Saturday, March 6, 2021

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 3.5 Million New Yorkers Receive First COVID Vaccine Dose

 

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION NEW YORKERS RECEIVE FIRST COVID VACCINE DOSE 

As of 11AM today, New York Providers Have Administered 96% of First Doses  

Vaccine Dashboard Will Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker   

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 3.5 million New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As of 11AM today, New York providers have administered 96 percent of first doses so far delivered. The Week 12 allocation from the federal government is in the process of being delivered to providers for administration.   

"While we are seeing good progress in our fight to lower the infection rate and continuing to open up sectors of our economy, we must double down on getting more people vaccinated because this is what will determine our long-term success," Governor Cuomo said. "With more than 3.5 million New Yorkers having now received at least one shot of the vaccine, our team is on the ground working with local leaders to make the vaccine accessible to all New Yorkers so we can get even more shots into people's arms. We finally have a strong ally in the White House who understands the urgency of an effective vaccine distribution infrastructure, and we will continue to work with providers here in New York to make sure they have the resources they need to operate at maximum capacity."      

Approximately 10 million New Yorkers are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.  

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:  

  • Doctor's letter, or
  • Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or
  • Signed certification 

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11AM today is as follows. Beginning week 9, allocation totals are inclusive of some excess vaccine doses that have been reallocated from the federal Long Term Care Facility program. The allocation totals below include 80 percent of the week 12 allocation which will finish being distributed to New York provider sites on Sunday.   

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

First Doses Received - 3,676,500

First Doses Administered - 3,517,416; 96%

Total Doses Received - 5,932,415

Total Doses Administered - 5,342,262 

MAYOR DE BLASIO ISSUES LETTER TO GOVERNOR CUOMO, URGING STATE TO ADOPT POLICIES THAT HELP NEW YORKERS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

 

"For a decade, state leadership has cut resources that keep New Yorkers in their homes, and the most recent budget proposal is on track to do more of the same."


 Mayor Bill de Blasio today issued a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, urging the State to take substantive steps to reverse decades of disinvestment and address the underlying needs of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. In the letter, the Mayor urges the State to commit to increasing, rather than cutting, programs that help the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including rental assistance, supportive housing, shelter services, TANF benefits, mental health teams, and Medicaid.

 

The text of the letter is in full below:

 

Dear Governor Cuomo:

 

In addition to other topics including the COVID-19 pandemic, you spoke about homelessness during a recent press conference. While the number of New Yorkers in our shelters, particularly families, has actually decreased significantly – contrary to your claim this week that homelessness has increased – these New Yorkers in need are facing historic challenges. These challenges have been deepened by years and years of neglect on the federal and state levels. For a decade, state leadership has cut resources that keep New Yorkers in their homes, and the most recent budget proposal is on track to do more of the same.

 

We need you to go beyond simply calling for deployment of law enforcement and instead take the following substantive steps to address the underlying needs of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness.

 

Rental Assistance: Increase the Rent Levels for State Rental Assistance to the HUD-set FMR Rent Level

 

As the former Secretary of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), I know that you are aware that the HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) level is the correct standard for setting rent subsidies. Yet your Administration refuses to use this standard for your State FHEPS program – and if we did so on our own for our supplemental City FHEPS program, among other consequences, it would lead to source of income discrimination when landlords favor City FHEPS voucher holders over State FHEPS voucher holders. The solution is hiding in plain sight: you should increase the rent levels for State FHEPS to the HUD-set FMR rent level through the Home Stability Support program proposed by both houses of the Legislature. This immediate step can prevent and alleviate homelessness which has increased throughout the state, even as we have reduced the New York City Department of Homeless Services shelter census through significant local government investments.

 

Supportive Housing: Fully Fund the New York/New York Units and the Planned State Units

 

The State has continually underfunded the existing supportive housing stock in New York City and across the state, failing to keep up with increasing rent costs. These long-standing supportive housing units (New York/New York I, II, and III) have been either wholly funded or split funded with the State for decades. It is widely recognized that these New York/New York units in New York City were not enough to meet the need for vulnerable New Yorkers, and in November of 2015, unable to reach an agreement with the State, I announced NYC 15/15, which is the largest municipal commitment to supportive housing. NYC 15/15 will result in the development of 15,000 units of supportive housing over 15 years and is modeled on the New York/New York agreements. Two years ago, the City added more funding to keep the older New York/New York-funded supportive housing units from being lost because of rental market pressures, but the State has not stepped up to increase its share. These older units are now at risk of being lost due to the State’s underfunding. Even as the State and City have made investments in new units, the loss of these older units when the unmet need for units is so great simply cannot happen. The State must do its part to prevent the loss of these older New York/New York units. Moreover, while our NYC 15/15 supportive housing plan is fully funded in the City budget, your announced plan for new supportive housing units is not, which must be fixed in the current budget.

 

Support for Shelter Services and Outreach: Restore the State’s Traditional 50/50 Cost Split For Single Adult Shelters in NYC, Outreach Workers, Safe Havens, Stabilization Beds, and the Cost Of Homeless Services for the Overnight MTA Shutdown Initiative

 

Although the State and the City are both obligated under the New York State Constitution and a Consent Decree to provide shelter to single adults experiencing homelessness, the State has reduced its support for single adult shelter in New York City from 50/50 to a mere nine percent, and in the current budget, you have proposed a further cut. Moreover, the State provides zero dollars to support the 600 outreach workers and more than 3,000 safe haven and stabilization beds that we have funded to enable nearly 4,000 people to come inside from the streets and subways and remain off them since 2016. And where the State does control street homeless outreach – in Penn Station through the MTA – the staffing levels that are funded are below what we fund in the programs we operate, including our emergency initiative during the overnight MTA shutdown that has helped more than 750 people come off and remain off the subways. Simply put, the State must return to paying its fair share for these life-saving services.

 

TANF and EAF Funding: Reverse Cost-Shifts to NYC

 

In the prior two State budgets, New York City has been subjected to a State cost-shift of more than $180M for public benefits for struggling families with children. These cuts affected funding for cash benefits for vulnerable New Yorkers, as well as homeless shelter services and emergency programs for survivors of domestic violence. These are mandated services under the New York State Constitution and Social Services Law and are more critical than ever in this time of growing income inequality. The cost-shifts negatively impact the City’s ability to invest in essential services to prevent and alleviate homelessness, as well as other critical services for low- income families and individuals, as New York City takes on more and more fiscal responsibilities that were formally the State’s. And in contrast to these State cuts to the City, we are investing $166M annually in a first-in-the-nation right-to-counsel law that, pre-pandemic, helped to drive down evictions by 41 percent while they were on the rise all across the country. We are also providing funding for rental assistance and rehousing programs that have helped more than 155,000 people move out of shelter or avoid homelessness in the first place. These prevention and rehousing initiatives have enabled us to drive down the Department of Homeless Services shelter census to less than 53,000, with the number of children and adults in family shelters at the lowest level since 2012. As partners, there is so much more that we can accomplish together, but these cost-shifts from the State to the City stand in the way.

 

Mobile Health Teams (ACT): Increase the State Medicaid Cap to Support Reimbursement for Additional ACT Teams

 

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an evidenced-based practice that offers mobile treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to individuals that have been diagnosed with serious mental illness using a person-centered, recovery-based approach. Demand for ACT far exceeds current capacity in New York City. There are nearly 600 eligible persons currently awaiting an available ACT team. New York City asked New York State to increase the State Medicaid cap to support reimbursement for additional ACT teams since Medicaid revenue supports most of the operating costs and new licenses cannot be issued without the ability to cover the costs to Medicaid. (Net deficit funding via City or State contracts covers the other costs.) However, the State did not agree to lift the Medicaid cap, thus preventing the city from hiring the nine additional teams that are needed immediately.

 

Medicaid Rate Cut: Reverse the Rate Cuts

 

In addition to affecting the ability to fund and release further Medicaid licenses for ACT teams, the State continues to cut Medicaid rates, this year by another 1 percent across the board. This is on top of the 1.5 percent across the board rate reduction the State made last year and reduces Medicaid revenue for Health + Hospitals by an additional $60M annually. H+H relies heavily on its Medicaid revenue; this cut puts key H+H services for our most vulnerable residents at risk. Medicaid covers 3.5 million people in the city and serves as the primary insurance vehicle for most of our residents.

 

Affordable Care Act Medicaid Coverage: Release the $100M ACA Funding Owed to NYC

 

The ACA expanded Medicaid coverage to essentially all adults under age 65 with incomes below 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Line. States that opted to implement the expansion were given eFMAP assistance for the newly covered populations. Each year, NYS distributes 80 percent of the eFMAP assistance to localities by reducing their mandated contributions to State Medicaid costs. NYS holds on to the remaining 20 percent and later passes it to localities via retroactive payments. NYC is owed $100M that is urgently needed in the middle of the continuing public health emergency.

 

Indigent Care Pool (ICP): Reinstate the State’s Contribution to Public Indigent Care Pool

 

The State is discontinuing its contribution to the Public Indigent Care Pool, an action that primarily impacts public hospitals in New York City serving our most vulnerable patients. The ICP is a program that provides funding to hospitals to pay for services provided to low income patients. This would be an impact to H+H of at least $60M per year.

 

Sincerely,

 

Bill de Blasio 

Mayor


EDITOR'S NOTE:


Mayor de Blasio writes this in his 8th year as Mayor of New York City. He also forgets that the state legislature now has a Democratic Super Majority he helped get elected. He should be calling on his friends in the state legislature to help New York City rather than a governor who will be out of office before the mayor will.


301 Days and Counting

 


It's been over a year that COVID-19 has ravished the Bronx, let me now go to Coop-City to open a vaccination site.

Celebrating Women's History Month

 


The week-long national celebration of women's history began in 1981 with the passage of Pub. L. 97-28, which developed, through subsequent resolutions and presidential proclamations, into Women's History Month.

Among the great losses we have collectively suffered this past year is U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her groundbreaking work honors women and our society at large.

There was still room for celebration of notable achievements by many women. In particular, we can celebrate our new Vice President Kamala Harris, who will no doubt inspire future generations of leaders.

At the local level, I appreciate the many women who volunteer their time for the neighborhoods of District 11--those who serve on our community boards and those who run community organizations that affect positive change.

If elected to City Council, I will fight for equal pay for equal work, support the ACLU's goals of equal access to education, work with the DA's office to fight for justice for battered women and create job interview preparation for women emerging from economic depressions.

Please join our campaign for positive change in the NW Bronx--and vote Daniel Padernacht 1st Choice on March 23rd. Early voting takes place March 13 to 21.

Sincerely, Dan 

Dan Padernacht
Candidate for New York City Council 
11th Council District 
www.voteDanP.com


Bedford Park, Fieldston, Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, Norwood, Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield & Woodlawn 


Friday, March 5, 2021

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic March 5, 2021

 

Hospitalizations Drop to 5,034—Lowest Since December 8

1,030 Patients in the ICU; 700 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 3.02%

94 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitalizations dropped to 5,034, the lowest since December 8.

"We're fighting COVID-19 every day by getting the vaccination rate up and keeping COVID rates down, but we still have a long way to go in this footrace," Governor Cuomo said. "Our vaccine distribution sites are expanding and Johnson & Johnson's new vaccine is going to help substantially, but the number of eligible residents far exceeds the number of shots we get each week, and challenges like new variants and COVID fatigue continue to pose a threat. That's why it's critical that New Yorkers continue to practice the basic behaviors that help us combat this virus—washing hands, social distancing and masking up—and why we need to look out for one another throughout this crisis. The numbers are a function of our collective actions, and if we all work together, we can defeat COVID and get to the light at the end of the tunnel."

Today's data is summarized briefly below: 

  • Test Results Reported - 296,935
  • Total Positive - 8,956
  • Percent Positive - 3.02%
  • 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.16%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 5,034 (-143)
  • Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -592 
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 592 
  • Hospital Counties - 55
  • Number ICU - 1,030 (-13)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 700 (-12)
  • Total Discharges - 148,923 (+568)
  • Deaths - 94 
  • Total Deaths - 38,891

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Files Civil Injunction Lawsuit To Shut Down Bronx Tax Preparer And His Company

 

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the filing of a civil complaint against RAFAEL ALVAREZ and ATAX New York LLC (“ATAX New York”) to prohibit them from, among other things, preparing tax returns for others or engaging in activities that substantially interfere with the administration of federal tax laws. The complaint alleges that ALVAREZ and ATAX NEW YORK have prepared and filed fraudulent tax returns on behalf of their customers in order to reduce their customers’ tax liability and generate refunds to which those customers were not entitled. 

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Tax return preparers who regularly cheat the tax system by preparing fraudulent federal income tax returns for their customers should not be permitted to continue in business.  This Office will work with the IRS to shut down return preparers who fleece the Treasury by claiming improper deductions or credits for their customers.”

 As alleged in the Government’s complaint filed in federal district court today:

ATAX NEW YORK is a limited liability company that prepares tax returns for customers in the Bronx.  ALVAREZ is a tax preparer and ATAX NEW YORK’s sole member.  Together, ATAX NEW YORK and ALVAREZ prepared and filed over 36,000 federal income tax returns from 2016 to 2019 for their customers.  In preparing those returns, ATAX NEW YORK and ALVAREZ knowingly prepared and filed false federal income tax returns for their customers by fabricating, among other things, unreimbursed business expenses, charitable contributions, capital loss carryovers, and tuition expenses.  Many tax returns prepared and filed by ATAX NEW YORK and ALVAREZ also falsely claimed “head of household” status for their customers as part of this scheme, even by using social security numbers belonging to deceased individuals in claiming dependents.

The Government is seeking an injunction against ATAX NEW YORK and ALVAREZ that would, among other things, permanently bar them from preparing or filing federal tax returns on behalf of others.  The complaint also asks the court to order the defendants to turn over the ill-gotten net profits they earned because of their fraudulent conduct.

Ms. Strauss thanked the Internal Revenue Service for its assistance with this case.

The case is being handled by the Tax and Bankruptcy Unit in the Office’s Civil Division.

BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR SHOOTING AND LEAVING VICTIM IN A COMA

 

Defendant Was on the Run for Months

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted on Attempted Murder, Assault and additional charges for a shooting last November that left a man in a coma and with long-term medical complications. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly shot the victim in the thigh, striking his femoral artery. The victim was in a coma and miraculously survived. Although months have passed since the shooting, he remains hospitalized.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Edgardo Perez, 29, of 980 Prospect Avenue, was arraigned today on Attempted Murder in the second degree, first-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, two counts of first-degree Assault, second-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, Attempted Assault in the first degree, two counts of second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, two counts of second-degree Assault, first-degree Reckless Endangerment, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, third-degree Assault, second-degree Reckless Endangerment, fourth-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon and second-degree Menacing before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Michael Gross. Bail was set at $150,000 cash/$250,000 insurance Bond/$400,000 partially secured bond at 10 percent. The defendant is due back in court on May 27, 2021.

 According to the investigation, at approximately 6:00 p.m. on November 24, 2020 at 851 East 163rd Street, the victim, Erik Gomez, 31, accused the defendant of stealing and they engaged in a fight. The victim, who is acquainted with the defendant, allegedly punched him once and ran away. Perez allegedly pointed the gun at Gomez’ girlfriend, Yahaira Gonzalez, 42, then chased after Gomez and allegedly shot him in the upper right thigh, severing his femoral artery. Gomez lost a substantial amount of blood and slipped into a coma. He suffered liver and kidney failure and is still in the hospital.

 The defendant, who escaped to Pennsylvania after the shooting, was arrested on January 8, 2021. 

 District Attorney Clark thanked Assistant District Attorney Andrea Ingenito and Trial Preparation Assistant Ryan Trzaskoma, both of Trial Bureau 40, and NYPD Detective Frankie Soler of the 41st Precinct for their assistance in the investigation.

 An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

A RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: MAYOR DE BLASIO OUTLINES NEXT PHASE OF COMPREHENSIVE POLICE REFORM EFFORT

 

Draft plan outlines New York City’s ongoing effort to undo the legacy and harm of racialized policing 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the next phase of the City’s police reform effort. The New York City Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative draft plan, released today, builds on the initial proposals set forth in the 2021 State of the City and seven years of consecutive police reform under the de Blasio Administration. Through 36 reforms, the plan—the first step of a three-part process—outlines the next phase of the Administration’s ongoing effort to undo the legacy and harm of racialized policing.

 

“When I took office, I vowed to reform a broken stop and frisk policy—both to protect the dignity and rights of young men of color, and to give our brave police officers the partnership they need to continue their success in driving down crime,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “There were so many who said it couldn’t be done. But we proved them wrong.  Now, we must go further to confront the harmful legacy of racialized policing. These reforms will restore trust and accountability to create a police force that reflects the communities they serve – all while keeping New York City the safest big city in America.”

 

As I said in a recent speech to community leaders in Harlem, there is a history in this country that goes back hundreds of years involving the enforcement of unjust laws and racist policies of society. Police have been an inexorable part of that history,” says Police Commissioner Dermot Shea in the report. “We have to acknowledge this truth – and I do. And we must acknowledge the NYPD’s historical role in the mistreatment of communities of color. I am sorry. Our challenge today is to ensure that we will not participate in, or tolerate, any further inequality or injustice. We have engaged in years of steady reform and we must continue.”

 

With 36 proposals, the City’s draft plan focuses on five goals. The plan will now move through a public comment period where it will undergo further revision based on the feedback of the public and through a process with the council.

 

1. Transparency and Accountability to the People of New York City

  • Hold police officers accountable for misconduct through internal NYPD disciplinary decisions that are transparent, consistent, and fair
  • Strengthening the CCRB via the David Dinkins Plan
  • Consolidate NYPD oversight by expanding the authority of CCRB to include the powers of the NYPD OIG and the CCPC
  • Supporting a change in State law to give CCRB access to sealed PD records for purposes of investigations, especially biased-policing investigations
  • Public and comprehensive reporting on key police reform metrics

 

2. Community Representation and Partnership

  • Working with communities to implement NYC Joint Force to End Gun Violence
  • Incorporate direct community participation in the selection of Precinct Commanders
  • Involving the community in training and education by expanding the People’s Police Academy
  • Immersing officers in the neighborhoods they serve
  • Elevate the feedback of the community through CompStat and Enhanced Neighborhood Policing
  • Launching the Neighborhood Policing App and expanding training
  • Improving policing of citywide demonstrations
  • Expanding the Precinct Commander’s Advisory Councils
  • Expanding Pop Up with a Cop
  • Supporting and expanding the Citizen’s Police Academy
  • Enhancing Youth Leadership Councils
  • Expanding the Law Enforcement Explorers Program.
  • Transforming public space to improve community safety

 

3Recognition and Continual Examination of Historical and Modern-Day Racialized Policing in New York City

  • Acknowledging the experiences of communities of color in New York City and begin reconciliation. 
  • Eliminating the use of unnecessary force by changing culture through policy, training, accountability, and transparency. 
  • Augmenting racial bias training for NYPD leadership
  • Comprehensive restorative justice training for NYPD leadership and NCOs to repair relationships with communities.
  • Train all officers on Active Bystandership in Law Enforcement (ABLE) by the end of this year.
  • Enhancing positive reinforcement, formally and informally, to change culture
  • Consistently assessing practices and policies through accreditation. 

 

4The Decriminalization of Poverty

  • Developing a health-centered response to mental health crises
  • New approaches to safety, outreach and regulation through civilian agencies
  • Interrupt violence through expanded community-based interventions
  • Expanding the successful Brownsville pilot via the community solutions program
  • Consolidating all crime victim services within the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice to support survivors
  • Strengthening community partnerships with domestic and gender-based violence providers

 

5A Diverse, Resilient, and Supportive NYPD

  • Recruiting officers who reflect the communities they serve, with a commitment to recruit and retain more people of color and women
  • Reform the discretionary promotions process to improve equity and inclusion
  • Expanding mental health support for officers
  • Supporting professional development through the Commander’s Course and leadership development programs
  • Updating the patrol guide so it is more user friendly and less complex for officer and transparent to the public

 

This draft plan is the product of the experiences and insights of hundreds of residents of neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs, in forums of varying size and structure. New Yorkers who shared their insights include community based organizations (CBOs), advocacy groups, clergy, racial justice advocates, cure violence providers, youth groups and youth voices, ethnic and religious organizations, BIDs and small business owners, non-profits, LGBTQI+ community leaders, the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, people with disabilities, tenants’ associations, shelter-based and affordable-housing communities and providers, people involved in the justice system, crime victims, policy experts, prosecutors, oversight bodies, judges, elected officials, academic leaders, and many others. To ensure all voices were heard in this process and to solidify the partnership around reform, meetings were also hosted with uniform and civilian members of the NYPD. These meetings paralleled the community meetings, focusing on members assigned to work in the very same highly affected neighborhoods as the residents who offered testimony.

 

Since Mayor de Blasio took office on January 1, 2014, the de Blasio administration has implemented a sweeping set of wholesale reforms to address over-policing and reduce the overall impact of the criminal justice system, while making the city safer and fairer. The hallmark of the current administration has been a reduced enforcement footprint coupled with a sustained decrease in crime. While many criminal justice systems in the United States continued policies that drive mass incarceration, New York City led an effort to reduce law enforcement focused intervention and incarceration. The results of these efforts have been historic. Comparing 2020 to 2013, the year before the de Blasio Administration took office, there were approximately:

 

  • 182,000 fewer stop and frisk incidents, a 95% reduction
  • 253,000 fewer arrests, a 64% reduction
  • 29,000 fewer marijuana arrests, a 98% reduction
  • 5,900 fewer people in jail on average per day, a 52% reduction

 

The New York City Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Draft Plan is the continuation of this work. It envisions an NYPD that stays true to its history of bravery in the service to the public, that maintains its stellar record of driving down crime, while continuing to transform itself into an example of just, transparent, and accountable policing, implemented equitably, without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or immigration or socioeconomic status.

 

The full report can be read here.