Katz, Boro Board Meet On Charter Revision
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and the Queens Borough Board today will hear will hear a presentation from the New York City Council’s Charter Revision Commission 2019.
The council created a separate commission from the recent mayor’s commission, which saw voters approve three items as a resolution.
As the local constitution of the City of New York, the Charter outlines and codifies the City’s governance structure. The Commission has a broad mandate to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the existing City Charter and will draft proposed amendments that will be voted on by the public in November 2019.
The Commission is made up of members appointed by the Mayor, the Speaker of the City Council, all five Borough Presidents, the Public Advocate and the City Comptroller.
Katz’s appointee to the Commission is Eduardo Cordero, Sr., a former activist and member of the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), Executive Board Member of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, and member and officer of the Hispanic Labor Committee, an advisory committee of the AFL-CIO New York City Central Labor Council.
The presentation is slated for 5:30 p.m., today, Nov. 19 at Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens.
Richards Looks At Bill Creating Office For Prevention of Hate Crimes
City Council Member Donovan Richards (D-Arverne, Brookville, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Laurelton, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens) today will hold a hearing on proposed legislation that would create office for the prevention of hate crimes to coordinate responses and outreach amongst city agencies.
As a side measure to the bill is legislation that would also see the proposed new office have a mandate to do outreach and education against hate crimes.
The hearing is part of the Public Safety Committee’s agenda, which Richards chairs.
The meeting is slated for 2 p.m., today, Nov. 19 in the City Hall Council Chambers in Lower Manhattan.
Kim, Ramos Announce Legislation Ending Corporate Welfare
Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Whitestone, Flushing, College Point, Murray Hill) and Senator-elect Jessica Ramos (D-Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Woodside) today will announce they will sponsor legislation and two budgetary policies designed to end corporate welfare, like the kind given to Amazon to come into Long Island City.
The legislation is slated towards repurposing taxpayers’ money toward investing directly in the people of New York. Joining them to make the announcement are Wayne Ho, President of Chinese-American Planning Council and Robert Hockett, Edward Cornell Professor of Law and Finance at Cornell University.
The lawmakers will announce the details of the legislation at 1 p.m., today, Nov. 19 at Kim’s district office, 136-20 38th Avenue, Suite 10A in Flushing.
Constantinides to Host Agency Resource Fair
City Council Member Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria, parts of Woodside, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights) next week will host a resource fair to connect residents with city and state agencies. The event help residents resolve any issues or get answers on what the agencies do, and will feature translators in Nepali, Spanish, Bengali and additional languages.
“Our residents often don’t have the ability to bring issues to City agencies in person,” said Constantinides. “I’m proud to have organized this event, to let our constituents know the city works for them. I hope this is the first of several District 22-based events to help our constituents with their concerns in the many languages that they speak.”
Representatives from the Finance Division of the City Council, the City Department of Transportation, and the Governor’s Office of New Americans are confirmed to attend. Invited agencies include the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, Taxi & Limousine Commission, Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Small Business Services, and the 114th and 115th Precincts of the New York City Police Department.
The resource fair is slated for between 7-9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 28 at the Lexington School for the Deaf, 25-26 75th Street in Jackson Heights.
