Malliotakis: Assembly Ethic Reform Step In Right Direction
Republican Bay Ridge/Staten Island Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis said Friday that while she is pleased to see that the Democratic-controlled Assembly is moving forward and adopting rules reforms this week, especially her proposals to broadcast all committee meetings and provide public access to committee votes, the reforms do not go far enough.
“While we are certainly taking a step in the right direction to improve the dysfunctional culture perpetuated in Albany, the measures still do not address the root of corruption – the unchecked power of the Assembly Speaker and his ability to influence votes and actions by members,” said Malliotakis.
“We continue to give the speaker complete control over matters such as staff allocations, committee appointments and the ability to unilaterally stop legislation. Additionally, the Assembly Majority has ignored our calls for term limits for Speaker, Minority Leader and committee chairs. If we really want to restore fairness and accountability to our democratic process, then we need to address these points.”
Velazquez Wants More Fed Money For Public Housing
Northern and Central Brooklyn Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez led members of the New York City Congressional delegation las week in writing to Congressional appropriators calling for additional funds for the maintenance and operation of public housing.
The letter written to Congressmembers Mario Diaz-Balart and David Price, the chair and ranking members of the House Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Committee on Appropriations, asks that the Public Housing Capital Fund be increased to $5 billion in Fiscal Year 2017.
“While we recognize this amount is higher than President Obama’s Request, this additional funding is critical. At least $600 million of the increased funding should be targeted to capital repairs that would improve the health of residents including health problems caused by mold in housing units. This investment should address the root cause of residents’ health concerns related to mold. The root causes of the mold in public housing are leaky roofs, crumbling exterior bricks, and old piping. Addressing these repairs could improve the health and quality of life for thousands of low-income children, elderly, and residents with disabilities,” wrote Velazquez.
Also signing onto the letter were Brooklyn’s other Democratic Congressional members including Yvette D. Clarke, Jerrold Nadler and Hakeen Jeffries.
Velázquez’s letter calling for additional resources is online here.
Cymbrowitz Hails Mandatory E-Prescribing
Sheepshead Bay Assemblyman Stephen Cymbrowitz on Friday hailed the new electronic prescription mandate that will take effect later this month as an important step in curbing fraud and enhancing New York State’s efforts to address the abuse of prescription painkillers.
Starting March 27, all prescriptions written in the state must now be transmitted electronically from the prescriber directly to the pharmacy. This requirement is a key component of New York’s I-STOP (Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing) initiative, signed into law in 2012, which implemented a real-time prescription tracking system and other provisions to help stem the prescription opioid epidemic. Each year about 15,000 people die from prescription painkiller overdoses, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Like other I-STOP provisions, e-prescribing will provide a better mechanism for communication between health care professionals and pharmacists,” said Cymbrowitz, former Chair of the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee. “By reducing the number of fraudulent or stolen prescriptions, we improve patient safety and help to combat prescription drug abuse across New York State.”
I-STOP requires prescribers to consult the Prescription Monitoring Program Registry when writing prescriptions for Schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances. As of the end of 2015, I-STOP has led to a 90 percent decrease in the number of “doctor shoppers” or patients who visit multiple prescribers and pharmacies to obtain prescriptions for controlled substances within a three-month period.
Anyone with questions about e-prescriptions can access information here.
Gentile Teams Up To Get High School Seniors Registered To Vote
Bay Ridge City Council Member Vincent Gentile on Friday teamed up with the Arab American Association of New York and NYU Lutheran Medical Center, to bring a student voter registration day to Fort Hamilton and New Utrecht High Schools
The initiative was part of Student Voter Registration Day (SVRD), a day of non-partisan civic education and voter registration, to over 1,500 high school seniors at Fort Hamilton High School and New Utrecht High School.
SVRD 2016 is a citywide, one-day event that will reach over 20,000 high school seniors at 61 New York City schools in all five boroughs. The initiative is organized by NYC Votes, Council Member Helen Rosenthal and the City Council, the New York City Department of Education, and the New York Immigration Coalition, and it is funded by the New York City Council.
New York City residents between the ages of 18 and 30 have the lowest voter turnout and are less likely to be registered to vote relative to any other age or socioeconomic group. Only 11% of youth voted in New York City’s mayoral election in 2013. Currently, 80,000 voter registration forms a year are delivered to high schools across the city, but there is no system of follow-up to ensure that the forms are filled out correctly by eligible students or mailed to the Board of Elections.
“We all know that New Yorkers are extremely opinionated. Due to social media, sharing views on candidates and elected officials may be at an all-time high; however, it has become alarmingly clear that very few are making their opinions count in the voting booths. Recent history has shown that New York State ranks nearly dead last in voter turnout in the nation. The time is now to dramatically improve our rank and the young men and women of New York hold the keys to driving us back to the top. Students, please act on your right and make your voice count in 2016 and beyond. Register to vote on March 18th,” said Gentile.
SVRD aims to counter low youth voter turnout by giving students the opportunity to register to vote in the classroom. The overarching message of the day is that all people – and particularly young people, whether or not they are eligible to vote – can and should be involved in their communities, because politics and elections affect their everyday lives.
Lander Issues Call For Participatory Budgeting Vote
City Council Member Brad Lander (Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington) is urging constituents to vote this week for the district’s 5th annual participatory budgeting (PBNYC) vote week, where these same constituents decide on some of great projects in neighborhoods get city funding.
Please take a minute this weekend to decide where and when to vote, review the projects on the ballot, and pledge to vote, said Lander in his newsletter.
“We’re already seeing a lot of strong PBNYC spirit across the district, and looking forward to seeing more! Already hundreds of you have pledged to vote this year, and our volunteers are hitting the streets this weekend to help get the word out,” he said.
“One of my favorite parts of PBNYC is that anyone 14 years or older can vote! This year a group of neighborhood teens have formed their very own PBNYC youth group. Led by Ilana Cohen from Park Slope, this group of enthusiastic teenagers have been working together to gain a deeper understanding of how PBNYC works. Together they developed sample project proposals, and even went through a mock PBNYC process. They’ve also helped spread the word and get more peers involved through the PB Youth In District 39 blog. Take a look, to see more of what these civically minded teenagers has been up to,” said Lander.
