BK Lawmakers To Hold Rally Against Awning Fines, DOB Enforcement Practices
City Council members Rafael Espinal (D-East New York, Bushwick), Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park, Red Hook) and Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst) alongside Borough President Eric L. Adams will rally alongside dozens of small business owners today against a recent trend of business awning violations.
In the past two years, small businesses across the City have been targeted by anonymous 311 calls, reporting them for out of compliance awnings and signs. Some of these signs are decades old, and the lack of compliance can be chalked up to as little as improper font size, or listing of phone numbers. The fine itself can be up to thousands of dollars, on top of the $10,000 price tag that often comes with installing a new sign, according to Espinal’s office.
Since November of last year, there have been 2,069 violations reported to 311 across the 5 boroughs. Each call typically results in a Department of Building sweep of the neighborhood.
Espinal has introduced legislation earlier this year in the wake of the increase in fines. The bill is now being negotiated between the Council and the De Blasio Administration.
The event is slated for 2 p.m., today, Dec. 5, on the Steps of City Hall in Lower Manhattan.
Treyger Calls For More Interpreters At Polling Sites
City Council member Mark Treyger (D-Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Coney Island, Gravesend, Sea Gate) will rally alongside advocacy organizations today for more interpreters in more languages and increased language access services at NYC polling sites.
Treyger recently introduced legislation, Int. 1282, to ensure that interpreters fluent in the city’s ten most spoken languages – including the addition of Arabic, Haitian-Creole, Russian, Urdu, French and Polish – would be available within polling sites across the city.
Currently, the Board of Elections only provides interpreters in Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Bengali. Approximately 40% of New York City residents are immigrants, and nearly half of the city’s population speaks a language other than English at home.
In 2016, Treyger proposed and secured the funding for a Russian and Haitian-Creole poll site interpreter pilot program. The program was expanded this year, in partnership with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Mayor Bill de Blasio, to include interpreters in additional languages, located at approximately 100 polling locations. BOE officials, however, refused to allow these interpreters inside of their assigned polling locations, forcing them to set up their stations 100 feet from polling location entrances.
These iInterpreters spent Election Day braving cold, rainy weather while confused voters were not always able to take advantage of this critical language access assistance. Treyger’s legislation would help ensure that these independently hired and trained interpreters are stationed within the polling site locations to which they are assigned.
The event is slated for 10 a.m., today, Dec, 5, on the Steps of City Hall in Lower Manhattan.
Hamilton Raises Over $10K For Hate Crime Victim
Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn) and community activist Anthony Beckford announced yesterday that they raised over $10,000 to assist recent hate crime victim Ann Marie Washington.
On Friday November 9th 2018, Ann Marie Washington was attacked by a white male in a brutal attack. The attack occurred at the Church Avenue B/Q train station in Brooklyn. The suspect yelled racial slurs as he violently assaulted and stabbed Ms. Washington. The violent incident left Ms. Washington with a collapsed lung, multiple bruises and emotional distress. The GoFundMe campaign began while Ms. Washington was recovering in hospital and will help her in paying for medical expenses.
“But our work is not done. The perpetrator is still on the loose, and we are determined to get justice for Ms. Washington. How can a hate crime like this go unpunished? How can Brooklyn rest while a person with hate in his heart and a sharp object in his hand walks freely. Who will be his next victim?” said Hamilton.
“While we are well on our way to healing Ms. Washington’s physical wounds, all our communities must come together to reverse the damage hate crimes inflict,” added Hamilton.
AM Williams Hosts Environmental Awareness Night
Assembly member Jaime Williams (D-Canarsie, Georgetown, Mill Basin, Marine Park, Bergen Beach, Gerritsen Beach) held a Environmental Awareness night earlier this month, in which she screened a Jamaica Bay documentary.
The documentary “Saving Jamaica Bay” produced by Daniel Hendrick and directed by David Sigal, showcases the heroic efforts of Daniel Mundy Sr. and Daniel Mundy Jr. The 76-minute documentary which was shot across five years beginning in 2011, shows the history of the bay, the damage done to it during Hurricane Sandy and efforts to restore its beauty. The film tells the stories of environmental activists Don Riepe, known as the “Jamaica Bay Guardian” and Dan Mundy Sr. and his son Dan Mundy Jr., two firefighters who grew up on the bay and later sued the city to restore it to health.
“So many of the students had no idea of the history of Jamaica Bay or the pivotal importance it plays in our environmental concerns. It is the largest urban National Park and it is imperative that we do all we can to make sure that it is preserved and flourishes,” said Williams.
“To bring a film like this to students is truly a pleasure and following the footsteps of my environmental concerns and platform as we are planting seeds that will blossom into a stronger environmental conscientiousness,” added Williams.
