Bronx Day in Albany is on May 1st

5th ANNUAL BRONX DAY IN ALBANY 

Monday, May 1,2017 

Hart Theater Lounge at The Egg 

4:00PM - 8:00PM

COMPLIMENTARY SEATING IS AVAILABLE. 

To reserve your seat, please call 718-409-0109
and ask for Marilyn Ceilema

Bus Locations: 

Assemblyman Gjonaj's District Office 1126 Pelham Pkwy South Bronx, NY 10461

Throgs Neck Houses 425 Swinton Avenue Bronx, NY 10465

Tracey Towers 40 W Mosholu  Pkwy S, Bronx,  NY 10468

Engel Responds to House GOP Plans to Revive Trumpcare

   Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement on Republicans’ latest plan to revive Trumpcare:

“Trumpcare already takes aim at working families, seniors and children. Now, in a transparent effort to salvage the President’s first 100 days in office, the GOP has concocted a plan to make a bad bill worse by stripping down protections for people with pre-existing conditions even further, and eliminating guarantees to essential health benefits.

“Trumpcare failed because the American people, and House Members from the President’s own party, saw through House Leadership efforts to pass it off as something it wasn’t. I have no doubt that Trumpcare’s revival will meet the same fate.”

ONENYC: MAYOR ANNOUNCES CITY ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, HALF WAY TOWARD GOAL

New target for 20% of motor vehicles sold for use in NYC to be electric by 2025, supported by initial $10 million capital investment in fast charging infrastructure citywide

   In advance of Earth Day on April 22, Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that New York City’s municipal vehicle fleet is ahead of schedule to meet its target of adding 2,000 electric vehicles (EVs) by 2025. The City’s vehicle fleet currently boasts more than 650 EV sedans and more than 75 Stealth ambulances, which run on battery power rather than idle their engines to support on-board services. The municipal fleet will have 1,000 EV sedans by the end of July 2017, halfway toward the Clean Fleet goal, with eight years still to go.

“Just over a year ago, we committed to bring more EVs into the city fleet, making a more sustainable city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I am proud to say that we’re well ahead of schedule. Now it’s time to go further, by working with partners to build the infrastructure needed to make these vehicles of the future more accessible to New Yorkers. When it comes to meeting the challenge of climate change while creating a more just and equitable city, New York is leading the way.”

In light of this rapid expansion, Mayor de Blasio today also announced a bold new target for 20% of the motor vehicles sold for use in New York City to be electric by 2025, up from less than 1% today. This commitment includes an initial $10 million capital investment to support fast charging infrastructure that will extend access to electric mobility across the city. The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) will jointly direct this strategic investment along with complementary partnerships and policies to meet this EV penetration target, while taking into account the potential impacts on car ownership and traffic volumes to avoid exacerbating congestion on city streets.

One critical partnership for expanding EV penetration got underway this week, as Con Edison announced a plan to invest up to an additional $25 million in innovative EV strategies and infrastructure. The company released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking partners with the expertise to work on projects such as placing public fast chargers in the city and putting more than 100 EV chargers on NYC sidewalks. These would be the first-ever public street chargers in the city and a step toward serving the many New Yorkers who do not have their own driveways or parking lots. Fast charging could enable the electrification of taxis, carshare, passenger cars and delivery vehicles.

In addition, a new EV workplace charging program being funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), with support from DOT, was launched earlier this year. The “Charge to Work” program is a partnership between NYSERDA, DOT, CALSTART, Empire Clean Cities Coalition, ChargePoint, ABM, and NESCAUM. Recognizing that the presence of vehicle charging stations at the workplace is a strong predictor of EV adoption by commuters, Charge to Work will engage employers in and around New York City to provide incentives for the installation of more than 100 vehicle charging stations at workplaces in hopes of stimulating adoption of more than 450 EVs in the greater metropolitan area by 2020. Charge to Work supports the Governor’s Charge NY initiative, which is accelerating the growth of electric vehicle market in the state through education, research, consumer outreach and financial support for the installation of charging stations throughout New York state. 

Also earlier this year, New York City joined 29 other U.S. cities in issuing a joint Request for Information (RFI) to invite automakers to address an unprecedented expression of demand for EVs. New York City’s municipal fleet represents more than 20% of the nearly 114,000 vehicles captured in the RFI and contributes to a powerful message that cities will lead the way on clean vehicles as federal support for transportation sustainability recedes.

MAYOR DE BLASIO, CHANCELLOR FARIÑA AND DEPUTY MAYOR BUERY ANNOUNCE RECORD PERCENTAGE OF FAMILIES RECEIVING TOP PRE-K FOR ALL CHOICE

Families receive Round 1 offers in April for the first time, earlier than ever before

   Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Carmen Fariña today announced that a record 87 percent of families received an offer to one of their top three free, full-day, high-quality Pre-K for All program choices and 74 percent of families received an offer to their top choice. In 2015, 82 percent of families received an offer to one of their top three choices, and 70 percent received an offer to their top choice. All 65,348 applicants received an offer for a Pre-K for All seat today, and there are thousands of additional seats available for Round 2 of admissions, which runs through May 9. Families are encouraged to pre-register by May 9 for the offer they received, and also explore Round 2 options.

Every child born in 2013 who lives in New York City is eligible to apply and to attend Pre-K for All this fall.

“Pre-K for All is one of many ways we’re attempting to even the playing field for students and families. Regardless of which neighborhood you live in, your parents’ financial situation or what language you speak, if you are a four-year old in this city, you have a right to free, full-day, high-quality Pre-K,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Pre-K is the first step on the path to academic success and I’m thrilled to offer acceptance to over 65,000 families in this first round.” 

“Pre-K for All provides an essential foundation for our students, and the first part of a great education in New York City. It is also a game-changer for parents, saving them an average of $10,000 a year on childcare costs. I share the excitement of the tens of thousands of families who received their Pre-K offers today,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña. “I encourage families who haven’t yet applied to take advantage of the Round 2 admissions process, and our Pre-K outreach team is contacting families across the five boroughs to get the word out to everyone, regardless of what language they speak or what background they come from.”

This year, the percentage of eligible students in shelter applying to Pre-K increased to 47 percent, up from 38 percent last year. 92 percent of students in shelter who applied received an offer to one of their top three program choices, higher than the citywide average. These promising results follow a number of new admissions supports for students in shelter – including training for shelter-based staff; shelter-based workshops; shelter “Days of Action”; texting campaigns; and direct invitation, transportation, and individualized counseling at information sessions and fairs.

This is the earliest-ever first round of Pre-K for All offers, and the first time that families have received offers in April.

Approximately 2,400 families participated in a survey about the Pre-K for All application process. Overall, 95 percent of respondents had a positive experience submitting their Pre-K application using the single, easy-to-complete online process. 92 percent of families who used the new Pre-K Quality Snapshot, a new tool launched in January to learn about pre-K options, found it helpful. Following a number of changes to improve the online Pre-K Finder – including making it easier to search, and adding more information on programs – 81 percent of families said they found the tool helpful in their program search, up from 56 percent last year.

There are a record 69,510 students enrolled in free, full-day, high quality Pre-K for All, more than a threefold increase from 19,287 full-day pre-K students during the 2013-14 school year. 53,120 students were enrolled in full-day pre-K in 2014-15, and 68,647 full-day pre-K students were enrolled in 2015-16. Pre-K for All is the foundation of Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Fariña’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda, which aims to ensure that by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time and two-thirds of graduates are college ready.

From Pre-K for All to College Access for All, the Equity and Excellence for All initiatives are building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our schools are starting earlier – free, full-day, high-quality pre-K for every four-year-old through Pre-K for All. They are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier – Universal Literacy so that every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade; and Algebra for All to improve elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensure that all 8th graders have access to algebra. They are offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework – Computer Science for All brings 21st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All will give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools.

The percentage of applicants receiving an offer to their top Pre-K for All choice increased or stayed consistent across all five boroughs:

·         80 percent of Bronx families received their top choice, up from 78 percent in 2016

·         74 percent of Brooklyn families received their top choice, up from 72 percent in 2016

·         70 percent of Manhattan families received their top choice, up from 69 percent in 2016

·         72 percent of Queens families received their top choice, up from 69 percent in 2016

·         70 percent of Staten Island families received their top choice, consistent with 70 percent in 2016

All families with children born in 2013 – including those who received offers today – are eligible to apply in the second round, which remains open until 11:59 PM on May 9. Submitting a Round 2 application does not affect a family’s current offer or waitlist status. Families can use the online Pre-K Finder to find programs near them and see those programs’ Pre-K Quality Snapshots, and families looking for more information about the application process should review the Pre-K Directory. Both resources are available in ten languages. Additionally, hard copies of English and translated directories are available for all families who need one. Hard copies are available at our Family Welcome Centers, elementary schools, pre-K programs, and libraries and community organizations across the City.

Families can apply in one of three ways: online at www.nyc.gov/prek, over the phone by calling 718-935-2067, or in person at one of the DOE’s 12 Family Welcome Centers. The application is translated into nine languages, and additional translation services are available over the phone in more than 200 languages. There are enough free, full-day, high-quality seats to meet the demand of every four-year-old in New York City.

For this admissions cycle, a total of 19 elementary, middle, and high schools are participating in the Diversity in Admissions pilot. These schools give priority in their admissions processes to students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (FL or FRL), English Language Learners (ELLs), and/or were in the child welfare system or impacted by incarceration. Offers for nine participating elementary schools with Pre-K went to families today. The nine schools met or exceeded nearly every one of their targets.

Parents with children enrolled in free, full-day pre-K save an average of $10,000 annually on childcare costs. A new NYU study found that Pre-K for All makes it more likely that a low-income child in New York City is properly diagnosed with asthma or vision problems, and receives screening or treatment for hearing or vision problems. Additionally, independent research from the NYC Center for Economic Opportunity demonstrated high satisfaction with pre-K for all: 92 percent of families surveyed rated their program as excellent or good, and 83 percent of families said their child learned “a lot” in pre-K. Across the board, the research shows that both students and families are seeing critical benefits from Pre-K for All.  

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz

Why I Am Against A Constitutional Convention

You should know that on November 7, 2017, New Yorkers will vote on whether or not to spend millions of dollars to hold a State Constitutional Convention.

You should also know that under the New York State Constitution, every 20 years on Election Day, New Yorkers are asked to answer this ballot question: “Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution and amend the same?”

It is also important for you to know that I believe that a Constitutional Convention will hurt the men and women in New York who are already struggling to pay their bills and raise their families, among them are union workers from transit to teachers, retirees, those seeking employment, those who find themselves in court, and even our environment will almost certainly suffer irreparable damage.

Some of the reasons why I am opposed to a Constitutional Convention are:

(1) Currently, the Constitution guarantees that pensions benefits for every public employee are protected and cannot be diminished or impaired.  A Constitutional Convention would almost certainly result in the lowering of pension benefits across the board for all public employees.

(2) The public sector union currently has the right to collective bargaining. With a Constitutional Convention, it is most likely that those collective bargaining for public sector unions will end.  This will do away with the right to good jobs and good wages.

(3) Presently, under the Constitution, all workers have the right to access public sector jobs. A Constitutional Convention will most probably turn back the hands of time and allow for discrimination, favoritism and nepotism in hiring.

(4) The Constitution currently provides for right to a free public education. A Constitutional Convention could take away this right, harming our children's fundamental right to education.

(5) Workers compensation rights are currently protected by the Constitution. A Constitutional Convention will almost certainly alter workers compensation, making work especially dangerous for many men and women who face serious injuries every day on the job.

(6) Our watersheds, state parks and wild preserves are being protected by the Constitution.  A Constitutional Convention can do enormous harm to our environment by opening up our watersheds, state parks and wild preserves to developers so they can be seized or plundered by the private sector.

(7) Our Constitution requires for judges to be elected into office by voters. A Constitutional Convention would almost certainly end the election of judges in favor or lifetime appointments, thereby opening our judicial system to many levels of corruption.

It is for this reason that I am opposed to, and ask everyone to vote “NO” to a Constitutional Convention. Otherwise, union workers, children, retirees, those seeking employment, those who find themselves in court, and even our environment will almost certainly suffer irreparable damage.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know. 

Bronx Young Dems Spring Gala 2017

 

 Last night the BYD held their 2017 Spring Gala. 

 Five Honorees and a surprise were on hand for those who were in attendance.

 The five Honorees were State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Mr. Patrick B. Jenkins, Ms. Tracy McDermott, Mr. Anthony Perez, and Ms. Ischia Bravo. The surprise was that outgoing President of the BYD Mr. Eric C. Henry was given a special honor by his fellow Executive Board members for his service as President of the BYD. The photos below should tell the rest of the story, except that Ms. Ischia Bravo was not able to attend for personal reasons.

Above - Honoree Ms. Tracy McDermott with One of her bosses (as she said their are many) Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia Greene.

Below - BYD President Eric Henry says a little about his tenure as President of the BYD.

Above - Honoree Anthony Perez.

Below - Honoree State Senator Jamaal Bailey.

Above - The Executive Board of the BYD with Honoree Patrick Jenkins.

Below - The Honorees with BYD President Eric Henry and Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson.

BYD Vice- President Daniel Johnson presents outgoing BYD President Eric Henry with his surprise honor. 

A.G. Schneiderman Issues Consumer Alert Warning Of Financial Scams Involving Gift Cards

Following An Uptick In Complaints Of Scams Targeting Senior Citizens That Utilize Gift Cards, A.G. Schneiderman Issues Tips To Protect New Yorkers

Attorney General’s Office Will Work With Retail Council, AARP, And Others To Make Changes To Help Safeguard Customers

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today issued a consumer alert about scammers utilizing gift cards to commit fraud against consumers, and in particular senior citizens, following an uptick of complaints received by the office. The Attorney General also announced that his office would partner with the Retail Council of New York State and AARP to adopt measures to protect customers from and educate them about common scams that utilize gift cards.  In addition, the office is meeting with retailers, credit card companies and banks to institute additional measures to protect consumers from these scams.

“Each year, countless New Yorkers lose thousands of dollars through a variety of constantly-evolving financial scams—the latest of which exploits gift cards and targets senior citizens. While it is important for consumers to be on alert and recognize a potential scam, retail stores, credit card companies, and banks can also play a role to thwart scam artists. By working together to enact common sense reforms, we can crack down on these fraudsters and hold them to account,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. 

The Grandparent, IRS, and similar phone and internet-based scams are pernicious and the resulting harm to consumers can be devastating. In many cases, consumers end up losing a significant portion of their savings.

With these and other similar scams, the scammers provide instructions that enable them to obtain funds from the victim.  Although traditionally scammers ask consumers to wire money through Western Union or MoneyGram, more recently, scam artists have employed other methods to steal consumers’ funds, including using a variety of gift cards or pre-paid debit cards.  In the IRS Scam, the caller claims to be an agent or police officer from the Internal Revenue Service calling about a past due tax balance that is owed. The caller typically tells the victim that unless the debt is paid immediately, a team of officers will come to the victim’s home that day to arrest him or her, or that a warrant has already been issued for his or her arrest.  In the Grandparent Scam, a grandparent receives a call from someone posing as a grandchild claiming that he or she is out of town or the country facing an urgent need for money -- to make bail, pay a fine, or pay for automobile repairs or medical expenses. The caller begs the grandparent not to tell his or her parents. 

The story of one consumer, who recently became a victim of the Grandparent Scam, illustrates both the devastating impact these scams can have on consumers and the inadequate safeguards at retail stores, banks, and credit card companies to prevent their customers from being victimized.

An 82-year old grandmother received a call from someone posing as her distraught granddaughter, claiming that she had been the passenger in a car driven by her friend, who was pulled over in Boston by the police, and that $100,000 worth of cocaine was found in the car.  The “granddaughter” claimed that she had been arrested and needed money for bail.  Someone posing as a police sergeant then got on the phone and instructed the consumer to purchase several thousand dollars’ worth of gift cards and to call him back with the numbers on the back of the cards.  After the consumer complied with the request, the scam artists repeatedly called the consumer over the course of the next eight days with additional pretexts, demanding more money. 

The consumer subsequently purchased gift cards on approximately ten occasions and ultimately lost a total of $36,000 from the scam. On at least five occasions, the consumer, who otherwise incurred minimal monthly charges on her credit card accounts, charged thousands of dollars-worth of gift cards at three different retail chains, with single-transaction amounts of $6,000 on one occasion, $5,000 on another, and $4,000 on two other occasions.  Although a number of the credit card transactions triggered fraud alerts, causing a credit card company representative to contact the consumer on the date of the transaction to verify the charges, on each occasion, after the consumer indicated she had authorized the charges, the representative asked no further questions.

After maxing out her credit cards, the consumer went to her local bank branch and withdrew $16,000 in cash, nearly emptying her bank account, and subsequently used the funds to purchase additional gift cards, in amounts totaling $5,000 at one retail chain store in the morning and $4,000 at a nearby location of the same retailer in the afternoon. 

Consumers who have been victimized by these scams have purchased gift cards at a variety of chain retail stores, including Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.

The Attorney General will outline his tips to AARP members on a statewide tele-town hall today, as part of continuing joint efforts between the Attorney General’s Office and AARP to educate consumers about fraud and take concrete steps to fight it, including a series of free and open to the public AARP-sponsored document shredding events from Long Island to Buffalo over the next two weeks, in which the Attorney General’s Office will participate.

Scam artists are always continuing to devise new schemes to defraud consumers, so it is important for consumers to learn how to protect themselves by taking some basic precautions.

Tips To Avoid Falling Victim

If the caller is a stranger, you should sense potential danger:

• Never give out personal information to a stranger on the phone, even if they claim to be a representative from your bank, credit card company, or any other company with which you’ve done business.
• Never wire money through Western Union, MoneyGram, or any other wire service to a stranger.
• Never purchase gift cards for the purpose of providing the gift card numbers to a stranger or someone who claims to be a loved one—gift cards are not a legitimate form of payment.

If you have an elderly parent or loved one:

• Consider passing along these tips to them and don’t assume that they can’t be victimized.
• Consider seeking their permission to be involved in their finances, including asking credit card companies to alert you when they make an unusually large purchase.
• Assure them that they should check with you before making a payment or purchase, especially if a caller has instructed them not to.
• Encourage them to immediately contact you and/or the police if they get a call like those described here.

Attorney General Schneiderman reminds New Yorkers that in addition to being vigilant consumers, they should also report instances of fraud to his office.

Consumers are encouraged to file complaints by visiting the Office’s website or calling 1-800-771-7755.

Michael Heller Chosen as New Community Board 8 District Manager

  Did politics play a role in choosing the new District Manager of Community Board 8?

There are those who say yes, and that you either have to be an employee of an elected official, their political club, or minion of one. When looking at some of the last District Managers to be put in, CB 7 Andrew Sandler was an employee of Councilman Andrew Cohen, CB 6 John Sanchez was an employee of Assemblyman Michael Blake, CB 8 Michael Heller is a member of the Ben Franklin Democratic club Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz's political club, CB 9 William Rivera is a member of Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda's political club, CB 10 the new DM to be selected is connected to Councilman Jimmy Vacca, 

  By the way the above photo is of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz talking to current Community Board 8 Chair Dan Padernacht at the groundbreaking of the new VCP Skate Park. Councilman Andrew Cohen is speaking. It looks like Assemblyman Dinowitz is going to owe Mr. Padernacht again. Well he can always say go call Charlie King!