Gonzalez Lauds Cuomo’s Criminal Justice Agenda
Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez yesterday praised Governor Cuomo on the proposed criminal justice reforms as outlined in his State of the State speech.
Cuomo’s measures he is seeking to advance include overhauling New York’s antiquated bail system, ensuring access to a speedy trial, raising the age of criminal responsibility, Improving witness identification procedures and recording police interrogations for serious offenses.
“Governor Cuomo shared with us a robust agenda of serious criminal justice reforms that include proposals designed to reduce inequities in the system and ensure that justice is better served. I, too, am in favor of smart legislation that would improve our system of bail and pre-trial detention. And, I’m particularly pleased that the governor is focusing on raising the age of criminal responsibility and on reducing wrongful convictions, which has been a priority here in Brooklyn, through the use of improved witness identification procedures and the recording of custodial interrogations. I commend Governor Cuomo on his determination to focus on criminal justice reform,” said Gonzalez.
Ortiz Legislation Would Require Pilots To Take Breathalyzer
Assembly Member & Assistant Speaker Felix W. Ortiz (Sunset Park, Red Hook) is introducing legislation to require that all pilots departing from New York’s airports be required to take a breathalyzer test before flights take off.
“The life and safety of pilots, flight attendants and the flying public must be protected,” said Ortiz. “My legislation can help insure that safety in the air is secured.”
Ortiz noted that earlier this year, Fox News reported that “an American Airlines pilot flunked two sobriety tests before a 7 a.m. flight out of Detroit. An Alaska Airlines pilot flew a commercial plane from California to Oregon and back again, all while allegedly drunk. Yet another pilot, from United, allegedly moonlighted as a pimp, running half a dozen brothels out of apartments in Houston, according to authorities.
“That’s unacceptable,” said Ortiz. “While nearly every pilot is responsible and professional, it unfortunately takes just one pilot to threaten lives.”
Mosley Responds To Cuomo’s State Of The State
Assembly Member Walter Mosley (Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights) yesterday said while Governor Cuomo’s State of the State address outlined an ambitious agenda, his remarks he has left many more questions than details.
“I applaud his efforts to reach a deal to close Indian Point nuclear plant by 2020. For decades, Indian Point has been an environmental risk and potential terrorist target site being only 30 miles away from New York City. With the announcement though, comes few details as to how the loss of 2,000 megawatts of power will offset in New York’s power grid. We must also be weary that the facility itself is properly cleaned and inspected for contaminates before the reactors are taken offline,” said Mosley.
“In his comments about addressing affordable housing crisis, I find that his commitment to ensuring access to affordable housing for hard-working families of this state to be a bit tenuous. The now defunct 421-a tax abatement program was deeply flawed and is currently being used in an agreement tied to an outstanding MOU for $2 billion of funds set aside is disheartening. The Governor is calling on the legislator to sign this MOU while trying to deflect that fact is somewhat disingenuous.
“Concerning the Governor’s plan for updating our voter’s rights laws, we in the Assembly majority have championed and passed, year after year the very same legislation and continue to see no movement in the state senate. Early voting and same day voter registration are simple ways to ensure that the right to vote is extended to every eligible individual, and I am glad to see that the Governor is fully supporting our efforts in the Assembly.”
Reynoso, Rodriguez Highlight Increase In Hit-And-Run Drivers
City Council Members Antonio Reynoso (Bushwick, Williamsburg) and Ydanis Rodriguez (Northern Manhattan), who chairs the Transportation Committee, today will stand at the corner of Lorimer Street and Grand Street in Williamsburg, the location where an 85-year-old man was killed by a hit-and-run driver, the latest in a string of deadly hit and run crashes.
The Council Members will call for the capture of this individual and denounce the recent spate of hit and runs on New York City streets that have already taken four lives in 2017. The Council Members will highlight legislation introduced in the City Council to help catch hit and run drivers and other efforts aimed at eradicating this epidemic.
The press conference is slated for 10:30 a.m., today, Jan. 10 at the corner of Lorimer Street and Grand Street in Williamsburg.
Espinal, Barron Host Public Hearing On Proposed ENY School
East New York City Council Members Rafael Espinal and Inez Barron today will join with Community Board 5 and Department of Education officials in hosting a public hearing to receive community input on the proposed plans for a 1,000 seat school in East New York.
The new school building will be constructed on a portion of the City-owned Dinsmore-Chestnut site. The lot, which is currently vacant, will house the new PS/IS school and serve children from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade in Community School District 19. It will also include a District 75 program, or special education program. The school will sit next to a future affordable housing project.
The state-of-the-art school building will be fully accessible and fully air-conditioned. It will include both art and music rooms, a cafeteria, a gymnatorium and exercise room, science labs, a library and other amenities for students. A large outdoor playground will also be built and is expected to be open to the public after school hours.
The hearing is slated for from 6- 8 p.m., tonight, Jan. 10 at the P.S. 13 Auditorium, 557 Pennsylvania Avenue (Btw. Riverdale & Livonia)in East New York.
Lander TWU Local 100 Hold Memorial For Louis Gray
City Council Member Brad Lander (Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington) and the Transit Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 tomorrow will hold a memorial for MTA employee and father of three Louis Gray who tragically killed two months ago while conducting track maintenance at the Church Ave F/G subway station in Kensington.
Louis’s maintenance partner Jeffrey Fleming was seriously injured in the same incident. Louis was a Bushwick resident who had been working with the MTA since 2001 and recently achieved his dream of becoming a conductor.
“Sadly, this was not an isolated incident for workers in our city. Since 1933, 223 Transit Workers have been killed in the line of duty and in 2015 alone 1636 Transit Workers were injured seriously enough to be unable to work. And as the New York Times noted last month, workplace deaths reached a six-year high last year,” said Lander.
The memorial is slated for 7 p.m., tomorrow, Jan. 11 at the corner of Beverley Road and Church Avenue (above the station where Louis was killed).
