MAYOR DE BLASIO NOMINATES VICTOR CALISE TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD

Mayor de Blasio  nominated Victor Calise for appointment to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Board. Calise has served as the Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities since 2012, and is a recognized expert on accessibility. As Commissioner, Calise is responsible for ensuring that New Yorkers with disabilities have equal access to everything that the City has to offer.

“Victor’s relentless pursuit to make New York City the most accessible place in the world is exactly the type of ardent leadership we need on the MTA Board,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Victor believes in his heart that it is our civic and moral duty to make our subways, buses and Access-A-Ride services more inclusive for everyone. From his rich personal history and longtime advocacy for the disability community, Victor will make a great addition to this Board.”

“I am honored to be nominated to the MTA Board by Mayor de Blasio," said Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities. "To be the only person with a self-disclosed disability currently on the MTA Board is an important responsibility that I will not take lightly. I look forward to working with the Governor’s Office and the State Senate on my confirmation and pledge to advocate for a transit system that works well for everyone—including the millions of New Yorkers and visitors who have intellectual/developmental, vision, hearing or physical disabilities.”

Speaker Corey Johnson said: “Victor is a great guy, and I look forward to working with him to improve our mass transit system. We desperately need to improve the accessibility of our subways, and I know Victor will be a strong voice for this issue. Also, Victor’s a New Yorker, so I know he will push the Board to focus more on the needs of bus and subway riders, which is a priority of mine as well. I urge the State Senate to confirm him swiftly.”

About Victor Calise
As Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, Victor Calise has been an advocate for people with disabilities in both the Bloomberg and de Blasio Administrations. Responsible for ensuring that New York City is the most accessible city in the world, Calise advises the Mayor and agency partners  on accessibility issues, spearheads public-private partnerships, and chairs the Accessibility Committee of the City’s Building Code.
Commissioner Calise began his City service working with the Capital Projects Division of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation where he led efforts to make one of the largest and most complex parks systems in the world accessible by ensuring compliance with construction standards, managing facilities, and developing training materials. Prior to working in New York City government, he was a disability advocate in the non-profit sector.
Commissioner Calise has facilitated relationships with businesses in a myriad of sectors including technology, finance, government, and healthcare. Understanding the importance of increasing diversity in the workforce, his leadership led to the creation of the NYC:ATWORK employment initiative—the first public-private partnership that directly connects jobseekers with disabilities and businesses. Realizing the ever-evolving nature of technological advancements, he also consistently engages with innovators in fields including digital accessibility, communications, and autonomous vehicle development.
A recognized expert on disability, the Commissioner regularly consults with high-level public and private stakeholders about inclusive best practices. He is frequently invited to national and international conferences and has given numerous keynote speeches including in Italy, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates. Often networking with representatives from around the world, Commissioner Calise supports the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and works to ensure that all people realize the full spectrum of their human and civil rights.
The Commissioner received a B.S. in Sports Management from St. John’s University and an M.A. in Urban Affairs from Queens College, CUNY. Calise—an avid athlete—competed in the 1998 Paralympic Games in Nagano, Japan as a member of the first U.S. national sled hockey team.  Calise was born and raised in Ozone Park, Queens and currently lives on the Upper West Side with his wife and two daughters.

The Bronx Democratic Party - Don't Miss Our Winter Reception!

Our Winter Reception is around the corner, and you're invited! If you haven't already, don't forget to RSVP by emailing: allegra@culverplace.com. Join us Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at 6:00PM.

Sincerely,

The Bronx Democratic Party

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Meeting - Tuesday Feb.11, 2020

PPNA Community Meeting:

When: Tuesday Feb.11,2020

Where: Bronx House ,990 Pelham Parkway South

Time: Starting at 7:15 pm

Who: Stephen J Caruso

Citywide Community Affairs Officer ,NYC Dept. Of Sanitation

Hosted By: Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association

Wave Hill events February 20-February 27

Sat, February 22

Family Art Project: Swamp Spectacles and Marsh Marvels

Make a statement about the importance of protecting our wetlands. Create spectacle-art of the plants and animals that make up these rich, biodiverse ecosystems by crafting large-scale puppets and float-like structures. Join your neighbors in committees at different art-making stations to learn how working together in small but meaningful ways can lead to a big impact! End the day by being a part of a video public service announcement (PSA) to educate others on the importance of loving our wetlands. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, February 23

Family Art Project: Swamp Spectacles and Marsh Marvels

Make a statement about the importance of protecting our wetlands. Create spectacle-art of the plants and animals that make up these rich, biodiverse ecosystems by crafting large-scale puppets and float-like structures. Join your neighbors in committees at different art-making stations to learn how working together in small but meaningful ways can lead to a big impact! End the day by being a part of a video public service announcement (PSA) to educate others on the importance of loving our wetlands. Free with admission to the grounds.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, February 23

Wellness Workshop: Winter Soap-making

Make your own cold-processed soap with Melissa Rivera of Holistic Energy Healing. Each bar promotes healing for winter-weary skin with natural ingredients including charcoal, calendula and oatmeal. Go home with several bars of a variety of different soaps. Ages 12 and older welcome with an adult. $55; Wave Hill Members save 10%. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or at the Perkins Visitor Center.

Meet at Wave Hill House, Glyndor Gallery, 10AM–1PM

Sun, February 23

Garden and Conservatory Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 2PM

Mon, February 24

Wave Hill is closed.

                         

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS – Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–4:30PM, November 1–March 14. Closes 5:30PM, starting March 15.

ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES – Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

  

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

STATE OF THE CITY 2020: MAYOR DE BLASIO UNVEILS BLUEPRINT TO SAVE OUR CITY

  Mayor Bill de Blasio delivered his seventh State of the City Address on today, unveiling his Administration’s progressive vision to ensure New Yorkers can continue to call the city they love home. With less than two years left in his second term, the Mayor’s blueprint to save our city will provide small businesses the support they need to survive, take meaningful steps to improve affordability, keep children at the center of his agenda, continue to drive down crime and traffic fatalities, and protect future generations from the catastrophic threat of climate change, according to Mayor de Blasio.

“New York City is the greatest city in the world, but many New Yorkers have real fears that the city they love is slipping away,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “From making Pre-K universal, to creating the safest big city in America, we have accomplished so much together, but we need to go much farther. We must make New York City easier to afford, protect the mom-and-pop businesses that make New York, New York, and hand this city back to the people who make it so great.”

Saving Small Businesses

Small businesses are essential to the fabric of our city, and we are taking steps to provide the support they need to grow, thrive and survive. From cutting red tape and fines to providing resources for business owners to stay in their shops, we are committed to preventing the displacement of New York City’s mom-and-pop shops. We aim to reach 28,000 businesses in need and will:

·         Invest Pension Funds in Local Businesses: We will work to commit $500 million of New York City pension funds to invest in our local businesses, with a focus on small businesses.

·         Pass a Landlord Vacancy Tax: When landlords keep vacant storefronts off the market to wait for high-paying tenants like banks and chain pharmacies, mom-and-pop-shops – and the communities that know and love them – suffer.  We are committing to working with colleagues in Albany to pass a Landlord Vacancy Tax to make it harder for landlords to keep storefronts vacant in our neighborhoods. 

·         Cut Small Business Fines in Half: We have cut fines over 40% since we took office, and we will have cut over 50% by the time we leave office, putting $26 million total back in business owners’ pockets.

·         Expand Small Business Navigators: We will help businesses with applications for permits and licenses so they can open their doors faster, prepare for inspections and lower their costs.

·         Provide Free Lawyers and Fair Loans: For low-income businesses, we will provide free legal services for lease negotiation and low-interest loans from trustworthy community lenders. We will also pursue local legislation to mandate lease transparency requirements for all small businesses.

·         Create a Blue Ribbon Commercial Rent Control Commission: We will convene a blue ribbon commission to find ways to support small businesses and protect them from egregious rent hikes. This commission will deliver its recommendations by the end of this year.

A New York New Yorkers Can Afford

From reforming property taxes to ending long-term street homelessness to investing in NYCHA, we are committed to improving the affordability and quality-of-life of all New Yorkers. With Your Home NYC, the next phase of Housing New York, we are strengthening our efforts to build and preserve affordable housing, protect renters and create neighborhood wealth. We will:

·         Keep New Yorkers in their Homes: We have already kept 255,000 New Yorkers in their affordable homes, and in the next two years, we will protect 78,000 more New Yorkers.

·         Build New Homes for the Lowest-Income New Yorkers: Your Home NYC will prioritize building new homes for our lowest-income New Yorkers.  Half of all City financed newly-built homes will be for families making under $50,000 per year, and at least half of those will be for families making less than $30,000 per year. In total, this will mean 2,000 more units for low-income New Yorkers over the course of the plan.

·         Rent Without a Security Deposit: Too many New Yorkers work hard to afford rent, but don’t have enough cash upfront for a security deposit.  Starting with up to 60,000 City-financed homes, we will offer renters a choice to pay a security deposit or to sign up for renter security insurance that allows small monthly payments or a smaller single upfront payment in lieu of the full month deposit. We will also pursue local and state legislation to expand these alternative options citywide to all of New York’s 2.2 million rental households.

·         Advocate for Universal Renter Protection: We are advocating for the State Legislature to pass new tenant protections for the 2.5 million New Yorkers who live in our nearly 900,000 unregulated homes.  We are committed to protections that will help shield those renters from steep rent shocks and arbitrarily losing their leases.

·         Expand Community Land Trusts to Build Neighborhood Wealth: We will support the use of Community Land Trusts and new neighborhood wealth-building tools to support community ownership and development that allows community residents to share in the wealth generation. The opportunities, offered for organizations to propose community ownership models, will include enough City owned land to gain over 3,000 units of community owned or shared equity housing.

·         Legalize Basement Apartments: We will take the first steps to legalize basement apartments and accessory units by updating our zoning laws, introducing legislation to cut through red tape and helping homeowners pay for it. We will set aside capital funds to finance low interest loans to homeowners hoping to create safe and legal affordable apartments on their property. These measures will add approximately 10,000 more affordable homes for New Yorkers within the next decade.

Keeping Kids Safe

New York is the safest big city in America, and safe neighborhoods are the building blocks of our city. We are deploying 300 Youth Coordination Officers to every precinct, where they will help young people access positive community resources and will be resident precinct experts for all youth-related matters.  In addition, we will:

·         Expand, Reopen, and Build New Recreation and Community Centers: We will expand late nights and weekend hours at 36 Parks recreation centers and provide free membership to anyone up to age 24 by eliminating the $25 membership fee.  We will also reopen six shuttered community centers to restore them to their neighborhoods and complete two Parks recreation centers already in the pipeline.  We will build seven brand-new recreation centers in Soundview, Tremont, Coney Island, Bushwick, Astoria, Queens Village and Staten Island’s South Shore. These investments will increase youth membership by approximately 20,000 members and bring the total number of centers to 51.

·         Make Streets Safer near Schools: We are installing 1,000 new lights, stop signs, and speed bumps around schools and in neighborhoods to keep our youngest New Yorkers safe.

·         Create a new NYPD Vision Zero Unit: As the City continues to drive traffic fatalities to history lows, this new unit will consist of over 100 personnel and expand enforcement against the most dangerous behaviors on our streets: speeding, red light running, and failure to yield to pedestrians.

New York City’s Brightest

Every student deserves a great school. And over the past six years, there has been real progress. Test scores, graduation rates and college readiness are all up. Pre-K for All is shrinking the achievement gap, and Community Schools are improving student performance. Now we have to raise the bar even higher by helping kids start learning even earlier, tracking and improving schools in real time, and bringing dynamic new teachers into the classroom. We will:

·         Bring 3-K to Even More Families: Free Pre-K for All is a reality for all four-year olds in New York City, and 3-K for All is growing fast. Beginning this September, 3-K will cover half of New York City’s school districts, including four new districts in District 1, District 12, District 14 and District 29. 26,000 3-year-olds will have access to full-day, high-quality 3-K.

·         Surpass the Nation in Graduation Rate: We are making a commitment to surpass the nation’s graduation rate in the next five years, reaching 86% by 2026. When we achieve this, it will be the first time in the City’s history that our graduation rate exceeds the national average.

·         Deepen the Work of EduStat: With a focus on current key indicators such as attendance, credit accumulation, formative assessment, and suspension, the Department of Education will be able to analyze real-time data, identify trends, and deploy resources accordingly. The Chancellor’s Executive Leadership Team will meet at least once a month to review.

·         Recruiting Diverse and Gifted Teachers: We are adopting a bold new goal of putting an additional 1,000 men of color on the path to becoming teachers by 2022, doubling our previous goal of 1,000 that was hit in 2018. By building upon existing successful pipeline programs for aspiring male teachers of color, we believe the percentage of new hires who identify as men of color will increase to 20% by 2022.

·         Begin New Family Home Visits: We will begin a new $43 million program that offers home visits to all first-time parents in New York City by 2024. They’ll help both parents and babies stay healthy, help new families strengthen their bonds and make sure families know where to turn for childcare, a pediatrician and all the support they need in those critical early years.

Save Our Future

Climate change is real. And if we don’t act now, our kids will grow up in a world that’s less livable and more dangerous. We are launching a second wave of the Green New Deal that will green our energy, cut vehicle emissions and ban more wasteful plastics – all so the nation’s largest city can become carbon neutral. We will:

·         Investment in Wind: To accelerate the growth of off-shore wind, with our New York State and Empire Wind partners, we will equip the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park as a new hub for staging, installing and operating turbines across the tri-state area. We’ll create 500 green jobs and support clean wind power that would reduce emissions equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road.

·         Double Solar Power: New York City will launch a new program to defray upfront costs of solar power, letting homeowners pay for them over years out of the savings on their energy bills. We will help install solar panels on 50,000 one-to-four family homes, doubling the amount of solar power produced in New York City and creating 5,000 green jobs.

·         Bring Hydro to New York City: This year, we will secure an agreement to bring more zero-emission hydropower to New York City by 2025, which will help run City government operations on 100 percent renewable energy.

·         End Unnecessary Single-use Plastic Bottles: Through an Executive Order, New York City government will end the purchase of unnecessary single-use plastic bottles and restrict the sale of single-use plastic bottles (21 fluid ounces or less) on City property by 2021.·         Make ALL City Vehicles Electric: The Mayor will issue an Executive Order to have all on-road vehicles in the fleet be plug-in electric by 2040. By 2025, 4,000 vehicles will be replaced or converted to electric, and by 2040, we will work to make the entire City fleet – every garbage truck, every ferry, every ambulance and every police cruiser – fully electric. The first electric school buses will hit the streets this year. 

·         End the use of Fossil Fuels, including Natural Gas: By 2040, we still stop using natural gas and other fossil fuels in large building systems in New York City, starting in government buildings. We will work with lawmakers to ensure that new permits for building systems are aligned with our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

·         Stop New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure: We’re not just divesting billions from coal and oil companies – we will stop any new infrastructure, such as power plant expansions, pipelines, or terminals that expands the supply of fossil fuels in our city. We will issue an Executive Order codifying this policy.

Pelham- And Bronx-Based Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty In White Plains Federal Court To Preparing And Filing False Income Tax Returns

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jonathan D. Larsen, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced today that MICHAEL MAGNALDI, a former Pelham resident and an owner and operator of a Bronx-based tax preparation business, pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns for tax years 2014 to 2017 and one count of subscribing to a false tax return for tax year 2016.  MAGNALDI pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison. 

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “After serving in the New York City Department of Finance for 15 years, Michael Magnaldi betrayed the public’s trust by engaging in a years-long pattern of preparing false returns for clients and falsely understating his own income the same year he bought a $705,000 home in Pelham.  Magnaldi’s fraudulent conduct undermined the government’s ability to fund its mandates and cost the government $476,184 in tax revenue.  As we enter tax filing season, Magnaldi now stands convicted of two counts of criminal tax charges and awaits sentencing for his crimes.”

IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said:  “As the tax season heats up, this is an important reminder to taxpayers to beware of unscrupulous tax return preparers. Fraudulent tax return preparers harm taxpayers, legitimate businesses, and the American public. IRS-CI is steadfast in its commitment to ending such tax fraud and today’s guilty plea shows the serious consequences for violating this nation’s tax laws.”

According to the allegations contained in the Information to which MAGNALDI pled guilty, MAGNALDI’s plea agreement, and statements made in court:           

MAGNALDI has years of audit experience in the New York City Department of Finance.  Since at least 2014, MAGNALDI owned and operated MGM Tax Solutions, a tax preparation business located in the Bronx, New York. 

As charged in Count One of the Information, for the 2014 through 2017 tax years, MAGNALDI prepared for clients 37 false Forms 1040 containing, among other false information, false Schedule D capital losses, false Individual Retirement Account (“IRA”) contribution deductions, and false Education Tax credits.  MAGNALDI unsuccessfully attempted to conceal his role in preparing these fraudulent tax returns by not listing his or any name as the return preparer, to make it seem as if the returns were self-prepared.  In response to IRS correspondence audits, MAGNALDI caused additional false forms to be sent to the IRS, in an attempt to substantiate the false losses, deductions, and credits claimed on the tax returns.  The total tax loss for the 37 false individual income tax returns of MAGNALDI’s clients is $232,767. 

As charged in Count Two of the Information, in addition to the false filings prepared on behalf of his clients, MAGNALDI also falsely understated his own and his business’s income on their 2016 tax returns, the same year he bought a roughly $705,000 home in Pelham.  Specifically, MAGNALDI falsely understated income on MGM Tax Solutions’ 2016 Form 1120S, which understated flow-through income on MAGNALDI’s 2016 Form 1040.  The tax loss for MAGNALDI’s understatement of flow-through income is $243,417.

The total tax loss resulting from both schemes is $476,184.  

MAGNALDI, 54, formerly of Pelham, New York, and currently living in St. Augustine, Florida, pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns for tax years 2014 to 2017 and one count of subscribing to a false tax return for tax year 2016, each of which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison.  As part of the plea agreement, MAGNALDI has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of at least $476,184 plus interest and penalties.  Sentencing is scheduled for May 8, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti.

The maximum potential sentences 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 praised the outstanding work of IRS Criminal Investigation in this case.

Financial Adviser Sentenced To 30 Months In Prison For Defrauding Clients In Fake Investment Scheme

  Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ELIAS HERBERT HAFEN, a former financial adviser at two investment banks with offices in New York, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for having defrauded his clients out of more than $1.6 million.  HAFEN previously pled guilty to one count of investment adviser fraud before United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, who imposed yesterday’s sentence.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Elias Hafen promised to invest his clients’ money in a high-yield fund with guaranteed returns, and propped up his fraud with fake account statements.  He never invested his clients’ money, instead using it to line his pockets.”

According to allegations in the Information, other documents filed in federal court, and statements made in public court proceedings, including during HAFEN’s guilty plea:

From 2011 until 2018, HAFEN engaged in a scheme to defraud 11 of his financial advisory clients into believing that HAFEN had access to a high-yield investment fund with guaranteed returns, which was not affiliated with the investment bank at which HAFEN worked.  On HAFEN’s advice, these clients transferred approximately $1.6 million directly to HAFEN’s personal bank account for investment in the purported investment fund over the years that HAFEN engaged in his fraudulent scheme.  HAFEN also created fictitious “Investor’s Statements” bearing the name of a non-existent investment company purporting to detail the status of his victims’ investments.  In reality, however, there was no investment fund at all; HAFEN was using the victims’ funds to pay for personal expenses. 

In addition to the prison term, HAFEN, 64, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, ordered to pay $745,000 in restitution, and ordered to forfeit $806,750.

Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed civil charges in a separate action.