Chin and Deutsch Host Unity Rally
Councilwoman Margaret Chin (D-Battery Park City, Chinatown) and Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D-Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach) will be hosting a unity rally today, in response to last week’s hate crime that left three Asian men dead.
The rally will be held at the Seaport Buffet, where the lethal attack took place. New York electeds, local activists and the families of the deceased will all be given the opportunity to speak on how we can protect the Asian-American community going forward.
The event is slated for today at 11:30 a.m., at 2027 Emmons Ave. in Brooklyn.
Ydanis Rodriguez Releases Statement on MTA
Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Washington Heights, Inwood) released a statement yesterday summarizing his opposition to MTA rate hikes.
The statement came on the heels of a recent proposal to raise the fare from $2.75 to $3.00. Rodriguez said that while he understands that the MTA needs a steady stream of revenue to keep public transit running, he doesn’t think that working class New Yorkers should bear the burden.
“I understand the dire necessity to generate revenue so that the NYC Transit System can continue operating our subway and bus service,” said Rodriguez. “However, increasing the fees for a MetroCard will only produce a financial hardship for working class New Yorkers that rely on mass transit to commute to work, school and other trips every day. I do not believe that this is the intention of the fare hikes, but ultimately it will lead to a negative impact for riders. The current proposals of increasing the price of a MetroCard from $2.75 to $3.00, or keeping the base fare the same and eliminating the bonus, and raising the price of the monthly unlimited MetroCard will only hinder riders from riding the subway and/or buses and instead become more dependent on for-hire vehicles to travel.”
Johnson Appoints Rivera, Menchaca to 2020 Census Task Force
Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) just picked the two co-chairs for the newly founded 2020 Census Task Force – Councilwoman Carlina Rivera (D-East Village, Gramercy Park) and Councilman Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park).
The task force was created to ensure that every New Yorker is counted in next year’s national census. Johnson, in particular, wants to make sure that immigrants and racial minorities aren’t overlooked.
“While the federal administration continues to undermine and intimidate immigrant communities across the nation at every opportunity, the City Council will do what is necessary to get a complete, accurate count of our population,” said Johnson. “The census determines how more than $700 billion is distributed for vital services, including education and infrastructure. New York State receives about $53 billion in federal funding, and a good count will ensure we get the federal dollars we deserve.”
Rivera expressed gratitude for the nomination, saying that she recognizes how deeply the decennial census affects New York.
“There are few government actions that will have as big of an impact on New York State as the 2020 Census, and I will work to ensure that the greatest number of New Yorkers are able to turn out to make their voices heard,” said Rivera. “We need to treat this census with the scale and seriousness it deserves, and our task force plans to do just that.”
