Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 11/8/21-11/12/21

 

Dear Community,

Last week, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The bill will serve to rebuild our roads, bridges, and railroads, deliver clean water to all American families, tackle the climate crisis, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, improve transportation options, and invest in our communities. The legislation also seeks to create good-paying union jobs and grow our economy. Visit here for more information on the legislation. 

The bill would bring billions of dollars to New York, allowing for important mass transit and infrastructure improvements. According to the White House, New York is expected to receive:

• $11.6 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $1.9 billion for bridge replacement and repairs over five years.
• $9.8 billion over five years to improve public transportation options across the state.
• $175 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state. 
• $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 186,754 New Yorkers who currently lack it. 
• $34 million over five years to protect against wildfires and $28 million to protect against cyberattacks. New Yorkers will also benefit from the bill’s historic $3.5 billion national investment in weatherization which will reduce energy costs for families. 
• $2.6 billion over five years to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.
• $685 million for infrastructure development for airports over five years.

Over the coming weeks, we expect to receive additional data and information on the impact of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act here in New York. This historic investment will improve the lives of millions of New York residents and create a generation of good-paying union jobs and economic growth. I look forward to the much needed improvements that this funding will bring to our state, and am grateful to our Congressional delegation for advocating for the best interests of New Yorkers. 

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi

51 Days and Counting

 

Here I am the spoiler in the governor's race. Who do I take out, or do I win to become your next governor of New York State. They love me in Brooklyn, They love me in Manhattan, They love me in Queen, and they love me in the Bronx. Who cares about Staten Island. 

They love me on Long Island, They love me on this side of the Tappen Zee Bridge, and that is where the majority of the votes are the lower metro area. If I can make it here I can make it anywhere New York, New York....

Veteran's Day at Peace Plaza

 

It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon at Peace Plaza located on Williamsbridge Road and Pelham Parkway North. Veterans Gene DeFrancis and Joseph Rondo were the co-hosts of this event. Gene De Francis mentioned that on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 a treaty was signed that ended what was known as World War One. That day was known as Armistice Day until 1954 when it was changed to Veterans Day to honor those who served in all wars the United States became involved in. This was a day to honor veterans who have returned home alive, while Memorial Day is for those who have lost their lives in battle. 

Several veterans were called up to say a few words to the usual crowd of close to one hundred people. Councilman Mark Gjonaj was the first elected official called up, and he deferred to the elder, and statewide elected official Assemblyman Michael Benedetto who said that each year the crowd seems to get a little smaller, and he could not understand that since there were more and more veterans each year. Councilman Gjonaj thanked Mr. Silvio Mazzella the organizer of the Veterans day and Memorial Day event at Peace Plaza. Gjonaj thanked Silvio's wife for attending in his place. 

Veteran Gene DeFrancis opened the 2021 Peace Plaza Veterans Day event, and turned the microphone over to Veteran Joseph Rondo.

Deputy Inspector Andrew Natiw said that while he has faced many different battle like scenes as a veteran police officer, that he never served in the Armed Forces, and he salutes those who have served. 

Assemblyman Michael Benedetto thanked the veterans and those who attended this event, but wondered with more veterans coming out of the Armed Forces, why does this crowd get smaller each year that goes by.

Outgoing Councilman Mark Gjonaj thanked the organizer of the Veterans Day and Memorial Day events Mr. silvio Mazzella who has been unable to attend the past two event due to health problems. Gjonaj thanked Silvio's wife for sitting in for him. 

Bronx Park East Community Association Pelham Parkway Construction Meeting

 

This meeting came about as one of the leaders of the Bronx Park East Community Association, Ms. Diana Finch was a member of the former Pelham Parkway Task Force that was disbanded by Community Board 11 in early 2021. The District Service Cabinet meeting minutes in April show that the District Manager said that there were many questions asking the consultant on the massive project if the Task Force should be reinstated. The consultant answered. no there is no need for a task force, that she would answer all questions, and meet with neighborhood organizations if they wanted more information. 

Wednesday night Ms. Joanna Rojas the consultant on the Pelham Parkway reconstruction, water distribution and sewer replacement project addressed the sparsely attended BPECA meeting that was held in PS 96. Ms. Finch directed a few questions at Ms. Rojas, which were only about the Boston Road area in BPECA, and then it was open to questions from the audience, where Ms. Rojas mentioned that the lowest bidder is selected for the project, and that the DDC had no knowledge that Con Edison was going to put a thirty inch gas line across the Pelham Parkway cutting a six foot gap in the newly reconstructed parkway foundation. 

The truth of how a contractor is chosen, is that low bidders are looked at, that a ten percent bond of the total cost must be put up by the contractor, and that three examples of similar projects must be provided for the DDC to assess the work quality. Cost overrun will also drive up a winning bid as the project is being done as is the case on the Pelham Parkway project. Ms. Rojas was wrong about not knowing that Con Edison was going to cut through the parkway if it was to be reconstructed before the anticipated gas line from the Mount Vernon city line to Hunts Point was put in first. In fact the DDC said that there was a short window of opportunity to lay the new parkway foundation, or it would have to be delayed until next year. 

It was also mentioned that the Department of Investigation has been asked to investigate why there is no community oversight through the proper city agency, the local community board. An investigation of why the project is costing so much, with many huge cost overruns, and construction that were not on the original plans. The DDC knew that Con Edison was going through the parkway with a thirty inch gas line and cutting a six foot gap in the concrete foundation leaving only sand underneath which shifts over time, and reconstructed the roadbed knowing what Con Edison was going to do. 

Ms. Finch welcomes those who came out to the meeting at PS 96.

Ms. Finch led the questioning of Ms. Rojas, the consultant on the project.

Ms. Rojas took questions from the audience.

One problem is the cracks in the asphalt and concrete sidewalk from all the drilling through the rock.

Here you can see how electric lines and other wires are tied together in the empty hole.

Then there is this storage area where trees once were at Pelham Parkway and Boston Road.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF FIRST-IN-THE-NATION VETERANS EMPLOYMENT TOOL

 

VetConnectPro connects Veterans to City and private sector jobs, mentorship, and translates over 7,000 military occupations to civilian service titles

 Mayor de Blasio and the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) today launched VetConnectPro, a first-in-the-nation employment tool that connects Veterans looking for work in the New York City public and private sector to matching employment opportunities. A model for other cities and states, the site provides Veterans and their families access to a wide array of hiring features, including a proprietary military skills translator, a dashboard that provides job postings from city agencies as well as information on local, state, and federal benefits, civil service exams, and recommended online job training.

 

“It’s often challenging for a Veteran who has faithfully served our country to translate the highly specialized abilities and skills that they have learned in the military into the civilian sector when they leave,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I’m proud that New York City is leading the way, making it easier than ever for Veterans to find employment, mentorship and resources with this first-in-the-nation tool.”

 

“When Veterans leave the service, they can feel overwhelmed trying to take the wide range of training that they received and showcase their skills to an employer,” said DVS Commissioner James Hendon. “VetConnectPro makes it easy for them to cut through the differences between the military and civilian world so these highly civically-engaged citizens can find jobs with the city and for NYC agencies to identify, reach, and hire Veterans.”

 

New York City is the first major municipality to build an employment tool for Veterans to have access to and connect to local job opportunities. The robust military translator, operated by JobPath, can translate and match over 7,000 military careers to job openings available on the site. The site also includes information about civil service exams, fee waivers for veterans, and special hiring programs for people with disabilities.

 

“Those who have served our country are proven invaluable public servants who strengthen our workforce and the fabric of our city,” said Deputy Mayor Phil Thompson. “This site is another step in our commitment to make New York City the most Veteran friendly city in the country and to help them tap into the rich ecosystem of jobs that are available here. 

 

Two city agencies, the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), are already using VetConnectPro to search for workers and assist Veterans seeking employment with additional agencies joining on an ongoing basis.

 

“SBS is thrilled to partner with DVS in offering this groundbreaking tool for our City's cherished Veterans,” said Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services Jonnel Doris. “We are committed to creating economic opportunity and security for New Yorkers, and this platform creates a holistic one-stop-shop for Veterans to connect to jobs where they can apply their valuable skills to another great purpose.”

 

“MOPD is thrilled to be a part of VetConnectPro, partnering with DVS and JobPath.com to connect all New Yorkers, including Veterans with disabilities, to jobs in city government through the 55-a program and opportunities in the private sector through our Business Development Council. By advancing NYC hiring through state of the art technology, MOPD’s NYC: ATWORK initiative and DVS finally have the system in place to engage and support the city’s largest untapped talent pipeline to obtain their career goals,” said NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities  Commissioner Victor Calise.

 

After launch, VetConnectPro will continue to open the site to private sector companies seeking to hire Veterans or spouses in the five boroughs.

 

VetConnectPro is powered by JobPath, the robust workforce development company that has developed technology to modernize how companies connect to military Veterans and their spouses. Other groups the company has worked with include Paralyzed Veterans of America, Hope for the Warriors, United Way’s Mission United, and the Air Force Association.

 

“We are very excited that the City of New York has chosen our technology as their preferred tool for Veteran hiring,” said Jack Fanous, CEO of JobPath. “JobPath was designed to serve as a technology solution for Veteran hiring, utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning to match employers to the most qualified candidates.”

 

VetConnectPro is the result of Executive Order 65 signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio in March 2021 calling for the creation of a tool that will assist Veterans in finding employment with the city and that will aid agencies in the hiring of Veterans. 

 

Veterans who would like to know more about DVS services can call (212) 416-5250 or visit www.nyc.gov/vets.

 

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - NOVEMBER 11, 2021

 

109,334 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

39 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.  

"We continue to closely watch the numbers across the state and while we keep our eyes open for any shifting trends, one thing that hasn't changed is this: the vaccine is our best weapon against COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "New Yorkers have showed the nation and the world how to beat back this virus time and time again. Now all we have left to do is make sure everyone, our children included, is getting the shot so we can end this pandemic for good."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 213,940
• Total Positive - 6,545
• Percent Positive - 3.06%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.90%
• Patient Hospitalization - 1,836 (-45)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 245
• Patients in ICU - 374 (-25)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 212 (-12)
• Total Discharges - 210,700 (+237)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 39
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 45,930

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 58,449

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

• Total vaccine doses administered - 28,082,234
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 109,334
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 614,392
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 85.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 77.3%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 88.7%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 79.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 72.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 65.5%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 75.3%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 67.3%

52 Days and Counting The Vetrans Day Parade on Fifth Avenue

 

Welcome, everybody, to the 102nd Annual Veterans Day Parade. The parade is back in full force, New York City is back, it is a great day. This is the largest parade in the United States of America and this year we feature and salute the Air Force. Thank you, General Brown. And thank you to all the members of the Air Force.  

 

Today, we pay tribute to the men and women who serve us in the armed forces and everyone who has down through the ages. My parents served in the World War II effort, as did my wife’s parents. We know what it means to honor those who were there for us. We have also seen in our family the cost of war and all that our veterans have to carry with them, which means this -- on Veterans Day, we not only praise our veterans, we need to support our veterans. We created the Department of Veteran Services in New York City to make sure veterans have the help they need. So, everyone, if you know a veteran who needs help, if you know a veteran who needs mental health support, if you know a veteran who’s homeless, if you know a veteran who needs a job, reach out that hand and help. Hire a veteran, it would be the best thing you ever do, because they bring so much to all of us.  

 

Everyone, today, New York City stands united in support of our veterans. Thank you for all the armed forces you have done to see us through COVID. We are indebted to all of you. And now, Mr. Grand Marshal, in recognition of your extraordinary service to this nation, we thank you. Fifth Avenue, sir, is yours.  

O.K. Charlene tomorrow all I have to do is go to Belle Harbor to make a speech at the Flight 587 20th Annual Memorial Service, and then appear on the Brian Lehrer radio show at 11, and we are off for the weekend.  

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE RELEASES REPORT ON MATERNAL HEALTH INEQUITIES

 

New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams today released a report on maternal health inequities, analyzing systemic issues and outlining potential policy solutions. It details issues of maternal morbidity and the pervasive but underdiscussed healthcare disparities that contribute to the problem both nationally and locally.

The report, Equitable Pregnancy Outcomes for Black and Brown New Yorkers, comes as the Public Advocate has been advancing city legislation on maternal health outcomes, and after he and his family shared their personal story and struggles with maternal healthcare inadequacies and inequities. 

"When I first began working on issues of Black and Brown maternal health, and on these bills, I had no idea how personally it would affect my family– but I knew, I had met and spoken with, the families of so many who had experienced inequity and tragic loss.” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams on the release of the report. “This report details the causes of maternal morbidity, the deep disparities in who receives adequate care and who faces greatest pain and tragedy. It tells the stories behind the statistics, and highlights solutions that can save lives. It is critical, it is urgent, that we pass these bills in the City Council, and continue the work on a state and federal level, to help promote health and prevent tragedy from pre to post-pregnancy."

Maternal health inequities are a national issue, and that disparity is magnified and exacerbated in New York. Nationally, Black and Native American women are three times more likely than white women to die from a pregnancy related case – while in New York City, Black women are 8 times more likely than white women to die from a pregnancy-related cause, and nearly 3 times more likely to experience severe maternal morbidity than white women. In 2017, Black women gave birth to 23% of New York City babies, yet accounted for 55% of maternal deaths. Black women continue to have worse outcomes than their white counterparts regardless of insurance or socio-economic status. 

These inequities, and the tragic losses they represent, stem from a number of factors detailed in the report. Causes identified include access to care, quality of care, prevalence of chronic illness, structural racism, socioeconomic inequities, and implicit biases within the healthcare system.

To begin to address these inequities, the report includes the following recommendations:

• The New York City Council needs to pass the Public Advocate’s maternal health legislative package, including bills to establish a maternal health bill of rights and require employers to hold an onboarding meeting to discuss an employee's reintegration back into the workplace after parental leave, as well as a resolution calling for passage of the federal Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021.
• New York City needs to expand its comprehensive plan to reduce maternal death from 5 years to 10 years.
• New York City’s Health + Hospitals Corporation needs to incorporate the World Health Organization’s recommendations for improving outcomes of preterm births.
• New York City Health + Hospitals needs to include information on maternal mortality rates and the number of severe maternal morbidity cases in its annual Community Health Needs Assessment report.
• New York State must enact legislation to require public and private health care facilities to incorporate a biannual anti bias training for women and birthing people of more color, as well as a training focused on creating trans-inclusive, gender affirming environments for TGNC patients.
• The state must also enact legislation that would require health insurance plans to provide free coverage of midwifery and doula services to expectant persons at a liveable wage.
• The U.S. Congress needs to pass and the President needs to sign the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. 

After having worked on addressing Black maternal health throughout his first two years in office, and introducing legislation on the issue this summer, the Public Advocate and his wife, India Sneed-Williams, publicly shared their personal experiences with health inequities earlier this week. After struggles with fertility, miscarriage, cancer diagnosis, and healthcare providers who failed to listen to or provide crucial options for the couple, they announced Monday that they are expecting a ‘miracle baby.’ Learn more about their journey here. 

They hope that by sharing their story, they can help empower individuals to self-advocate for and receive more culturally responsive, equitable reproductive healthcare, and help to advance systemic change to confront ongoing inequities in New York City and beyond through solutions detailed in this report.

View and download the full report here.