Johnson Grills City’s Coronavirus Response
In an appearance on Fox 5 Monday, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Midtown West, Greenwich Village, Chelsea) expressed regret over the city’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it “too slow,” the Daily News reported.
Johnson proceeded to discuss the need to assess what the city did wrong in handling the crisis later on
“[W]e need to figure out what that looks like for the future and what that looks like as we start to talk about what a potential reopening looks like, how do we potentially do that in a way, and how to we make sure we keep track in a way so we don’t make similar mistakes in the future,” he said.
Maloney Questions Proposed Census Deadline Delay
House Oversight and Reform Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) responded to a Trump administration proposal to extend the deadline for the census, the Hill reported Monday.
The proposal, from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, asked Maloney to extend the deadline from December 31, 2020 to April 30, 2021 to offset the challenges the COVID-19 crisis poses.
Maloney explained that while she would “carefully” think about the proposal, she requested more transparency from the Trump administration before agreeing to it.
“If the Administration is trying to avoid the perception of politicizing the Census, preventing the Census Director from briefing the Committee and then excluding him from a call organized by the White House are not encouraging moves,” Maloney stated.
Rivera Applauds Washington Heights Citi Bike Station
A Citi Bike station opened at 169th Street and Fort Washington Avenue Tuesday, Curbed NY reported.
Located near Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center, it is Manhattan’s first such station north of 130th Street. It also allows for the healthcare workers in the area to commute while social distancing. City Council Hospital Committee Chair Carlina Rivera (D-East Village, Lower East Side) praised the development.
“One of our top priorities during this emergency should be the safe movement of our essential personnel, including members of our frontline healthcare workforce,” she said in a statement. “This Citi Bike station at Columbia Presbyterian, requested by many among the hospital’s staff, is an important signal to them that New York City is listening.”
