State Senator Gustavo Rivera - in Support of Hunts Point Produce Market Workers' Strike

 

"I want to express my unwavering support to the Hunts Point Produce Market's 1,400 Teamsters Local 202 drivers and loading dock workers who went on strike earlier today. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, these brave essential workers have dutifully performed their duties, putting their health and that of their families at risk in an effort to keep us fed during this unprecedented crisis. 

These workers, along with their union representatives, attempted to negotiate in good faith a small raise on their salaries. However, their efforts were only met with plain hostility. 

I call on the owners of the Hunts Point Produce Market to go back to the negotiating table and urge them to do right by their workers.

To the workers and Teamsters Local 202, I stand in solidarity with you and thank you for the work that you do to keep our City running."

EDITOR'S NOTE:

While we do not dispute the workers rights, we would remind Senator Rivera that the Hunts Point Produce Market is essential to the delivery of fresh produce and other foods to people who are having problems of their own. 

We would suggest that Senator Rivera and other Bronx elected officials should join the talks to stop or end quickly a strike where everyone loses, especially the people who need the food that will be in short supply.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Tax Revenues Through December Were $2.5 Billion Lower Than Last Year

 

State tax receipts through the first nine months of the state fiscal year were $2.5 billion lower than last year, but were $1.8 billion higher than anticipated by the state Division of the Budget (DOB), according to the monthly State Cash Report released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Tax receipts in the month of December totaled $8.4 billion, $422.5 million above last year, and $1.4 billion above DOB’s latest projections.

“December’s tax receipts were better than expected, but the revenue challenge is still with us,” DiNapoli said. “President-elect Biden’s proposed stimulus plan, with new aid to help states and localities fill gaps created by the COVID-19 pandemic, is another hopeful sign. We still have a long way to go, and it’s essential that leaders in Washington act on a robust plan of assistance as quickly as possible.”

Personal income tax receipts in December were $544.8 million, or 12.7 percent, above December 2019, due in part to an additional day of withholding in 2020. Sales tax receipts continued to fall short of the previous year in December, down $86.6 million, or 5.5 percent, from 2019. 

State Operating Funds spending through the first nine months of the fiscal year totaled $63.9 billion, which was $7.8 billion, or 10.8 percent, lower than last year. This is largely due to higher federal reimbursement for Medicaid spending, as well as the withholding of certain payments.  

As of December 31, the General Fund held a balance of $16.6 billion, $2 billion higher than DOB projections, and $8.4 billion higher than last year at the same time. The higher balance is driven partly by withheld payments as well as receipts from short-term borrowing that DOB anticipates repaying before the end of the fiscal year. The state has repaid $1 billion of that borrowing, with the remaining $3.4 billion due by March 31.

December Cash Report         

MAYOR DE BLASIO RELEASES MAJOR POLICE DISCIPLINE REFORMS

 

 

NYPD Discipline Matrix Part of Plan to Fulfill Obama Foundation Reimagining Policing Pledge

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today released the first NYPD Discipline Matrix, a major police discipline reform.

 

“For years, we have achieved major police department reforms and today’s announcement is just the start for the progress we will make together as a city in 2021,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With this new cutting-edge reform, the Police Department now has clear, fair and just discipline guidelines. This is about accountability, building trust and ensuring community engagement is centered in our approach.”

 

“This matrix, almost two years in the making, establishes clear and consistent presumptive penalties for specific offenses and eliminates the perception of favoritism or bias that can undermine our discipline process, as well as the department’s legitimacy in the eyes of the people we are sworn to serve and protect.  Moreover, the matrix reflects my commitment that every member of the service is held accountable for his or her conduct based upon reasonable standards. The matrix is meant to be a living document, open to further improvements as the needs of the police and the public naturally evolve,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.

 

"We appreciate this promising step the NYPD has taken to outline clearer rules of the road for their uniformed members of service,” said CCRB Chair Fred Davie. “The Board looks forward to reviewing the Department’s proposal, and engaging further with the public on the disciplinary matrix."

 

The matrix outlines presumptive penalties for instances of officer misconduct, which may be adjusted up or down in a set window based on aggravating and mitigating factors. Penalties escalate with repeated offenses. The reforms aim to increase fairness in the disciplinary system, and increase trust in the system among both members of the NYPD and the public, by improving:

• Accountability with penalties that are fair and proportional to the misconduct.
• Transparency, so that both members of service and the community know what discipline to expect when an officer breaks the rules.
• Consistency, so similar actions are treated similarly, and there is greater concurrence between the CCRB recommendations and NYPD decisions on penalties.

 

The discipline reforms are part of Mayor de Blasio’s plan to fulfill the Obama Foundation Reimagining Policing Pledge. The pledge, in partnership with the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, calls for Mayors to review, engage, report and reform. That multi-step process allowed the City to bring true community input into the formation of the discipline guidelines.

 

On August 30, 2020, NYPD released the draft disciplinary matrix for public comment. Feedback and input were solicited from the Department’s oversight organizations, as well as community and advocacy organizations. Over 400 comments were received and resulted in changes to strengthen and better adapt the guidelines to better reflect New Yorkers’ experiences.

 

The discipline guidelines are clear and simple to interpret for officers and community members alike. For example: 

· Use of excessive deadly force has a presumed penalty of termination.

· Racial profiling has presumed penalty of termination.

· Intentionally making a false official statement has a presumed penalty of termination.

· Insubordination has presumed penalty of 20 unpaid days.

· Recklessly operating a vehicle has presumed penalty of 20 unpaid days.

· Failure to report a lost firearm has presumed penalty of 10 unpaid days.

 

Any penalty could increase if there are aggravating factors like time allowing for deliberate reflection before the action, or if its motivated by personal interest.

 

All presumptive penalties can be viewed in the final Disciplinary System Penalty Guidelines here.

HUNTS POINT PRODUCE MARKET WORKERS’ UNION SCHEDULES STRIKE FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 17TH, AS NEGOTIATIONS ON NEW CONTRACT BREAK DOWN

 

1,400 MEMBERS OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL 202 HAVE KEPT NEW YORK FED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AS EMPLOYERS CASHED MORE THAN $15 MILLION IN FORGIVABLE PPP LOANS

 The unionized workers at the Hunts Point Produce Market are scheduled to go on strike on Sunday, January 17th, at 12:01 am after negotiations broke down when management refused to budge from a stingy offer for workers who kept New Yorkers fed through the pandemic. Union members are taking a strike vote on Saturday and scheduled to walk picket lines starting Sunday.

The majority of the workers have an average base salary between $18 and $21 an hour. Employers in the market, who collectively bill billions of dollars in annual sales, received more than $15 million in forgivable PPP loans during the pandemic.

Leaders of Teamsters Local 202 will hold a press conference on Sunday, January 17th, at 11 am, outside the main entrance to the market at 772 Edgewater Road in the Bronx. Elected officials are expected to join the Hunts Point union leaders at the press conference. 

 

Question of wrongdoing at the DSA

 

This came to us from the attention of Assemblyman Jose Rivera and Theo Chino

Is there something rotten in the DSA?

DSA backed candidates need to answer this charge of alleged fraud.

Council Member Mathieu Eugene Fined $10,717 for 2017 Campaign Violations

The fine was for nine violations of campaign finance law, including failure to report transactions and making impermissible post-election expenditures from his 2017 campaign. Councilman Eugene when first elected did not move into the district within thirty days so another special election had to be held which he also won. 

Councilman Eugene is running for Brooklyn Borough President, and they say that Bronx politics is bad.

The link to the story from the BKLYNER is below.

https://bklyner.com/council-member-mathieu-eugene-fined-10717-for-2017-campaign-violations/?mc_cid=c34ff43feb&mc_eid=abeb56f41b 

Representative Adriano Espaillat Introduces The Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2021

 

Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat released the following statement on the introduction of his comprehensive legislation to abolish the federal death penalty.

“The death penalty is a cruel relic of the past, and should have no place in our society,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). “A government should not have the power to take the life of another person, and the death penalty is a deeply flawed and inherently unjust system.

“The death penalty is fundamentally racist, and its roots can be traced directly to America’s terrible history of lynching. Over 42 percent of those on death row and 34 percent of those executed in America are Black, but only 13 percent of America’s population is black. Furthermore, those convicted of killing White victims are seventeen times more likely to be sentenced to death than would be if the victim was Black. The racial disparities in the death penalty are beyond the pale, and we must amend this racist legacy of our criminal justice system," Espaillat continued.

“Human life is invaluable, and every human life is sacred. Yet, the death penalty forgets a core tenet of humanity – human beings change. Humans have an immense capacity to learn, to heal, and to grow. Executing someone denies this principle and gives no course for a person to grow. A person is not defined by the worst choice they made, but the death penalty only views someone’s life through this narrow lens. And what’s more, it undermines the core vision upon which this nation was founded. I am proud to introduce this legislation, and believe it is a critical step towards a more righteous, equitable, and just society for all Americans,” he concluded.

The Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2021 has been endorsed by more than 200 organizations nationwide, including:  NAACP, ACLU, Amnesty International USA, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Innocence Project, National Black Justice Coalition, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Death Penalty Action, 8th Amendment Project, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Vera Institute of Justice, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Southern Center for Human Rights, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Equal Justice USA, Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, Grassroots Leadership, Drug Policy Alliance.

MAYOR DE BLASIO: CITY WILL RUN OUT OF VACCINE SUPPLY NEXT WEEK

 

THE CITY OF NEW YORK

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

NEW YORK, NY 10007

Mayor Bill de Blasio today said New York City is on pace to run out of vaccine supply next week and called on the federal government to send additional doses.

 

“We will run out of vaccine next week in New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The supply should go to where there is an infrastructure to get it into people’s arms. We know there is supply in this country not being used.”  

 

As of today, the City has under 186,000 first doses remaining. Two of the City’s largest hospital systems of NYU and Mt. Sinai are no longer booking appointments for the time being and we expect all systems to run out by the end of next week without resupply.

 

The City reported 33,847 doses yesterday and has already administered more than 337,500 doses to New Yorkers, including more than 42,000 second doses. The City has administered 71.3% percent of the 175,000 vaccines it aimed to distribute by the end of this weekend.