Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Conduct Study on Payroll Servicing Industry In The Wake of MyPayrollHR Scandal

 

Legislation S.3577/A.7786 Requires the Department of Financial Services to Conduct a Study Regarding Third-Party Payroll Service Providers

 Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation S.3577/A.7786 to require the Department of Financial Services to conduct a study on the payroll servicing industry, in the wake of the MyPayrollHR scandal which caused major financial disruptions for workers and small businesses. The Department of Financial Services, in consultation with the Department of Taxation, will conduct a study regarding insurance or other risk mitigation tools and third-party payroll servicers providing these services to ensure the health of the industry and the existence of sufficient consumer protections. The Superintendent of Financial Services will then submit a report of findings and recommendations to the Governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly.

“Workers and small business owners in New York were devastated by the collapse of MyPayrollHR and it's crucial we have all the information to understand what led to this crisis,” Governor Hochul said. “The first step in any process is gathering all the information on what’s occurring, and using that data to create a plan moving forward and that is exactly what this legislation will do.”

In 2019, federal authorities found that the President of upstate New York payroll management company, MyPayrollHR, redirected $26 million in payroll funds to his personal account. This led to MyPayrollHR accounts being frozen, and paychecks being distributed with funds that did not exist. These transactions were then reversed, resulting in heavy overdraft fees for the workers involved. This legislation will require the New York State Department of Financial Services to work with the Department of Taxation and Finance to conduct a study on the industry, a first step in reviewing this incident and seeing what possible prevention techniques may exist.

Assembly Member Benedetto and the Throggs Neck Business Improvement District Announce Funding For Security Cameras For East Tremont Commercial Corridor

 As New York City grapples with a spike in major crimes, New York State Assembly Member Michael R. Benedetto announced today that he was able to secure a sizeable $320,000 grant to secure NYPD Argus cameras for the Throggs Neck Commercial Corridor. The monies came at the request of the Throggs Neck Business Improvement District as local merchants seek to safeguard their community and provide a pleasant shopping experience in a safe environment. This funding builds on Benedetto’s past safety efforts, funding cameras for both Westchester Square in 2009 and Co-op City in 2021.

The funding will provide for a number of cameras to be installed along East Tremont Avenue, between Bruckner Boulevard and Harding Avenue, where the Throggs Neck Business Improvement District operates. The cameras, called “Argus” from Greek mythology, referring to a giant with a hundred eyes. The technology will be installed and monitored by the New York City Police Department (NYPD). The police will select locations based on crime patterns and statistics for the area. Due to the sensitive nature of the locations, they will not be publicly identified.

“I live off the Throggs Neck commercial strip and, of course, my district office where I do most of my work is on East Tremont Avenue,” said Assembly Member Benedetto. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen tremendous growth of our small businesses here, becoming the ‘Restaurant Row’ of the Bronx. Customers and business owners have a shared interest in public safety and I hope these cameras can provide peace of mind to patrons as they spend their money right here in our local economy,” 

“One of New York’s, and our community’s, greatest concerns is public safety. Both Assembly Member Michael Benedetto and the Throggs Neck BID have acted vigorously to address this exceptional need. The BID identified anti-crime cameras as an effective means to improve the safety of the neighborhood. Assembly Member Benedetto responded rapidly to provide the full funding needed to accomplish this extraordinary project. Working together, we will make this area of NYC the safest place to live, shop, and do business,” said Bob Jaen, Executive Director, Throggs Neck Business Improvement District.

For Assembly Member Benedetto, this funding helps to address some of his constituents' longstanding concerns about public safety. He has long fought for a holistic criminal justice approach, funding CureViolence programs to tougher gun control laws to behavioral health and diversion programs giving young adults a second chance at life if they falter early on. He believes the cameras will go a long way to address safety in the area.

“I appreciate the job our 45th Precinct police officers do for us but they are historically under-resourced. We have a handful of police cars out patrolling the second-largest precinct in the entire City. That’s where these cameras will come in, they’ll provide another set of eyes on our well-trafficked areas and free up some of our police officers to address other outstanding community issues,” said Benedetto.

The Business Improvement District hopes that construction of the cameras will begin within the next year. 

Permits Filed For 950 Ogden Avenue In Highbridge, The Bronx

Permits have been filed for a four-story residential building at 950 Ogden Avenue in Highbridge, The Bronx. Located at the intersection of West 162nd Street and Ogden Avenue, the lot is close to the 161st Street-Yankee Stadium subway station, serviced by the B, D, and 4 trains.

The proposed 54-foot-tall development will yield 9,124 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 13 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 701 square feet. The steel-based structure will also have a cellar and penthouse.

DJLU Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits have not been filed yet for the parking lot on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Watch those parking lots, corner houses with yards and driveways, or any house or lot with enough land to build on or higher, and that will happen. Bronx Community Board 10 is going through that right now. 

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - MAY 6, 2022

 

Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North Country and Southern Tier 7-Day Average Case Rates Down This Week Compared to Last Week

COVID-19 Hospital Admissions Declining in Central New York, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley

53% of Statewide Admissions are Admitted for Non-COVID Reason

Governor Hochul Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

12 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

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

"By using the tools at our disposal, we can protect ourselves from COVID-19 and keep both ourselves and our loved ones healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Make sure to keep up to date on vaccine doses, get the second booster as soon as you are eligible, and make sure your children are fully vaccinated. Remember to get tested before traveling or seeing vulnerable loved ones, and ask your doctor about treatments if you test positive." 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:   

• Cases Per 100k – 71.14
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k – 43.73
• Test Results Reported – 226,277
• Total Positive – 13,902
• Percent Positive – 5.66%**  
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive – 6.85%**
• Patient Hospitalization – 2,187 (+44)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 383
• Patients in ICU – 198 (-7)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation – 81 (+12)
• Total Discharges – 298,283 (+348)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 12
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS – 55,571     

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.     

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.      

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC – 70,946      

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 – 38,468,473
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours – 28,299
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days – 154,724
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose – 92.5%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series – 83.8%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 95.0%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 87.0% 
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 83.1%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 73.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose – 82.0%  
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series – 74.2% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) – 90.2% 
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) – 77.0% 

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **: 

Borough	Tuesday, May 3, 2022	Wednesday, May 4, 2022	Thursday, May 5, 2022
Bronx	2.92%	3.09%	3.22%
Kings	3.72%	3.75%	3.83%
New York	5.32%	5.75%	6.28%
Queens	5.41%	5.76%	4.73%
Richmond	4.55%	4.32%	4.48%

 

Dear Neighbors,

 

Due to inclement weather, tomorrow's Bronx Week Events have been postponed.

Father & Child Softball Classic - POSTPONED
Health Day Fair - POSTPONED

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 718-590-3500 or email us at webmail@bronxbp.nyc.gov.

 

In partnership,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

Events Postponed

Bronx Fashion Week Returns to the Mall at Bay Plaza - Saturday May 7, 2022 2 PM

 

Bronx Fashion Week initiates innovative events that attract a multitude of fashion influencers. Our events have become preferred for diverse and inclusive audiences. Our objective is to provide real-time business opportunities to local emerging and established designers to showcase their skills and abilities in an industry that is often non-accessible.

Bronx Fashion Week is already shaping up to be one of the most amazing fashion experiences at The New Mall at Bay Plaza surrounded by over 100 retailers from The Bronx. The mall has over 25 million visitors per year and is considered the most Spectacular Fashion Destination.

Designers include outfits from; Callejas Atelier, Yo Soy Mia, Mia Roman, Boulevard Menswear, Daysi Collection, Macy's, Forever 21, and Ashley Stewart.