Will There Be An On-Time State Budget

  The deadline for an on-time state budget is April 1st, and in the past 25 years there been only three years that the budget was on time. It depends on who you talk to, because you will get a different answer each time as we did. 

  We spoke to a state senator who said the budget will not be on time if I have anything to do with it. We spoke to a leading assemblyman who said that the budget was almost signed, sealed, and delivered. Yet when reporters such as Liz Benjamin reports here talk to Assembly Speaker Silver (who has left Albany to observe Shabbos) the answer is "Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow its just a day away". Education and health care are two sticking points that may delay the final budget, unless enough elected officials can't live with the budget and vote it down.

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Senator Rivera and Make the Road New York Call for Restoration of Adult Education Funding, Extension of Personal Income Tax for Wealthiest New Yorkers 

Proposed cuts to GED prep and English classes that enable immigrant parents to achieve economic stability and economic prosperity

Senator Gustavo Rivera (D, WF-Bronx) and Make the Road New York issued a joint statement today calling for the restoration of Adult education funding such as GED prep and English as a Second Language classes in the 2012 Executive Budget.

  Senator Gustavo Rivera stated: “Access to adult education including GED courses and English as a Second Language courses has helped make the American Dream possible for million of New Yorkers. As someone who was fortunate enough to learn English as a second language, I am acutely aware of the doors that are opened by speaking English in order to be successful in the United States. We have to continue to provide all New Yorkers with the opportunity to get a high school diploma and the opportunity to learn English. Under current budget proposals, funding for adult education would be cut. We need to have a budget that is about shared sacrifice and shared responsibility, not one that disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable communities, be it seniors, immigrant communities or working and middle class families who are struggling to make ends meet. I call on my fellow legislators to take a stand and support the extension of the personal income tax for wealthy New Yorkers and restoration adult education funding in the 2012 budget.”

  Ana Maria Archila, Executive Director of Make the Road, stated: “Right now, immigrant communities in New York City are looking at substantial cuts in federal funding from the Community Services Block Grants as House Republicans call for the zeroing out of this funding stream altogether. At a local level, our communities are facing a $350 million reduction in social services. New Yorkers, and especially immigrant communities, cannot afford further cuts to adult education programs that include GED and English as a Second Language courses. Adult Education programs make up the bread and butter of the service infrastructure inside immigrant communities, and cuts to Adult Education will not only reduce the opportunities for immigrants to learn English or earn a GED, they will also decimate the service infrastructure that provides critical support to the newest New Yorkers. That is why earlier today hundreds of immigrants rallied in Queens in support of Senator Rivera’s call for legislators and Governor Cuomo to restore funding for adult education in the 2012 budget and extend the personal income tax for New York’s wealthiest New Yorkers.”

 

 

 Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Celebrates Irish American Heritage Month

 

 

  That's Joe McManus, Democratic State Committeeman, 80th A.D.; Brian G. Anderson, Former Commissioner, NYC Department of Records; Margaret Walsh, President of the Board, Parkchester South Condominiums; Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.; Marianne Anderson, Administrator, Pelham Bay Park; Joe McCarthy, Project Hope; Joe Carty, Owner, Rambling House; John Egan, former President, Ancient Order of Hibernians; and Congressman Eliot Engel, who helped Bp Diaz celebrate Irish American Heritage Month 2011. The celebration took place at Rambling House in the heart of Woodlawn, of course. 

 Brian G. Anderson,  Joe McManus, and Margaret Walsh,  were the three honorees, while Marianne Anderson,  Joe McCarthy, Project Hope; Joe Carty, John Egan,  received proclamations from BP Diaz for their contributions to the Bronx Irish American Heritage. 

  

Senate Passes Klein Bill to Crack Down on Auto Insurance Fraud

Measure Would Increase Penalties for Criminals Who Forge Auto Insurance Cards  

Legislation sponsored by Senator Jeffrey D. Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) that would impose tougher penalties on those who commit auto insurance fraud, passed the State Senate today.

Klein’s bill (S.578) would make it a felony to forge an auto insurance card or certificate of insurance. In New York State, these documents are necessary to obtain the government issued documents, such as a vehicle registration, that are required to legally operate a motor vehicle.

“Everyone pays the price for auto insurance fraud,” Senator Klein said. “This commonsense measure will help law-abiding New Yorkers from having to pay higher car insurance because of the misdeeds of others.”

Forged insurance cards and documents are often used to fraudulently register cars so that owners may operate them without paying auto insurance premiums. Klein’s bill also makes the selling of 10 or more false insurance cards or documents a felony.

The bill is pending in the Assembly.

Senate Passes Klein Bill to Strengthen Green Markets/ Increase Access to New York Grown Products

The State Senate Tuesday unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, (D-Bronx/ Westchester), that would expand local and regional green markets, like those in the greater Bronx area, and increase access to New York State grown fruits and vegetables. 

 

The bill, (S.627) allows the New York State Urban Development Corp. and the Empire State Development Corp. to be able to provide loans and grants that can be used to build, expand and refurbish green markets that encourage the sale of New York-grown produce. They currently do not have that authority.

“This is a win-win,” Senator Klein said. “My legislation would both expand the availability of inexpensive produce in our communities, while at the same time creating more avenues for upstate farmers to sell their products.”

There are more than 20 green markets in the Bronx, many of which open for the season next month.

The bill is pending in the Assembly.

 

Get Ready For The Ed Koch Bridge

  The Daily News reports that after a 6-1  committee vote for renaming the Queensboro Bridge to The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge  , the matter will now go to the full council for a vote. This comes only three months after Mayor Bloomberg suggested the idea, and said that he will pay for the costs of the name change with private funds. The renaming of the bridge process started on Dec. 20th of last year, when it was introduced and refereed to committee. 

  This comes despite a Quinnipiac University poll that found 70% of Queens residents and 64% of all city residents opposed to the renaming of the bridge. The full City Council vote is scheduled for tomorrow.