Women’s Caucus Releases Statement on Sexual Harassment
The Women’s Caucus, co-chaired by Councilwomen Margaret Chin (D-Battery Park City, Chinatown) and Carlina Rivera (D-East Village, Gramercy Park) released a statement yesterday revealing their stance on neutral references for perpetrators of sexual harassment.
A “neutral reference” refers to when, after an employee is terminated, the city only releases basic details about them without revealing the reason for their termination. The statement declared that neutral references should absolutely not be used for employees who were fired for sexual harassment.
“These secret agreements only benefit perpetrators of sexual harassment by allowing them to start with a clean slate under a new employer and bypass accountability,” said the statement. “The survivors who speak out against these perpetrators do so to protect not only themselves – but also others from future harassment.”
Kallos Offers New Approach to Congestion Pricing
City Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Yorkville, Lenox Hill) wrote an op-ed for the Daily News yesterday making the case for a new take on congestion pricing: one that charges cars to enter all New York City streets.
As he pointed out, only 1.4 million New York City households own a car; thus, he said, we can conclude that most traffic congestion is caused by drivers coming from outside the City. A toll on all entrances into the city, he wrote, would alleviate congestion to a much greater degree than our current Manhattan-centric congestion pricing plan.
“The time is now for New York to finally implement congestion pricing,” wrote Kallos. “We should take an honest look at our traffic and address the whole problem by expanding the congestion zone to all of New York City. The revenues from such a plan could build a true 21st-century public transit system, so that everyone can actually have a decent commute to and from working in the big city.”
The full piece can be read here.
Johnson to Host PB Project Expo
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) will be hosting a participatory budgeting project expo next week.
Johnson will be giving attendees the opportunity to both learn about and vote on projects slated for Manhattan’s Third District. The cycle will officially begin on Mar. 30, but the expo will allow those in attendance to vote early.
The event is slated for Thursday, Mar. 28 at 6:30 p.m., at the Hudson Guild located at 441 West 26th St.
