Brooklyn Lawmakers On The Move March 20, 2017

Governor Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer yesterday remembers and mourned the life of legendary New York City newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin, who died yesterday at 88.

Breslin, who won the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, was known to level the powerful and elevate the powerless as one publication noted.

“He was irascible, tough, but he was an authentic voice for New York. He was the people’s voice. I think we are losing that more and more in journalism, frankly, where when you read a Jimmy Breslin column, you knew who he was and what his values were and if there was a Jimmy Breslin column, those were his words and his thoughts and no editor was going to change what he said or what he wrote. If an editor did try to change what he said or what he wrote, it would have been a very short conversation. So he brought an authenticity to journalism. He brought a perspective to journalism. He gave people comfort because they knew Jimmy Breslin was on the case,” said Cuomo.

Schumer said, “The sidewalks of New York lost a great one this morning: Jimmy Breslin. Long before 9/11 showed America how great the average New Yorker was, Breslin was doing it on the pages of New York’s newspapers every day, and he was an amazing combination: brilliant journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner, but throughout his entire career, an everyday Joe. Jimmy, we’ll miss you.”

City Councilmember Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach) yesterday announced he requested a meeting with Sanitation Department Commissioner Kathryn Garcia for the department’s shoddy ability to clear all the streets of snow and ice following last week’s snowstorm.

“Nearly a week after snowfall and cold & icy weather, bus stops and pedestrian ramps are finally beginning to be cleared of snow and ice. The delay in clearing our streets is very unfair to pedestrians who have been susceptible to slipping and falling. No one should need to suffer because of neglect,” said Deutsch in his emailed newsletter.

“The same goes for homeowners who do not shovel their sidewalk, as they are putting everyone who walks past their home in danger. Owners of commercial establishments and private property owners need to ensure that their sidewalk is cleared, even if it is not occupied. Someone needs to be held accountable. I am seeing many street closures today for snow removal – it seems to be too little, too late. This should have been done immediately after the snowfall.

“Our city should have a better system in place for clearing out public areas and enforcing shoveling laws for homeowners, as well as ensuring that there are resources available for seniors and people with disabilities to  have their homes shoveled out.”

Schumer Vows To Fight For More Anti-Terrorism Money

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer yesterday vowed a fight for New York City federal anti-terrorism dollars, just two days after the White House released its budget proposal taking an axe to the federal dollars.

Schumer decried the just-revealed budget proposal, which makes dramatic and ill-advised cuts to federal funding that supports critical anti-terrorism programs that enable New York law enforcement to prevent and respond to terror attacks and threats.

“NYPD and terrorism experts alike say it again and again: terrorists or other evil-doers look to exploit our weakest links. Cuts like the ones proposed by the Trump budget would not only weaken the security apparatus of this city, but they could turn a weak link into something far more serious,” said Schumer.

“Federal security funds, like UASI, are the cornerstone of effective preparedness and prevention against terror threats and enable the NYPD to do all they can to keep New Yorkers safe and secure. These dollars prevent costly and crippling disasters, but more importantly, these dollars save lives and so, it makes no sense for this funding to be slashed. New York City continues to be the number one target for terrorism in the United States and federal anti-terror funding should reflect that reality. In fact, with the continued requirements of the NYPD to protect Trump Tower, federal funds to New York City should be increased, not decreased.”

The Administration’s budget proposal includes $700 million in cuts to the programs such as the Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) that helps cities like New York prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.

Adams Gives Rapper Fabolous Key To The Borough

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams recently gave the rapper Fabolous (John David Jackson) a ceremonial ‘key to Brooklyn’ and announced he will induct Fabolous into the Celebrity Path on the ground of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in the months ahead.

Fabolous grew up in NYCHA’s Breevort Houses in Bedford-Stuvesant and was recently honored at Brooklyn Borough Hall for both his musical and philanthropic contributions. He has long contributed to youth programs and has steadfastly remained involved in Central Brooklyn grassroots activities.

“To be clear, Borough President Adams did not agree to any street co-namings in conjunction with this ceremony. In keeping with policy and practice, the street co-naming process is community-driven and has not traditionally recognized living individuals,” said Stefan Ringel, spokesperson for Adams.

Colton, Tong, Ragusa Keep Pressure On To Stop Marine Transfer Station Site

Assemblyman Bill Colton (D-Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) together with Democratic District Leaders Nancy Tong and Charlie Ragusa last week announced that despite assurances from the City’s Department of Sanitation (DOS) that all contamination from an old incinerator had been properly removed, asbestos is still present at the site.

“We recently learned that asbestos has been found at the South West Brooklyn Marine Transfer Station site, contrary to repeated claims from the City that the site had been properly cleaned up,” said Colton. “The Sanitation Department was never able to produce the required Certificate of Closure for the incinerator that used to be there and we knew this was a red flag. Yet the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) just took their word that the area had been properly decontaminated. Now they found asbestos there. What else is in there that we do not know about?

“The City won’t listen and the Courts won’t listen so we are now going to the Court of Public Opinion.
Practically every week, something unexpected happens with this site and the Sanitation Department doesn’t even have the courtesy to keep elected officials advised of incidents and changes in the plan. Despite a series of lawsuits, the city and state continue to disrespect this community. Something must be done about this mess before it’s too late. “

The DOS municipal incinerator operated on the shoreline of Gravesend Bay, (near Bay 41st St.) until 1991. Its condition and operation was so deficient that it never met permitting standards. It was not demolished until 2005 and a critical document, the Certificate of Closure, has never been found.

After the closure of Staten Island’s Fresh Kills landfill in 2001, NYC proposed a Solid Waste Management Plan that would use marine transfer stations to containerize municipal waste and ship it by barge to out of state landfills. Brooklyn was the only borough that would have two transfer stations, one of which would be located at the site of the old South West Brooklyn incinerator.

Walker Puts Out Call For Election Reform Measure

Assemblywoman Latrice Walker (D-Brownsville) is putting out the call to lobby Gov. Cuomo and Albany lawmakers to approve the Assembly proposals to to enact early voting and modernizing the state voter registration system as part of this budget.

As such, Walker is asking constituents to call their local elected officials and others on both sides of the aisle  by the end of the day, Tuesday March 21. Please call both the Albany and District offices for each (11 calls total), and then follow up with an email)

• 1) This lookup tool gives you contact info for your state Senator and Assemblymember. Call each of them in the Albany and District offices;

• 2) Call and email Governor Andrew Cuomo. Tell him you support his pro-voter budget proposal and want to see it funded and enacted:
  • 518-474-1041 (press 1); email: gov.cuomo@chamber.state.ny.us

• 3) Call and email Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. Tell him you support the Assembly’s pro-voter budget proposal and want to see it funded and enacted:
  • Albany: 518-455-3791; District Office: 718-654-6539;
  •  Email: Speaker@nyassembly.gov

• 4) Call and email State Senate IDC Leader Jeff Klein and insist that he prioritize pro-voter election reform in the state budget due Apr. 1st:
  • Albany: (518) 455-3595; District Office: (718) 822-2049
  • Email: Jdklein@nysenate.gov

• 5) Call and email GOP State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan and insist that he prioritize pro-voter election reform in the state budget:
  • Albany: (518) 455-2071; District Office: (631) 361-2154
  • Email: Flanagan@nysenate.gov