Serrano Announces $50,000 in Funding for Libraries
Yesterday, State Senator José Serrano (D-Manhattan, Bronx) announced $50,000 in funding for libraries in the 29th Senate District.
The funding will support libraries in Manhattan, the Bronx and Roosevelt Island. Serrano made the announcement alongside representatives of the New York Public Library (NYPL) at the Aguilar Branch in East Harlem.
“Libraries are critical to the wellbeing of our neighborhoods and provide New Yorkers with lifelong opportunities for learning and growing,” said Serrano. “More than a place for books, libraries are often cornerstones of our communities and play a critical role in fostering reading skills, assisting in job-searching and professional development, helping English language learners, and closing the digital divide for those who don’t have access to a computer. The New York Public Library branches in my district have done a wonderful job of providing much-needed services and programming for children and adults, and I am proud to support them with this programmatic funding.”
Maloney Introduces Overdraft Protection Act
Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens), joined consumer protection advocates yesterday to introduce the Overdraft Protection Act of 2019.
The act would crack down on unfair overdraft fees and establish fair and transparent practices for overdraft coverage programs. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, overdraft fees currently cost consumers an egregious $15 billion per year; Maloney’s bill will reduce this greatly.
“Unfair, deceptive, and costly overdraft fees hit those who can afford them the least the hardest; cash-strapped hardworking Americans and college students who are struggling to pay their bills,” said Maloney. “Even one overdraft penalty can quickly trigger hundreds of dollars in fees and drive customers into a financial hole. These fees take advantage of people who are new to the financial system, have limited financial literacy, or are in a situation that an overdraft is the only option. We need to change the status quo and put the $15 billion consumers are spending on overdraft fees back where it belongs – in Americans’ pockets. No cup of coffee or Netflix subscription should cost $36.”
Krueger Posts Constituent Survey
State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Upper East Side, Lenox Hill) has posted a survey for her constituents to take.
The survey, released on Monday, includes questions on the most pressing issues that the NY legislature should address, ideas for specific legislation, and whether the constituents have had any interaction with Krueger’s office.
The survey is available here.
Espaillat Recognizes 400th Anniversary of First Recorded Arrival of Enslaved Africans
Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-Washington Heights, Sugar Hill) released a statement yesterday in recognition of the 400th anniversary of the first recorded arrival of enslaved Africans in America.
“Today, I am proud to stand with my Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and House Democratic colleagues at the United States Capitol to recognize the first arrival of enslaved African Americans to this nation, reflect on the suffering of slavery and honor the lives lost over the course of one of the darkest periods in American history,” said Espaillat.
“The Transatlantic Slave Trade was the largest coerced migration of human beings in the history of the world. An estimated 10 million to 12 million enslaved Africans were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas between the 16th to the 19th centuries. We can never forget the price that has been paid throughout history. I remain committed to ensuring all Americans are treated fairly and equitably under the law.”
Ayala, Espaillat to Host Town Hall on Public Charge
Council Member Diana Ayala (D-East Harlem, Mott Haven) and Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-Washington Heights, Sugar Hill) will be hosting a town hall meeting on the new public charge rule next Friday.
The public charge rule makes it easier to deny green cards to those who receive or are likely to receive government assistance. The meeting will teach attendees whether the rule will affect them, specifically.
The meeting will take place on Friday, Sep. 20 from 6-8 p.m. Location TBD.
