Mark Levine Blasts Ian Reilly
City Councilman Mark Levine (D-Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville) had some not-so-kind words to say about Ian Reilly, the newly elected president of the Metropolitan Republican Club.
Reilly, who was elected last Thursday, was the center of controversy last October when he invited Gavin McInnes, the founder of the white nationalist Proud Boys, to speak at a club event.
‘You just picked a supporter of white nationalism to be head of your local club,” Levine said in a tweet. “Your chance of winning an election in Manhattan is less than zero.”
Ben Kallos Cracks Down on Unsafe Sidewalk Sheds
City Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Yorkville, Lenox Hill) has recently introduced a bill to the council that would tighten safety regulations on sidewalk sheds.
Sidewalk sheds, though designed to protect pedestrians from falling construction debris, can become a safety hazard themselves if not properly maintained. Kallos told the Gothamist that his office found seven incidents in which pedestrians were injured by faulty sheds since 2017.
If passed, the new legislation would require the city to conduct bi-annual inspections on sidewalk sheds that are at least a year old. Owners would be obligated to pay for the inspections – a measure which, in theory, would incentivize them to finish construction and remove the sheds in a timely manner.
Corey Johnson to Hold Oversight Hearing on HRA Centers
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) will be holding an oversight hearing today about what can be done to improve Human Resource Administration (HRA) centers.
The hearing comes on the heels of a widely publicized incident in which Jazmine Headley had her infant son pried from her arms at a Brooklyn benefits center, where she had been waiting for four hours to find out why the city had stopped paying for her son’s day care.
The Council will review a package of legislation designed to improve clients’ experiences at HRA centers, establish new policies and add new child care accommodations.
The hearing is slated for 1:00 p.m. at City Hall.
