Bronx Democratic County Winter Event

  Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo welcomes those in attendance at the Winter get together for the Bronx Democratic County organization. This is an off election year with only the Bronx District Attorney and a few judge positions to fill, so the Bronx Democratic County organization has to get ready for 2020 where the primary has been moved up from September to June. That means in less than one year petitioning will start for state assembly, state senate, congress, and for the Presidency of the United States. 

Above- Bronx Democratic County Leader Crespo announced that the new commissioner at the Board of Elections from the Bronx would be Ms. Miguelina Camilo. 

Below - Coming off a defeat in the Public Advocate race Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake is with Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz who was one of the many Bronx elected officials who supported Blake for the position of Public Advocate.

While many elected officials were still in Albany, in attendance were (L-R) Councilman Ritchie Torres, Assemblywoman Karines Reyes, Assemblyman Victor Pichardo, Councilman Andy Cohen, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Councilman Rafael Salamanca, State Senator Luis Sepulveda, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez, and Councilman Fernando Cabrera.

The Bronx Tourism Council - Spring is only a few weeks away...

SAVE THE DATE

MAY 9 - 19

MAYOR DE BLASIO NAMES ONENYC ADVISORY BOARD

Experts from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors are supporting the expansion of New York City’s blueprint to build a strong and fair city

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced his appointments to an advisory board that will support the process of creating a new One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City (OneNYC) by April 2019. Originally released in 2015 as the world’s first resilience strategy and a model for sustainable development, OneNYC provided a blueprint for tackling New York City’s most significant challenges. The new OneNYC strategy will continue to evolve to address the changing nature of challenges that confront our city.

“OneNYC provides a comprehensive blueprint to build a more resilient and just city, showing us the value of setting a bold vision to improve the lives of New Yorkers.  With the support of the experts on the OneNYC advisory board, we will go even further,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We’re excited to have such a talented and diverse group of experts contributing to the development of our new OneNYC blueprint, and help build a fairer city for all.”

“OneNYC has demonstrated the necessity of addressing the challenges of the 21st century head on. As New York City looks toward the future, we’re committed to bringing together the brightest minds to support our work,” said Daniel Zarrilli, OneNYC Director and NYC’s Chief Climate Policy Advisor. “With the advisory board’s help, the City will produce a new long-term strategic plan that will help to create a more resilient and inclusive city.”

The 39-person board is comprised of experts from a wide variety of disciplines, including civic leaders, businesspeople, academics, and community leaders. Several board members who advised the city on the original 2015 OneNYC strategy will be returning to offer their expertise for 2019. The advisory board will help craft New York City’s long-term strategy for tackling 21st-century challenges such as population growth,  aging infrastructure, stubborn inequality, an evolving economy, climate change, and other emerging risks.

As part of the OneNYC update, the City is also engaging in a campaign to solicit feedback from the public and a diverse set of stakeholders. As part of this engagement campaign, the de Blasio administration is holding events and meetings with civic associations, advocacy groups, business groups, youth and senior organizations, and local elected officials in all five boroughs and has developed an online survey where all New Yorkers can make their voices heard. To date, over 13,000 New Yorkers have responded.  To access the online survey, please visitnyc.gov/OneNYCsurvey.

Learn more about OneNYC here and here.

The OneNYC Advisory Board members include:

·       Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University (OneNYC Advisory Board co-chair)

·         Larisa Ortiz, City Planning Commission (OneNYC Advisory Board co-chair)

·         Vincent Alvarez, Central Labor Council

·      Christine Appah-Gyamfi, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest

·         John Banks, REBNY

·         Michael Berkowitz, 100 Resilient Cities

·         Nancy Brous, NYC Watertrail Association

·         Costa Constantinides, City Council

·         Andy Darrell, Environmental Defense Fund

·         Donna DeCostanzo, Natural Resources Defense Council

·         Ingrid Ellen, Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy

·         Robert Englert, Staten Island Deputy Borough President

·         Henry Garrido, DC37

·         Peter Goldmark, Climate and Social Change Advisor          

·         Ibrahim Greenidge, BOLT Architecture

·       Hank Gutman, Chairman of Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp.

·         Corey Johnson, City Council

·         David Jones, Community Service Society

·   Jennifer Jones Austin, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies

·         Kyle Kimball, Con Edison

·         Eric Klinenberg, NYU Institute for Public Knowledge

·         Gary LaBarbera, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York

·         Bill McKibben, 350.org

·         Cheryl McKissack, McKissack Construction

·         David Miller, C40 Cities

·         Emily Nobel Maxwell, The Nature Conservancy

·         Michael Northrop, Rockefeller Brothers Foundation

·         Adam Parris, Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay

·         Francine Rosado-Cruz, Microsoft

·         Carlo Scissura, Building Congress

·         Allison Sesso, Human Services Council

·         Peggy Shepard, WEACT

·         Tony Shih, United Hospital Fund

·         Kate Sinding Daly, NorthLight Foundation

·         Amy Sugimori, 32BJ

·         Julie Tighe, New York League of Conservation Voters

·         Tom Wright, Regional Plan Association

·         Kathy Wylde, Partnership for NYC

·         Elizabeth Yeampierre, UPROSE

Bronx Borough President Ruben O'Diaz Jr. - Irish Heritage Month Celebration

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Invites you to join him at his annual

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Rambling House

4292 Katonah Avenue, Bronx, N.Y.

5:30 - 8:30 P.M.

To confirm your attendance call 718-590-3989 or email smalave@bronxbp.nyc.gov

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ ANNUAL DOMINICAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION

  On Thursday, February 28, 2019, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. hosted his annual Dominican Heritage Month celebration at the Beverly Hills Manor on Jerome Avenue, honoring individuals who have contributed to the growth and promotion of Dominican and Dominican-American community and culture.

“The Dominican Republic is a land of hard-working people, excelling in different walks of life and business. A great number of prominent Dominican Americans right here in The Bronx are setting examples and paving the way for other Dominicans in New York City by working hard towards their goals,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

This year’s honorees include Supreme Court Appellate Division Presiding Justice Hon.Rolando Acosta, New York State Senate Secretary Alejandra N. Paulino, Esq. and Dr. Amarilis Jacobo. 

STATEMENT BY FIRST LADY CHIRLANE MCCRAY ON COMPTROLLER STRINGER’S THRIVENYC COMMENTS

  “I welcome Comptroller Scott Stringer’s “hard look” at ThriveNYC. Experts in behavioral health and health policy professionals have recognized Thrive as the most comprehensive mental health plan of any city in the nation. There is far too little understanding out there about mental health conditions and treatments. It is my hope that this examination will encourage elected officials like the Comptroller to take our Mental Health First Aid course and take time to learn more about this area of health that has been so sorely neglected. Perhaps now we can go beyond political posturing and lip service, and have the kind of public conversation our city must have to promote the mental health of our children and families.”

ThriveNYC has been recognized by various organizations, including the International City and Urban Regional Collaborative (I-CIRCLE), as a model approach that uses best practices and public health concepts to address mental health.

MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE UPGRADES NEW YORK CITY’S GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND CREDIT RATING FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2007

Rating now equal to New York State, a rarity for the State’s municipalities

  For the first time since 2007, Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded the City of New York’s General Obligation Bond credit rating. The rating was upgraded from Aa2 to Aa1, their second highest rating and equivalent to New York State’s Aa1 rating, which is significant because a local government is rarely rated as high as its home state. The Aa1 rating is the highest Moody’s credit rating the City has ever received.

Moody’s increased the City’s rating due to its increased economic diversity and decreased reliance on revenue from Wall St., its highly skilled workforce, first-class education and medical centers and low crime rates, among other factors. The upgrade is attributable to the City’s ongoing strong financial management – including the highest level of reserves the city has ever seen, affording it greater flexibility to respond to the next economic downturn.

Moody’s Investors Service rating can be found here.

“For the last five years, we’ve used the City’s budget to improve the lives of New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Moody’s credit rating is validation of what we’ve always known: that you can be both a progressive and a strong fiscal manager.”

Additionally, Moody’s upgraded the City’s outstanding appropriation-backed debt, including debt issued by the Hudson Yards Infrastructure Corporation, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the New York City Educational Construction Fund, and the New York City Industrial Development Agency (New York Stock Exchange Project) from Aa3 to Aa2.

The City expects the upgraded rating to lower debt service costs, enabling it to more efficiently borrow and finance its capital projects, such as maintaining the city’s infrastructure.

Next week the City plans to offer approximately $986 million of General Obligation bonds to refund outstanding bonds.

In January, Mayor de Blasio announced his $92.2 Preliminary Budget for FY2020, a balanced budget that continues to fund critical services for New Yorkers and promotes fairness across New York City while also demonstrating fiscal responsibility. In addition to expanding programs such as 3-K for All, the Mayor called for $750 million in mandatory savings which will be achieved in part by deepening the City’s Partial Hiring Freeze and implementing the Administration’s first Program to Eliminate the Gap.

Statement from New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer on Moody’s Investors Services

  “I am thrilled with Moody’s vote of confidence in New York City’s economy. A higher bond rating means lower borrowing costs for the City, which means additional resources to help fund our city schools, parks and other critical services, as well as more money to help us weather whatever economic challenges may come our way. That said, maintaining the city’s fiscal strength is a full-time job, so while we celebrate today’s good news, we at the Comptroller’s Office remain doubly committed to continuing our progress through careful oversight of the city’s budget and economy.”