Tuesday, June 4, 2013

JUNE 12, 2013 BUSINESS EXPO!!! REGISTER TODAY!!! COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION FOR ALL ATTENDEES!!!




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Want to showcase your business at the biggest trade show of the year?
Become an exhibitor today and show the
Bronx what you have to offer!

Wednesday, June 12th / 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
The New York Botanical Garden
   COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION FOR ALL ATTENDEES
For more information or to become an exhitibitor, call 718-828-3900
Click Here to register on our website.

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                               The phone number is 718-828-3900

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LIU: NEW CLAIMS AGAINST POLICE KEEP RISING


 NYPD Outpaces Other Agencies in Measure of Frustration

   City Comptroller John C. Liu today announced that rising legal claims against the police, especially for misconduct, significantly outpaced other City agencies, which either declined or remained flat. The information came in the Comptroller’s Fiscal Year 2012 Claims Report released today.

“The growing number of new claims against the NYPD will cost taxpayers more money, and is a measure of public frustration with the agency,” Comptroller Liu said. “It’s hard to ignore the link between rising claims and a growing chasm between communities and the police. This disturbing and persistent trend at the NYPD must be addressed by the Bloomberg Administration in order to keep New York truly the safest big city.”

The number of new Police Action claims rose 22 percent in FY 2012 and nearly doubled in the past five fiscal years, rising 94 percent. Police Action claims result from alleged improper police conduct, such as false arrest or imprisonment, shooting of a suspect, excessive force or assault, or failure to provide police protection.
                                                                                                    
The number of new claims against the NYPD overall rose 7 percent in FY 2012 over the number filed in FY 2011, leading all City agencies. The broader NYPD category includes vehicular accidents, civil liberties, and property damage, among other claims. Over the past five fiscal years, the number of new claims against the NYPD rose by more than half, or 52 percent.

In contrast, the overall number of new claims filed against all other City agencies as a group dropped 19 percent in FY 2012 as compared with FY 2011, and fell 10 percent over the past five fiscal years.

The dollar value of all settlements and judgments paid by the City resulting from claims against the police was $151.9 million in FY 2012.

The Claims Report provides a comprehensive examination of claims filed against and settled by the City.

Six of the nine agencies accounting for the most tort claims in FY 2012 showed decreases in the number of new claims compared to FY 2011. They are: Sanitation, down 62 percent; DOT, down 27 percent; Parks, down 22 percent, FDNY; down 14 percent; DOE, down 2 percent, and HHC, down 3 percent.

The amount that the City paid out in claims, tort settlements, and judgments in FY 2012 was $485.9 million, 12 percent less than the $553.7 million paid out in FY 2011.

Even with the drops in the number of new claims and amounts paid out, the fact that the City is spending nearly a half-billion dollars annually in settlements and judgments is a tremendous burden on taxpayers, Comptroller Liu said.

“My office will encourage City agencies to minimize and prevent costly claims,” he said. “At the same time, we will work with the Corporation Counsel to reduce the overall cost of litigation and settlements while being fair to people who have been harmed.”

New Claims Filed, by Agencies with Highest Claim Costs in FY 2012
FYs 2008 – 2012



Notes:
 
Data may not include all claims against the City that will be settled because of a time lag between when a settlement occurs and when settlements and updates are entered into the claims database. For the purpose of this report, “settlement and judgment costs,” “liabilities,” “expenditures,” or “amounts paid” are used interchangeably with “recorded settlements and judgments.”

Comptroller Liu credited Deputy Comptroller for Legal Affairs and General Counsel Valerie Budzik, Assistant Comptroller Karen S. Cohen, and the Bureau of Law and Adjustment for their efforts in compiling the report.


Visit www.comptroller.nyc.gov for the latest news, events and initiatives.


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Thompson visits Bronx Senior Center


   During what was his 5 borough tour mayoral candidate Bill Thompson stopped a the Rain Senior Center located at 3540 Bivona Street in the Baychester section of the Bronx. While Thompson was at the Senior center Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. arrived to say hello, and speak about his good friend and candidate that he has endorsed for mayor this year. 
  Diaz told the seniors that he always hears of cuts to senior centers, but that his office provides resources to every senior center in the Bronx. Diaz then told the crowd about why he choose to endorse Bill Thompson for mayor and after Thompson thank Diaz the two went around the room talking with the seniors. I asked several of the seniors if they had voted in the last mayors race in 2009, and the answer was yes and for Thompson. Below are a few photos of the visit by Bill Thompson and BP Diaz.















Left - BP Diaz tells the seniors in the room why he choose to endorse Bill Thompson for mayor.
Right - Thompson thanks his good friend Ruben Diaz Jr. for his kind words, and gives the seniors a reason why they should vote for him for mayor.

Left - Thompson and Diaz work different sides of the room as their backs are opposite each other.
Right - Thompson and Diaz go over how it went, and other items as Thompson's wife Elsie (far right) listens.


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Monday, June 3, 2013

Hoffnung Decides Not to Run and Endorses Cohen


  In what was expected to be a long awaited announcement that he was going to enter the race for the 11th City Council seat to replace term limited Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, Ari Hoffnung has decided to endorse leading candidate Andrew Cohen for the 11th council seat instead. Ari Hoffnung who ran for the 11th City Council seat in 2005 said that he would be making a decision as far back as January 1st of this year, but kept pushing it off. Recently Hoffnung was told that the almost $82,000.00 in his campaign account from 2005 be would eligible for matching funds this year, but that he could not raise any new funds as long as he was Deputy Comptroller. Hoffnung tried to put together a campaign this year, but as candidate Andrew Cohen had locked up all the local elected officials, most of the many mayoral candidates, and the powerful Ben Franklin Democratic Club endorsements there was little if any left to get. Cohen's current major opponent Cliff Stanton has only the endorsement of a group of hired mercenaries whose leader is now on the Stanton payroll.
  After several hard thinking months Ari Hoffnung thought that it would be better for himself, his young children, and a pregnant wife if he decided to endorse his neighbor and friend Andrew Cohen rather then put his family through a tough campaign that he might not win. I asked if his endorsement would lead to John Liu endorsing candidate Cohen, Hoffnung said that he could not speak for Comptroller Liu on that subject. Of the money still left in his campaign war chest, Hoffnung said that the city would get the matching funds while he would still keep the campaign active for a possible future run.

Left - Ari Hoffnung announces that he is not running, but supporting candidate Andrew Cohen for the 11th City Council seat.
right - Candidate Andrew Cohen thanks Ari Hoffnung for his support in the race for the 11th City Council seat. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is also in the photo to Mr. Cohen's left.

Left - Assemblyman Dinowitz (left), Ari Hoffnung (right), pose for photo with Candidate Andrew Cohen (center).
Right - Candidate Cohen is already getting some advice from Ari Hoffnumg.




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80th A.D. Mayoral Forum


  Sunday 80th A.D. Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj wanted to let the people of the 89th A.D. get to know more about the candidates running for mayor. Assemblyman Gjonaj hosted a mayoral forum at Columbus High School (the place of his inauguration) with Cable talk show host Gary Axelbank as the moderator. Axelbank I was told selected the panel to ask questions of the candidates. It was surprising not only to me, but many in the audience to see that the panel was not representative of the area, and the questions told the tale. A question about the Fresh Direct subsidiary by one panel member who had written at least one editorial against the project was asked to the first three candidates. Bill Thompson answered the question the best by saying "If Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is for it, so am I". Christine Quinn and Bill DeBlasio waltzed around the matter with their answers.
   Other questions included the Kingsbridge Armory, Living Wage Bill, Croton Water filtration Plant, and other topics that did not relate to the 80th A.D. By the third candidate was answering the questions people started to leave and told me "what do these questions have to do with my neighborhood"? The battle between candidates Quinn and Thompson over the East 92nd Street Waste Transfer Station  came up in one question, but nothing about the problems of the 80th A.D. Bill Thompson was the closet when he spoke of the broken education system under Mayor Bloomberg. Bill DeBlasio said what he has many times before that he wants to build 200,000 new units of affordable housing, but did not go into any details of how and where. Quinn in answering a question about the poor transportation infrastructure around the Hutch Metro Center (which was a question from outside the panel) put the responsibility for that on the City Council Transportation Chair Jimmy Vacca to deal with.
   After Quinn, DeBlasio, and Thompson came former Bronx BP Adolfo Carrion. He answered the question about the water filtration plant by saying that it had to be built somewhere, and added that the Bronx got millions of dollars for Bronx wide park improvements. Carrion said that he wanted to have "World Class Neighborhood Schools", but when I asked him afterwards why his children did not go to his neighborhood school Carrion answered "There was no World Class school in my neighborhood".
   John Liu was next and last of the major candidates. Liu spoke of his work as Comptroller, and that he would have no problem moving across the street to City Hall. when asked of the conviction of two of his campaign workers Liu said that he is the only candidate who has been investigated for four years, and that nothing has been found except by an undercover agent who Liu said had lied. He added that the agent had entrapped his campaign workers. Liu said that he is not accepting any contributions from people who do business with the city or from Wall Street. Liu said that he was a member of his local community board and civic organization, and that other than his eight years as a councilman and four years as Comptroller that he is not a politician like the other candidates. On a question about cuts to senior centers of 26 million dollar Liu said that the city books need to be opened up to see just where there may be extra dollars and how they can then be used to fill that 26 million dollar gap. Liu added that should not be hard in a 70 billion dollar budget which is the largest of any city in the world.
   After John Liu came Sal Albanese and any other minor candidate that arrived. The two top Republican candidates Joe Lhota and John Catsimatidis were no shows as well as current second place Democratic candidate Anthony Weiner. I must say however that on Sunday it was very warm out, and Assemblyman Gjonaj had plenty of water available to quell any thirst of the attendees.  He and his staff tried to do a good job as they have done for the past year, but I am sure that they will learn from their mistakes. 




Left - Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj opens the 80th A.D. mayoral forum. You can notice by his rolled up sleeves how hot it was in the auditorium.
Right - Bronx County Democratic Party Vice-Chair Lou Goldstein and, State Senator Gustavo Rivera were in the Audience.

Left - City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is seated as she waits for her turn to speak to the voters in the audience.
Right - Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio speaks to some potential voters outside the auditorium where this forum was being held.


 













Left - Former City Comptroller Bill Thompson as he is interviewed by the local cable T.V. station.
Right - City Comptroller John Liu poses for a photo with Mr. Ron Jordan a former parent and community activist.

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Saturday, June 1, 2013

Sen. Klein Visits with Students Participating in College Trip Program at Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy



College trips made possible with funding from Senator Klein

 
  New York State Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein visited with high school students, guidance counselors and school administrators at MS/HS 141 Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy in Riverdale to learn from students about their experiences on college trips made possible with funding Senator Klein provided through Project BOOST. Along with Senator Klein were Mr. Larry Greenbush ( who oversees the 12 schools of Senator Klein in Project Boost), and Mr. Carl Vinci (who is the director of the 82 school program). This funding comes through the State Education Department, and is made possible to help aid students see just what is involved in going to college after high school. 

  During a question and answer period with students who participated in the Project Boost program Senator Klein learned from the students just what they experienced on their visits to different colleges in New York. Some students visited colleges on Long Island while others went upstate to visit SUNY colleges. The senator briefly gave his recollection of going to Bronx schools, college, graduate school, and then Law school. When asked if he went to school  to be a senator, Klein answered that he was always involved in student government and his first job was working in a congressman's office. Klein ended by saying that when he went to Columbia Unversity in the 1980's tuition was $10,000,00 a years back then. He said that it is now over $65,000.00.

  Senator Klein said, “Hearing directly from the students at the Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy about their experiences traveling to college campuses - many for the first time - confirmed exactly the reason why I support programs like Project BOOST. 120 students from the high school went on college visits where they got to see, first hand, what the experience of being independent, taking responsibility for your schedule and actively thinking about your future looks like. I am proud to have made this opportunity possible for students at MS/HS 141 and will continue to do what I can to support access to academic and cultural experiences outside of the class room for students in my district.”


 













Left - Senator Klein listens to RKA students talk about their experiences about visiting different colleges.
Right - Senator Klein and RKA Principal Laura O'Mara (on the senators right) talk with staff members about the students trips.




Senator Klein and RKA Principal O'Mara stand amid the students who participated in this Project Boost program.

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LAWSUIT ON FRESHDIRECT DISMISSED

 

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., FreshDirect CEO Jason Ackerman and Marlene Cintron, president of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation expressed their satisfaction today after learning that the lawsuit in opposition of FreshDirect’s impending move to the Harlem River Yards has been dismissed.

“I am thrilled to learn that the plaintiff’s legal efforts to thwart FreshDirect’s relocation to our borough have been stopped, and their lawsuit has been dismissed,” said Borough President Diaz. “My office has, since day one, understood that this project is crucial to the future economic health and vitality of the Bronx.”

Borough President Diaz noted that this project will create 1,000 new jobs while also relocating 2,000 jobs to the Bronx from Queens. Already, FreshDirect has displayed their commitment to the Bronx through hiring initiatives that have led to Bronx residents getting jobs at their existing Queens facility, the impending greening of their delivery fleet, the expansion of their services to the entire borough and their efforts to expand their services to EBT users.

“In short, FreshDirect is now and will continue to be a great asset to the Bronx. I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition,” said Borough President Diaz.

“We're very happy that the Court has recognized that the environmental review was proper and in accordance with the law.  We are eager to move forward with our plans to bring thousands of jobs to the Bronx and make it easier for people to get fresh food.  We look forward to working with our Bronx neighbors,” said FreshDirect CEO Jason Ackerman.

“Our belief in the justice system has been reinforced by this decision. Now we can get to the serious work of bringing 3,000 much needed jobs to the Bronx as soon as possible,” said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. 

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