Adams Releases Multi-Faceted Plan to Fix NYC
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams yesterday released a new plan, “Real Recovery NYC,” to address the intersecting crises facing New York City: racial injustice and policing, public health, and an economic recession that continues to devastate vulnerable communities and wreak havoc on the City’s finances.
“The crises we have been faced with over the past few months have not put other crises in our city on hold. If anything, they have exacerbated them. The demand for basic necessities like affordable housing, access to health care, jobs with decent wages, a law enforcement apparatus that protects and serves on an equitable basis, and so much more is even greater now, and vulnerable communities are disproportionately those with the greatest level of need. Our plan provides a roadmap for how we can recover the right way, centering justice and equality, and beginning to undo historical wrongs that have plagued our city since long before coronavirus arrived on our shores. The months and years ahead will be challenging for our city, but by adopting smart, forward-thinking policy solutions, we can rebuild New York stronger, fairer, and more just for all,” said Adams.
In the report, Adams lays out concrete steps for managing the city’s recovery, by cutting back on unnecessary expenditures while investing in programs and policies that foster equitable growth and close historic gaps between and within communities in our city. He notes in the introduction that underlying inequalities that existed prior to the onset of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been laid bare — not only by the ongoing pandemic, but also the economic fallout that has resulted and the protests that have gripped the city in recent weeks over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, as well as the broader racial injustices that have plagued cities across America for decades.
The report calls for a recovery that prioritizes fairness and equality so that low-income areas and communities of color do not bear the brunt of future crises.
Gillibrand Urges USDA to Release $100 Million Broadband Funding
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately release $100 million in rural broadband funding, as millions of families continue to adjust to a new normal of online learning, work, and health care due to the COVID-19 crisis.
It’s disappointing, and frankly unacceptable, that the administration has yet to invest hard-won funding for rural broadband infrastructure that Congress guaranteed in the CARES Act,” said Gillibrand. “Because of the administration’s inaction, New Yorkers have been trying to do the impossible and get by in the era of COVID without access to broadband in their homes, relying instead on free public Wi-Fi or limited satellite internet. We must fight to close the pervasive digital divide in our country and ensure that every American has access to vital technological resources, no matter their zip code or socioeconomic status. Rural and native families cannot wait any longer, and I’m going to fight to get this funding to the communities that need it the most.”
Before the coronavirus pandemic, rural and native communities already faced a substantial broadband gap. According to a recent FCC report, over 25% of rural Americans are without access to quality broadband, compared to only 1.7% of Americans living in urban areas. the pandemic has exacerbated this divide, as Americans are forced to stay, learn and work from home.
Gillibrand called on the Trump administration to quickly spend the $100 million in funding for federal grants administered through the USDA ReConnect program under the CARES Act, in order to prioritize and expand rural communities’ essential access to broadband. The ReConnect program is desperately needed to provide loans and grants for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment required to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.
De Blasio Makes Illegal Firework Task Force
Mayor Bill de Blasio established a multi-agency task force to crack down on illegal fireworks sales that will consist of 10 officers from the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, 12 FDNY Fire Marshals and 20 members of the Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
“Illegal fireworks are both dangerous and a public nuisance,” said de Blasio. “We’re cracking down on this activity at the source to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers and the ability of our neighbors to get some sleep.”
The task force will target suppliers, distributors and possessors of large quantities of illegal fireworks by conducting investigations and sting operations within and outside of New York City to disrupt supply chains. The FDNY will also launch a public safety campaign, including public service announcements and social media, to illustrate the dangers of illegal fireworks.
