Adams, Mosley, Weinstein, Ortiz Praise Supreme Court Decision To Block Citizenship Question On 2020 Census
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Assembly Members Helene Weinstein (D-Sheepshead Bay, Flatlands), Walter Mosley (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill) and Felix Ortiz (D-Sunset Park, Red Hook) lauded yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court Decision to block the Trump administration from adding a question on citizenship to the 2020 census for the time being.
The Trump Administration has argued that the question will bolster protections for minority voters.
But opponents say it could deter immigrant households from taking part because of fears that data could be shared with law enforcement agencies.
“There is no basis for a citizenship question on the 2020 Census other than cynical political purposes. I’m glad a majority of the Court agrees and has blocked this question’s inclusion for now. I was proud to sign onto an amicus brief in this case, and I will continue fighting to #MakeBrooklynCount,” said Adams.
“In partnership with the Brooklyn Community Foundation and more than 250 community-based organizations, we are working hard to reach and count every single person in our borough. Hundreds of billions of dollars and fair political representation are on the line,” he added.
Mosley said the country must not allow racist actions like this to occur from the executive, and today the Supreme Court sent a message that they would not be tolerated.
“A census with a citizenship question would have caused a massive undercount and ultimately proven the process useless in making any future determinations. All of us deserve to be counted, and thanks to today’s decision we will be,” said Mosley.
Weinstein said the court decision, “is a true victory for democracy; ensuring families aren’t intimidated into abstaining from this crucial process, which would result in the diversion of federal funding from areas in true need.”
Ortiz said the Trump Administration attempted to politicize the census for partisan advantage and the Supreme Court stopped that from happening.
“Although the President’s lawyers will try to find a way to get the citizenship question back on track, the clock is running against them. Today’s ruling is a victory for democracy and especially for our hard-working immigrant friends and neighbors who would have been hurt by the citizenship question,” said Ortiz.
Cymbrowitz Announces New Speed Camera For Manhattan Beach
Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach) yesterday announced he has successfully appealed to the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) to bring a second mobile speed camera to Manhattan Beach, where speeding near several schools has posed a persistent danger.
As per the expanded speed camera law, which Cymbrowitz multi-sponsored in the Assembly, the new camera will operate year-round on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., including summer and school vacations. Previously, the cameras could only operate during a given school’s active hours.
“Unfortunately, this season has brought a lot of speeding cars and reports of drag racing in the area,” Cymbrowitz said. “While NYPD added more units, marked and unmarked, to ticket speeding drivers, I believe that having additional cameras is important because such sustained enforcement isn’t possible.”
Dyker Heights Lawmakers Lobby DOT For Parking CHanges At Local Post Office
U.S. Rep. Max Rose (D-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) and Democratic lawmakers representing the Dyker Heights area including State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assemblymembers Mathylde Frontus and Peter Abbate, Jr., and Councilmember Justin Brannan, are calling on the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to make a common sense fix to help ease parking issues around the Dyker Heights Post Office.
“This is checkers not chess,” Rose said. “If common sense prevails, I truly believe we can help improve parking around the Dyker Heights Post Office in a way that’s a win-win for both residents and mail carriers.”
The elected officials are calling for the NYC DOT to install a “No Standing Except for USPS Vehicles All Other Times” sign to accompany the 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. metered parking in front of the Dyker Heights Post Office on 13th Avenue between 83rd and 84th Streets. This would allow postal trucks to park in front of the Post Office overnight instead of in front of residences and small businesses.
“This plan already has already earned the community’s support,” wrote the elected officials to NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.
“USPS Carriers struggle to find parking will be eased and residents and small business owners will no longer have their property impeded by commercial vehicles. We hope to open discussions with your department in efforts to implement this plan and request a meeting immediately to do so. This is an opportunity to show our constituents that government can function with common sense. It is within the interests within the community, the Department of Transportation, and the USPS to find a quick resolution to this issue,” their letter added.
Montgomery Persaud To Host Roundtable Discussion on Foster Care
State Senators Velmanette Montgomery (D-Fort Greene, Boerum Hill, Red Hook, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Sunset Park, Gowanus, Park Slope), chair of the Committee on Children and Families, and Roxanne J. Persaud (D-Canarsie, East New York, Brownsville, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Flatlands, Ocean Hill, Starrett City), chair of the Committee on Social Services) today will hold a roundtable on the “State of the Youth: New York State Foster Care.”
The discussion will center on what is happening to youth in the foster care system and evaluate services available as it relates to the jurisdiction of the Children and Families, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and Social Services Committees.
Discussion topics will include: aging out of foster care, reunification, kinship, permanency and Supervised Independent Living Placement (SILPS)
The roundtable is slated for 1-4 p.m., today, June 28 at 250 Broadway, 19th Floor Senate Hearing Room in Lower Manhattan.
Simon To Hold Senior Resource Fair & Town Hall
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon (D-Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO) today will hold her annual Senior Resource Fair & Town Hall.
Over 60 groups will be available to provide seniors information on legal services, health care, government services, community resources, and more.
There will also be a town hall on housing featuring speakers from the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens and Stonewall Community Development Corporation, along with State Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D-Northern Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan) who will be covering the newly enacted state housing laws.
The Town Hall is slated for between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, June 28 at St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street (between Court St and Clinton St) in Brooklyn Heights.
