Central Brooklyn Elected Officials To Hold Education Town Hall Meeting
Members of Central Brooklyn’s New York State Assembly and Senate in partnership with Congress and the New York City Council are inviting the public an education Town Hall this Thursday evening.
A who’s who of elected African- and Caribbean leaders, which has made Central Brooklyn the city’s new black power base of politics over Harlem, are hosting the event. This includes Assembly members Walter Mosley, Annette Robinson and Latrice Walker, State Senators Jesse Hamilton and Velmanette Montgomery, Congressmembers Yvette Clarke and Hakeem Jeffries, and City Council members Laurie Cumbo and Robert Cornegy Jr..
The topic of the Town Hall Meeting concerns the state of education in New York and what the state budget impact has on local schools in central Brooklyn. Other topics include a New York City School Overview of the Enacted 2015 Education Budget, a a review of the 2015 legislated requirements for teacher/principal evaluations, and Mayor de Blasio’s Plan for Renewal Schools, Community Schools, and Persistently Failing Schools.
When: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 18
Where: St. Francis De Sales School for the Deaf 260 Eastern Parkway
Who Else: Board of Regents Members Lester Young and Kahleen Cashin from the State Department of Education
Click here for the flier: Education Town Hall (2)
For the full agenda and further information call 718-596-0100
Bklyn Pols Call For Improvements To The C train
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Assembly Member Walter Mosley, and City Council members Robert Cornegy Jr. and Laurie Cumbo led a bevy of borough lawmakers at a Bedford Stuyvesant rally yesterday to announce the release of a petition with about 3,000 petition from C train riders, calling for improvements to the train.
The advocacy group, Riders Alliance organized both the rally and the petition, which is available online at www.ridersny.org/cpetition, and requests more frequent and reliable C train service, new C train cars and better communication with riders in stations and on trains. Riders will deliver the petitions to the MTA this week.
The C train, rated the worst line by NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign four years in a row, runs at a frequency of 8-10 minutes in the morning rush, according to the MTA’s own schedule. Other lines, like the F train, have a morning frequency of 4-6 minutes. Riders say the C train should run more often during rush hours.
“As Brooklyn moves forward into the 21st century our public transportation must keep pace with the increasing demand for fast, efficient, and reliable service,” said Mosley. “We have seen an exponential increase of new members to our communities of central Brooklyn which in turn has put higher stress on our aging transportation system. Crowded platforms, dirty stations, and delay in services can no longer define outer borough service and that’s why I stand behind the full line review of the A and C lines.”
“The “A” and “C” trains are vital transportation lines to the residents and businesses in my Assembly District and beyond,” said Assembly Member Annette Robinson. “I have and will continue to vehemently encourage the MTA to make improvements to both Lines that will enhance the service for all “A” and “C” riders. I applaud the Riders Alliance for adding their voice to needed upgrades in service”
“In 1964, Muhammad Ali knocked out Sonny Liston, the Civil Rights Act was passed and the C trains New Yorkers ride today came into service. I enjoy history as much as anyone, but riding historical trains doesn’t make for the most reliable commute,” said Cornegy. “We call on the MTA to move central Brooklyn’s transit into this century by updating the trains & rider communications.”
Other Brooklyn lawmakers that lent their voices a batter running C train included Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, State Senators Daniel Squadron and Martin Malavé Dilan and City Councilman Stephen Levin.
Supporters Rally Around Bichotte for Her Views On Education Tax Credit Bill
Supporters of Midwood Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte, who has taken criticism from clergy leaders of all faiths for her stance against Gov. Cuomo’s Parental Choice in Education Act, are gathering in front of her office this morning in a show of support for her views on the issue.
Cuomo’s proposal calls for tax credits to both parents who attend nonpublic schools and donors to nonpublic schools. Bichotte says the tax credit is a wealthy donor giveaway that would drain public funds to support a few rich private and parochial schools.
Among the supporters joining her is the Alliance for Quality Education, which is aligned with the powerful United Federation of Teachers (UFT) union, the Working Family Party, New York Communities For Change, the Brooklyn Movement Center, and the Shirley Chisholm Democratic Club.
The controversial and polarizing bill comes amid calls for a compromise which would see the cap lifted so all parents with children in nonpublic schools received the tax credit – a bill that Bichotte introduced several months ago – and a set percentage of any donation to go to poorer nonpublic schools in order for wealthy donors to get a tax credit.
WHAT: Support Rally to Thank Assembly member Bichotte for Standing Against the Cuomo’s Tax Credit
WHEN: 10 a.m., today, Monday, June 8
WHERE: 1414 Cortelyou Road, Ditmas Park
De Blasio Announces Creation of the Mayor’s Clergy Advisory Council
Mayor Bill de Blasio, yesterday, announced the creation of the Mayor’s Clergy Advisory Council consisting of clergy leaders to open a direct line of communication between religious leaders and City Hall.
The clergy leaders will come from all five boroughs.
De Blasio said the council will formalize and expand City Hall’s relationship with religious communities across the city – making it easier for New Yorkers to share feedback, improving service delivery and strengthening clergy networks across the five boroughs. Members of the Council will also be deputized to hold local meetings on matters pertaining to City policy – such as public safety, housing and education – and help identify and organize additional members of the clergy.
The charter members of the council who are from Brooklyn include Lawrence Aker, III, Senior Pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church; Cheryl Anthony, Senior Pastor, Judah International Christian Fellowship; Sam Cruz, Senior Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church; Kirsten John Foy, Northeastern Director, National Action Network; Kieran Harrington, Vicar for Communications, Diocese of Brooklyn; Serene Jones, President, Union Theological Seminary; Jennifer Jones Austin, Executive Director, Federation Protestant Welfare Agencies, citywide; Emma Jordan-Simpson, Executive Pastor, The Concord Baptist Church; Robert Kaplan, Jewish Community Relations Council, citywide; Clinton Miller, Senior Pastor, Brown Memorial Baptist; James Ose-kofi, Pastor, Bethesda Healing Center; Gary Simpson, Senior Pastor, Concord Baptist Church; Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director, Catholic Charities; Johnny Youngblood, Senior Pastor, Mt. Psigh Baptist; and David Zwiebel, Rabbi, Agudath Israel.
Adams Back-to-Back Events
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams will host two events today at Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
The first, slated for 11 a.m., is a press conference with civil rights attorney Norman Siegel to announce a series of upcoming town halls to investigate cases of tenant harassment throughout Brooklyn.
The aim of these town halls will be to determine the potential for lawsuits against particularly harmful landlords whose actions have put the health and safety of Brooklynites at risk. Adams and others will discuss this proactive outreach effort to impacted Brooklynites and the affordable housing crisis that has led to it.
Representatives of a broad coalition of housing advocates partnering on these town halls will be present for the announcement, including the Association for Neighborhood Housing and Development, Brooklyn Neighborhood Improvement Association, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, Carroll Gardens Association, Flatbush Development Corporation, Los Sures Community Development Corporation, Midwood Development Corporation, Neighborhood Housing Services of Bedford-Stuyvesant, St. Nicks Alliance, and Tenants & Neighbors.
Then at 12 noon, Adams will host the LGBTQ flag raising ceremony for the 19th annual celebration of Brooklyn Pride.
The event will feature a color guard presentation, singing of the National Anthem, presentation of sashes to the grand marshals of the Brooklyn Twilight Pride Parade, and a performance by female impersonator Ron B as Tina Turner.
