De Blasio Sets Special Public Advocate Election For Feb. 26
Mayor Bill de Blasio over the holiday weekend set the special election for public advocate date as Tuesday, Feb. 26.
“With New York Attorney General-elect Tish James’ upcoming inauguration, it is my pleasure to announce the special election for Public Advocate will take place on Tuesday, February 26, 2019. This date will help maximize voter turnout, and my Administration will work around the clock to make sure every New Yorker is encouraged to exercise their right to vote,” said De Blasio.
The election will also mark a new law granting an increase of public funding from the old $6 of taxpayer money for every $1 raised to $8 of taxpayer money for every $1 raised within certain thresholds.
Adams, Gonzalez Speak On Brooklyn’s Record Low Homicides In 2018
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today will join local clergy, violence interrupters, as well as civilian observation patrols from the borough’s Caribbean, Chinese, Jewish, and Muslim communities, to discuss how 2018 ended with Brooklyn setting a record-low in homicides — beating the historic mark set the year before.
The lawmakers will also highlight community efforts in violence reduction to set a brand-new record in 2019. Ninety-seven murders were recorded in Brooklyn last year, the first time since record-keeping began that fewer than 100 homicides took place.
Adams and Gonzalez will also emphasize the synergy of reducing violent crime with making criminal justice reforms such as sharply reducing the prosecutions of marijuana possession offenses and detentions on bail.
The discussion is slated for 2 p.m., today, Jan. 2 at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
Golden Sees Cuomo Sign His Transit Lockbox Legislation
Former State Sen. Martin J. Golden (R-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Gerritsen Beach, Marine Park) Brooklyn) announced over the weekend that Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has signed legislation, A.8511/S.6807, requiring state funding dedicated to the MTA, and other public transportation systems, be used for their intended purpose into law.
The bill, which Golden sponsored, also requires any legislation that diverts public transportation funding to include a diversion impact statement.
Despite the increasing cost burden caused by siphoning much-needed resources away from a subway system in crisis, the MTA has remained a frequent target of Governors who wish to use dedicated taxes to support transit projects to cover budgetary shortfalls in unrelated areas. The diverted funds are then replaced with bonds or loans that are backed by these same taxes, further adding to the existing debt burden.
“It is critically important that resources dedicated to support the transportation services of the MTA are used for just that and nothing else. The Governor should not be able to “sweep” monies dedicated for our subways and buses, and use them in other ways. This bill stops this shortsighted practice, and ensures that we have the funding needed to bring the MTA transportation system up to speed. This new law will help ensure that our transit system becomes more efficient, reliable and a safe for commuters,” said Golden.
Williams, Lander Mark Five Year Anniversary Of Community Safety Act
City Council Members Jumaane D. Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) and Brad Lander (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington) released the following statement marking the five-year anniversary of the enactment of the Community Safety Act, which took effect in New York City on January 1, 2014.
“It’s been five years since the City Council partnered with advocates like Communities United for Police Reform to stand up to a Mayor, a Police Commissioner, and many more detractors and pass the Community Safety Act and override a veto, creating an enforceable ban on bias-based policing and establishing an Inspector General over the NYPD,” the lawmakers said.
“They told us then that we would be making our city unsafe if we passed this legislation, that black and brown communities would erupt in crime and our actions would leave police powerless. They told us then that having better policing and safer streets were in contradiction. We told them there was another way, we showed them their own statistics, and they refused to believe us. Now, five years later, we are the safest city we’ve been in six decades.
“Two things are more and more clear every day. First, while there remains a long way to go toward equal justice under the law, there is a clear difference in policing now versus policing then. Second, we have much more work to do. Even amid the improvements, there are areas where this administration has gone backwards-transparency and accountability chief among them. There are systemic failures that we must continue to work to address.
“We would like to thank all of our colleagues, past and present, who helped us to pass this legislation five years ago, and who continue to fight for policing reforms today. We would also like to thank the many advocates whose tireless work to create change made all of this possible. Your efforts, then and now, have made our city, our community, safer and advanced a cause of justice that we will continue to move forward together.”
