In the News

The pattern of abuses by Vito Lopez towards women staffers is as disgusting as it is irrefutable, as the release of the JCOPE report proves.  However, despite the JCOPE report and the findings of the Special District Attorney, a loophole has thus far enabled him to escape criminal responsibility for repeatedly sexually harassing and abusing multiple former staffers.  

While we would all like to believe there have been exhaustive and comprehensive investigations into Lopez' wrongdoing, the fact is JCOPE only covered Lopez' actions since November 2010, and even then they only focused on violations of the Public Officers Law. JCOPE didn't even interview Lopez staffers hired before November 2008. This limited investigation leaves a 25 year gap in which Lopez' likely carried on his sex attacks. 

Special District Attorney Donovan, who carried out many of his interviews in cooperation with JCOPE only looked at the incidents in June & July 2012, and was careful to say he couldn't find "a chargeable crime was committed within the confines of Kings County" (emphasis added). 

Even with their limited investigation JCOPE found "Lopez engaged in a pervasive pattern of abuse of public office and resources, not for a personal financial gain but for his personal gratification and desires." Given this detailed pattern of Lopez' outrageous behavior, the amount of time and staff in Albany, and Lopez' taking female staff on overnight trips outside of Brooklyn (indeed, outside the United States), there were far more opportunities for Lopez to prey on staffers than have been investigated.  

At the beginning of these horrendous revelations the public cried out for a full investigation of Assemblyman Lopez' actions. But today, despite a documented pattern of abuses, we still do not have a complete investigation into Vito Lopez' actions. 

The overwhelming evidence of Lopez' attacks beg the question of what criminal conduct by Vito Lopez is still hiding in the shadows -- acts that deserve to be criminally prosecuted. 

Lopez refused to appear before JCOPE because his "counsel would advise him to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination." That's his right, but these reports have every appearance of having exposed only the tip of the iceberg as far as Vito Lopez' criminal wrongdoings.  The public is still waiting for a full investigation, and it's long overdue. 

Vito Lopez must resign.  No one should support him for election to the City Council or any other public office.

My comments are as follows:

 

Thank you for this opportunity to offer comment on the EPA's Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP) for the Gowanus Canal. I congratulate you and your colleagues with the EPA on your extensive engagement of the community in a transparent, conscientious and timely manner.  The community has benefitted greatly from the agency's patience and dedication in educating us all about these complex and confounding issues as we seek to attain our mutual goal of cleaning up the Gowanus Canal.

 

To that end, I am generally supportive of the PRAP and its remedy preferences, but it is clear to me from the many community meetings and conversations that there remain unanswered questions and concerns regarding (a) opportunities for recontamination (as particularly seems to be the problem near the Manufactured Gas Plant sites and attendant the Fifth Street Basin); (b) the movement of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs) and those that are less dense than water (LNAPLs); (c) the maximization of community benefits including workforce development and the minimization of negative impacts such as disruptions to local businesses; (d) the improved coordination of the relevant agencies, responsible parties and stakeholders involved; (e) the increased opportunities for inclusion of diversity and greater participation of all the affected communities in the next steps (both design phase and actual clean-up) and (f) resource allocation decisions. Read more...

Below see my letter to the NYC Planning Commission regarding the Brooklyn Public Library's intention to sell the historic Pacific Branch library and use the money to fit out an expensive new library near the Brooklyn Academy of Music.The video of the testimony is here.

March 18, 2013

Amanda Burden, Chair

City Planning Commission

22 Reade Street

New York, NY 10007

 

Re:       BAM South Application: Special Permit for Use and Bulk Modifications for Cultural Use in Certain C6-2 Districts - Calendar Items 15, 16, 17 (C 130116 ZMK, N 130117 ZRK and C 130118 ZSK

 

Dear Commissioner Burden:

 

I write with regard to the three actions before the City Planning Commission on March 20, 2013 related to the "BAM South" site including a text amendment, a zoning map change and a special permit, which proposes the construction of a large, multi-use building across from the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

 

My concerns about the land use applications before the City Planning Commission on this ULURP stem from (a) a decade of participation in community dialogue about local economic growth which evolved into the Downtown Brooklyn Plan, and (b) my alarm that the library component of BAM South (a part of the Downtown Plan), as currently described by the Brooklyn Public Library, would violate the social compact and the principles underlying community support developed through careful public dialogue amongst the neighborhoods adjacent to the Downtown Plan area.  The Brooklyn Public Library, through presentations at recent community meetings and postings on its website, has made clear its intentions to snatch from our midst a cultural, architectural and historic resource - the Pacific Branch Library.  In other words, a neighborhood outside of the Downtown Brooklyn Plan's boundaries will sacrifice a treasure to support the construction of a library within the Plan's area at the BAM South Project site, which will necessarily serve a different demographic. READ MORE...

Two recent articles:

"Ethics Panel Report in Lopez's Harassment Case Is Withheld"

Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan, the special prosecutor investigating the sexual harassment scandal involving Assemblyman Vito Lopez, has asked the Legislature not to release a state ethics commission report on Lopez, The New York Times writes so as to not conflict with his ongoing investigation.

"Gropez made women write him love notes"

The New York Post reports that Assemblymember Vito Lopez forced female staffers to write admiring notes about him to "cover his tracks" after harassment complaints against him began to pile up.  Not only that, he berated them if they were not sufficient glowing reports!

 

From the Carroll Gardens Patch:

Homeless tenants are worth more to New York City landlords than paying ones.

A report in Friday's New York Times exploring the business practices of Alan Lapes--owner of 165 West Ninth Street in Carroll Gardens, a proposed shelter, and approximately 20 other such facilities--revealed that the city pays him roughly $3,000 per body housed each month. But electeds challenging the emergency contract granted to the South Brooklyn location are calling to question the integrity of the project and whether this is the best use of taxpayer money.

There are "some significant problems with housing policy in New York City, among them the City's willingness to pay a bundle for shelters rather than moving people into permanent housing," District Leader Jo Anne Simon told Patch. "The ease with which certain property owners and service providers can skirt legal requirements to secure lucrative contracts," she added, is ripe for malfeasance.[Read more]

 

I was privileged to make comments opposing the closing of LICH during the short opportunity permitted before the SUNY Board of Trustees on February 7th.
JAS, DL comments - SUNY Bd of trustees, 02-07-13.docx

ON February 8th, I was interviewed by CNN radio.  You can hear the interview here.

January 24, 2013

Inauguration Celebration
 
This jammed packed week brought us the second Inauguration of President Barack Obama.  I was thrilled to be there to bear witness and support my President. The view of the crowd-filled mall from my seat on the Capitol lawn was truly a sight to behold and a vivid reminder of the awesome power of our people and the wisdom of the founders. Thank you, President Obama for featuring women, the LGBT community, and people with disabilities so prominently!


Happy 40^th Anniversary Roe vs. Wade!

We must not waiver is our commitment to family planning services and quality women's health care for all women, regardless of race, religion or economic status. It's good policy, it's good government and it's good economics.


Thanks to U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)  for reintroducing the reauthorized Violence Against Women Act!
 
And let us not forget that violence to women and other people is most often at the end of a gun. Thank you to Governor Cuomo for leading the way to a tough and comprehensive gun control package (although I could support a few tweaks. . .) Sign the petition from New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. 

Thanks also to U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein for introducing a federal gun control bill today!

City Council Announcement

This year will be a pivotal one for Brooklyn Democrats.  With Vito Lopez out as party leader we have a new opportunity for Brooklyn to be not just the largest Democratic organization in the country, but also the most progressive.
 
As a Democratic District Leader, and now also as 1st  vice-chair of the Kings County Democratic County Committee and co-chair of the Rules Committee, I'm focusing on reforming the party rules and bringing about the changes that are sorely needed.
 
This year will also see elections for Mayor, city council and other municipal offices. Make no mistake about it, these elections are as important as the national elections last November. Many friends and supporters have asked me if will be a candidate for city council. It's a question I've spent much time considering. I am grateful to my family, friends and supporters who have encouraged me to be a candidate.
 
It's no secret that I feel the 33^rd Council District deserves independent representation. Once the lines are finalized I am confident we can find the best candidate for this newly redrawn seat. But I will not be among those seeking the nomination for City Council. Instead I will continue concentrating my time on making the promise of reforms a reality in Brooklyn politics.

By BENJAMIN WEISER and WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM

The former longtime director of the network of social service agencies that for decades was controlled by Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez of Brooklyn pleaded guilty on Thursday to a federal criminal contempt charge stemming from inaccurate documents that appeared to justify an outsize salary increase she received.  

The former director, Christiana M. Fisher, who was forced out of her post as chief executive of the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council at the beginning of the year, admitted that she had allowed inaccurate documents concerning her compensation to be produced in response to a grand jury subpoena received by her agency in September 2010. Read More

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has designated  MTA buses will run shuttle service on Election Day to carry voters from damaged polling places to alternate sites established by the Board of Election on Staten Island and Coney Island and in the Rockaways.  The free Election Day shuttle buses will run in addition to other schedule bus service in the areas.

The buses will be marked by "Voter Shuttle" destination signs, and will run from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. to help voters, particularly those displaced by the storm, get to the polling stations.

MTA buses will also be dispatched to carry Board of Election polling station workers from the Queens headquarters in Kew Gardens to their newly assigned polling stations in the three areas.  The buses will run in 15 minute intervals.  Routes for the "Voter Shuttle" buses are as follows:

http://vote.nyc.ny.us/html/shuttle/shuttle.shtml

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2012/11/cuomo-signs-order-allowing-hurricane-victims-to-vote-anywhere

Around the City, Some Poll Sites Have Been Relocated Due to the Storm.  The Only Voters In the 52^nd Assembly District That Will be Voting at a Location Affected by Hurricane Sandy are those in the Following Election Districts in Red Hook:

 

ED        FROM              NEW SITE                    NEW ADDRESS

107      PS 15               PS 27                           27 Huntington Street

108      PS 15               PS 27                           27 Huntington Street

109      PS 15               PS 27                           27 Huntington Street

 

Local Initiatives through Whom You Can Volunteer Your Time and/or Money, Make Donations of Food and Supplies (batteries, flashlights, diapers, toilet paper, etc), and

 

Red Hook Initiative

FUREE

Brooklyn recovery Fund

 

Coats, Hats & Scarves will be needed for those who have lost their homes. 

 

Seniors at the Prospect Park Y at the Armory also need things like playing cards, magic markers, and art supplies for activities.

 

 

See other links below

 

 

Poll Site LoCator - confirm your poll site location here

 

ABSENTEE BALLOTS STILL AVAILABLE

 

You may still apply for and receive an absentee ballot, today Monday, November 5th. If you are unable to get to the Board of Elections offices, you can assign a designee to transport your ballot request and ballot to the BOE offices. The Brooklyn Board of Elections (345 Adams Street, 4^th Floor) is open 'til 6 PM tonight (Note: Confirm you are a registered voter first!)

 

Applications for NY Absentee Ballots

http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/download/voting/Absentee06152010.pdf

 

For more information and applications in other languages: 

http://vote.nyc.ny.us/html/voters/absentee.shtml

 

2012 Deadlines:

·         Mon, Nov 5 - Last day to apply in-person for absentee ballot

·         Mon, Nov 5 - Last day to postmark ballot. Must be received by the local board of elections no later than Nov. 13th. Military Voter Ballots must be received no later than Nov. 19th.

·         Nov. 6 - Last day to deliver ballot IN-PERSON to the local board of elections.

 

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!  RE-ELECT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!

 

In the 52^nd AD, Re-Elect Assemblymember Joan L. Millman

Depending on your location, please vote for these progressive candidates:

U.S. Senate:           Kirsten Gillibrand

U. S. Congress:      Nydia M. Velazquez Cong. Dist. 7

                                Hakeem Jeffries- Cong Dist. 8

                                Yvette Clarke-Cong. Dist. 9

State Senate:        Velmanette Montgomery - Sen. Dist. 25

                                Daniel Squadron - Sen. Dist. 26

                                Kevin Parker - Sen. Dist. 21

Civil Court:            Richard J. Montelione - Municipal Dist. 1

Civil Court:            Robin Garson and Craig Walker - County-wide (vote for 2 candidates)

Supreme Court:   Cheryl E. Chambers

                                Barry Kamins

                                William Miller

                                (vote for 3 candidates)

               

               

Other Recovery links:

Food, blanket and water distribution sites
http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/foodandwater.html

Daytime warming centers

http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/warming_ctr.html

Current list of overnight emergency shelters
http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/hurricane_shelters.html

Bus pick up for overnight emergency shelters
http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/overnight_shelter.html

Mobile Medical Care
http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2012b/pr393-12-static.html

American Red Cross Disaster Assistance, including shelter information
http://www.redcross.org/

NYC School closures
http://schools.nyc.gov/Home/InOurSchoolsToday/2012-2013/cancellations.htm#relocated

Interactive map shows locations providing emergency services and availability of supplies
http://www.google.org/crisismap/2012-sandy-nyc

Information regarding subway, bus and commuter rail availability
http://www.mta.info
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/ferrybus/ferintro.shtml
http://www.mta.info/lirr/
http://www.panynj.gov/alerts-advisories/inclement-weather.html

Power Outage Updates
http://www.governor.ny.gov/poweroutageinfo

Full-service locations to aid in applications for emergency social, economic and FEMA assistance
http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/dasc.html

FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance
www.disasterassistance.gov

 

More Poll workers are needed.  Training will occur today and tomorrow.  Tomorrow (Monday, Nov 5) at 9:30 AM, go to 401 Atlantic Ave (corner of Bond Street).  You can get an application form on-line here

http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/html/workers/positions.shtml  Poll workers must report at 5 AM on Election day and work through the polls' closing.

Some Poll sites will be changed because of the hurricane. Here is the list.. 

 

The sites in and near the 52^nd AD are confirmed.  The biggest changes are that voters assigned to PS 15 in Red Hook will be voting at PS 27, (27 Huntington Street) in Red Hook.  Voters from the 44^th AD who would vote at John Jay HS or the Park Slope YMCA will now vote at PS 282 (180 Sixth Ave), making it an enormous pollsite, and PS 154 (1625 11 Avenue).

1.         Check if you are registered to vote here

2.         Check your poll site here.  Then write down your new Election District number to save time when you get to the polls

If you're are volunteering at a shelter and have access to the internet, help the evacuee by:

1.         Check to see if they are registered voters

2.         Check the poll site where they would vote.  They might be able to get to the site on their own.  Efforts are being made to transport voters to poll sites in certain hard hit areas... Still others may be qualified because of temporary illness/inability to physically get to their regular site. Then you/they wilould need to walk those appluications to the BOE and get a ballot turned in for completion and drop off by end of day

--------

Here's the Red Hook Initiative schedule for today http://rhicenter.org/2012/11/03/

From Volunteer Bob Bland:

There was hundreds of volunteers out yesterday...your best bet is to come early! Also, check out redhook.recovers.org for immediate updates, and astoria.recovers.org for the Rockaways.

Any major coordination questions please contact info@rhicenter.org.  or check their website http://rhicenter.org/2012/11/03/from-the-sites-coordination-meeting-news-for-sunday/

Volunteers
Please report to 402 Van Brunt Street
10am - 5pm

Hot Meals
Hot meals should be delivered to 767 Hicks Street
11am - 6pm
Please tell us if you plan to deliver hot food and at what time. We'd like to try to make sure we have enough and that we don't get too much knowing other communities need the same.
If you plan to bring a meal, send an email to food@rhicenter.org

Cleaning Supplies / Water Pumps/Generators
Please deliver to 402 Van Brunt Street
10am - 5pm

Canned Food/ Non-perishables / Flashlights/ Candles/ Blankets/
Please deliver to Good Shepherd Services, 173 Conover Street OR
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 98 Richards Street/ Verona Street
10am - 5pm

Donate money
RHI is accepting contributions toward hurricane relief efforts in the community, click to donate here.

------

The Cobble Hill Think Tank is collecting...

"A Hill of Beans" for our neighbors in Red Hook
___________________________

PLEASE DONATE: 

- cans of beans
- bags of dried beans
- coffee beans (ground)

WE WILL ALSO ACCEPT:
- bags of rice
- canned fruits and vegetables
- blankets, coats, warm clothes

Bring donations to The Cobble Hill Think Tank, 274 Court Street (across from the Cobble Hill Cinema)
All donations will be distributed by The Red Hook Initiative, www.rhicenter.org  Hill of Beans expects to collect for the next 2 weeks.  Contact info below:

 

Lisa Bowstead

Lisa@CobbleHillThinkTank.com
The Cobble Hill Think Tank
274 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 222-9200

www.CobbleHillThinkTank.com

 

____

Brooklyn Tech Shelter -- Volunteers Needed

They are down to general population, not senior citizens/special needs.  Please come for early shifts.   Afternoon shifts have more than enough.   They may be clearing out to start school Monday.

 
Also there are tons of donated clothing shoes and books that need to be moved.   There outpouring of donations were so great that most of it hasn't been used.
Please come to Brooklyn Tech High School and pick up what you think is needed at your drop off.  Look for a volunteer in orange vest or head of volunteers in yellow vest.

I suggest coming by Sunday afternoon since we just don't know when its shutting down.   I'd hate to see all of this dumped.

Thanks.  Feel free to email me if you have questions.

ANNIE BASULTO <annieheartscoffey@gmail.com> 

 

Schools                                Schools                                Schools                Schools                Schools                                Schools

New York City schools are officially in session tomorrow, though some will be in different locations. Some are serving as emergency shelters, such as those housed in the John Jay High School building at 237 7th Avenue, and others around the city are without power or are otherwise unusable.  For up-to-date information on schools, please visit http://schools.nyc.gov/Home/InOurSchoolsToday/2012-2013/cancellations, call 311 or text NYCSCHOOLS to 877-877.

 

Schools will be closed on Tuesday for Election Day.

 

Voting

Three polling sites have been relocated .

If you were scheduled to vote  at PS15 in Red Hook , you will now vote at PS 27 in Red Hook. 

Those of you who are in election districts that normally vote in the John Jay High School building at 237 7th Avenue will be voting at PS 282, which is located at 180 Sixth Avenue, between Lincoln Place and Berkeley Place.

 

Those of you who are in election districts that normally vote at the Park Slope Armory will be voting at PS 154, which is located at 1625 11th Avenue, between Sherman Street and Windsor Place in Windsor Terrace.

 

You can confirm your polling site by entering your address at the Board of Elections Poll Site Locator, which has been updated for relocated sites, here: http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm.

 

Helping our First Responders

 

A significant number of policemen, firemen and other first responders lost their homes in the hurricane.

I have heard this from all the precincts we work with in the 52ndAD. If their home wasn't lost, it was significantly damaged We will be calling on their organizations who will need our help.

 

Thank you to our elected officials, City Councilmembers Brad Lander and Steve Levin, who have worked tirelessly, Assemblymember Joan Millman and her staff who brought out the Army to Gowanus Houses, and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, and her staff held the fort at Red Hook Houses. Thanks to all you neighbors who just kept coming and coming with new ways to help.  You are all a wonder!

 

 

More Poll workers are needed.  Training will occur today and tomorrow.  Tomorrow at 9:30 AM, go to 401 Atlantic Ave (corner of Bond Street).  You can get an application form on-line here

http://www.vote.nyc.ny.us/html/workers/positions.shtml  Poll workers must report at 5 AM on Election day and work through the polls' closing.

Some Poll sites will be changed because of the hurricane. Here is the list currently, although there MIGHT still be changes in the southern coastal areas of Brooklyn and Queens. 

 

The sites in and near the 52^nd AD are confirmed.  The biggest changes are that voters assigned to PS 15 in Red Hook will be voting at PS 27, (27 Huntington Street) in Red Hook.  Voters from the 44^th AD who would vote at John Jay HS or the Park Slope YMCA will now vote at PS 282, (180 Sixth Ave) and PS 154 (1625 11 Avenue).

1.         Check if you are registered to vote here

2.         Check your poll site here.

If you're are volunteering at a shelter and have access to the internet, help the evacuee by:

1.         Check to see if they are registered voters

2.         Check the poll site where they would vote.  They might be able to get to the site on their own.  Efforts are being made to transport voters to poll sites in certain hard hit areas...  More on that later.

------------

Here's the Red Hook Initiative schedule for today, Sunday, November 4

 

From Volunteer Bob Bland:

There was hundreds of volunteers out yesterday...your best bet is to come early! Also, check out redhook.recovers.org for immediate updates, and astoria.recovers.org for the Rockaways.

Any major coordination questions please contact info@rhicenter.org.  or check their website http://rhicenter.org/2012/11/03/from-the-sites-coordination-meeting-news-for-sunday/

Volunteers
Please report to 402 Van Brunt Street
10am - 5pm

Hot Meals
Hot meals should be delivered to 767 Hicks Street
11am - 6pm
Please tell us if you plan to deliver hot food and at what time. We'd like to try to make sure we have enough and that we don't get too much knowing other communities need the same.
If you plan to bring a meal, send an email to food@rhicenter.org

Cleaning Supplies / Water Pumps/Generators
Please deliver to 402 Van Brunt Street
10am - 5pm

Canned Food/ Non-perishables / Flashlights/ Candles/ Blankets/
Please deliver to Good Shepherd Services, 173 Conover Street OR
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 98 Richards Street/ Verona Street
10am - 5pm

Donate money
RHI is accepting contributions toward hurricane relief efforts in the community, click to donate here.

------

The Cobble Hill Think Tank  is collecting...

"A Hill of Beans" for our neighbors in Red Hook
___________________________

PLEASE DONATE: 

- cans of beans
- bags of dried beans
- coffee beans (ground)

WE WILL ALSO ACCEPT:
- bags of rice
- canned fruits and vegetables
- blankets, coats, warm clothes

Bring donations to The Cobble Hill Think Tank, 274 Court Street (across from the Cobble Hill Cinema)
All donations will be distributed by The Red Hook Initiative, www.rhicenter.org  Hill of Beans expects to collect for the next 2 weeks.  Contact info below:

 

Lisa Bowstead

Lisa@CobbleHillThinkTank.com
The Cobble Hill Think Tank
274 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 222-9200

www.CobbleHillThinkTank.com

 

____

Brooklyn Tech Shelter -- Volunteers Needed

They are down to general population, not senior citizens/special needs.  Please come for early shifts.   Afternoon shifts have more than enough.   They may be clearing out to start school Monday.

 
Also there are tons of donated clothing shoes and books that need to be moved.   There outpouring of donations were so great that most of it hasn't been used.
Please come to Brooklyn Tech High School and pick up what you think is needed at your drop off.  Look for a volunteer in orange vest or head of volunteers in yellow vest.

I suggest coming by Sunday afternoon since we just don't know when its shutting down.   I'd hate to see all of this dumped.

Thanks.  Feel free to email me if you have questions.

ANNIE BASULTO <annieheartscoffey@gmail.com> 

Emergency shelters have been consolidated

 

The NYC Marathon has been cancelled

 

How to help

http://www.bkbureau.org/where-get-and-where-give

http://brokelyn.com/where-to-volunteer-this-weekend/

http://www.heresparkslope.com/home/2012/11/2/a-round-up-of-local-ways-to-help-sandy-victims.html/

 

One of the most urgent needs is mental health assistance, particularly at the shelters and for so many people in public housing who have been left high and dry. Pass it on.

 

Keep track of who has electric power

 

A neighbor's daughter's friend came up with this handy map of relief efforts- I think this is really clever and helpful!

 

A neighbor is listing relief information on her blog
Thanks, Karen! You and GUMBO have enriched our communities in so many ways.

 

Brooklyn Community Foundation has launched a Brooklyn Recovery Fund. Donations will go to local recovery efforts in Brooklyn.

 

PS 29 PTA is organizing help to Red Hook.  Because Con Ed has estimates that the power won't be restored to Red Hook for another 10 days, the biggest, most urgent need is for -flashlights loaded with batteries and extra batteries.

Collection efforts will evolve from day to day as needed.  Once school is back in session efforts will transition to be more informational than collection. An automatic email will be sent every day outlining their efforts. For more information, email: PS29bkHealthandSafety@gmail.com  From a recent email, they also need:

 

-Candles  ▪ water ▪ powdered milk ▪ blankets ▪personal care items and toiletries ▪ hot/prepared food ▪ canned food ▪ candles that burn 6-12 hours ▪ Pull-ups and Diapers ▪ Mac & Cheese ▪ Brooms and mops ▪ Juice ▪ Ziploc Bags ▪ Batteries ▪ Feminine Products ▪ Blankets▪ Peanut Butter

 

-Medical Volunteers of all kinds are desperately needed. Anyone, Pediatricians, General Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners. Not a triage center, but one at a time in intermittent shifts...

Recovery House of Worship Brooklyn is also accepting donations for Sandy Relief in Red Hook.  Please feel free to deliver any of these items to its Church at 360 Schermerhorn St. (at 3rd Ave. 718-875-1858 ; 718-690-8349)

 

Park Slope Parents is organizing - Operation Underwear a huge success, for example. http://www.parkslopeparents.com/  

Legal Services NYC will help address storm related challenges. They have extensive experience, based on post-9/11 work and otherwise, helping families and individuals get emergency related services, including FEMA relief, access to food-related services, Medicaid, and other urgently needed help.

All of their direct service offices are now open, though phone access is limited because of the power outage at the downtown office where our servers are based. The numbers of their local directors are listed below and they are willing to help residents in need of legal services.

Bklyn: Meghan Faux 718.755.0701 & Betty Staton 718.809.9462
Bx: Jennifer Levy 646.717.3951
Man: Peggy Earisman 917.561.3910
Q: Jennifer Ching 917.721.9871
SI: Nancy Goldhill 917.657.6485

 

IMPORTANT HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS UPDATE 

·         The Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) scheduled for Saturday, November 3, has been rescheduled to Saturday, November 17. Accommodations will be made for students with conflicts.

·         High School interviews, assessments, and auditions scheduled for November 3-4 are canceled and will be rescheduled.

·         LaGuardia High School auditions scheduled for November 3-4 have been rescheduled to November 10-11.

·         Reminder: The SHSAT scheduled for Sunday, October 28, has been rescheduled for Sunday, November 18. Accommodations will be made for students with conflicts.

 

SAT exam cancelled in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy

 

Tuesday, November 6^th is Election Day. Because of Hurricane Sandy, many poll sites will have to be relocated.  I will try to keep you up to date on these developments.  If you have applied for an absentee ballot, it may be delivered in person through Monday, November 5^th.

If you have applied for an absentee ballot, this information should be helpful: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2012/11/after-sandy-need-to-get-an-absentee-ballot-for-tuesdays-election-new-york-here

Our communities have stood up and helped each other out. Keep it up!

Limited subway service restored.  Buses running usual routes; timing likely to be affected by traffic. Stay off the roads if you can!  http://www.mta.info/sites/default/files/pdf/HurricaneRecoveryMapOct312012.pdf

 

From Council member Brad Lander (Park Slope Armory shelter):

Please donate financially to help Masbia provide hot meals at Park Slope Armory: Yesterday, the Park Slope Armory got more than 500 evacuees from Adult Care Homes in flooded parts of the city. Everyone who is staying there needs special attention, including elderly people and many people with physical or mental disabilities. People came in cold, wet, and hungry - and the Armory had only limited cold food for them to eat. I put out a call to the wonderful Masbia soup kitchen, who cooked and delivered enough hot meals for everyone at the shelter. For people in wet socks who can't go home, you can imagine how important that was. I've asked him to do the same thing this evening, but it is a big expenditure for this small non-profit, so I am hoping we can raise some funds to help Masbia cover its costs.

 

Can you pitch in to help us provide a hot meal today for our 500 elderly and disabled neighbors who are sheltered at the Park Slope Armory? Please make a donation at the Masbia website.

 

From Assemblymember Millman:

 

Red Hook has been very badly affected.

 

Free packaged meals and drinking water will be given away at a distribution center at Coffey Park - 85 Richards Street in Red Hook. Distribution Center will be open TODAY from 3PM - 6PM, Friday from 7:30AM - 12:30PM, Saturday & Sunday 9AM - 1PM. Bring your own bag to carry food and water. Free packaged meals and drinking water will be distributed everyday until electricity is restored. Supplies are limited.

 

Donations will be collected in Park Slope at Congregation Beth Elohim (Garfield Place at 8^th Ave) 718 858-6782.  They are also preparing meals for distribution in conjunction with Red Hook Initiative (Donations will be accepted throughout the day at 767 Hicks Street. For more information on how to help Red Hook, call (347) 770-1528 or email redhookrecovers@gmail.com

 

Regarding the Shelter at Brooklyn Tech (entrance is on South Elliott off DeKalb):

If you want to volunteer there you need to sign up each day.  Meal times and overnight hours are most needed.  They need the basics - toiletries, batteries, flashlights, papers towels and toilet paper and regular bath towels of any size. I am walking over a bunch of donations later this evening. If possible, I can fit a few more things in the suitcase I am using to transport these items. 393 Pacific Street. Leaving by 7 PM.

The residents have now been in shelters for many days without TV, radio, or music. Many of them have been transported from nursing homes and adult care centers which means some of them do not have the ability to read the books and magazines that have been donated. If you are a musician or have some form of live entertainment you can offer, go to a shelter and see if you can help entertain.  Even just reading to the children and seniors is helpful. If you have an old radio or CD player you can donate.... you know what to do!

Shelter location at John Jay HS reports needing socks and underwear.  If you can get items to Sarah Leah Whitson's, 491 Pacific (3-4^th Ave), by 5:30 PM, she is driving over.

Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities is open again:

Please share this information with everybody whom you know! We can be reached by calling 212 788 2830.

Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
100 Gold Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10038
Main: 212.788.2830
TTY: 212.788.2838
Fax: 212.341.9843
URL: www.nyc.gov/mopd

 

Donations are being collected for Occupy Sandy Relief NYC
<http://www.facebook.com/OccupySandyReliefNyc> for distribution to
storm victims throughout NYC. The Nation Magazine
<http://www.thenation.com/blog/170933/occupy-sandy-occupy-wall-street-he\
lps-storm-victims> - Occupy Wall Street and 350.org have teamed up with
Recovers.org, <https://recovers.org/> a disaster relief platform, to
help coordinate response to Hurricane Sandy.

 

DUMBO has been hit hard

• Several DUMBO retailers have suffered devastating damage - including Governor, One Girl Cookies, Aegir Board Work, PowerHouse, Galapagos Art Space, Almondine, SmackMellon, 66 Water Street Restaurant and Punto Bianco.
• Several residential buildings had significant flooding and other complications from the storm, including 30 Main, 66 Water, 1 Main, 25 Washington. Many will have to rebuild substantial parts of their lobbies, basements, utilities and storage areas. 
• Some office buildings are open with full power, some with partial power and others, like 10 and 20 Jay remain closed.  At 10 Jay, the building is dry but without power.  At 20 Jay, the garage was flooded and is being cleaned up.
• Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Carousel took on a lot of water, as you likely saw on all national news broadcasts. Thanks to community cleaners, much of the debris has been collected, but there is still work to go. 

Additional details on the recovery in DUMBO can be found at Rebuilding.DUMBO.is.

Need temporary office space? Have temporary office space to share?

The DUMBO Improvement District is currently in the process of locating spaces in the buildings that are up and running for companies who are currently displaced to utilize. Many companies are already doing this for both DUMBO neighbors and Manhattanites suffering from lack of subway. Green Desk is taking folks in. DUMBO Startup Lab will host 8 through Friday, email contact@dumbostartuplab.com.  Small Planet also has a few desks, email info@smallplanet.com. And, Borough President Marty Markowitz is offering space to 24 displaced DUMBOnians at Borough Hall (seats, power and wifi included!) for the next two weeks. To book, reach out to cgreer@brooklynbp.nyc.gov.  Short-term "swing: office space at the Brooklyn Army Terminal is available free of charge for the next 30 days.  NYCEDC has approximately 40,000 square feet of warehouse space at the Terminal that can be used for this purpose.  Please click this link to contact an NYC Business Solutions Account Manager or call 311 and ask for NYC Business Solutions.  Please tweet to @DUMBOBID if you have space with #sandycoworking

Click here for a list of what is coming on line now.

The Pictures tell only a part of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy. I am one of the lucky ones, suffering anxiety for friends and relatives left with property damage and without power more than anything else.  

There will be no lack of opportunity to help out in the days and weeks to come. The Red Cross (http://www.nyredcross.org/?nd=news_room_detail&news_id=606&jid=63321) is always there when we need them, or perhaps you can volunteer to help at a shelter (http://www.nycservice.org/initiatives/24)  They need volunteers now and will continue to need them for a while!

Some useful links:
http://www.fema.gov/disaster-survivor-assistance
http://www.dhses.ny.gov/oem/event/sandy/sandy-info.cfm
http://www.nyc.gov/html/misc/html/2012/hurricane_shelters.html

http://www.governor.ny.gov/

I will also post more localized efforts as they roll out.  Thanks to all our elected officials who have keep in touch and on top of events.

For Immediate Release                                                                                                
August 28, 2012                                                                                               

For more information, call:
John Longo (johntlongo@gmail.com)
or  Jo Anne Simon 917 685-3747

Assemblymember Vito J. Lopez really must resign

Even in disgrace Vito Lopez can't bring himself to accept responsibility for his actions - or do all that needs to be done in the wake of his outrageous acts of sexual aggression.

While declining to run for re-election as Chair of the Kings County Democratic Committee (KCDC), he didn't resign ... nor has he resigned from the state Assembly. I am hopeful in the days ahead he will realize that immediately removing himself from both political and public office is what is in the best interests of the people he claims to care about.

Very soon, the Executive Committee - and indeed all members of the KCDC and Democrats in Brooklyn generally - need to have a discussion on what we want in our county leader ... and then we need to get behind that person. 

In the wake of Vito's most recent transgressions, many of my friends and supporters - and even some people I don't always agree with - have urged me to run for County Leader. I believe it is time for a woman to head the KCDC.  A woman can bring a desperately needed perspective to a position that has been badly tarnished and in need of a complete overhaul if our Party is move forward.

As a Democratic District Leader, and a Member of the KCDC Executive Board, I expect to be not just an active participant in that discussion, but to facilitate them in any way I can be helpful to the future of the Democratic Party in Brooklyn.

From the front page of today's New York Times...

Lawmaker Is Censured Over Sexual Harassment

By DANNY HAKIM

ALBANY -- Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, one of the last powerful Democratic Party bosses in New York City, was abruptly stripped of his committee chairmanship and censured Friday after he was accused of sexually harassing two women who worked in his district office this summer.

Mr. Lopez, 71, is a longtime fixture of Brooklyn politics, and an irascible kingmaker: he has served in the Assembly since 1984, and has headed the Brooklyn Democratic Party since 2005.

But on Friday, he faced what had once been unimaginable: widespread calls for his resignation, after charges that he verbally harassed, groped and kissed the women without their consent.

Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker, who has in the past been criticized for mishandling sexual misconduct claims against lawmakers, surprised the local political world Friday with a sharply worded rebuke of Mr. Lopez, who had been an ally. Mr. Silver not only removed Mr. Lopez as chairman of the Assembly's Housing Committee, but reduced the size of his staff, barred him from employing interns or anyone under the age of 21 and denied him any perquisites he had accrued based on his seniority.  Read more here.

For Immediate Release                                                                                

August 24, 2012

 

For more information, call:

John Longo 518 852-5409(johntlongo@gmail.com

or  Jo Anne Simon 917 685-3747

 

 

Assemblymember Vito J. Lopez must resign immediately from the NYS Assembly and the chairmanship of the Kings County Democratic Party

 

Today, New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver took unpredented action and severely sanctioned Assemblymember Vito J. Lopez.  The Assembly Ethics Committee found credible allegations of sexual harassment by two female staff members. The Speaker acted quickly and decisively, and I applaud his actions. Assemblymember Lopez' conduct was outrageous and reprehensible and in complete violation of the public's trust. 

I call upon Assembly member Lopez to resign immediately from the Assembly and as chair of the Kings County Democratic County Committee. The people of Brooklyn should expect no less.  There is simply no place in our Party or our government for leaders who behave this way.

Read the letter sent by Speaker Silver here  

 

Vito's 3G union take-and-steak

By MICHAEL GARTLAND

Last Updated: 3:57 AM, July 29, 2012

Posted: 11:51 PM, July 28, 2012

He's living large -- on the union dime.

Assemblyman Vito Lopez, chief of the Brooklyn Democrats, has used campaign cash to splurge on $3,000 worth of prime beef at world-famous Peter Luger Steakhouse in the last three years.

He spent $790 at Luger's -- where a porterhouse for two runs $90 and a plate of sliced tomatoes costs $15 -- in the past five months, according to campaign filings.

Friends of Vito Lopez filed bills for the meals under "constituent services" in the state Board of Elections expense code, which is usually reserved for district office renovations, supplies and telephones.

His campaign committee also shelled out $4,000 at Whitey Produce, a Canarsie grocer, and spent $3,500 on a Long Island clown company that does face-painting.

And this doesn't include $40,000 in AmEx bills and $12,000 in un-itemized expenses.

Who's paying for all of it? That would be contributors like Plumbers Local Union 1, the Building and Construction Trades PAC, the New York State Court Officers Association and Genting New York.

So far this year, Friends of Vito has raised $128,000 for the Williamsburg assemblyman.

Lopez refused to comment on the expenses, and the treasurer for his campaign committee, Christiana Fisher, didn't return calls.

The practice is legal, which, according to good-government advocates like Dick Dadey of Citizens Union, is the problem.

"There's no effective oversight and enforcement," Dadey said.

****

'Vito' charity $hocker

By DAVID SEIFMAN

Last Updated: 4:03 AM, June 3, 2012

Posted: 12:38 AM, June 3, 2012

The price for restoring integrity at the much-investigated Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council is $2.5 million and counting.

Tax returns filed last month by the politically connected nonprofit show that's the staggering sum it spent in legal fees for the year ending June 30, 2011, a period when it came under intense scrutiny for operating with a clueless board that allowed the executive director to collect $782,000 in total compensation the previous year.

The director, Christiana Fisher, happened to be the campaign treasurer for Brooklyn Democratic leader Vito Lopez, the nonprofit's founder.

The agency's housing director, Angela Battaglia, happened to be Lopez's girlfriend. She took in $329,910. A scathing Department of Investigation report convinced city officials to demand a "corrective action plan" and a staff shake-up that led Fisher to step down last January.

The tax returns showed the overhaul did not come cheaply.

Dechert LLP, a Midtown law firm, was paid $1,167,478 for its services during the period.

Schlam Stone & Dolan, a downtown law firm, took in $1,129,296. When all the legal expenses were counted the bills came to more than $2.5 million of Ridgewood Bushwick's $19.1 million budget.

The agency reported ending the year with a $3,248,070 deficit.

Ariana Pacheco, the administrative manager, said in an e-mail that the payouts were for "legal representation in connection with investigations and negotiations regarding management improvement . . ."

An agency lawyer insisted that none of the money came from the $14.7 million in government contracts received by Ridgewood Bushwick that year.

"It was all from reserves accrued over a 38-year period," said the lawyer.

City officials said it would have been illegal for the agency to use any of its funds on the lawyers.

Nevertheless, when the agency was in investigators' cross hairs in 2010, the city refused to cut it loose.

"There is no other organization at the moment capable of providing the services to the community that really needs it," Mayor Bloomberg, who formerly was close to Lopez, declared in October 2010.

Those words are now contained on the agency's Web site under the heading, "Mayor Offers Praise for Ridgewood Bushwick."

But when Lopez held his annual senior-citizen picnic on Long Island last July under the Ridgewood Bushwick banner, the mayor was a no-show for the first time in years.

Asked if Bloomberg would be going to this summer's event, a mayoral spokesman refused comment.

Brooklyn's Democratic Party boss is working hard to defeat party leaders and elected officials who do not kowtow to his will... http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/06/6011782/long-last-brooklyn-boss-goes-knockout-against-nydia-velazquez.  The article briefly touches on my campaign and why re-electing reform minded district leaders is so important...

This week, we had several momentous events, the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act and the Arizona immigration statute, and the overwhelming victories of Nydia M. Velázquez and Hakeem Jeffries in Democratic primary races for the redrawn congressional districts 7 and 8.

http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/163828/for-many--velazquez-win-doubles-as-referendum-on-party-leader

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/06/6084539/how-thumping-win-velazquez-complicates-vito-lopezs-grand-plan

http://www.brooklynscoop.com/2012/06/williamsburg-nydia-velazquez-wins-primary-crushing-challengers-in-the-7th-district.html

For a slightly irreverent but perceptive look at the primaries, check out http://www.r8ny.com/blog/gatemouth/the_gateway_black_bart_edition.html

According to Crain's Insider on June 29,

Lopez Pummeled on Own Turf

Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez not only failed to defeat his rival Rep. Nydia Velázquez by running Councilman Erik Dilan in Tuesday's primary, he couldn't persuade his own constituents. Velázquez beat Dilan in Lopez's 53rd Assembly District, 2,385 votes to 1,837. "Obviously, he's not that strong in his own district," an insider chirped. City and State reported that Velázquez received a big boost from a faction in the Satmar Hasidic community opposed to Lopez, which insiders close to the congresswoman's campaign say helped her numbers in Williamsburg.

 

 

Here are some articles about the decisive victory of Hakeem Jeffries:

http://fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/hakeem-jeffries-defeats-charles-barron-in-bitter-democratic-primary/

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/06/hakeem-jeffries-wins-eighth-district-primary.html

http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2012/26/velazquezbarron_all_2012_06_28_q.html

 
NEW YORK DISTRICT 7: SUNSET PARK, WILLIAMSBURG AND BUSHWICK BROOKLYN; FRESH POND AND WOODHAVEN IN QUEENS; AND PARTS OF MANHATTAN'S LOWER EAST SIDE:  Representative Nydia Velázquez has served her district well for 20 years, including by earning crucial Superfund designations for the Gowanus Canal and Newtown Creek. After refusing to follow orders from Assemblyman Vito Lopez, the Brooklyn Democratic Party leader, she has her first strong challenger: City Councilman Erik Martin Dilan. Mr. Dilan's close ties to the Brooklyn machine are enough to disqualify him. We endorse Nydia Velázquez for re-election.
 
Because the turnout is expected to be very low your vote can literally make the difference between Nydia's re-election or the election of someone who would take their orders from Brooklyn political bosses ...
 
Most polling sites in the 52^nd AD remain the same, but some have changed:  Find the current polling site for your address here.  You can also telephone the Voter Phone Bank at 1-866.868.3692 with questions. POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 6:00 AM TO 9:00 PM.
 
A small part of the 52^nd AD in Boerum Hill will be represented by the person running to succeed retiring Congressman Edolphus Towns (currently District 10, new # is District 8) -- Hoyt Street to 4th Avenue, Flatbush to Bergen - lines are drawn in the middle of the street. The candidates in that race are Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and NYC Councilmember Charles Barron.  I am supporting Hakeem Jeffries, who has also been endorsed by the New York Times.  He will be an excellent member of Congress: smart, thoughtful, progressive and willing and able to engage broadly.

In the northern part of Park Slope and Prospect Heights near Grand Army Plaza, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke also has a primary challenger for the redrawn 9th district. I am supporting Congresswoman Clarke for re-election.


Petitioning for State offices:
Meanwhile, we continue to gather petition signatures  to get our 52^nd Assembly District team - headed by Assemblywoman Joan L. Millman, with N.Y.S. Committeemembers Chris Owens and Jo Anne Simon (yes, me!) on the ballot for the 2013-2014 term.  We need your help to do so. We only have two weeks left before we will be filing our signatures. If you can help us secure a place on the ballot, please email John Longo, Johntlongo@gmail.com or call him at 518.852.5409   Hope to see you on the campaign trail!

Thanks!
Jo Anne

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and others are teaming up for a town hall event on community and police relations next Monday, June 4th in Park Slope.  The details (and a map showing the locations of Park Slope "Stop and Frisks") are below:

 WHEN:  Monday, June 4th at 7:00-8:30pm

 WHAT:  Town hall event - "Restoring Trust: A Dialogue on Police & Community Relations";

 WHO:  Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Council Member Brad Lander, Dr. Delores Jones-Brown of John Jay College,  Udi Ofer of NYCLU & more

 WHY:  Every 36 seconds another New Yorker is stopped and frisked.  Since 2002, the use of these tactics has spiraled out of control, increasing by 600% and poisoning the relationship between police and the communities they serve.  Join us for a discussion about how we can begin to repair these relationship and strengthen community-police cooperation.

 WHERE: Congregation Beth Elohim, 274 Garfield Place, Brooklyn , NY 11215 (Google map and directions)

 RSVP:  http://tinyurl.com/bklyn-rsvp 

I join those who were overjoyed to learn that President Barrack Obama has come out in support of marriage equality! In a direct and thoughtful response to a question posed to him in an interview he said "I believe that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry." You can watch the interview here.

 

You're invited

Joel & Sue Wolfe

Invite you to meet

Jo Anne Simon

And

Celebrate - Cinco de Mayo

Jo Anne Simon is Democratic District Leader for the AD 52^nd and we are helping her re-election campaign and hope you can help her too.  Please join us...

At the Wolfe's home

448 Atlantic Avenue

(bet. Bond & Nevins)

4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Sabado - Saturday

Cinco de Mayo - May 5^th

Margaritas will be served and other libations,

and...Hors.d'oeuvres

About Jo Anne Simon

Jo Anne is the Democratic District Leader and the State Committeewoman for Brooklyn' 52^nd Assembly District.  As our Female District Leader, Jo Anne has been a forceful leader in the battle against politics as usual in the Brooklyn Democratic Party.  A leader in our community for nearly 20 years, a civil rights lawyer, an advocate against worker and student disability discrimination, a part-time teacher at Fordham Law School, President of Everyone Reading, Inc,, past President of the Boerum Hill Association, former teacher of the deaf, co-founder of BrooklynSpeaks.net, Friends of Douglass/Greene Park:  Jo Anne is a force to be reckoned with in fighting for our 'hood and our neighbors.  Whether the issue is traffic and parking relief, land use and development, an alternative to the Gowanus Expressway, transparency in government, lesbian and gay rights, Jo Anne is passionate and committed in fighting for us all.  This is why we hope you will join us on Cinco de Mayo in showing Jo Anne your support.

                                Visit Jo Anne's campaign at:  www.JoAnneSimonforBrooklyn.com

BrooklynSpeaks sponsors demand Governor and Mayor intervene
to reduce project impacts, deliver promised housing and jobs

 

Contact:   Gib Veconi - 917.881.0401

Jo Anne Simon - 917.685.3747

 

BROOKLYN, April 12, 2012: In a unanimous decision, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court today found that Justice Marcy Friedman correctly ruled in July 2011 that the Empire State Development Corporation's (ESDC) 2009 approval of Atlantic Yards' Modified General Project Plan violated State environmental law. Among other changes, the plan renegotiated in 2009 between the State and Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) extended Atlantic Yards' construction schedule from 10 to 25 years. Justice Friedman's order that the ESDC conduct additional environmental analyses and revisit the project plan will remain in effect.

 

"ESDC's decision to appeal was deeply disappointing both to the community and to its elected representatives, who had pressed the agency to comply with the court order," said Jo Anne Simon, 52nd District Democratic Leader. "Now that the Appellate Division has upheld the lower court's decision, we strongly urge Governor Cuomo to act to restore credibility to this process, and direct his agency to conduct a thorough and transparent assessment of the environmental impact of this project on central Brooklyn that involves our communities in a meaningful way."

 

BrooklynSpeaks sponsors had argued against the appeal, contending that ESDC fast-tracked its approval of the 2009 schedule concessions demanded by Forest City in order to allow FCRC to meet a deadline necessary for its arena bonds to qualify as tax-exempt. "ESDC's actions saved the developer hundreds of millions in interest payments," said Michelle de la Uz, Executive Director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, "but at the cost of thousands of units of affordable housing being delayed for decades. The Appellate Division ruling gives the Governor an opportunity to put the project's public benefits back on the schedule promised."

Read more

 

Event on April 23, 2012

Join Pratt Center for Community Development, Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp., New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez on Monday, April 23rd at Pratt Institute to highlight the green roof project at Linda Tool and learn about other energy efficient projects you can do at your facility. Congresswoman Velazquez played an instrumental role in securing funds for the green roof installation at Linda Tool, a high-precision Red Hook manufacturer, and is a champion for small businesses across the country and especially in New York City. Hear how she worked with Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp and Linda Tool to make this project possible.

In addition to hearing from Congresswoman Velazquez and the president of Linda Tool, join NYSERDA representatives to learn how companies like yours can finance energy efficient projects at your facility including solar electric and solar thermal installations. If you own or operate a commercial or industrial facility with a large roof this is a great opportunity to learn about incentives offered by NYSERDA, utilities, and other sources. See how you can save money and cut your energy costs by investing in a rooftop installation.

This event is sponsored by Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp., New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Pratt Center for Community Development, and presented in cooperation with Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez.

Written by Chris Bragg on April 6, 2012. 

 

This morning, Room 8 blogger Gatemouth posted an article putting forth an intriguing conspiracy theory about the four-way Congressional race involving Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

And it turns out to actually be true.

Gatemouth posited that the candidacy of Dan O'Connor - a political newcomer who is one of the three people running against Velazquez - was being actively propped up by supporters of another candidate, Councilman Erik Martin Dilan, for Dilan's own political gain. 

The theory went like this: read more.

Read the article that started this coverage here

New Congressional Lines Imposed by Federal Court

By THOMAS KAPLAN

Published: March 19, 2012

ALBANY -- A panel of federal judges, lamenting what they called an "unwelcome failure of state government," imposed on Monday a court-drawn revision of New York's Congressional districts.

Interactive Feature

The redistricting order, which came after the State Assembly and Senate gave up trying to draw new Congressional lines, reduced the number of districts in New York to 27 from 29, as was required as a result of the 2010 census. Read more

 

EMPIRE.NYC.ORG

March 6, 2012 | 8:13 AM | By Colby Hamilton

Yesterday, federal magistrate judge Roanne Mann held a hearing to review the proposed congressional maps submitted by the state assembly and senate, as well as groups like Common Cause. Much of the hearing was over the scope the parties hoped the judge would take-the legislative houses and others pushed the judge to make the scope narrower, to look at the existing districts as starting points, and to consider incumbency.

Well, Judge Mann worked fast: below are the draft congressional maps released by the court late last night. And as you can see the judge appears to have decided ignored both the state senate and assembly's draft maps for downstate districts.

Some highlights from the city:

• The Asian community centered in Flushing would have an Asian-influenced district in Queens.
• The seat occupied by Bob Turner would cross into Nassau, and would also take on the entire Rockaway Peninsula-and pair Turner with Meeks (h/t Colin Campbell at Politicker)

Colin and I both stand corrected by Queens' own Evan Stavisky. Via Twitter: "Rep. Meeks' district was NOT combined with Turner. Turner's section of the Rockaways was just added to Rep. Meeks' district."

• The Towns district stretches all the way to Coney Island.
• Grimm's district would move further into Bay Ridge, picking up some of Sheepshead Bay in the process.
• Maloney's district would gobble up the Williamsburg/Greenpoint neighborhoods in North Brooklyn, taking them out of Rep. Nydia Velázquez's district.
• Charlie Rangel's district would remain in Manhattan, moving from the upper west to the upper east side of the island, but would continue the trend of being majority Latino.
• It looks like the court decided to, more than anyone, blow up both the Turner and Ackerman seats.

Upstate, it looks like Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany all get their own individual seats. I'll update this post as necessary.

You can view the full set of Mann's maps here.

Click here to check out an interactive version of the redistricting map.

YOU'RE INVITED!

Join Claire & Lewis Okser, Hon. Chris Owens, Hon. Lincoln Restler, Jesse Strauss, Dan Campanelli, Bill Harris, Steve Brounstein, Joni Kletter, Kim Soule

(host committee in formation)

Help kick off her re-election campaign!

AT THE HOME OF:
Claire & Lewis Okser
358 Pacific Street

(Historic Cuyler-Warren Church)

Saturday, March 3, 2012
4:00 - 6:00 PM

Hors d'oeuvres and
Refreshments will be served!

Suggested Minimum Contribution - $52


Please RSVP by March 1, 2012 to:

718 852-3528 / susanc1987@gmail.com

Here's the gist of my testimony before the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment on February 1, 2012:

The district lines as proposed underscore the reason for the popularity of non-partisan redistricting.  The presently proposed lines DO NOT:

·       reflect effects of a transparent process

·       keep communities together

·       reflect well on the legislature's role in redistricting, underscoring the public's dissatisfaction and belief that the people do not matter.

·       Advance public policy, e.g.:  transparency; 1 person, 1vote; protection for minority rights

The proposed Senate lines are the most obviously egregious, although legitimate similar concerns have been expressed about Assembly lines in other parts of the state.

The proposed lines DO:

·         divide by what looks to be the interests of one party over another,

·         divide communities of interest,

·         pits one incumbent against another for no reason consistent with any public policy (locally, for example, this affects the current Senators from the 18^th and 20^th Senate districts)

The panel had earlier asked a resident of North Brooklyn why the State legislative lines mattered to the future development of affordable housing in New York City. The answer is of course it does, whether for funding or consistency of advocacy, or effectuation of public policy.

Common Cause/NY has set a fine example for redrawing district lines, showing that it can be done fairly and consistent with public policy. 

I urged Governor Cuomo to veto lines and encouraged the Legislative Task Force to put their heads together and resolve the lines in the interest of the public.

Here's the statement I recently submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation:

There can be no question that high-volume hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") poses enormous risks to the approximately 9 million people of New York City and tri-state area who rely on clean water from the Catskills and reservoirs upstate. Citizens of upstate New York and surrounding areas are at risk of property value depreciation due to contaminated land and air. There have also been reports of increased illness, including asthma, headaches, nausea, and allergies. These afflictions however are not just affecting humans--it has been reported that pets and livestock have been getting sick as well. In addition, the jobs fracking creates do not necessarily go to local citizens; two-thirds of those working at various fracking sites are from out-of-state.

There has not been enough research done on hydraulic fracturing to deem it "safe." As we learned recently with the unusual earthquakes in Ohio that were directly tied to fracking, we do not yet fully understand the geology of New York State and how it might be affected by fracking, nor how fracking might affect the many aging water tunnels underground. Because the natural gas industry has secured an exemption from the Clean Water Act (also known as the Halliburton Loophole), it need not, and has not, disclosed the chemicals or chemical mixtures it uses in the fracking process. Therefore, we do not know what chemicals are present in the fluids that would be injected deep into the ground, and we do not know how far they will travel within geological formations, or if they will return to surface aquifers. New York must absolutely ban any toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that could be potentially injected into the ground and reach our water supplies.

While natural gas may burn cleaner than other fossil fuels, air pollution from diesel engines, compressor stations, and flaring negate this, with the unfortunate addition of noise and light pollution. We will see the destruction of  the environment with the construction of roads to fracking sites, as well as on-site storage pools that can potentially leak extremely hazardous chemicals into the ground, for which presently there is no known treatment or safe method of disposal.  These disposal pools are the result of pumping millions of gallons of freshwater and chemicals into the ground to break apart the shale rock, which in the end returns to the surface contaminated and is then considered "hazardous waste." The proposed regulations do not adequately address the many unknowns in a process for which any unknown cannot be countenanced because the dangers are simply too great.

The clean water from upstate that millions of New Yorkers rely on is a special, unique resource that should not be put at risk for any reason. The DEC must protect everyone's water, regardless of where it is. The natural gas trapped in the Marcellus Shale is not going anywhere--the DEC needs to do more in-depth research before making any decisions that put our water - and our lives - at risk.

EDUCATION UPDATE

Not unexpectedly, the Panel for Education Policy approved the co-location - of a new K-4 charter school, Success Academy Cobble Hill, to move into and share the building at 284 Baltic Street which currently houses two schools serving grades 6-12 (School for Global Studies and School for International Studies) and a District 75 program for students with disabilities.  I testified against this co-location for two reasons: (1) I believe the practice of forcing the co-location of charter schools into public schools is bad public policy, undermining public education, and (2) the public school programs at this location have turned themselves around, going from an F to a B in a short time.  I believe school improvements should be nurtured, including the provision of a proper special educational environment for students with disabilities who are routinely left behind in the wake of charter co-locations.  There was nothing about this proposal that demonstrated anything different would occur.

WHEN:   Tuesday, Nov. 29th at 5:30 pm

WHERE:  284 Baltic Street (between Smith and Court Street)

There is an on-line petition you can sign.  Also, a number of parents have set up a facebook page to share information.

Visit them at: http://www.facebook.com/events/268718893180043;
Twitter: #NoSuccess

Click to download:
Proposal for Early Childhood Center K293

As State Committeewoman for the 52nd AD, Jo Anne recently supported several resolutions before the State Democratic Committee. Besides a resolution supporting the rights of Occupy Wall Street to protest, she supported a resolution to ban hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) in NYS because there is just no assurance that it is safe to do do, and the extension of the so-called "millionaire's" tax to millionaires.

In addition, the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND) also passed a resolution supporting Occupy Wall Street.  You can read them all here:

Click here to download the Hydrofracking Ban resolution:
NYSDC Ban Hyrdrofracking reso Nov 2011.docx

From Brooklyn Speaks

The latest bombshell to drop at the Atlantic Yards project came yesterday with the release of renderings of its first planned residential tower. As reported today by the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Ratner said Thursday that the existing incentives for developments where half the units are priced for middle- and low-income tenants "don't work for a high-rise building that's union built." He added that he had "accepted the fact that we're not going to get more subsidy."

The first part of Bruce Ratner's shocking statement pits union workers against working families, and becomes truly appalling when one considers his project removed 171 units of occupied affordable housing from the Atlantic Yards footprint before beginning construction. It sounds like the families he displaced shouldn't plan on coming back now.

The second part of his statement may set the stage for Forest City Ratner to claim an "Affordable Housing Subsidy Unavailability" under the master development agreement it executed with the Empire State Development Corporation. That's one of the conditions that allow FCR to drag construction of Atlantic Yards out even longer than the 25 years which it renegotiated with the ESDC in 2009 (and which a State Supreme Court judge ruled that ESDC approved illegally).

It's possible that Mr. Ratner is posturing for a negotiation with union officials aimed at reducing wages for labor on his project. But it's also likely that the result will be not only a reduction to union scale, but fewer affordable units than promised, with a longer wait for those units to be delivered, and at a greater cost to the public.
Why do we think so? Let's review the score on the plan that was approved originally:
• First, $200 million of State and City subsidy wasn't enough for Atlantic Yards.
• Next, Frank Gehry's architecture was too expensive for Atlantic Yards.
• Then, the 10-year project schedule was too short for Atlantic Yards.
• Eight acres of open space also didn't work for Atlantic Yards, unless one considers an 1,100-car surface parking lot to be open space.
• And providing unionized jobs for local residents hasn't worked for Atlantic Yards, either.
Now, the 2,250 units of affordable housing are in greater doubt. It may be the only public promise that FCR will be able to keep is that its arena will create a traffic nightmare in central Brooklyn.

At a September 26 meeting with community leaders and local legislators, ESDC CEO Kenneth Adams dismissed the idea that Atlantic Yards, like other large State projects, required dedicated oversight from his agency (as the State Assembly voted to approve in June). "Every project is different," he said.

In a sense, Mr. Adams is right. Atlantic Yards is different practically every month. But that's why his ESDC needs to bring this project under control.

On November 2nd, I testified before the City Council Committee on State and Federal Legislation regarding Residential Permit Parking.  The Committee voted to support a "home rule" message requesting that the state give the City the authority to create residential parking where needed. Legislation to that effect is sponsored by State Senator Daniel Squadron and Assembly Member Joan Millman. This bill, if passed, would allow the City to implement parking permits in neighborhoods that need this help.  I was quoted on Streetsblog and in The Fort Greene Patch, saying: "We want to make sure we are not completely overrun, that our children are not killed crossing the street, and that we can breathe."

Residential Parking Permits (RPPs) are intended to ease parking for residents by reducing parking density and congestion, thereby encouraging the use of mass transit by commuters. This is critical in high-traffic areas, such as the neighborhoods surrounding Downtown Brooklyn, near the AtlanticYards/Barclays Center and Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Although there is no specific design for a City RPP plan yet, the neighborhoods jointly proposed a pilot several years ago. With advances in technology, we are hopeful that when instituted, RPP will address specific community parking needs in targeted ways. 

Click here to download and read my written testimony.

I recently submitted testimony before the legislative task force empowered to determine the new lines for state and congressional districts.  Among the points I addressed was the need to draw districts that reflect the dynamics and demographics of population trends and needs, and to enforce the recently enacted prison gerrymandering law.

The New York Post - By DAVID SEIFMAN - Posted: 12:58 AM, September 12, 2011

Talk about getting a leg up on the competition.

The campaign manager for Rafael Espinal -- a candidate in tomorrow's special election to replace state Assemblyman Darryl Towns -- got himself named a site monitor for the Board of Elections in the very same Brooklyn district where he is running.

Election officials confirmed Michael Olmeda's amazing double role this week.

Site monitors supervise poll inspectors, and political insiders said they had never heard of such a set-up, where a top official of one campaign was helping oversee an election involving his own candidate.

It would have been a sweet deal, but the Board of Elections got wind of it Friday and pulled Olmeda's credentials.

Espinal works as chief of staff to City Councilman Erik Dilan and is supported by Brooklyn Democratic leader Vito Lopez.

Also in the race are community organizer Jesus Gonzalez and Deidra Towns, the sister of ex-state Assemblyman Darryl Towns.

Olmeda didn't return calls for comment.

Read more here.

The New York Post - By AARON SHORT - Posted: 12:58 AM, September 11, 2011

Read more here.

The 52nd Assembly district needs pollworkers for the upcoming primary on September 13th. Click here to see the pollworker flyer!

You can apply to be a pollworker, interpreter (Chinese, Spanish, Korean), door clerk, or information clerk.

To view all jobs and descriptions, visit the Board of Elections website.

If you have not registered to vote yet, there is still time to register before the September 13th, 2011 primary! Click here.

REGISTRATION: To vote in the primary, the application must be postmarked no later than August 19th, or hand-delivered to the Board of Elections by August 19th to be eligible to vote.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Notices of change of address from registered voters must be received by August 24th by a county board of elections.

FAQ - English: Voting Information
FAQ - Spanish: Voting Information

Brooklyn Board of Elections
345 Adams Street
4th Floor 11201
(718) 797-8800

Click here for the Board Of Elections Website!

This decision sends a clear message that no state authority or politically-connected real estate developer can be above the law when the future of our neighborhoods hangs in the balance," said Jo Anne Simon, Democratic Leader of the 52nd District, in a statement. "We expect an investigation into how this was allowed and call on Governor Cuomo to now take decisive action in reforming oversight of Atlantic Yards, ESDC's largest project."

Judge Calls Use of 10 Year Build Date "Not Rational;" Orders New Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, Reconsideration of Modified Plan; Groups Call for Cuomo Investigation, Action on Reform Oversight

Today, New York State Supreme Court Justice Marcy Friedman ruled that the New York State Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) acted illegally in 2009 when it approved changes to the Atlantic Yards project that increased from ten years to twenty-five years the amount of time allowed to developer Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) to complete the project without first studying the impacts of prolonged construction to the surrounding communities.

In her decision, the Judge lambasted ESDC for its "continuing use of the 10 year build date (that) was not merely inaccurate; it lacked a rational basis given the major change in deadlines reflected in the MTA and Development Agreements."

 

After concluding that the 10 year build date lacked a rational basis, the Judge went on to address ESDC's poor attempt to fill the void with a quickly put together "Technical Analysis: "Notably, the Technical Analysis is silent as to the impacts on neighborhood character and socioeconomic conditions of vacant lots, above ground arena parking and constructing staging, which may persist not merely for a decade, but, as petitioners aptly put it, for a generation."