Governor Hochul Joins Mayor de Blasio and Mayor-Elect Adams for a Media Availability

 

Governor Hochul: "Collective New Year’s resolution – let's beat this together. Get vaxxed, get boosted, wear a mask, get tested, and we will get through this together, New Yorkers." 

 Thank you, Mayor de Blasio for your partnership and your collaboration from the very beginning to fight this surge. I remember we sat together, it was an evening, we just heard about the very first case of Omicron that appeared in New York State and New York City. And that afternoon we sat together and pledged full cooperation together to let people know that we would be united in our attack on this virus and do everything we can to keep New Yorkers, as well as every New York State resident safe, and to continue that pledge of collaboration. 

I'm very pleased that we were able to literally, just a couple of days ago, send over 600,000 rapid tests to your Department of Health last week. And we now have five state-run testing sites that'll be launched tomorrow to help amplify your efforts already, and also hitting people where they go. The MTA is a great place for us to launch testing sites and we'll be opening five more soon, we have two now. So, those are all coming online and continue to ramp up as well as continuing our 37 pop-up sites and 17 more planned. So state and city working together, we're going to make sure that there's no shortage of supply, as well as making sure, in the case we need ambulances, we just sent 10 more ambulances to New York City as well.

But as you mentioned, Mayor, it is so important that we get our kids back to school as soon as this winter break is over. We all have such a strong public interest. We saw the failed experiment, despite the very best efforts of incredibly hardworking, passionate teachers who did their very best with remote teaching and the parents who were just pulling their hair out at kitchen tables, trying to make sure that it worked successfully. Everybody did their part, but we also understand, as you mentioned, schools are safe as a result of our joint mandates, and I have a statewide mask mandate for children in school to make sure they're safe. Our teachers are vaccinated. So we all have to do our part to continue though, to make sure that parents feel comfortable when they send their children back to school on January 3rd. 

So from our standpoint, what the State of New York can do to help best is to make sure that there are sufficient testing kits available to be used by the school district. And that is why I directed our Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to provide 2 million tests to New York City to allow children to stay in school. And I want to thank our Department of Homeland Security and the Port Authority and DOT and commissioners of all sorts of agencies, General Services, Thruway Canals. They are all being deployed in a statewide effort, but also sending the first 2 million test kits to show that they're available to help New York City schools because of the dense concentration of individuals in the city, the high population, and where we're seeing the rates go right now. So we are working around the clock to offer our best efforts to work with you. The many calls we've had with your departments – I love the collaboration that's going on between our departments of Health. Something that's been missing, but is now in full gear. And all the teacher unions leaders, they've been on calls with us and the parents and everyone. 

We're really working closely together to make this happen. I have a call just in a couple of hours with our statewide school superintendents, because they're such critical partners in this effort as well. And I also appreciate what the administration has been doing. The collaboration you've extended to us, but also to the incoming Mayor-elect Eric Adams. That is what the public wants to see. They don't want any battling, no turf battles here, because we have one common battle to fight and that is against this variant.  

And I also want to commend the teachers and the school leaders. They know we're all in this together. They've been asked to do so much, such extraordinary work, and we are forever grateful to them for what they've done in the past and what they're going to do now in this shortened time to make sure we can launch the next semester with a safe environment for them and the students. So we're all in this together, I thank them. 

But lastly, as you mentioned, Mayor, parents, we could avert all this if every child were vaccinated. We still have time. We literally have hundreds of thousands of kids who have been safely vaccinated already. So you're not the first. You need to join the ranks of parents who have done the right thing for their children to make sure they're protected. 

This new variant is affecting children more than the past variants. Before we always said, don't worry so much, it's not really affecting children. That was a different variant. It is affecting children more, but the ones who are getting severely sick are so far only the unvaccinated children. So that should be the message you need to know right now, that children can be exposed to this – contract it, in rare cases get sick, but only those who are unvaccinated. So that's why I so look forward to continuing to work with Mayor de Blasio, yourself, for your leadership. 

Also incoming Mayor-elect Eric Adams, we've had many conversations. We'll continue keeping our schools open, continuing our economic recovery for all New Yorkers, as well as our paramount goal of protecting public health. So I want to thank you for inviting me to participate here.  

Collective New Year’s resolution – let's beat this together. Get vaxxed, get boosted, wear a mask, get tested, and we will get through this together, New Yorkers.

NEW YORK CITY’S ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE PROGRAMMING RECEIVES $20.5 MILLION FEDERAL INVESTMENT

 

U.S. Treasury’s Social Impact Partnerships to Pay for Results Act Program (SIPPRA) recognizes the City’s Crisis Management System Cure Violence providers efforts to reduce gun violence among youth

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the City’s efforts to break the cycles of gun violence, specifically among young people, were recognized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which is awarding a $20.5 million grant in support of the City’s ongoing work by Cure Violence providers in its Crisis Management System (CMS) network.

 

“New York City has demonstrated time and again that the most effective solutions to gun violence come from the grassroots,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Investments by this administration in community-based violence prevention programs have increased public safety, stemmed violence, and saved lives. I’m grateful to the Treasury Department and the Biden-Harris administration for their recognition—this grant will allow us to further invest in these proven programs and build a safer city for all.”

 

“Gun violence is a horrific problem in this country, and it’s never more tragic than when young people are involved,” Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “Obviously, addressing this issue will require many different solutions, but one that Treasury is proud to support involves community efforts to intervene with at-risk youth. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to working with communities to ensure that they – and the young people who live there – are safe.”

 

“Today’s announcement highlights the many layers of success our gun violence interrupters have on the streets in our communities. On top of saving lives, our CMS partners are now seeing a reinvestment into our communities thanks to the economic impact of their work,” said Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) Director Marcos Gonzalez Soler. “These funds will help us focus directly on our continuing efforts to break the cycle of violence among one of our must vulnerable populations: our youth. My thanks to the Treasury Department’s recognition of this deeply important work.”

 

A Federal reinvestment program signed into law in early 2018, SIPPRA gives state and local governments an opportunity to be awarded for “pay-for-results” projects that can show direct and tested improvements in one of a number of social service categories.

 

Led by MOCJ Director Soler, and in partnership with the University of Chicago and John Jay College, the City’s application provided concrete analysis of the economic benefit of the City’s gun violence interruption programming. Using hospital and other data, MOCJ is able to calculate the savings CMS and its providers have on programs like Medicaid. For example, pre-pandemic evaluations show that, from 2014 to 2019, gun injuries in four selected CMS sites decreased by 50% compared to a 32% reduction in matched sites without CMS. Fewer gun injuries and hospitalizations translate into real economic savings and healthier communities.   

 

The City competed with 35 other government applicants and is the second award through the program to be announced. The awards include a project grant of $17,595,000 with an additional $2,639,250 grant to pay for the cost of an independent evaluation of the program’s effectiveness.

 

The City’s Crisis Management System has existed since 2014 and has greatly expanded during the de Blasio administration. In response to an increase of gun violence following the onset of COVID-19, the administration provided $35 million in additional funding to help expand violence interrupters. By year’s end, over 40 CMS partners plan on operating in 28 precincts with the highest rates of gun violence. Housed within MOCJ, the CMS network is one of the key programs overseen by the Office of Neighborhood Safety.

DEC LAUNCHES SECOND YEAR OF ICE FISHING CREEL SURVEYS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN

 

Surveys Conducted January through March 2022

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced ice fishing creel surveys will be conducted for a second year on the New York waters of Lake Champlain from January through March 2022.

“Last year’s ice fishing creel surveys provided valuable data that will help DEC continue to manage Lake Champlain as one of New York’s top fishing destinations,” said Commissioner Seggos. “Continuing that work this year will help us better understand what anglers are targeting and catching so we can evaluate and adjust our management practices as needed.”

The ice fishing survey is part of a larger, two-year effort to survey both ice and open water anglers. Data gathered during these surveys will serve as a baseline to help DEC Fisheries biologists better understand angler use and expectations, while also informing management actions on Lake Champlain.

The 2022 ice fishing survey will take place at four access points: Plattsburgh Boat Launch on Cumberland Bay; Willsboro Bay Boat Launch; Bulwagga Bay Campground; and South Bay Boat Launch. Anglers coming off the ice will be asked to participate by sharing information about their day of fishing and providing DEC creel clerks the opportunity to collect biological data on their catch. Data to be collected includes target species, number caught, and size.

Participation in the program is voluntary but encouraged, as the data collected will help DEC develop Lake Champlain management practices that benefit anglers and the fishery. As an incentive to participate, anglers will be entered into a drawing for several ice fishing gear prizes, including a jet sled, jigging rod, rechargeable aerator, and an insulated bait bucket.

A copy of the Lake Champlain Ice Fishing Creel Survey plan can be found on DEC’s website. A summary of 2021 survey results will be available in early 2022.

MAYOR DE BLASIO CELEBRATES ROLE OF ‘DESIGN-BUILD’ INNOVATION IN SPEEDING AND STREAMLINING CAPITAL PROJECTS

 

 Mayor de Blasio today celebrated New York City’s progress in speeding the design and construction of capital projects by using the design-build process. “Design-Build Program 2021: Progress Report to the New York State Legislature,” a new report released today, describes the City’s successful pivot to design-build after decades of stalled progress under the antiquated, costly design-bid-build approach. The City expects design-build to save anywhere from one to three years for large City capital projects currently in the pipeline.

 

Following several years of City advocacy, the State legislature passed the New York City Public Works Investment Act (PWIA) in December 2019. Since then, agencies have moved quickly to establish their design-build programs, with agencies designating 44 new projects for design-build valued at nearly $8 billion.

 

“Not every New Yorker is a contracting expert – but when their city pledges to build something, every New Yorker wants it done quickly and efficiently. That’s what design-build has allowed this administration to do, and I’m enormously proud of that progress,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

 

“The report shows that design-build offers a better approach to delivering the City’s multi-billion-dollar annual capital program. For the first time, designers and contractors are able to work together as a team with common business interests right from the beginning of a project,” said Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Acting Commissioner Tom Foley. “It reduces conflict and avoidable delays, and removes us from a one-size-fits-all low-bid system. The early results are in and the time savings are real.”

 

“Design Build helps the DOT tap into the innovation of the private sector with better control over budgets and schedules. With new federal infrastructure funding available, Design Build will allow us to get projects done faster and at lower costs,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Hank Gutman. “I’d like to thank Mayor de Blasio for championing this method and for our partners in Albany – Senator Leroy Comrie and Assemblyman Ed Braunstein – for passing Design Build legislation.”

 

Procurement for design-build projects authorized by the PWIA takes place through a two-step process in which interested design-build teams respond to a Request for Qualifications. Responses are reviewed to create a shortlist of firms for each design-build project, who are then asked to respond to a future Request for Proposal for the work. Unlike design-bid-build, design build teams are evaluated not only their price proposal, but also on their actual qualifications to deliver a project.

 

Today, DDC is well on its way to completing its first design-build project – a parking garage and community space in Queens – by mid-2022, only three years after it started. A similar project would have taken more than seven years under the City’s standard process. The City will begin construction on four additional design build projects in January, shaving at least a year from the project-start-to-construction-start phase of the project. Each project will be completed a full three years before a typical design-bid-build project.

 

Last month, Mayor de Blasio announced that the new $141 million Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center will be completed two full years faster using design-build than it would have been under prior contracting methods.

 

Today’s report updates progress on design-build projects in Fiscal Year 2021, which began on July 1, 2020, as well as in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), which received special State permission to use design-build in 2018. The report also includes the City’s recommendations for improvements to the PWIA, which expires at the end of 2022.

 

The report encourages language that will increase flexibility, including the authorization of “Progressive Design-Build,” an approach that that can further reduce risk to City taxpayers by allowing the City and a selected design-build team to carefully plan and scope a project before agreeing to a “guaranteed maximum price” to be completed by the design-build team.

 

Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul on CDC Isolation Guidance

 "As we battle this winter surge, we will keep following the data and science-based public health policies to protect New Yorkers.

"That's why on Friday I announced guidance to shorten the isolation window for our critical workforce from 10 to 5 days, and I want to thank the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for now updating its guidance to shorten the recommended time for isolation from 10 to 5 days for everyone who is asymptomatic, as long as they wear a well-fitting mask.

"This is a critical step to support our small businesses, critical industries, and essential services as we get through this new variant." 

Attorney General James Fights Arizona’s Unconstitutional Abortion Ban

 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today continued her staunch opposition to the coordinated and unconstitutional attempt to roll back reproductive rights in the United States. As part of a coalition of 23 attorneys general, Attorney General James filed an amicus brief supporting a challenge to Arizona’s “reason ban” that prohibits abortion when it is sought because of the presence of a fetal abnormality. In the brief, the coalition argues that dispelling discriminatory views about people living with disabilities and providing accurate information about fetal abnormalities can and should happen while preserving women's reproductive autonomy. The attorneys general urge the appeals court to uphold a district court order that enjoined Arizona’s “reason ban” before it took effect.

“Almost 50 years after Roe was decided, reproductive freedoms remain under constant assault,” said Attorney General James. “Arizona is just the latest in the long line of conservative-led states that are seeking to impose their will on millions of women with laws that aim to control our bodies, our choices, and our freedoms, but we will never stop fighting them. We’re asking the appeals court to uphold the lower court’s decision and strike down this unconstitutional law.”

In April, Arizona passed Senate Bill 1457 (SB 1457). The law bans abortions sought for a specific reason — because of a genetic abnormality — and makes it a felony for a provider to perform such an abortion. The law also contains a provision that purported to classify fetuses, embryos, and fertilized eggs as people starting at the point of conception.

SB 1457 was scheduled to take effect on September 29, 2021, but a district court temporarily blocked the reason ban — a decision that was then appealed by the state of Arizona.

In his order blocking the ban, Judge Douglas L. Rayes wrote that, under the law, a person who chooses to terminate a pre-viability pregnancy because of a fetal genetic abnormality would either have to “conceal this information from or lie to her doctor, neither of which fosters trust or encourages open dialogue.”

Similarly, in today’s brief — filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit — the coalition argues that the reason ban runs counter to standards of care established by medical professionals and ignores the myriad of ways that states may promote interest in fetal life and protect children born with genetic abnormalities. 

The attorneys general explain that states have the tools to dispel outdated and harmful views about disabilities while protecting reproductive rights. Additionally, the coalition states that providing medically accurate, unbiased information about fetal abnormalities can help pregnant individuals make informed reproductive choices. Further, providing people living with disabilities with civil rights protections, as well as social and medical services, can combat discrimination, reduce bias, and protect individuals living with disabilities. The coalition makes clear that both can be done without infringing on reproductive autonomy. 

Today’s brief comes as the country awaits the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization — a case involving the constitutionality of Mississippi’s pre-viability abortion ban. Attorney General James and a coalition of attorneys general opposed the law and Mississippi’s attempt to roll back half a century of precedents — beginning with Roe v. Wade — that protect the right to decide, before viability, whether to carry a pregnancy to term.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW By Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz

 

Those that voted against the Hispanic Immigrant, Francisco Moya

 You should know that when I was young, I listened to a popular song, made famous by Ismael Quintana and The Eddie Palmieri Orchestra. Some of its lyrics said as follows: “Once upon a time Love and Interest challenged each other to a duel, but Interest won over Love.”  This scenario was apparent when four (4) Hispanic members from the Bronx, voted against their colleague a fellow Hispanic Immigrant Councilmember Francisco Moya and the City’s Hispanic leadership has remained silent.

It is important for you to know that Councilmembers Rafael Salamanca, Pierina Sanchez, Marjorie Velazquez, and Amanda Farias, all (4) voted against Francisco Moya, a well-qualified Ecuadorian, immigrant for the position of Speaker of the NYC Council.

Moya was defeated by Adrianne Adams, an African American from Queens.  Councilmember Adams won acquiring 33 votes out of 51 Councilmembers, including the 4 Hispanic members from the Bronx Salamanca, Sanchez, Velasquez, and Farias. 

You should also know that these same four councilmembers, ran for the City Council on the premise that they were worthy of the Hispanic vote because they are “Hispanic” and would better serve the needs of the Hispanic Community.  I imagine that when it comes to their re-election, they will return to us once again and say, “Vote for me because I, like you, am Hispanic and an immigrant.” Well, we shall see what the future holds!

It is also important that you know that Councilmember Pierina Sanchez, had zero name recognition when she ran against Yudelka Tapia, who is a well-known community leader and had served as a defender of our community for many years with much experience.  However, Pierina Sanchez managed to pull off a win with the blessing, support, and resources of Congressman Adriano Espaillat.  

Andriano Espaillat put his entire reputation, prestige, and resources behind Pierina Sanchez’s candidacy. However, the rumor or the “towns voices” say that Adriano had asked Pierina to do as his other disciples, like Oswald Feliz, Shawn Abreu, Chris Marte and Carmen Dela Rosa, did and to throw her support behind Moya. But the wagging tongues out there say that Pierina apparently has no memory of Espaillat’s support. Pierina apparently forgot that today she is a councilmember, thanks to the Congressman’s support. But apparently as the song says that her Interest was stronger than the Love she had. 

Moreover, when Assemblyman Marcos Crespo was President of the Bronx Democrat Party, and Councilwoman Maria Del Carmen Arroyo resigned leaving her City Council seat vacant, Marcos Crespo threw his influence and all his support behind the candidacy of Rafael Salamanca to fill the City Council seat left vacant by Arroyo. Why? Because Salamanca is “Hispanic”. Marcos Crespo as the President of the Bronx Democrat Party was also instrumental in helping Salamanca acquire a position on one of the most influential committees in the City Council. But when Salamanca was needed to support a fellow Hispanic, he too apparently felt that his Interest was stronger than the Love he had.

When Marjorie Velasquez ran for the first time against the Albanian American Councilmember Mark Gjonaj, and then ran a second time against the African American candidate Monique Johnson, on both occasions Velasquez ran on the fact that she should be elected simply because she is “Hispanic” and that given the Hispanic demographics of the district this seat should be held by a Hispanic person. But when her support was needed for a fellow Hispanic, she too apparently felt that her Interest was stronger than the Love she had.

Lastly the Dominican American Councilmember Amanda Farias ran to fill the seat I left vacant when I decided not to seek a second term.  Farias pounded her chest proclaiming that she is a Hispanic Immigrant, and that it would serve our community right to support an Immigrant, and a Hispanic to the City Council.  Wow! Life gives us surprises! Here Ms. Farias was given the perfect opportunity to support a fellow Hispanic immigrant, but unfortunately, Ms. Farias like the song says felt that her “Interest was stronger than the Love she had.” 

The votes cast by these (4) Councilmembers against a fellow Hispanic and the silent kept by the city’s Hispanic leadership, all of this my dear reader, serves to confirm that old Latino cliché that says that “Once upon a time Interest and Love challenged each other to a duel and Interest won over Love.

This is soon to be Ex-Councilman Rev. Ruben Diaz, and This Is What You Should Know.

NEW DINOWITZ LAW WILL REQUIRE BOARDS OF ELECTIONS TO OFFER VOTERS ABSENTEE BALLOT TRACKING

 

The new law will go into effect April 1, 2022 and will apply to every county in New York State.

 As more New Yorkers get comfortable with absentee voting, a newly signed law from Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz will make it easier for voters to keep track of where their ballot is from start to finish. The new law (A4186-B) was signed on December 22, 2021 and will create a statewide online absentee ballot tracking system, something which is already in effect in New York City and was used in recent municipal elections. The new law was also carried by State Senator Leroy Comrie.

 

As part of the new law, each county will be required to maintain an absentee ballot tracking system that is integrated into the statewide system and which may optionally be integrated with the United States Postal Service tracking system. Voters will not have to create an account but will be required to verify their identity to ensure that access is only provided for their own ballot record.

 

The statewide ballot tracking system will require the following information be made available to voters by their local Board of Elections:

• receipt of voter’s application for an absentee ballot;

• approval or rejection (with reason for rejection) for voter’s application;

• date of mailing or delivery of absentee ballot and expected date of receipt, including specific indication if the ballot was returned as undeliverable;

• receipt of voter’s completed absentee ballot;

• determination of whether the ballot envelope requires the voter to cure an error; and

• confirmation that the ballot was counted or rejected (including a brief statement of the reason for rejection).

 

The bill was supposed to go into effect on January 1, 2022 but will instead go into effect on April 1, 2022 pursuant to changes proposed by the Governor and agreed to by the Legislature. According to the approval memo (Approval Memorandum – No. 95 Chapter 727), the change was requested by the State Board of Elections and local boards out of concern that they needed additional time to accommodate the required new processes, technological requirements, and operational issues.

 

Assemblyman Dinowitz previously passed legislation to allow New Yorkers to request an absentee ballot if they are concerned about catching or spreading a communicable disease (such as COVID-19). This law expires on December 31, 2021, but Assemblyman Dinowitz has introduced new legislation which would extend this option to voters through February 1, 2024.

 

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said: “It should be as easy and stress-free as possible for New Yorkers to vote, and absentee voting is an increasingly popular and convenient method for eligible voters to cast their ballots. This new law will help all New Yorkers know exactly where their absentee ballot is in the process, and will help inform decisions about whether they need to take additional action to ensure that their vote is received and counted. Thank you to Governor Hochul for signing this bill into law, to State Senator Comrie for his leadership in the other chamber, and to all of our colleagues for supporting the bill in the Legislature.”