The city we need to be: Bill de Blasio

Fellow New Yorkers -- Eric Garner's death was a terrible tragedy that no family should have to endure. For many across our city and our nation, yesterday's grand jury ruling compounds feelings of grief with dissatisfaction and anger. As we reflect on the weeks leading up to yesterday's decision and prepare our path forward, I want to share a snapshot of our short- and long-term plans to improve the relationship between police and the communities they serve. First, this is not the end of the story -- only the end of a chapter. The NYPD and the Justice Department will initiate their own investigations. Second, New York City owns a proud and powerful tradition of expression through non-violent protest. Demonstrations and free speech are valuable contributions to debate, but violence and disorder are not only wrong -- they are counterproductive. Frustration is understandable. Centuries of racism precede us. But working together, we can turn from that history and make a profound and lasting change in the culture of law enforcement and bring police and community closer together. We've already begun to make progress. We've dramatically reduced the overuse and abuse of stop-and-frisk, initiated a comprehensive plan to retrain the entire NYPD to reduce the use of excessive force and to work with the community, reduced arrests for minor marijuana possession, and given officers body cameras to improve transparency and accountability. And we know there is much more to be done. Finally, in recent weeks, protesters and activists have adopted a phrase that should never have to be said, but that the stains on our country's history demand we say: Black Lives Matter. When invoking this refrain, we must be mindful that issues surrounding policing and civil rights are not just an issue for people of color, they're not just a problem for young people, and they're not just a problem for people who get stopped by police. They're a problem for all Americans who care about justice. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Together, we must work to make this right, to work for justice, and to build the kind of city and the kind of country we need to be. And we will. Thank you, Bill de Blasio

Reaction to 'NO INDICTMENT' in Eric Garner Grand Jury Decision

   Reaction is coming in from all ends to the Staten Island grand jury decision not to indict police officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner while in police custody. 

   President Barack Obama has said that there needs to be equal justice for all.

  Mayor Bill de Blasio said just a few moments ago - 'This is a national problem that has existed for centuries'. De Blasio also mentioned his son Dante several times during his speech from near where the Eric Garner death took place. The mayor asked for calm, and Eric would not have wanted violence. Protest, but do it peacefully.

   STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

  “I am incredibly saddened and shocked that a grand jury on Staten Island has failed to indict Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner.  The system is broken. Officer Pantaleo’s deadly encounter was caught clearly on videotape, and yet Eric Garner and his family will not know the justice of a jury trial. This is a travesty. I hope that a federal investigation will be forthcoming.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the Garner family, and I wish them peace in their most difficult hour. This is why we protest: to fight injustice. Whether Amadou Diallo or Eric Bell or now Eric Garner, we protest to stand up against a justice system that so often seems to fail men and women of color. We can no longer allow that to stand.

With that said, this is not the time for violence. I urge the people of this city to fight their battles through continued protest and activism, and not to meet this outrage with more violence,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Statement from Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda

  – “I am deeply disappointed by the verdict reached by the Grand Jury regarding the Eric Garner case. What I saw captured on video was a clear demonstration of excessive force. My prayers go out to the Garner Family during this difficult time. With tensions running high, I hope that any subsequent protests or police actions in response are peaceful and that interactions on both sides remain civil. It is important to remember that the actions of this officer do not represent the department as a whole.”

Minority Caucus Issues Statement on Disappointing Finding of Grand Jury

  The New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus is releasing the following statement on the Grand Jury decision not to indict the police officer in the choke hold death of Staten Island resident Eric Garner.

“In the eyes of millions of our fellow Americans, today is another day in the disappointing history of a justice system that continues to fail to hold rouge police officers responsible for the excessive use of deadly force on unarmed civilians.  We strongly disagree with the non-indictment of the police officer who caused the death of Mr. Eric Garner and see this decision as the impetus to look for public policy solution to a system that allows local district attorneys to investigate crimes and civil rights violations committed by their co-workers in the criminal justice system. 

It is now clear to us that every case of police brutality and use of excessive force on unarmed civilians must be investigated by a special prosecutor with no ties to the community or residents were the incident occurred.  Only through an independent and transparent investigation of these crimes will communities now so heavily impacted by such actions become more trusting of the police forces empowered to protect them.

STATEMENT OF COMPTROLLER SCOTT M. STRINGER

  If Eric Garner’s tragic death teaches us anything, it’s that we as Americans need to heal the frayed relationship between our police and the neighborhoods they serve—whether it’s in Ferguson, Missouri or Staten Island. We must build a society where all people are treated fairly and equally under the law, regardless of their race. My heart goes out to Mr. Garner’s family, and I call on all New Yorkers who wish to protest the Grand Jury’s decision to respect his family’s wishes and do so in a peaceful, non-violent manner. - 

STATEMENT FROM BP DIAZ RE: The passing of Herman Badillo

  “I am deeply saddened by the passing of a man whom I looked up to as a role model and who represented Latinos, Bronxites and all New Yorkers as an exemplary public servant.

“As the first Puerto Rican to be elected as Bronx Borough President, as U.S. Representative and  to be a mayoral candidate in our city, Herman Badillo was one of my inspirations as a young man of Puerto Rican descent who was born and raised in the  Bronx and pursuing a career in politics. He was a true Bronxite and the epitome of a passionate leader who truly cared for his community. Herman Badillo worked assiduously throughout his career to make a difference in the lives of countless individuals across our Borough and City.

“Most importantly, Herman Badillo was both a mentor and a friend to me personally. Herman was always there to listen to questions and offer advice. He was a guiding voice early in my career, and he remained a rock throughout my time in elected office.

“I, along with all 1.4 million residents of The Bronx as well as all the people whom he touched during his long work in public service, offer my thoughts and prayers to Mr. Badillo’s family,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Assemblyman Dinowitz alerts consumers to New York City rip-off by Poland Spring

Unfair delivery fees much greater than previous oil/fuel surcharge fees

   Assemblyman Dinowitz, Chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection, is alerting consumers to what he calls a New York City rip-off by Poland Spring. For a number of years, Poland Spring has been charging customers who are delivered water several dollars per month for what they term an “oil/fuel surcharge.” Recently, the company has replaced the oil/fuel surcharge for all New York City customers with a flat delivery fee that is much greater than what was previously charged.

While Poland Spring claims to adjust its oil/fuel surcharges according to the monthly price of fuel, its pricing system charges consumers similar fees despite wide market fluctuations. The last time diesel fuel prices were low enough to allow consumers to avoid an oil/fuel surcharge, according to the U.S. Department of Energy records that Poland Spring uses to set its rates, was in February 2005, nearly ten years ago.

Assemblyman Dinowitz said, “Consumers who already pay a premium for delivery don’t deserve additional, unnecessary fees. I always found it outrageous that Poland Spring adds a monthly surcharge for fuel that, at around $3 per month, is only loosely pegged to fluctuating fuel prices. Poland Spring, like far too many businesses, has used high fuel prices as an excuse to raise rates, then has sustained these high rates even when the price of fuel drops.”

“Now, Poland Spring has burdened New York City consumers with a new delivery charge that, at $3.95 or $4.95 per month, is much higher than these surcharges. It’s about time consumers are treated fairly by businesses, rather than be subjected to artificially high fees for the sake of corporate profits. How about reducing the burden on New York City consumers by eliminating this absurd delivery charge in time for the holiday season?” Assemblyman Dinowitz concluded.

Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda & Senator Ruben Diaz Job Fair

Watchdog to Conflicts Board --: Investigate de Blasio's Closed Meeting with Union

  This item comes by way of the Daily News, but many are reporting the same question. Did Mayor Bill de Blasio violate the cities conflict of interest law when he had a closed meeting with Local 1182 of the Communications Workers of America at PS 66 in Brooklyn. 

  Dick Dadey Executive Director of Citizens Union is quoted as saying. “From what is known, this appears to have been a political event held at a public school in violation of city rules, The News a;so quotes Dadey “It is important that New Yorkers who want a transparent and accountable city government know that our public officials are faithfully following the laws of New York and the rules that guide their implementation.”

  At first there was no comment from the mayor, but in a nupdate a mayoral spokesman is quoted as saying "The DOI reported this was an inadvertent mistake, one the mayor said won’t happen again," 

  The complete Daily News article and two page letter to the conflict of interest board from Mr. Dadey can be found here.

  

  

COMPTROLLER STRINGER AUDIT REVEALS THOUSANDS OF COMPUTERS AND TABLETS LOST AND UNUSED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Unopened Computers and Tablets sit in boxes, some since 2011 

New York, NY – More than 1,800 computers were unaccounted for or missing entirely and nearly 400 laptops and tablets were found unpacked and unused in ten Department of Education (DOE) locations, raising concerns that millions in computer equipment may be lost citywide, according to an audit of DOE’s inventory control over nearly $200 million in computer purchases released today by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer.

“It is an insult to families who are desperate to access technology for their children to leave brand new computers and tablets unused in closets and storage facilities,” Stringer said. “If auditors can’t locate an average of 180 computers per DOE location, this may be just the tip of the iceberg. Every school should be prepared to use the devices they have and DOE should have a plan for where its computer hardware can best be put to use. Taxpayer dollars, and our children’s education, are too important to take this technology for granted.”                                                      

The audit examined how DOE maintained inventory controls over computer hardware purchased through two separate contracts with Apple and Lenovo.  The contracts, entered into in September 2009 and July 2011 respectively, have been used to purchase over 211,000 pieces of computers and tablets worth more than $197 million as of September 2014.

Auditors examined a sample of the computer and tablet inventory purchased from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013 for use at ten DOE sites – nine schools and one administrative building. At one of the schools, Bronx P.S. 168, auditors examined lists provided by DOE’s Asset Management System (AMS) database, a program which contains records of the computer and tablet purchases, but is not used by DOE to maintain inventory control. At the remaining nine sites, the results of auditors’ physical findings at these sites were compared with the AMS database.

Audit findings include:

·         Missing computers and grossly inaccurate records– DOE was unable to identify the location of 1,817 laptop and desktop computers that were supposed to be at the ten sites-1,090 that were listed as “asset location unknown” or were no longer listed at all at Bronx P.S. 168 and 727 that were not physically found at nine of the locations.  The Department spent nearly $200 million during FY12-FY13 on computers and tablets, yet does not maintain a centralized inventory system to make sure they are sent to the right places. Instead, the DOE tasks schools with creating their own annual inventory lists.  These school inventory lists are not reconciled with the AMS database of purchases, leaving the DOE with inaccurate counts and unknown locations of computers and tablets.

·         No system to track tablets – DOE spent $26.9 million on tablets during FY 2012 and 2013 citywide, but did not keep an inventory of these purchases, even though its Standard Operating Procedures requires it to do so. According to City records, 956 tablets were purchased for eight sampled schools during the audit period, but only 703 were listed on the individual sites’ inventory records, leaving 253 unaccounted for.

·         Computers sitting in closets – The audit found 394 devices had gone unused and unopened at the eight school sites that were physically examined. At Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn, 78 laptops and iPads, some purchased in 2011, were found unopened.

“Parents have a right to expect that their kids have access to the technology that will prepare them for the global economy,” Comptroller Stringer said.  “DOE has failed in its duty to ensure that when taxpayer dollars are spent on computers and tablets, that technology makes it into the classroom. The City is wasting precious resources, creating a climate that invites theft, and ultimately undermining our responsibility to educate our children.”

Recommendations submitted to the DOE by Comptroller Stringer’s office included:

·         Create a centralized inventory system – DOE should have a centralized inventory system for computer hardware that includes computer hardware purchases and delivery information, as well as the item’s current location.

·         Revise DOE’s Procedures – DOE should ensure that all hardware purchases are included in its AMS and require schools to do annual inventory counts that are reconciled with AMS. 

·         Find every computer identified as missing – DOE should locate those computers identified as missing and take steps to ensure that other locations have accurate inventories.

·         Report any evidence of crimes – If evidence of illegal activity is uncovered as pat of the updated inventory, the DOE should immediately contact the proper authorities and cooperate with any investigation.

To read the complete audit, please click here.