Carroll calls on de Blasio to not hold tax lien sale
Assemblymember Robert Carroll (D-Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Ditmas Park) sent a letter yesterday to Mayor Bill de Blasio outlining the urgency of not only suspending the tax lien sale for 2020 in light of the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, but ending it permanently.
The tax lien sale was scheduled to take place on September 25 but was delayed by de Blasio and then by Governor Andrew Cuomo in Executive Order 202.60. Without further intervention, the sale will proceed on October 4, threatening the homeownership of thousands of New Yorkers, as well as imperiling the tenancies of residents who live in a property eligible for the lien sale.
“This is the time for the City to step up and help struggling homeowners. In the best of times, selling property tax warrants to private companies is an ugly practice. In the time of COVID-19, when homeowners are under extreme circumstances, it is reprehensible. It is time to eliminate this practice,” said Carroll
Rose bill curtailing White supremacy passes House
U.S. Rep. Max Rose (D-Southern Brooklyn, Staten Island) yesterday saw the House pass his Transnational White Supremacist Extremism Review Act, which would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and disseminate a terrorist threat assessment of foreign violent white supremacist extremist groups.
“The homeland security threat posed by white supremacist extremists is pervasive and it is persistent,” said Rose. “And extremists exploit such crises as we are in right now—often, this involves the targeting of the most vulnerable in society. Earlier this year, the Directors of the FBI and National Counterterrorism Center testified before our Committee regarding the unrelenting nature of bad actors during times like these.
“Both testified to the significant homeland security threat posed from racially-motivated domestic actors—primarily white supremacist extremists. In my capacity as chair of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, I have joined with my colleagues to raise the alarm about this threat. In carrying out my work on the Committee, I have identified a common theme—and that is plain and simple—that this white supremacist ‘domestic’ terrorist problem is in fact not domestic at all. It is global in nature.”
Deutsch announces drive-in movie
City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest) is inviting people to a drive-in movie.
“Your whole family is invited to join our drive-in movie experience next Tuesday (Chol Hamoed Sukkos – a Jewish holiday). We’re excited to present Toy Story 4, which was originally released in June of 2019.
“We will also be distributing free masks for movie attendees. To ensure compliance with social distancing mandates, we will not be distributing refreshments at this event. We encourage you to bring your own! This event is weather dependent – if there is significant wind or rain that forces us to postpone the event, we will send out an email notification,” wrote Deutsch.
This event is slated to take place at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 6, at the Manhattan Beach Parking Lot (entrance opposite 1017 Oriental Boulevard) in Manhattan Beach.
Levin fights back against small business shutdown
City Council Member Stephen Levin (D-Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo, Fulton Ferry, Greenpoint, Vinegar Hill, Williamsburg) today will join the owner of Building on Bond and community leaders to speak out about recent closures of small businesses in Brooklyn and New York City.Levin is calling for immediate commercial rent relief, as well as commercial rent stabilization as a long term solution. His call to action comes in the face of continued business closures and commercial tenants needing more assistance from government. Council Member
The call to action is slated for 4 p.m., today, Oct. 1 at the corner of Bond and Pacific Streets in front of the Building on Bond in Boerum Hill.
