Hamilton Holds Workshops On Summer Youth Employment, Small Business Help
Central Brooklyn State Sen. Jesse Hamilton this week will hold two workshops for constituents aimed at summer youth employment and help for small businesses.
The first workshop, in conjunction with Assembly Member Diana Richardson (Crown Heights, Lefferts Gardens) and City Council Member Mathieu Eugene (Flatbush), will explain the ins and outs of the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program, which gives summer jobs to youths between the ages of 14-24.
The workshop is slated for between 6:30-8 p.m., tonight at M.S. 61, 400 Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights. Register to attend at DYCDRSVPER@dycd.nyc.gov.
Then tomorrow night, Hamilton will hold a Small Business Advisory Committee meeting.
The committee, which is made up of community small businesses, provides input to policy making on a local level that helps the small business environment.
The meeting is slated for 6:30 p.m., tomorrow, April 7 at Hamilton’s district office, 1669 Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights.
Hikind Bill Would Require NY Refugee Monitoring
Borough Park Assembly Member Dov Hikind recently introduced a bill that would have resettlement agencies monitor the activities of people brought into New York as refugees, the Albany Times Union reports.
Supporters of the measure say it’s a common sense safety measure needed after recent attacks in Europe and the massacre in San Bernardino, Calif.
“God forbid something happens and people would say ‘We should have done more,’ ” Hikind told the media outlet. “We just want to make sure that we know what’s going on.”
But opponents note that the federal and state governments already have requirements to keep track of refugees who are assigned to various areas across the nation by the State Department.
“It’s duplicitous,” Dennis Poust, spokesman for the state Catholic Conference, told the media outlet. “It’s not as if refugees are marching into New York willy nilly with nobody keeping track of them.”
Hudson Valley Republican Senator Terrence Murphy is sponsoring the bill on the senate side.
Jeffries Protests Move Of Social Security Building
Central Brooklyn Congress Member Hakeem Jeffries today, along with other members of Congress will gather with Brooklyn Legal Services, community leaders and residents to demand the Social Security Administration reconsider its planned move of the Brooklyn Office of Disability Adjudication and Review to Manhattan.
The well-used offices, located in Downtown Brooklyn could potentially disenfranchise thousands of disabled and lower-income Brooklyn residents, said Jeffries.
The press conference to denounce the move is slated for 11 a.m. today outside the Social Security Office, 111 Livingston Street.
Squadron Bill Helping Seniors Passes Key Committee
Northern Brooklyn State Senator Daniel Squadron yesterday successfully passed his bill to expand access to the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) rent affordability programs (S.6244) through the Senate Aging Committee.
Under Squadron’s bill, SCRIE/DRIE eligibility could be extended to residents in buildings where landlords have agreed to base future rent increases on rules established by the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB), which ties the rent of these units to rent regulated rent increases.
“SCRIE and DRIE can be the difference between housing and homelessness for fixed-income New Yorkers,” said Squadron. “This bill is a common-sense way to expand benefits to people who need this affordability assistance as much as current recipients. Today’s Aging Committee passage is an important step, and I urge the Finance Committee to quickly bring this bill up for a vote.”
SCRIE currently requires recipients to be 62 or older, have a household income under $50,000, spend over 1/3 of their monthly income on rent, and reside in a rent regulated unit or Mitchell-Lama apartment. Eligibility does not include residents living in buildings with landlord RGB agreements for SCRIE or DRIE. A Motion for Committee Consideration requires committee chairs to place the relevant bill on a committee agenda and schedule a vote within 45 days. Squadron filed the S.6244 Motion on February 26.
Parker Lauds State Budget Passage, Says Legislative Work Needs To Be Done
State Senator Kevin Parker (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope) yesterday applauded the governor and legislative leaders for the accomplishments made in this year’s budget for funding various policies that will directly benefit the constituents of his district.
“With historic increases in school aid for marginalized communities, the most comprehensive paid family leave policy in the nation, a significant minimum wage increase for hardworking New Yorkers, and a tuition freeze at our City and State universities, this year’s budget sets a new precedent in fairness for the working families across our great State,” said Parker.
Parker, however, noted there is still a lot of work needed during this legislative session.
