overstated the monthly payments owed by some members of the armed forces who were eligible for reductions under the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act; and charged some borrowers late fees higher than the legal cap.

Finally, ACS consistently misinformed borrowers who were behind one or more payments concerning the amount they needed to pay to become current on their loans, overstating the amount due in an attempt to maximize collections.

ACS has transferred all the private and major federal loans it had been servicing to other servicers, and borrowers should continue to make payments to their current servicers.  Federal student loan borrowers who are having difficulty making their loan payments or who are interested in PSLF may visit the NYAG’s Student Loan Repayment and Debt Relief Guide or the Department of Education’s website.  They may also wish to discuss their options with their servicers.

Comptroller Stringer: Fair Fares Rollout Becoming an Indefinite Delay for Hard Working New Yorkers

Friday’s announcement still leaves out the majority of the estimated 800,000 residents living below the poverty line who were originally promised half-price MetroCards

  Following Frday’s announcement regarding the next steps in launching the Fair Fares program, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released data that spotlights the estimated 800,000 New Yorkers who were originally promised half-price MetroCards beginning on January 1, 2019. However, the City has significantly scaled back initial eligibility to just a small subset of Cash Assistance and SNAP recipients, leaving out hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers living below the poverty line who will continue to face a significant financial burden to purchase a MetroCard.

“The good news is that Fair Fares is finally leaving the station. The bad news is that after today’s announcement, the price of a MetroCard will remain an obstacle for the vast majority of the 800,000 New Yorkers who were originally promised relief. That’s hundreds of thousands of families who will still struggle to get to work or a job interview because they can’t afford a full fare. For their sake, we need to make sure this delay doesn’t become a derailment,” said Comptroller Stringer.

When the $106 million program was originally announced as part of the Fiscal Year 2019 City budget, Fair Fares was intended to provide half-priced MetroCards to 800,000 adult New Yorkers living below the poverty line – $25,100 for a family of four.

Comptroller Stringer’s office took a look at those families and found the following:

• Nearly 300,000 potentially eligible New Yorkers live in just 12 community districts, with over 50% residing in Brooklyn or the Bronx;
• 60% are either unemployed or struggling to find a job;
• 79% are people of color;
• 58% are women;
• 77% do not have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree;
• 52% were born abroad; and
• 44% are parents living with children in their home.

Below is a complete breakdown of the data:

Community District                                         Population

Belmont, Crotona Park East & East Tremont			30898
Washington Heights, Inwood & Marble Hill			30763
Hunts Point, Longwood & Melrose			29537
Morris Heights, Fordham South & Mount Hope			26885
Flushing, Murray Hill & Whitestone			24834
Concourse, Highbridge & Mount Eden			21784
Castle Hill, Clason Point & Parkchester			21732
Sunset Park & Windsor Terrace			21470
Borough Park, Kensington & Ocean Parkway			20173
Bedford Park, Fordham North & Norwood			19576
East Harlem			19464
East New York & Starrett City			18846

By Borough                           Population       %

Bronx	186348	23.00%
Brooklyn	268679	33.00%
Manhattan	147936	18.00%
Queens	174423	22.00%
Staten Island	28511	4.00%

Empyolment Status                               Number

Employed	319626
Unemployed	110203
Not in labor force	376068

Ethnicity/Race              Number                    %

Hispanic	312635	39.00%
White	165568	21.00%
Black/African American	180799	22.00%
Asian	131602	16.00%
Other	15293	2.00%

Education                               Number                 %

No High School Degree	207258	26.00%
Only HS Degree	297847	37.00%
HS Degree + Some College	114364	14.00%
Associates Degree	45254	6.00%
College Degree	141174	18.00%

Gender                                     Number              %

Male	336977	42.00%
Female	468920	58.00%

Origin                                          Number             %

Foreign Born	417574	52.00%
Born in the United States	388323	48.00%

Citizenship                                  Number             %

American Born	388323	48.00%
Born abroad of American parents	7681	1.00%
Naturalized citizen	145667	18.00%
Not a citizen	264226	33.00%

Language Skills                                Number             %

Does not speak English	60347	7.00%
Yes, speaks only English	312061	39.00%
Yes, speaks very well	210312	26.00%
Yes, speaks well	101821	13.00%
Yes, but not well	121356	15.00%

Children                                       Number             %

Live with own Children in the Home	353974	44.00%
No Children in the Home	451923	56.00%

Comptroller Stringer Calls on City to Provide Tax Relief to CityLights Residents as its New Neighbor Amazon Receives $3 Billion in Subsidies

Seniors and working New Yorkers in Queens affordable co-op hit with $5.2M tax bill

Some residents face as much as a 60 percent increase in monthly carrying charges over the next five years

  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and residents of CityLights – an affordable co-op in Long Island City – gathered in Gantry Park to demand relief for the building’s over-taxed middle-class residents following the expiration of a Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) agreement and a new assessment by the Department of Finance (DOF) that nearly doubled the building’s assessment from $51.7 million to $101.6 million in fiscal year (FY) 2019. This series of events could raise the monthly carrying charges for CityLights residents by nearly 60 percent over the next five years.

As a result, Comptroller Stringer sent a letter to the Mayor’s office urging the City to implement a solution that will reduce the tax burden and prevent the displacement of hundreds of families from their homes – especially at a time when its new expected neighbor, Amazon’s HQ2, is about to receive nearly $3 billion in government subsidies.

“Across the City, the very New Yorkers who made their neighborhoods desirable for companies to move in are being priced out. Meanwhile as its new neighbor negotiated billions in subsidies, CityLights residents are stuck with more than $5 million in taxes because their city failed to act,” said Comptroller Stringer. “It’s time that we show the people who built this city that we value them just as much as a multinational corporation and give them the relief they deserve.”

The Comptroller’s letter points out that while the cost of CityLights units were low when they were initially sold in the beginning of 1997, residents are also responsible for repaying the property’s $86 million mortgage that was taken out by its private developer, as well as a $500,000 ground lease to Empire State Development (ESD) – paying more per square foot than Amazon and other commercial neighbors.

In addition to these charges, when the development’s PILOT agreement expired in July 2018, DOF first increased the building’s assessment from $51.7 million to $96.9 million in FY 2018, followed by a further increase to $101.6 million in FY 2019. By the end of the exemption phase-out in 2023, residents will face a $5.2 million property tax bill – or an additional average monthly cost of nearly $1,000 per unit – undermining the ability for the co-op to remain affordable for middle-class New Yorkers.

“When my family and I moved to Long Island City decades ago, there wasn’t even a supermarket, let alone a Duane Reade,” said Shelley Cohen, resident of CityLights. “Now, the City and the State are extending handouts to big companies, like Amazon, while my middle-class neighbors and I suffer. If the City and the State can work together to lure Amazon, they can find a way to relieve of us our ground lease.”

“Long Island City is my home,” said Joanna Rock, president of the CityLights co-op. “I moved to CityLights 20 years ago because I could afford it. The governor at the time called it ‘middle income housing.’ But with our current tax bill and ground rent more and more owners are finding it to be no longer affordable and are being forced out. We once again call on the City and the State to work together and keep their promise of middle income housing.”

To read the Comptroller’s letter, click here.

The Inauguration of Nathalia Fernandez as the New York State Assembly Member District 80

  Things don't exactly go as planned sometimes. Normally guest speakers will come a little late, but U.S. Senator Charles Schumer was early. While this was suppose to be about Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez Senator Schumer couldn't resist getting an 'Off the Wall' comment in about President Donald Trump during his remarks. Senator Schumer said that he was on a tight schedule and was off to Staten Island for another event. After Senator Schumer left there was a brief pause until New York State Attorney General Letitia James arrived.

  By then all of the scheduled speakers had arrived and were seated, so the program officially began. The Mistress of Ceremony was Community Board 7 District Manager Ischia Bravo, who did a spectacular job of keeping things moving, and not letting Assemblywoman Fernandez forget to thank each and every VIP who was in attendance at Jacobbi Hospitals Conference Center. 

  Those who spoke were led by Attorney General Letitia James who also left after she spoke for other events that were going on this busy day. MC Bravo then called up a surprised speaker Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, who while saying she had not prepared anything to say gave a spirited speech. The program returned to normal as scheduled Bronx elected officials were called upon to speak. Councilman Ritchie Torres, Councilman Mark Gjonaj, Deputy Borough President Marricka Scott-McFadden, State Senator Jamaal Bailey, and 83rd District Leader Kevin Riley representing New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. In the audience were Assembly members Michael Benedetto, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Victor Pichardo and a surprise guest from Queens State Senator Jessica Ramos who MC Bravo said had to take three trains and a bus to be here today. 

  Finally the time came for Judge Llinet Rosado to administer the oath of office to Assemblywoman Fernandez who called up her family to be on stage with her. Later during her Inaugural Address Assemblywoman Fernandez apologized that the National Anthem never was sung by Ms. Diane Arroya. She added that she was happy to see the very large crowd support her, and that she will represent her district at the best of her ability. 

Above - A photo of the Bronx elected officials who were on hand.

Below - Assemblywoman Fernandez with Assemblyman Michael Blake who she is supporting for Public Advocate in the February special election.

Above - New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

Below - Good friend, and former boss whose assembly seat she now holds, City Councilman Mark Gjonaj. 

Above - Judge Llinet Rosado administers the Oath of Office to Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez.

Below - Assemblywoman Fernandez hugs her family members after taking the Oath of Office.

Above - Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez gives her Inaugural Address.

Below - Congratulations were in order.

Biaggi, Sepulveda, Reyes Three Kings Event

  It was billed as the Holy Family Church Three Kings Day Celebration beginning at 10 AM, running through 12 PM.. The event was being hosted by State Senator Alessandra Biaggi, State Senator Luis Sepulveda, and Assemblywoman Karines Reyes, but none of the three elected officials were on site as this reporter left at 11:15 AM to go to another event. As you will see by the photos below Where's the Elected officials?

Above - Only members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, members of the PBA, a few children, are in this photo.

Below - The toys which the Union members brought to give out. Two children Peter and Esayah already know which toys they want.