Bklyn Lawmakers On The Move Feb. 23

OnTheMove
Assemblyman Bill Colton
Assemblyman Bill Colton

Colton Withdraws From Congressional Race

Citing a short timeline to the May 5 special election for the 11th Congressional seat straddling Staten Island and Brooklyn, Southern Brooklyn Assemblyman Bill Colton yesterday withdrew from his bid to get the democratic nomination.

“I strongly believe with the help of all my announced supporters, together, we were poised to win a major upset in the 11th DC race presenting my strong track record of uniting people to fight for their real needs and concerns, but with the May 5th special election date and with  my assembly obligations and duties to the state budget and other critical legislation I am not able to become a candidate at this time,” said Colton.

With Colton out of the race, the stage is set for the Staten Island Democratic Committee to pick Bay Ridge City Councilman Vincent Gentile to  run against GOP Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan.

Assemblyman Dov Hikind meets with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie yesterday in Boro Park.
Assemblyman Dov Hikind meets with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie yesterday in Boro Park.

Hikind Brings Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie To Boro Park

Boro Park Assemblyman Dov Hikind yesterday brought newly appointed Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to the neighborhood, where after a private meeting, Heastie heard the concerns of local residents.

Sen. Simcha Felder and Assemblymember Peter Abbate were also in attendance as residents explained the need for Heastie to allocate more resources to yeshivas, pre-kindergarten and non-profit organizations that provide an array of services to the community.

Councilman Robert Cornegy
Councilman Robert Cornegy

Cornegy State of The District A Community Affair

Innovative Bedford-Stuyvesant/Crown Heights City Councilman  Robert Cornegy on Saturday gave his annual State of the District speech at the Uncommon Charter High School in Crown Heights that featured tables set up offering an array of community services.

Cornegy’s speech focused on the needs for better education, bringing gifted and talented programs back into the community, affordable housing, health and protecting both renters and homeowners from errant developers gentrifying the neighborhood.

Also in attendance were City Council members Jumaane Williams and Laurie Cumbo, Assembly members Walter Mosley and Annette Robinson, State Sen. Jesse Hamilton, District Attorney Ken Thompson and Public Advocate Letitia James.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer

Schumer Takes Obama To Task For War On Drugs Funding

In response to the growing use of heroin and fentanyl-laced heroin branded as “China White,” U.S. Senator Charles Schumer yesterday called on the Senate to reject President Obama’s proposed cuts to a critical drug trafficking program, and instead called for a $100 million increase in such funding.

Schumer said that while heroin on its own has wreaked havoc on New York City, there is an even more potent and deadly form of heroin, often marketed as “China White,” that is laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl and now being marketed and sold in areas across the country, including Connecticut and New York.

According to the New York City Department of Health, heroin overdose deaths doubled each year from 2010 to 2013, the most recent data set. Despite these trends, Schumer said that Obama surprisingly proposed cuts to the federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, which provides key resources to better assess unique drug trafficking patterns forming in the region as well as information sharing between the feds, NYPD, local law enforcement, state and local public health officials.

“President Obama’s budget outlines a lot of critical priorities for this nation, but I simply do not agree with his plan to cut critical drug trafficking funding, as heroin use continues to rise and kill our youth,” said Schumer. “We all saw the horrors caused by the crack epidemic when left unchecked by the feds and other law enforcement and that’s why I will move to increase HIDTA funding by $100 million in the Senate, not make cuts to this vital program.”