News From Congressman Eliot Engel

Engel Leads New York City Delegation to Protect Public Health Preparedness Program

 Congressman Eliot L. Engel led the entire New York City Congressional Delegation on a letter to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) about changes to the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), which could affect the City’s ability to respond to public health threats.

“Having a robust public health infrastructure is critical to protecting the City from 21^st century health threats,” said Rep. Engel. “The Hospital Preparedness Program provides crucial resources to support these efforts. Any changes to program need to account for the complex and unique threats that urban centers like New York City face.”

“The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response must explain what methodology led to a cut to New York City’s Hospital Preparedness Program funding,” said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Coordination between public health departments and the health care system is critical for public health emergency response. As we are learning from the current coronavirus outbreak, the only way to prevent another outbreak is to maintain vigilance—and if you start cutting the budget, the cost down the road will be even greater. We look forward to working with Representative Engel and the New York City delegation on this important issue.”

HPP is the only source of federal funding for helping health care systems prepare and respond to complex health threats, including natural and man-made incidents. In 2019, ASPR proposed changes to HPP’s grant formula which could eliminate nearly 5% of the City’s HPP dollars, affecting local hospitals such as Montefiore Hospital-Wakefield Campus. This letter seeks additional information about ASPR’s changes to HPP.

Congressman Engel has been a long-time proponent of HPP. On June 4, 2019, he supported passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act, which was signed into law and provides $385 million annually for HPP over the next five years. Engel is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee.

ENGEL STATEMENT ON THE END OF SENATE REPUBLICANS’ SHAM TRIAL

Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“There’s no such thing as an acquittal when you don’t have a real trial. The Senate’s sham process was nothing more than an extension of the President’s coverup. Today’s vote was the ultimate demonstration that the Party of Lincoln has become the Party of Trump, and that for Republican lawmakers—with one courageous exception—there’s no duty or oath higher than showing loyalty to this President.

“The evidence is overwhelming that the President deserved to be impeached and removed. His abuse of power was blatant. His obstruction of a legitimate congressional inquiry was unprecedented; not even Richard Nixon went so far. There can be no justification for his actions. Those who voted not to remove him acted out of sheer partisanship and did damage to the institutions that underpin our democracy.

“Despite the Senate Republicans’ near total abdication of their responsibility, the House will not go along with the notion that this President is above the law. The Foreign Affairs Committee will push ahead with our oversight efforts to hold this administration accountable and to demonstrate to the American people that some of us in Washington still believe in the Constitution and the rule of law.”

Partnerships for Parks - Bronx News Blast-February

Partnerships for Parks is turning 25 this year!

Since 1995, PfP has been working side-by-side with communities across New York City to sustain parks through greening, beautifying, and programming. Join us to celebrate our 25th anniversary and envision the future at one of our upcoming events. The schedule will be available shortly on our website. Please sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates. Share your own photos with us using the hashtag #wearepfp.

NEW YORK CITY REPORTS SECOND AND THIRD PERSON UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR NOVEL CORONAVIRUS

A second and third person in New York City met the criteria to have samples sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Both individuals, who are currently hospitalized, had recently been in mainland China

The Health Department is educating health care providers and community members about the coronavirus outbreak as the situation evolves

 Two additional people in New York City have been identified for testing for the novel coronavirus. Both individuals, who are over 60-years-old, had recently been in mainland China and presented with fever and cough or shortness of breath without another common cause, like influenza and other cold viruses, identified on testing. The first individual has been hospitalized at Flushing Hospital Medical Center. The second is hospitalized a New York-Presbyterian Queens. Both are in stable condition. Testing to determine whether these are confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus will take a minimum of 36-48 hours and depends on CDC testing capacity. 

“With the best public health system in the world, New York City stands ready to respond to any confirmed cases of the coronavirus,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant, and if you or anyone you know matches the criteria and have recently traveled to the affected areas of China, please see a medical professional.”

“We are continuing to work closely with our partners at the CDC, State and federal government as the coronavirus situation evolves,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “If you have traveled to the area affected by the outbreak in the last 14 days and feel unwell, call your doctor or visit a clinic, and you will be cared for. Also, practice everyday precautions like you would during flu season—wash your hands frequently, and cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze. We remain grateful to all New Yorkers for their cooperation.”

There are now eight confirmed cases in the United States and over 14,000 worldwide. At least 300 people have died. The first person under investigation for the novel coronavirus in New York City remains at Bellevue Hospital and in stable condition. The Health Department has not received results of the CDC test, and will share information about the test as soon as the results are provided.

Cases under investigation should not be presumed as likely to be confirmed. As of Friday, January 31—the latest available national numbers from CDC on cases under investigation—only six of the 120 specimens tested were identified as novel coronavirus.

The novel (new) coronavirus is a strain of coronavirus that has not been previously detected in humans. This novel coronavirus can lead to symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath. While some infections have resulted in severe illness, and even death, others have presented with milder symptoms and been discharged from care. 

The Health Department is continuing to monitor the evolving worldwide situation daily, including the latest data on transmissions, incubation, new cases, and guidance. The Department has distributed educational materials so that people have the facts about how to protect themselves and their families, what to do if they feel unwell and have a travel history to affected areas, and other important information about this disease. The Health Department has conducted outreach and is providing guidance to local community-based organizations and health care providers serving our communities to inform them of the necessary precautions they need to take if someone with symptoms of coronavirus visits them.

For those who feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and traveled to Hubei province China—or been in contact with a confirmed case novel coronavirus—within 14 days of symptom onset, the CDC recommends:

Seek medical care right away. Before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about recent travel and symptoms.

Avoid contact with others.

Do not travel while sick.

Cover mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not hands) when coughing or sneezing.

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

For more information about the coronavirus, visit the Heath Department website at nyc.gov/health.

Iranian National Charged With Bank Fraud And Lying To Federal Agents In Connection With A Scheme To Use The U.S. Financial System To Send More Than $115 Million To Iranian Individuals And Entities

  Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., New York County District Attorney, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that BAHRAM KARIMI was charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and making false statements in connection with his involvement in a joint project initiated by the Governments of Iran and Venezuela in which more than $115 million was illegally funneled through the U.S. financial system for the benefit of various Iranian individuals and entities.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Bahram Karimi knowingly and willfully facilitated the circumventing of sanctions against Iran, and then lied about it to FBI agents.  Karimi allegedly enabled the concealed transfer through U.S. banks of more than $100 million from a Venezuelan state-owned company to an Iranian construction firm, and when questioned, told the agents he didn’t know that was prohibited by the sanctions.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “At the end of the day, these charges reflect the use of our financial system to generate U.S. dollars for Iranians and Iranian entities.  That’s why our government has robust sanctions in place against Iran and Iranian entities who seek to use the U.S. banking system for their own benefit.”

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court filings and proceedings[[1]]:

In August 2004, the Governments of Iran and Venezuela entered into a Cooperation Framework Agreement, whereby they agreed to cooperate in certain areas of common interest.  The following year, both governments supplemented the Cooperation Framework Agreement by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding regarding an infrastructure project in Venezuela (the “Project”), which was to involve the construction of thousands of housing units in Venezuela. 

The Project was led by Stratus Group, an Iranian conglomerate with international business operations in the construction, banking, and oil industries.  In December 2006, Stratus Group incorporated a company, which was then known as the Iranian International Housing Corporation (“IIHC”), in Tehran.  IIHC was responsible for construction for the Project.  Thereafter, IIHC entered into a contract with a subsidiary of a Venezuelan state-owned energy company (the “VE Company”), which called for IIHC to build approximately 7,000 housing units in Venezuela in exchange for approximately $475,734,000.  Stratus Group created the Venezuela Project Executive Committee to oversee the execution of the Project.  KARIMI was a member of the committee and was responsible for managing the Project in Venezuela.

In connection with his role on the Project, KARIMI worked with others to defraud U.S. banks by concealing the role of Iranian parties in U.S. dollar payments sent through the U.S. banking system.  Specifically, between April 2011 and November 2013, the VE Company made approximately 15 payments to IIHC through two front companies, which were created to conceal the Iranian nexus to the payments, in violation of U.S. economic sanctions.  These 15 payments totaled approximately $115 million. 

In January 2020, KARIMI was interviewed by, among other people, two FBI agents.  During that interview, KARIMI falsely stated that, during the course of the Project, he believed that international sanctions against Iran did not apply to Iranian companies or persons.

KARIMI, 53, of Canada, is charged with (1) conspiring to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; (2) bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and (3) making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman and Mr. Demers praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the New York County District Attorney’s Office and the FBI.  Mr. Berman also thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office for their ongoing assistance in this investigation.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment and statements and filings in court set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation as to the defendant charged in the Superseding Indictment.

NYC ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM RELEASES PRELIMINARY REPORT

Report includes 10 initial recommendations to make City’s property tax system simpler, fairer and more transparent

 The New York City Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform today released its Preliminary Report with an analysis of the City’s property tax system and a set of ten initial recommendations for system reforms. The report marks the first review of the property tax system by a government-appointed commission since 1993. The report can be found here.

The Commission reviewed the system through the lens of fairness and transparency, with the goal of ensuring properties of similar value are taxed equitably, taxes are clearly administered, and steps are in place to prevent resident displacement. The report includes a brief history of New York City’s property tax system, the current methods that the Department of Finance uses to calculate property tax bills, the challenges with the existing property tax system and initial recommendations for reform. 

The Commission reached consensus on 10 initial recommendations:

The Commission recommends moving coops, condominiums and rental buildings with up to 10 units into a new residential class along with 1-3 family homes. The property tax system would continue to consist of four classes of property: residential, large rentals, utilities, and commercial.

The Commission recommends using a sales-based methodology to value all properties in the residential class.

The Commission recommends assessing every property in the residential class at its full market value.

The Commission recommends that annual market value changes in the new residential class be phased in over five years at a rate of 20% per year, and that Assessed Value Growth Caps should be eliminated.   

The Commission recommends creating a partial homestead exemption for primary resident owners with income below a certain threshold. The exemption would be available to all eligible primary resident owners in the residential class and would replace the current Coop-Condo Tax Abatement.

The Commission recommends creating a circuit breaker within the property tax system to lower the property tax burden on low-income primary resident owners, based on the ratio of property tax paid to income.

The Commission recommends replacing the current class share system with a system that prioritizes predictable and transparent tax rates for property owners. The new system would freeze the relationship of tax rates among the tax classes for five-year periods, after which time the City would conduct a mandated study to analyze if adjustments need to be made to maintain consistency in the share of taxes relative to fair market value borne by each tax class.

The Commission recommends that current valuation methods should be maintained for properties not in the new residential class (rental buildings with more than 10 units, utilities, and commercial).

The Commission recommends a gradual transition to the new system for current owners, with an immediate transition into the new system whenever a property in the new residential class is sold.

The Commission recommends instituting comprehensive reviews of the property tax system every 10 years.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Corey Johnson announced the formation of the Commission in May of 2018. The Commission was charged with developing recommendations to reform the existing property tax system to make it simpler, clearer, and fairer, while ensuring that there is no reduction in revenue used to fund essential City services.

Since its creation, the Commission conducted public hearings across the City for members of the public to testify on their view of the challenges with the existing property tax system, as well as for experts to share insights on specific issues such as mechanisms to provide relief to homeowners. In total, the Commission sponsored 10 public events, including these hearings and two public meetings where overviews of the system were presented by expert staff at the Department of Finance and City Council Finance Division.  The Commission will hold additional public hearings in each borough to solicit public input before issuing its final recommendations.

In addition to the next round of hearings and extensive stakeholder engagement, the Commission will work on addressing a number of outstanding issues to arrive at a set of final recommendations.

Commission members include Marc V. Shaw, Chair, Allen P. Cappelli, Carol O’Cleireacain, Kenneth J. Knuckles, James A. Parrott, Gary Rodney and Elizabeth Velez.  The Commission also included non-voting ex-officio members including the Commissioner of Finance Jacques Jiha, Budget Director Melanie Hartzog, City Council Finance Division Director Latonia McKinney, and the Deputy Director and Chief Economist of the City Council Finance Division Raymond Majewski. Vicki Been was co-chair of the Commission prior to her appointment as Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.

“The property tax remains the City’s most important single revenue source, representing almost half of all the City’s annual tax revenues. The work undertaken by the Commission, first and foremost, reflects our collective desire to protect the City’s fisc, while at the same time making the system more fair, predictable and transparent,” said Commission Chair Marc V. Shaw.

“This blueprint for reform provides the opportunity to finally have equity in our real property tax system,” said Commission Member Allen P. Cappelli. “Unfairly treated communities, including much of Staten Island, should not only receive equal treatment, but also have a transparent and easily understood system!”

“The real property tax has been around a long time and engendered much animosity, particularly with respect to fairness.  So, any reform commission should view its task with much humility.  Within our mandate, we address here the sorest points.  Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done to ensure a fair system for residents and one that makes sense for the City’s twenty-first century economy,” said Commission Member Carol O’Cleireacain.

“In order for any property tax system to be deemed credible, such system must be perceived as fair, transparent, and understandable. For most City residents, real property taxes impact their largest source of capital investment and wealth.  Accordingly, there is a duty to ensure that the governing system is equitable.  I think the Commission's 10 initial recommendations represent a significant step in that direction.  I look forward to the additional feedback we will receive in public hearings across the City in the near future,” said Commission Member Kenneth J. Knuckles.

“This preliminary report presents a far-reaching set of recommendations to make the city’s property tax system more transparent, fair and equitable. There are no easy solutions to the problems rooted in state law that have festered for nearly 40 years. This report deserves careful consideration through the upcoming borough public hearings and other discussions that hopefully will result in a broad public consensus in support of these recommendations,” said Commission Member James A. Parrott.

“Everyone feels the impact of the inequities in our property tax system.  The recommendations in this preliminary report attempt to address the challenges of our system by making it fairer for everyone regardless of their neighborhood.  We look forward to working collaboratively with our partners at the city and state to make comprehensive reform of our property tax system a reality,” said Commission Member Gary Rodney.

“Property tax reform is of significant importance and should allow for a more understandable and equitable structure. This is especially relevant as it relates to its impact on New York City’s homeowners and the corresponding burden on renters within our communities,” said Commission Member Elizabeth Velez.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES INCREASED TRUCK ENFORCEMENT, NEW REPAIRS ON BROOKLYN-QUEENS EXPRESSWAY

Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that the City will be increasing truck enforcement and performing urgent, structural repairs on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.  The Mayor signed an Executive Order to create the new NYPD BQE Truck Enforcement Task Force. Starting on Monday, February 3, this new unit will increase enforcement against illegal, overweight trucks that are exacerbating the BQE’s structural issues.

The City will also repair the Hicks Street Wall and sections of the cantilever. Construction on the Hicks Street Wall will start in the spring, and be complete by the end of 2020. DOT will begin the design process on the most deteriorated portions of the cantilever starting this summer, and work will be complete by the end of 2022.

“The BQE is one of the main arteries of our City, which is why we are immediately increasing enforcement against overweight trucks and addressing the highway’s most pressing structural issues,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I applaud the expert panel for putting forward several solutions preserve the BQE, and we will continue to explore the next steps necessary to keep New Yorkers safe and moving.”

“The BQE is a vital stretch of roadway in New York City and I thank the expert panel for their work helping identify solutions to the structural issues it faces,” said Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. “As we work on immediate repairs to key sections of the roadway, we will be partnering with law enforcement to crack down on illegal overweight trucks through Executive Order 51.”

“I want to thank the BQE expert panel, who did remarkable work over most of the last year,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We are particularly grateful for their confirmation of the problem of illegal, overweight trucks, which are accelerating the deterioration of the BQE. Under the Mayor’s leadership, we look forward to working with NYPD and our State partners to address this problem, as we also take quick action to repair areas of the roadway that need our attention.”   

“The NYPD is committed to ensuring safe travel for all on our city’s roadways and we will work with our partner stakeholders in this important new transportation initiative,” said NYPD Chief of Transportation William T. Morris.

In 2019, the Mayor convened a panel of experts to evaluate the best options to preserve the structural integrity of the BQE from the Atlantic Avenue interchange to Sands Street in Brooklyn.  The panel outlined a series of recommendations, including increase enforcement against illegal overweight trucks, as well as making urgent repairs to Hicks Street Wall and the most deteriorated portions of the cantilever. The panel also recommended against building a temporary highway through the Brooklyn Heights Promenade or Brooklyn Bridge Park. The administration has embraced the panel’s recommendation against building a temporary highway through the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park. 

“The triple cantilever section of the BQE is in urgent need of repairs and steps must be taken right away to reduce traffic and fix this section of the roadway,” said Carlo Scissura, Chair of BQE expert panel and President and CEO of the New York Building Congress. “I commend Mayor Bill de Blasio for his leadership, not only in forming the expert panel to study the issue, but in taking immediate action to address the most severe structural issues and increase enforcement against illegal, overweight trucks that are overburdening the highway.”

Using data supplied by new state-of-the-art sensors, made by C2SMART to aid DOT in assessing the structure, the BQE Expert Panel noted that many trucks on the roadway are in severe violation of BQE weight restrictions.  Under Federal legal guidelines and posted signage, trucks along the BQE are limited to a maximum of 80,000 pounds — or 40 tons.  However, the sensors have determined that some trucks along the roadway are more than double that weight, as much as 170,000 pounds.  Such excessive weight can do serious damage, with consequences for the roadway’s structural integrity.   Under current state law, NYPD can issue violations to overweight trucks — with penalties as high as $7,000 per violation. 

Increased Truck Enforcement:

Executive Order 51 requires the City to promote and protect the structural integrity of the BQE by through the following actions:

Establish the NYPD BQE Truck Enforcement Task Force that will rigorously enforce existing weight restrictions on the BQE, starting Monday February 3.

Require DOT and NYPD working with the Deputy Mayor for Operations, to develop and present the Mayor with specific proposals to protect the safety and structural integrity of the BQE.  The agencies will consider proposals to increase penalties for violation of weight restrictions on the BQE as well as explore the institution of automated enforcement of weight restrictions.  The agencies will identify which of these proposals require action outside of City control, including those requiring state law amendments.

Urgent Structural Repairs:

DOT has also identified immediate action it will take in 2020 to address immediate structural issues identified in the BQE Panel report.  DOT will this year:

Perform immediate surface road work starting this spring, which will include milling and paving the roadway deck, repairing deck sections to ensure roadway life, restoring defective pavement, and fully replacing the mesh underneath the structure.

Perform and complete structural repairs to the retaining wall found along Hicks Street, which should increase the life span of the wall by approximately 10 years.

Address the two 50-foot long sections of the lever structure that are showing faster signs of deterioration. DOT plans to design those changes and procure the contractor to do the work this year, with construction completed on those sections by 2022. 

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO ON THE NYC ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM’S PRELIMINARY REPORT

“The Commission’s recommendations are the most significant reforms proposed in forty years, and will bring a much needed level of fairness, transparency and simplicity to the entire system. I thank them for their hard work tackling these complex issues head-on and look forward to their final report. Together, we can bring our tax system into the modern day.” 

STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA AND BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD SEVEN HOST A TOWN HALL ON THE FINAL PLAN OF THE BRONX BUS NETWORK REDESIGN

State Senator Gustavo Rivera and Bronx Community Board 7 will host a town hall meeting on the final draft plan of The Bronx Bus Network Redesign on Saturday, February 1 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Monroe College.

During the town hall, representatives of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) will give a presentation on the final draft plan of The Bronx Bus Network Redesign and explain how the potential new bus routes will impact bus riders of Senate District 33.

Attendees will be able to address the panelists and voice their concerns on how these potential changes could affect their daily commutes. Further, they will be able to connect with transportation activists.

WHAT: Town Hall on the Final Draft Plan of The Bronx Bus Network Redesign

WHO: State Senator Gustavo Rivera
           Bronx Community Board 7

WHERE: Monroe College
               Mintz Auditorium
               2501 Jerome Avenue
               Bronx, NY 10468

WHEN: Saturday, February 1, 2020, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.

The event is free and open to the public.