Wednesday, August 12, 2020

DiNAPOLI: LOCAL SALES TAX COLLECTIONS DROP 8.2 PERCENT IN JULY

 

  Sales tax revenue for local governments in July fell 8.2 percent compared to the same period last year, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Collections for counties and cities in July totaled $1.3 billion, or $116 million less than in July 2019. Although revenue is still down compared to July 2019, the decline is less steep than any month since March, when the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect sales tax collections.

Nearly every county in every region of the state saw overall July collections drop year over year: only four counties had increases, including Westchester, where its tax rate increase in August of 2019 boosted year-over-year growth. County decreases ranged from 2.1 percent in Essex to 19.7 percent in Schuyler. New York City experienced a 7.3 percent decline, amounting to a $44.6 million reduction in revenues. While less dramatic than the 46 percent ($375 million) decrease seen in June, this represents another month where the city’s sales tax revenue dropped significantly over the same month in the prior year.

“New York’s local governments continue to see a significant downturn in sales tax collections, a major source of revenue. This is going to have a long-lasting effect on revenues for counties, cities and many towns and villages around the state,” DiNapoli said. “The federal government needs to step up and provide financial help to those hit hard by this virus. Without action, communities may need to make severe cuts to critical services.”

Last month, DiNapoli reported that local sales tax collections dropped 27.1 percent in the April-June quarter, down $1.2 billion from collections in the same quarter of 2019.

Over the five-month period of the pandemic’s effects (starting in March, when only New York City showed losses, and continuing through July), local governments have received $1.4 billion

(18.7 percent) less than they did during the same period in 2019.

 Graphic1

Find out how your government money is spent at Open Book New York. Track municipal spending, the state's 170,000 contracts, billions in state payments and public authority data. Visit the Reading Room for contract FOIL requests, bid protest decisions and commonly requested data.Table: Monthly Local Sales Tax Collections by Region


MAYOR DE BLASIO, CHANCELLOR CARRANZA TOUR VILLAGE ACADEMY IN QUEENS


  Mayor Bill de Blasio: Well, everybody I'm really encouraged by what I see here at Village Academy. So, we're out in Far Rockaway. We are at a school that really speaks to me because this is a school created by an educator who wanted to do something different, wanted to do something better for the kids in this community. This is a community that's had its share of troubles and challenges over the years. But what Doris Lee has done is create a school that really responds to the needs of the community and uplifts the kids and Doris, I really want to thank you. It takes a lot to be an educator. It takes even more to create a school, to found a school and then make it something great. So, really want to thank you for all you have achieved, and then on top of that, when the Chancellor and I talked to Doris about what it's going to take to get ready – look, we have a month to go now till school begins, and I said, Doris, how's it looking? What are you doing? And she said, we've got a lot of educators who care about kids. They want to be there for the kids. We're going to make this work. It's going to take creativity and flexibility of course, we're dealing with a lot of things we’ve never dealt with before, but what I heard loud and clear in this leader's voice is we're going to make it work for the kids and we're going to make it safe and healthy for the kids, and that is the spirit you see here in this school.

 

So, as the Chancellor and I walked around, you see a lot of things that are different. You see the hallways are marked, so you go one way on one side, the other way. On the other side, you saw the spacing of the desk. I've never seen a classroom was so few kids who will be in it. I mean, think about it. We saw classrooms that are going to have no more than 10 kids in them. So, you're going to have the distancing. We saw the electrostatic cleaning. This is a game changer. The custodian told us that he can clean that room in two minutes or less and make it, every day, safe for kids. I mean, these are the powerful tools, and of course everyone with a face covering, the fact that kids are going to be eating at their desks. They're not going to the cafeteria for lunch. They're going to be eating at their desks. There's a lot of things here that are being done and they're common sense plans that are going to keep our kids safe.

 

So, I'm just really impressed that it's a whole month until school begins, and this much is already ready here at the Village Academy, and this is happening all over the school system. Principals, administrators, teachers, they're all working hard right now because they're entirely devoted to their kids. That's what I've learned over the years as a public school parent myself, and here's what I want to finish with before I turn the Chancellor. What is the alternative? The alternative is to deprive our kids the very best education available because I haven't met an educator that believes you can do the same things with remote learning that you can do in person. Even if you only do it a few days a week, the amount of education you can provide a kid, the amount of support and tutoring, the amount of mentoring, the amount of attention you can provide to their health, including their mental health needs in person is a measurably more than you can do remotely. We owe it to our kids to get this right. So, we're moving forward with that spirit of devotion to our children, and now turning to the man who has stuck with it every step of the way and is inspiring a team to move forward and get this right, our Chancellor Richard Carranza.

 

Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just want to start off by absolutely adding to what you said about this incredible principal, Dr. Doris Lee, what an amazing job you're doing here. So, thank you. Thanks for taking us on a tour. I know that the students here at the Village Academy will be in very good hands when school starts in September, and the other thing I wanted to say is for a whole group of individuals that don't always get the recognition they deserve. I want to give a huge shout out to our custodial engineers, right here at this campus. What we saw here today is a lot of hard work, a lot of thoughtfulness and a real dedication to make sure that this site is safe for children and those that serve the children. So, the custodial engineers, I just want to say thank you for your hard work, and it sure feels good to be back in a school. During normal times, I'm usually out at schools at least twice, three times a week, and what I saw today is one of the things that I know is absolutely true. The people that know their schools the best are our principals, and what Doris and her team are doing here is possible because of the circumstances that they have in the configuration of their building and what the families want and how students will be in their buildings. That's what we've tried to do to, give guidance but then give the flexibility for principals who know their school sites best to actually implement all of those best practices. So, what do we see? Every classroom will have a hand sanitizer and a disinfectant available, face coverings are going to be required, and those who don't have a face covering, we will provide one for them. Social distancing, which the Mayor spoke of. We saw it in two different configurations in two different classes, but it's mandated, and as we saw rooms will be configured in different ways to accommodate for this using tape and markings and making sure that it's very clear where people are to go and not to go. Students will have individual spaces. So, there's no possibility of overlap between students, and we saw a demonstration of the electrostatic cleaner actually in use today. It was pretty amazing, right, sir. I think the Mayor and I geeked out a little bit on that because it's a neat new tool. But as the Mayor said in under two minutes, you can sanitize completely disinfect and sanitize a classroom, which should be a real sign of comfort to our parents wondering how are you going to do this every single night.

 

We're also here to thank our educators and school leaders for the tremendous work that they're doing in a school year that is unlike any that we have ever, ever faced before. Now, speaking to families, I want to be very clear to our families. This fall will be unlike any other fall we've ever experienced where students run into school and they hug each other and they're jumping over each other and they congregate in the cafeteria and they're hugging on the way to classes in the hallways – that will not happen this year. It will be very different. So, for parents, what can you do to help us as true partners? Start having those conversations with your children, start talking to your children about why it's important – it may be inconvenient, but why it's important that you wear your face covering all at all times. Why it's important that you maintain distance between you and your super best friend. It doesn't mean they're not your best friend. It just means you're keeping the distance to help them stay safe and help you stay safe. Why it's important that you follow the directional signs on hallway floors, all of those things that will be different. We should start talking to our children now, before they ever get to school, because it's important for students to understand that this fall will also be very different than anything that they've experienced and undergirding all of that is that we will continue have the strictest regimen for cleaning and for making sure that as we keep the virus in terms of community spread suppressed, it's only going to be possible by all of us continuing to do our part, and that includes our students, our parents, and our educators in all of the safety protocols that we have in place. So with that, I just, again, want to thank our principal, Dr. Lee for the tour. Mr. Mayor, thank you for coming out and seeing this firsthand and I'll turn it back over the Mayor.

  

MAYOR DE BLASIO EXPANDS HYPER-LOCAL TESTING RESPONSE IN SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN TO SPIKE IN COVID-19

 

Effort will combine testing and comprehensive outreach to reach all 38,000 residents of Sunset Park through Friday, August 21st


  Mayor de Blasio today announced that the City will activate the next stage of its hyper-local COVID-19 response in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. As the area continues to see low testing rates and higher rates of positivity, the City will deploy additional testing and outreach resources to ensure residents can immediately safely separate and receive assistance through supportive services, such as food and financial counseling

 

"A warning sign is blinking, and we are flooding the zone in Sunset Park to reach as many people as we can,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "We know that testing and tracing is the key to reopening our city safely, which is why we are doing everything we can to connect people with the resources they need to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

 

With the goal of reaching 38,000 residents of Sunset Park, the City will launch an extensive outreach campaign using door knocking and robocalls. By the end of the week, all residents will receive a live call from the Test & Trace Corps urging residents to get tested and directions on how to access other COVID-19 supportive resources.

 

The City will also deploy additional mobile testing units in two locations: 44th & 6th Avenue and Brooklyn Herald Gospel Center (CORE Site) on 44th Street. Sites can be accessed without an appointment. 

 

Corner of 44th Street and 6th Avenue

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Wednesday, August 12th - Friday, August 14th 

 

Brooklyn Herald Gospel Center (CORE Site)

809 44th Street

10:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Saturday, August 15th- Sunday, August 16th

 

Beginning today, Expanded Urgicare Testing with AdvantageCare Physicians will be available at 740 64th Street. Appointments are available by calling (866) 749-2660. Rapid point of care testing at the Brooklyn Army Terminal will launch Monday, August 17th

 

Test & Trace Corps is the City's comprehensive effort to test, trace, and treat every case of COVID-19. Through a partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Test & Trace Corps allows the City to immediately isolate and care for those who test positive for the virus and then rapidly track, assess, and quarantine anyone they may have infected.

 

Additional information on the Test & Trace Corps, including program metrics, is available here.


Manhattan Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Attempting To Provide Material Support To Terrorist Organization

 

Jesus Wilfredo Encarnacion Attempted to Travel Overseas to Join Lashkar e-Tayyiba

  Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and John C. Demers, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, announced today that JESUS WILFREDO ENCARNACION, a/k/a “Jihadistsoldgier,” “Jihadinhear,” “Jihadinheart,” “Lionofthegood,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to Lashkar e-Tayyiba (“LeT”), a Pakistan-based designated foreign terrorist organization responsible for multiple high-profile attacks, including the infamous Mumbai attacks in November 2008.  ENCARNACION pled guilty on January 22, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who also imposed today’s sentence.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Jesus Encarnacion plotted to travel abroad, to join and train with Lashkar e-Tayyiba, infamous worldwide for the jihadist murder of innocent civilians, and to carry out shootings, bombings, and beheadings on behalf of that terrorist organization.  Thanks to the FBI, the NYPD, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Encarnacion has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his crime.”

Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers said:  “Unfortunately, individuals continue to attempt to travel to foreign countries to support terrorist organizations.  Encarnacion’s sentence reflects the seriousness with which the justice system takes these efforts.  The National Security Division remains committed to identifying and holding accountable those who seek to join and support designated foreign terrorist organizations.”

According to the criminal Complaint, Indictment, other court filings, and statements during court proceedings:

In November 2018, ENCARNACION expressed his desire to join a terrorist group in an online group chat, where he met another individual (“CC-1”).  CC-1 introduced ENCARNACION to an individual who, unbeknownst to CC-1 or ENCARNACION, was in fact an undercover FBI employee (“UC-1”).  ENCARNACION repeatedly expressed, in the course of recorded communications through a social media service with CC-1 and through an encrypted messaging service with UC-1, his allegiance to and support for LeT, which, since approximately 2001, has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by both the United States Secretary of State and the Immigration and Nationality Act. 

Over several months, ENCARNACION discussed his desire and plans to join LeT overseas so that he could receive training and participate in violent acts of terrorism.  For example, ENCARNACION told UC-1 that he was “ready to kill and die in the name of Allah” and sought UC-1’s assistance to help ENCARNACION travel abroad to serve as an “executioner” for LeT, stating, “I want to execute.  I want to behead.  Shoot.”  ENCARNACION further stated that he aspired to commit terrorist attacks (“a bombing and shooting”) in the United States, but lacked “guidance” and “guns” to do so.

By early 2019, ENCARNACION and UC-1 agreed on a plan that ENCARNACION believed would allow him to join LeT in Pakistan.  ENCARNACION told UC-1 that he had made arrangements to travel to a particular city in Europe (the “European City”), as the first step in traveling to Pakistan to join LeT.  ENCARNACION purchased an airline ticket for a flight scheduled to depart on February 7, 2019, from John F. Kennedy International Airport (“JFK Airport”) to the European City.  On February 7, 2019, ENCARNACION traveled to JFK Airport, where he was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) after he attempted to board that flight.

In addition to the prison term, ENCARNACION was also sentenced to serve a life term of supervised release.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies.  Ms. Strauss also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, as well as the New York Office of U. S. Customs and Border Protection.