WILLIAMS RESPONDS TO NEW YORK COUNTY SUPREME COURT RULING ON IN-PERSON BALLOT ACCESS PETITIONING

 

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams released the following statement in response to the New York County Supreme Court's decision in JUMAANE WILLIAMS et al, v. ANDREW CUOMO et al, which challenged mass in-person petitioning requirements for candidates seeking to gain ballot access during the pandemic.

"We are disappointed but undeterred by the Judge's decision in the case, and immediately plan to appeal. But our most fervent appeal is to Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo. The fact that the court is not legally forcing them to do the right thing at this time is neither reason nor excuse not to do it. Today's decision does not preclude them from taking action, in fact, it makes it all the more necessary.  

"In just over a week, hundreds of candidates across our city and state will be required to send thousands of volunteers to have in-person contact with hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in order to collect signatures and access the 2021 ballot. As the judge pointed out, some people may defy the CDC's social distancing guidance, but after a year of trying to prevent superspreader events, that is not a reason for our government to mandate one by requiring in-person petitioning over weeks and across our city and state. No course of action is perfect, but immediate action to stop the mass collection of signatures in this moment- given the danger that it poses- is a moral and governing obligation."

$1.8 Million in Cash Infusion Grants & Services for Bronx Small Businesses

The Bronx Community Foundation in Partnership with Bronx Business Improvement Districts Continues Comprehensive Small Business Recovery Strategy 

The Bronx Community Foundation in partnership with Bronx Business Improvement Districts (BID’s) and The New Bronx Chamber of Commerce provided $1.4 million in cash grants to borough small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  In addition to cash infusion grants this innovative partnership among The Bronx Community Foundation and the Bronx’s leading equitable economic development organizations has developed a borough-wide strategy which supports small business capacity building, connectivity and technology, in-business COVID-19 testing, and targeted restaurant support programs. To date, partnership activities include: Deployment of $1.4 million in cash infusion grants to Bronx small businesses with an emphasis on businesses owned by women and people of color Invested $250,000 in building outdoor dining structures and providing heaters to support Bronx restaurants in conjunction with the NYC Open Street Dining Program Invested $20,000 in outdoor dining winterization programs In partnership with the Bronx Business Organization Coalition, provided technical assistance to Bronx businesses applying to the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Funding for the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership to provide strategic and customized business services through a 12-month Success Circle Program. Robust advocacy with City, State, and Federal partners to create a borough-based economic recovery strategy inclusive of workforce development, technology and connectivity, direct business assistance, and targeted advocacy efforts. The Foundation works closely with Bronx equitable economic development organizations including: Third Avenue Business Improvement District, The New Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District, Westchester Square Business Improvement District, Throggs Neck Business Improvement District, Southern Boulevard Business Improvement District, Fordham Road Business Improvement District, BOC-Network, BOEDC, SoBRO, and the Business Initiative Corporation of NY. “As COVID created a health pandemic, the underlying economic pandemic became even greater for Small, Minority and Women owned Businesses in The Bronx.” noted Michael Blake, former NYS Assemblymember and Vice Chair for the Democratic National Committee. The collaboration between The Bronx Community Foundation, the Third Avenue Business Improvement District and business allies throughout The Bronx truly helped save and sustain many Bronx Businesses so that their dreams were not lost due to circumstances out of their control. From grants to pay rent and utilities to financial capability training to Access to Capital, we came together led by Derrick Lewis, Desmon Lewis, Michael Brady and their respective teams to restore hope and economic possibilities to our Bronx Businesses.” “Over the last decade, prior to the pandemic, Bronx based businesses were on a trajectory of growth. These businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy”, said Desmon Lewis, Co-Founder of The Bronx Community Foundation. “When the pandemic hit, we quickly needed to work with and mobilize alongside our partners to support immediate relief to stabilize Bronx commercial districts and keep as many of our small businesses open. We thank all of our partners who are standing shoulder to shoulder with us to help with emergency relief, but who are also working with the Foundation on building and instituting a framework for economic recovery post the pandemic in The Bronx.” “Small businesses have been deeply affected by the COVID-19 crisis and failure of government to coordinate actions to protect our most vulnerable stakeholders.” stated Michael Brady, CEO of the Third Avenue Business Improvement District. “Our city wide and local economies rely on small businesses to employ over 50% of New York City’s workforce.  Small businesses add over $950 billion in revenue for New York State.  Yet, during a time of mandated closures received little support.  Third Avenue BID is grateful to have partnered with The Bronx Community Foundation to support our Bronx businesses when others turned their backs and we are proud to continue our work and partnership into the future.” “The Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District is grateful to our Bronx business organization partners, the Bronx Community Foundation for their work to support Bronx small businesses.” said Jennifer Tausig, Executive Director of the Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District. “When less than 1% of the grants from the City went to the Bronx, the Foundation and our partners stepped up and provided our businesses with a lifeline they so desperately needed, when no one else did. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Foundation to support the people, families, non-profits and small businesses in the Bronx.” “The Bronx Foundation Small Business Grants and the collaborative grassroots work of Bronx business service organizations has been a lifeline for so many of our borough’s small businesses as they face unprecedented challenges.” said Lisa Sorin, President of The Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud to continue our partnership, as we help to equitably rebuild our borough one business at a time.” “We were crying with tears of joy due to the generosity of The Bronx Community Foundation and Third Avenue BID.” stated Claudia and Richard Berroa, owners of Claudy’s Kitchen located in Kingsbridge “We are beyond words grateful for this support during the COVID-19 pandemic.”   “The pandemic has challenged so many small businesses in our area forcing many to close.” noted Rajab Elsayed, owner of Raj’s Menswear in the South Bronx. “We are grateful for the funding support and also the continued services of the Bronx Community Foundation and Third Avenue BID. We know that we have someone in our corner to help us - this is important for all small businesses.”   The Bronx Community Foundation (Bx.C.F.) is the first and only community foundation in The Bronx, solely dedicated to delivering resources to the diverse, vibrant, and hard-working people of the borough. The foundation's focus is on meeting the shared outcomes of increasing economic security, advancing inclusivity and sustainability, advocating for social, economic, environmental, and racial justice, increasing access to quality education, healthcare, strengthening community resiliency and vitality, accelerating innovation, and supporting generational change throughout The Bronx. Bx.C.F. takes a place-based strategic approach toward philanthropy.  To make significant progress, the foundation works collaboratively with the community to help develop and advance a community-wide common agenda toward solving challenges.  The Bronx Community Relief Effort, the foundation COVID-19 program, supports effective, on-the-ground operations that are focused on meeting the most essential needs of The Bronx community. This includes filling gaps in public financing and broader grant programs.  To learn more about The Bronx Community Foundation or to contribute visit: www.thebronx.org

FOOD FORWARD NYC: CITY RELEASES 10-YEAR FOOD POLICY PLAN

 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Mayor's Office of Food Policy (MOFP) announced today the release of the City’s first ever 10-Year Food Policy Plan, "Food Forward NYC," a comprehensive framework for a more racially and economically equitable, sustainable and healthy food system for all New Yorkers that addresses the profound social, economic, health, and environmental challenges currently facing our city. 

“When COVID-19 hit, I made a promise to ensure no New Yorker goes hungry due to the pandemic,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We quickly mobilized to create GetFoodNYC and have distributed more than 200 million meals to New Yorkers. This 10-Year Food Policy Plan builds on top of this emergency effort and centers racial and economic justice in our food system in the long term.”

 

“The City's food system impacts the lives of each and every New Yorker. For New Yorkers to thrive, we must have a thriving food system. Our food system provides jobs to millions of our neighbors, builds community and strengthens relationships, affects our environment, and ensures culturally appropriate nourishment for us all. Food Forward NYC provides a comprehensive and visionary path forward to intentionally create a more equitable, inclusive food environment in the City,” said Kate MacKenzie, Director of Mayor’s Office of Food Policy. “This plan is long-term and wide-ranging, the City is partnering inside and outside of government to systematically improve our food system for all New Yorkers.” 

 

“Food and food access is central to New Yorkers’ overall health and wellbeing, providing needed nutrition, creating opportunities for community building and cultural exchange, and importantly offering a vital source of economic opportunity” said Melanie Hartzog, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. “With the pandemic revealing deep inequalities and socio-economic disparities across race, class, and neighborhood in New York City, there is no better time to release our roadmap and long-term vision for a stronger, more equitable food system.”

 

“Food Forward NYC lays out an ambitious interagency plan that makes food a major priority for City agencies,” said Laura Anglin, Deputy Mayor for Operations. “The plan provides a strategic framework for building back an even stronger food system. The strategies and actions outlined in Food Forward NYC reflect the sophisticated understanding City agencies developed about the food system over the last few months of the COVID-19 crisis.”

 

“Securing New York City’s food system is foundational to ensuring our economic vitality," said Vicki Been, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development. "Food Forward NYC fortifies our food system by further embedding it into infrastructure connections, the local economy, and the larger metro region. The plan is a first step in creating a more equitable, sustainable, and healthful food system by 2030." 

 

“As New York City continues to find ways to meet our immediate food security needs that the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated, we must also be focused on long term solutions for equity and accessibility in our citywide food systems, said J. Phillip Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives.  "Food Forward NYC," the City's first ever 10-year food policy plan, lays out a blueprint inspired by our highest aspirations for all New Yorkers in the future to have the access to healthy and affordable food so badly needed, and for a food economy that priorities good jobs and economic democracy in the food sector." 

 

As the city faces unprecedented levels of food insecurity, there is no more important time than now to lay out the roadmap to building back an even better food system. Over the course of the pandemic, MOFP has demonstrated -- through initiatives with City agencies, elected officials, community-based organizations, and other partners—what working together to create a better food system looks like. As the City distributes the 200 millionth meal through the GetFoodNYC emergency relief program, we now have a much deeper understanding of the unique issues facing our food system and we have used these lessons learned to inform Forward Food NYC.

 

Food Forward NYC emphasizes the importance of choice - enabling a food system where everyone should be able to access the food they want wherever they may want it. To enable this choice, we need to support both our food workers and our food businesses. To strengthen the sustainability and resiliency of our food system, we need to rethink our food infrastructure and deepen our connections with the region.

 

Food Forward NYC is organized around five overarching goals:

1.      All New Yorkers have multiple ways to access healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food.

2.      New York City’s food economy drives economic opportunity and provides good jobs.

3.      The supply chains that feed New York City are modern, efficient, and resilient. 

4.      New York City’s food is produced, distributed, and disposed of sustainably. 

5.      Support the systems and knowledge to implement the 10-year food policy plan.

 

The full report is available here.

 

The plan recognizes some of our most promising strategies fall outside of the purview of city government, and calls on the City’s partners to work together on shared goals for building a strong food system. The plan follows months of engagement with hundreds of New Yorkers across all sectors of the food system. In the coming months, the MOFP will continue the conversation with residents, community-based organizations and civic leaders, academic and health institutions, private for-profit and philanthropic partners, and elected officials to refine our strategies and develop shared metrics of success.

 

“When I launched Growing Food Equity in New York City in 2019, establishing a multi-year food plan was a key part of our legislative agenda to tackle racial, economic, and environmental inequity in our food system. The pandemic has only further demonstrated the need for coordinated, long-term planning and action to eliminate the disparities that persists among New Yorkers’ food options, quality and adequacy of food, and access to growing land and green spaces. The Council looks forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure this vital tool leads to a more fair, resilient and sustainable food system," said Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

About the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy

The Mayor’s Office of Food Policy was created through Executive Order in 2008 and has worked since inception to elevate and advance the City’s food policy agenda; increasing food security, promoting access to and consumption of healthy foods, and supporting economic opportunity and environmental sustainability in the food system. The Office places a critical facilitation role between City agencies and partners. Through this work, the Office has been a central partner in developing the NYC Food Standards, ensuring Universal Schools Breakfast and Lunch, and leading the annual Food Metrics Report. New York City’s advanced and innovative food policy work has become recognized nationally and internationally, including the Department of Education’s Meatless Mondays and elimination of processed meats. The City has advanced progressive food policy reform, expanding the number of farmers markets throughout the City, reducing allowable levels of sodium in meals provided by all City agencies, and expanding Universal Breakfast and Lunch for all New York City school children. 

 

DiNAPOLI: FIRSTENERGY CORP. AGREES TO DISCLOSE ITS POLITICAL SPENDING

 

Comptroller Calls on Companies to Publicly Disclose Spending on Political Causes

 The New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) has reached an agreement with Ohio-based utility FirstEnergy Corp. to comprehensively disclose its political spending, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, trustee of the Fund, announced today. In response to the agreement, the Fund withdrew its shareholder resolution with the Ohio-based electric utility.

“Many publicly traded companies use corporate funds to influence the political process and it is important investors know how that money is being spent,” DiNapoli said. “This is a positive step for a company that has run into significant troubles with its political spending. Transparency is crucial and so is accountability. In a starkly divided country, companies need to answer whether the benefits of political donations outweigh the risks.”

The company agreed to the Fund’s request to post semi-annual comprehensive reports listing its corporate spending on candidates, political parties, ballot measures, payments over $25,000 to any trade associations used for political purposes and payments made to any organization that writes and endorses model legislation.

Publicly available records show FirstEnergy, which serves 6 million customers in seven states, has contributed at least $4.5 million in corporate funds since the 2010 election cycle, but that does not provide a complete picture of the company’s electoral spending.           

FirstEnergy is currently facing federal public corruption charges involving both criminal and civil allegations that the company and its affiliates used “secret payments” totaling over $60 million in exchange for a bailout. This illustrates how undisclosed corporate political activity can backfire and harm a company’s reputation, create litigation risks and impact shareholder value.

During the 2021 proxy season, the Fund filed five shareholder proposals seeking a public report disclosing companies’ direct and indirect political spending and disclosure of lobbying expenditures, including contributions to independent committees, and the portion of trade association dues used for political purposes. Discussions are ongoing, with more agreements expected in the coming weeks.

Since the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling striking down certain restraints on corporate political spending, DiNapoli has made it a priority to engage the Fund's portfolio companies in disclosing their political spending. The proposals filed by the Fund ask companies for comprehensive and public reports that list their corporate spending on candidates, political parties, ballot measures, any direct or indirect state and federal lobbying, payments to any trade associations used for political purposes, and payments made to any organization that writes and endorses model legislation.

NYS Common Retirement Fund’s Political Spending and Lobbying Disclosure Engagement

Since 2010, the Fund has filed over 155 shareholder proposals on political spending and 43 companies have adopted or agreed to adopt such disclosure, including Bank of America Corp., Delta Airlines and PepsiCo Inc.

New York State Common Retirement Fund

The New York State Common Retirement Fund is the third largest public pension fund in the United States with assets of approximately $247.7 billion as of Dec. 31, 2020. The Fund holds and invests the assets of the New York State and Local Retirement System on behalf of more than one million state and local government employees and retirees and their beneficiaries. It has consistently been ranked as one of the best managed and best funded plans in the nation.

Find out how your government money is spent at Open Book New York. Track municipal spending, the state's 180,000 contracts, billions in state payments and public authority data. Visit the Reading Room for contract FOIL requests, bid protest decisions and commonly requested data.

Comptroller Stringer Presents FY 2022 Preliminary Budget Analysis

 

FY 2022 budget balanced despite first decline in property tax revenues in quarter century, due to stronger non-property tax revenues, and with over 40 percent of savings derived from debt refinancings

Urges strategic use of one-time federal stimulus funds to provide urgently needed assistance to individuals and businesses, and to make investments toward building a new City economy

 Today New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer delivered his annual analysis of New York City’s Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). Comptroller Stringer noted that, despite ongoing challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic — including a stalled job recovery, decreased small business revenue, slow vaccine rollout, and lower property tax revenues — the City was able to close a $5.5 billion gap for FY22 largely due to the strength of personal income and businesses tax revenues, and with over $800 million in debt service savings already realized this year and next, which contributed over 40 percent to the gap-closing program.

Comptroller Stringer urged strategic deployment of billions in anticipated federal aid to jumpstart the economy and help New Yorkers through the crisis. Specifically, Comptroller Stringer called for extending the social safety net to undocumented workers, supporting students and schools, relieving the crushing debt burden for taxi drivers, immediate aid for restaurants, support for performance industry businesses, and tax credits for retail in high-vacancy corridors. Funds from President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan must be used to begin the process of rebuilding the city economy.

“The challenges of the pandemic and the economic crisis aren’t yet behind us. From a slowed economic recovery to a rocky vaccine rollout, our city still has a difficult road ahead. We need to strategically use our long-awaited federal stimulus funds to rebuild and recover, and the most vulnerable New Yorkers that have been hit hardest must be centered in our recovery,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “We cannot reopen the same economy we closed. We have a moral and fiscal imperative to make immediate and longer-term investments to bring New Yorkers out of crisis, stabilize and strengthen the City’s finances, and create a more fair and equitable economy going forward.”

The Comptroller’s  presentation covered several aspects of the City Preliminary Budget and the state of the city’s economy, including:

Current Economic Situation

• The city’s economy has slowed, with job growth turning negative in the last couple of months.

• Jobs at hotels, restaurants, arts, entertainment, and personal services were still down 37.1 percent in December 2020 compared to pre-pandemic levels; those jobs earn on average less than $50,000, compared to over $200,000 for jobs in the least impacted sectors such as finance, information, and professional and technical services, where jobs were down just 4.5 percent.

• Small businesses are still struggling, with 30 percent fewer businesses open today than before the pandemic, and revenues down 50 percent.
• The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been rocky with unstable supply and inequitable, unorganized distribution.
• The economic shutdown has taken its toll on property values — down for apartment buildings, office buildings, stores, and hotels most substantially. For the first time in 25 years, property tax revenues will decline for the coming year — down 4.3 percent.

• Non-property taxes — especially the personal income tax and business tax — have held up better than the property tax with a projected gain of $0.9 billion in FY22 and subsequently increasing over the next three years.

• These tax sources have increased above earlier projections in large part due to Wall Street raking in $38 billion in profits in the last three quarters — more than at any time since the bank bailout of 2009.
• Income tax revenues have also performed better than expected because high-earners lost fewer jobs, with only a 4.5 percent decline in jobs.
• The most vulnerable workers are being hurt the most by the economic crisis as the wealthiest continue to be employed and increase their earnings.

The FY22 Preliminary Budget 

• The Mayor’s $92.3 billion budget will grow with the addition of new federal stimulus funds, and is projected to grow over the next three fiscal years as expenditures outpace revenues.
• The Preliminary Budget closes a $5.5 billion gap through a combination of $1 billion in savings, $1.15 billion dollars drawn down from next year’s contingency reserves — leaving just $100 million dollars in reserves for next year — $326 million in debt refinancing, lower pension contributions, and an additional surplus of $2.7 billion dollars from the current year due in large measure to income and business tax revenues performing better than expected.
• Budget gaps are projected to remain substantial — $4.31 billion dollars in FY23, $4.19 billion in FY24, and $4.28 billion in FY25.

• The State Budget has pushed $1.3 billion in costs to the City over the last five years including cost shifts, sales tax intercepts, and unfunded mandates.

• This year’s State Budget would cut back $800 million in State education funds, substituting federal funds from December’s stimulus bill, along with another $220 million in other costs.

• The State’s long-term budget outlook could leave the City with even larger shortfalls in the future.

Addressing Immediate Needs of New Yorkers

• Higher FEMA reimbursements announced last month will yield $1 billion in funding and the American Rescue Plan is expected to yield approximately $5.6 billion for the City.

• Noting that stimulus funds are one-time resources, Comptroller Stringer urged that they be used strategically to help vulnerable New Yorkers, and jump-start the City’s economy.

• Help for individuals includes extending the social safety net; cancelling rent for those families ineligible for the federal emergency rental assistance program; funding a $25 million emergency food program to combat food insecurity; supporting undocumented immigrants; supporting students and schools through reopening costs for ventilation systems and other modifications, learning loss and emotional needs, and relieving crushing debt burdens for taxi drivers.

• The Comptroller also called for immediate actions to jumpstart the economy, including tax credits or grants for struggling restaurants, support for performance industry businesses, and tax credits for retail in high-vacancy corridors.

Long-Term Economic Recovery

The Comptroller also called for new investments to build a more equitable economy for the future — funded by new revenue streams from the Invest in Our New York agenda:

• Affordable housing for the lowest-income households and New Yorkers on the brink of eviction and homelessness.
• Investments in rebuilding NYCHA and delivering on the promise of public housing.
• Childcare so working families, and especially women, can rejoin the workforce.
• Healthcare to correct longstanding inequities in access and outcomes laid bare and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Investments in public safety through the lens of public health to end mass incarceration and the criminalization of poverty.
• Transit and streetscapes to enable all New Yorkers to move easily from home to work and school, regardless of their zip code.
• Resiliency, sustainability and the green economy for the future of our city and planet.
• Workforce development to give all New Yorkers the skills they need in the post-pandemic economy.

To view Comptroller Stringer’s full FY22 Preliminary Budget presentation, click here.

Governor Cuomo Announces Expanded Guidelines for Nursing Home Visitations

 

Visitations Under Expanded Guidance Can Begin on February 26 In Accordance with CMS and CDC Guidelines 

Department of Health Strongly Recommends Nursing Home Visitors Take a Rapid Test Before Entry; DOH Will Provide Rapid Tests to Nursing Homes at No Cost to Visitors 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced new, expanded guidelines for visitation of residents in nursing home facilities in accordance with CMS and CDC guidelines to begin on February 26. The Department of Health recommends that visitors take a rapid test before entry into the facility, and DOH will provide rapid tests to nursing homes to facilitate their ability to test visitors on-site and at no cost. Visitation continues to depend on the nursing home facility being free of COVID-19 cases for 14 days and the facility is not currently conducting outbreak testing.

"One of the most devastating aspects of this virus has been how it separated families from their loved ones, making an already difficult situation even harder to bear," Governor Cuomo said. "Thanks to the dedication of New Yorkers, we're now at a point where we can begin to expand nursing home visitations under strict guidelines to protect the health and safety of residents."

For counties with COVID-19 positivity rates between 5-10 percent on a 7-day rolling average, visitor testing is required and visitors must either present with a negative COVID-19 test, either PCR or rapid, within 72 hours or facilities may utilize rapid tests to meet the requirement. For counties with COVID-19 positivity rates below 5 percent on a 7-day rolling average, visitor testing is strongly encouraged and rapid tests may be utilized. Alternatively, visitors may provide proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccination no less than 14 days from the date of the visit and no more than 90 days prior to the visit. Visitation will not be permitted if the county's COVID-19 positivity rate is greater than ten percent. Compassionate care visits are always permitted. 

Based on the needs of residents and a facility's structure, visitation can be conducted in resident rooms, dedicated visitation spaces and outdoors. The number of visitors to the nursing home must not exceed 20 percent of the resident census at any time and the number of visitors and time allocated to visitation should be considerate of this capacity limitation.

Full DOH guidance for nursing home visitation can be found here.

THE BRONX DEMS RELEASE THEIR ENDORSEMENTs FOR CD 13 AND CD 18 WHERE BOTH INCUMBENTS ARE NOT SEEKING RE-ELECTION

 

The Bronx Democratic Party announced its endorsement of Marjorie Velázquez in the City Council District 13 race. This seat is currently held by Council Member Mark Gjonaj, who will not seek reelection. Council District 13 covers the neighborhoods of Allerton, City Island, Country Club, Edgewater Park, Ferry Point, Locust Point, Morris Park, Pelham Bay, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway, Schuylerville, Silver Beach, Spencer Estates, Throggs Neck, Van Nest, Waterbury LaSalle, Westchester Square, and Zerega.

I’m proud to be one of those forward looking women and thank the Bronx Democratic Party for their endorsement. As we recover from the pandemic and all it has caused, the Bronx must be united so that residents in my district and throughout the Bronx can get the resources they need.” said Marjorie Velázquez

The Bronx Democratic Party announced its endorsement of Amanda Farías in the City Council District 18 race. This seat is currently held by Council Member Ruben Diaz Sr. who will not seek re-election. Council District 18 covers the neighborhoods of Soundview, Castle Hill, Parkchester, Clason Point, Harding Park and Shorehaven.

“I look forward to working with the new Bronx Dems chair, Jamaal Bailey, to expand democracy in the Bronx and ensure that the local county organization prioritizes transparency, accountability and our progressive values,” Amanda Farías said. “I’m hopeful that through our work together, we can begin to bridge the gap between previous party politics and progressivism in the Bronx. The growth and vibrancy of our communities cannot move forward and our democracy will remain stagnant, until we recognize the diversity of our values and prioritize a politics that is representative of and for the people.”

312 Days and Counting

 

I still have 312 days in office. It seems that the U.S. Attorney's office is investigating the nursing home problem of Governor Cuomo. They investigated me, and said there was not enough evidence to indict me. Preet do you need some help on the Cuomo case, what's that Preet Bharara is no longer the U.S. Attorney?