Adams, Brooklyn Lawmakers Call On Cuomo To Repair MTA
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams on Friday publicly released a letter that was sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo by himself and a bipartisan coalition of more than 20 Brooklyn elected officials, calling on the State to rescind the recently announced 25 percent fare reduction for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) riders and use the recaptured funding to frontload repairs to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)’s subway signal repairs.
The lawmakers emphasized how this work is especially important in Brooklyn, as additional strain to the system is expected with the proposed relocation of LIRR trains this summer due to upcoming repairs that Amtrak will be making at Pennsylvania Station, as well as the impending closure of the Canarsie Tube. Adams and his colleagues urged Governor Cuomo to work with the MTA to outline a plan for this repair work, including considering the shutdown of entire lines overnight to fast-track this work.
“Drastic times call for drastic measures, but it is imperative that our transit system is brought up to a 21stcentury standard on which all New Yorkers can depend,” wrote Adams and his colleagues. “The frustration and hardship that commuters are currently experiencing is unacceptable. In order to keep our city competitive and growing, it is integral that the subway system is brought to a level of operation that is acceptable and, more importantly, reliable for all New Yorkers.”
The Brooklyn lawmakers who signed onto the letter included State Senators Simcha Felder, Martin Golden, and Jesse Hamilton; Assembly Members Charles Barron, Robert Carroll, William Colton, Pamela Harris, Dov Hikind, Walter Mosley, Felix Ortiz, N. Nick Perry, Jo Anne Simon, Latrice Walker, and Jaime Williams; and Council Members Laurie A. Cumbo, Chaim Deutsch, Brad Lander, Alan Maisel, Carlos Menchaca, Mark Treyger, and Jumaane D. Williams.
Eugene Kicks Off 2017 Summer Youth Employment Program
City Council Member Mathieu Eugene (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Lefferts Gardens), Chairman of the Youth Services Committee, and Brooklyn-based non-profit COJO Flatbush today will launch the City’s 2017 Summer Youth Employment program in Eugene’s 40th Council District.
The initiative, made possible through a partnership with the City’s Department of Youth and Community Development, provides New York City youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with paid summer employment for up to six weeks in July and August. Participants work in entry-level jobs in a variety of industries, and are given an opportunity to learn about social responsibility and career exploration while making a positive impact in the community.
Eugene successfully pushed for increases in the program that currently provides 60,000 jobs to youth throughout the City and will increase to a record 70,000 jobs next year as part of the Fiscal Year 2018 budget. The expansion is part of Council Member Eugene’s ongoing commitment to youth advocacy, and serves as an important example of how city resources can be used to help improve the career outlook of students.
“The Summer Youth Employment Program is a tremendous way to help our young men and women create their own paths to success,” said Eugene. “It has proven to be a great resource for our young people and has also helped alleviate the burden on parents to find summer activities for their children. It is truly making a difference in our community, and I am very appreciative to all the organizations that have made it possible.”
The launch is slated for 10 a.m., today July 5 at the Prospect Park Tennis Courts off Parkside and Cone Island avenues in Flatbush.
Persaud Honors 11 Outstanding Foster and Adoptive Mothers
State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud (D-Canarsie, East New York, Brownsville, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Flatlands, Mill Island, Georgetown) last week hosted an event to honor foster and adoptive mothers at the Suede Restaurant in Canarsie.
Honorees gathered at this event were mothers who had chosen to open their hearts and their homes to love children who might otherwise go without. These selfless women chose to put another’s life ahead of theirs. These women believe in the inherent potential of each life.
“Every child deserves an opportunity to reach his or her potential. This can only be achieved if they receive the nurturing they require: Foster mothers and adoptive moms play a significant role in ensuring this vision is realized. I chose to host a stellar event where the spotlight would be on the adoptive/foster mother. It is one of the ways to connect with them and let them know we value their contribution,” said Persaud.
“It is my hope that the community will able to identify the sacrifices these individuals make daily and see the need for more individuals to come forward and help the many children in need of a stable home,” she added.
Co-sponsors for the event included the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Suede Restaurant, Bed Bath and Beyond, St. Francis College.
Malliotakis Blasts De Blasio For Sticking Taxpayers With His Legal Bills
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (D-Bay Ridge, Staten Island) and the presumtive Republican mayoral candidate last week blasted Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) for announcing he is now planning to allow the city to pay roughly $2 million to cover most of his outstanding legal bills related to multiple investigations of his fundraising efforts.
De Blasio made the announcement in a blog post on Medium on Friday morning, just before the Fourth of July holiday weekend. This was a reversal of his previous stand that he would do a separate fundraising to pay for his legal bills.
“A large portion of the bills — around $2 million — relate directly to my public service and decision-making in government,” de Blasio wrote in the blog post.
“I have been reluctant to ask taxpayers to shoulder the burden of my compliance with these reviews. But after giving this a great deal of thought, it has become increasingly clear that the most appropriate course of action is to let the City cover the costs for legal work tied to my government service, as it would for any of its employees in a similar situation,” de Blasio added in the post.
But Malliotakis called de Blasio’s decision “ethically challenged” because the investigations centered around political, not governmental acts.
“New York City residents do not pay taxes to defend his inappropriate actions; such as fundraising schemes to influence upstate State Senate races or creating a non-profit clearly aimed at enhancing his progressive image on the national stage. Bill de Blasio should raise the money from private donations and not take tax dollars away from transportation, education or homeless prevention,” Malliotakis said.
Schumer, Gillibrand Announce $398 Million in Fed Funding For Public Housing Around the State
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand last week announced $397,628,820 in federal funding for housing authorities across New York State.
The funds were allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing Capital Fund. Schumer and Gillibrand said the funding will help housing authorities develop, finance and modernize their public housing facilities.
“Having a roof over your head is one of life’s basic necessities, so we must do everything we can to help provide those truly in need with a decent and affordable place to live. This federal funding will help support affordable housing initiatives throughout New York that assist needy families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities to find an affordable place to live,” said Schumer.
“We need to invest more federal funds to help more low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities in New York with access to affordable and safe housing,” said Gillibrand. “These resources are vital for vulnerable communities and I will continue to do everything I can in the Senate to make sure that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
While the money will be distributed around the state, the New York City Housing Authority will recieve most of the money, or about $347 million.
Gentile Brings City Agency Heads To Bay Ridge Town Hall
City Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach) last week hosted a community town hall meeting at St. Anselm’s Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to allow his constituents to have any issues or concerns with city agencies addressed.
Topics ranged from tree pruning and sidewalk defects to park maintenance and traffic issues.
In attendance were senior representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Finance, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Office of Emergency Management, Breaking Ground and the Department of Homeless Services, Parks Department, Department of Transportation, Department of Buildings, Department of Education, Department of Sanitation, New York City Fire Department, and the 68 and 62 precincts of the New York City Police Department. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Housing Preservation and Development were expected to attend, however were not present.
Constituents learned that Gentile ensured that sanitation funding was made available to keep the streets of the district clean with trash pickups and mechanical broom service. We also learned that the NYPD has stepped up its efforts to combat burglaries in the area, relieving concerns from some of the participants.
“Town halls are a great way for local residents to get their concerns to the various city agencies and have their issues resolved. Hard-working taxpayers should be able to get their money’s worth and voice their issues to their government,” said Gentile.
Gentile implored any community members that are having issues or concerns regarding city agencies to contact his office at (718) 748-5200.
