Kallos to Host Back-to-School Town Hall
Tonight, Councilmember Ben Kallos (D-Yorkville, Lenox Hill) will be hosting a virtual town hall on the reopening of New York schools.
U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) will be the featured guest speaker, and Department of Education Deputy Chancellor Adrienne Austin will also be attending. This town hall will be primarily targeted at parents, teachers and students who are wondering how to stay safe this semester.
The event will take place tonight from 6-7 p.m. at facebook.com/BenKallos/live.
Cuomo Stops New York Tax Lien Sale
Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) has enacted an Executive Order cancelling New York’s annual tax and water lien sale.
Every year, NYC’s Department of Finance sells liens of residential properties with unpaid debts on taxes, bills and other expenses. Originally, this year’s tax lien sale was going to take place in mid-September; however, Cuomo’s Executive order postponed it to next Spring, providing some much-needed relief to struggling homeowners.
“COVID-19 caused enormous disruption in the daily lives of New Yorkers, including their ability to keep a roof over their head,” Cuomo said. “The tax and water lien sale was delayed in May in recognition of this hardship, and given the current economic climate it makes sense to delay it again so that homeowners aren’t facing further uncertainty. This measure is part and parcel with our ongoing efforts to help New Yorkers weather the ongoing public health emergency.”
Johnson Wishes New York a Happy Labor Day
Yesterday, Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) released the following statement in recognition of Labor Day:
“As the proud son of a union family, Labor Day is always special for me, but this year is particularly important because of everything working women and men have done to help this city and country battle the pandemic. It is critical that we thank and honor them for their hard work.
“New York City is the birthplace of the American labor movement, and the contributions those women and men have made our city and our country stronger. Sadly, the fight for worker rights is not over, but we are committed to standing with labor today and every day to build a better future.”
Chin, Levine, Johnson Call for Senior Center Reopening Plan
Last Friday, Councilmembers Margaret Chin (D-Battery Park City, Chinatown) and Mark Levine (D-Manhattan Valley, Manhattanville) and Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) publicly called on the City to produce a plan and timeline to reopen senior centers.
In a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), the councilmembers pointed out that the City’s senior citizens have had to self-isolate for months now. In the meantime, they’ve received no information about the future reopening of senior centers, which many of them depend on for nutrition and companionship.
“Older New Yorkers have been under strict confinement for five full months now,” they wrote. “Social isolation increases the risk of mortality, and this pandemic has limited direct access to needed physical and mental health services in ways we have never seen before. The direct and personalized support that senior centers provide is
irreplaceable to the seniors they serve. Community-based providers have the experience, expertise, and agility to handle the rapid changes surrounding COVID-19, and want to be a part of safe solutions for their clients.”
Rivera Commends BOE for Expanding Early Voting
Councilmember Carlina Rivera (D-East Village, Gramercy Park) released a statement last Friday after the New York Board of Elections (BOE) announced its intent to expand early voting.
The BOE had already announced its plan to use the Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden as early voting sites. Last week, it announced that it will open even more early voting centers throughout the City, including Junior High School 56 on the Lower East Side.
“Early voting will be essential to a successful general election,” said Rivera. “The Trump Administration has moved to decimate the United States Postal Service, which could disrupt processing and delivery of absentee ballots in November. By encouraging New Yorkers to vote early and by providing alternatives to mail, such as absentee dropboxes, we can relieve the stress on the postal service. I look forward to working further with NYC BOE, City and State colleagues in government, and community leaders on expanding the franchise and protecting it from dangerous attempts to delegitimize this year’s election.”
![City Councilman Mark Levine [Photo provided by Jake Sporn]](https://politicsny.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Levine-Health-Hearing-2-scaled-1.jpg?w=700)
