tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74341127770509333532024-03-14T06:08:59.505-07:00Bill de Blasio Sold OutWas Bill de Blasio always, already owned by shady real estate developers and lobbyists ?NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-58890136979058734162016-01-21T19:24:00.000-08:002016-01-21T19:24:10.274-08:00Activists protest de Blasio, Mark-Viverito, Van Bramer at REBNY Gala<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Protesters against de Blasio outside REBNY "A Tale of Two Cities" Gala at Midtown Sheraton</font></b></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rebny120?src=hash">#rebny120</a> protestors against excessive development in NYC outside the Hilton. REBNY rebny gala ensues. <a href="https://t.co/HBk3eapXbx">pic.twitter.com/HBk3eapXbx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYC?src=hash">#NYC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RealE?src=hash">#RealE</a>…</p>— Mark Anthony Lebron (@TheDonLebron) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDonLebron/status/690313474052853760">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer support Mayor de Blasio's gentrification plans that are responsible for displacement of working families and the endless upward spiral in rent costs.</font></b></p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Welcome to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/rebny120?src=hash">#rebny120</a>! The cocktail party is picking up steam. Is that the <a href="https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio">@billdeblasio</a> with Honoree, Jeff Levine? <a href="https://t.co/AMFTWWF92j">pic.twitter.com/AMFTWWF92j</a></p>— Real Estate Board NY (@REBNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/REBNY/status/690317356019617793">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">With Speaker <a href="https://twitter.com/MMViverito">@MMViverito</a> and the Suna family at the <a href="https://twitter.com/REBNY">@REBNY</a> gala! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIC?src=hash">#LIC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SilvercupNYC">@SilvercupNYC</a> <a href="https://t.co/hYFVH540rV">pic.twitter.com/hYFVH540rV</a></p>— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyVanBramer/status/690318861338542084">January 21, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/3/10/city-comptroller-department-of-investigation-mum-on-controversial-nycha-sale" title="City Comptroller, Department of Investigation mum on controversial NYCHA sale" target="_blank">City Comptroller, Department of Investigation mum on controversial NYCHA sale (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/7/14/a-lack-of-democracy-in-new-york-citys-land-use-process" title="A lack of democracy in New York City's land use process" target="_blank">A lack of democracy in New York City's land use process (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
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NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-6926840513260921282015-08-02T13:58:00.000-07:002015-08-02T13:58:13.746-07:00de Blasio has allowed real estate developers to game land use in New York City<iframe height="450" width="600" scrolling="no" style="border: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="http://littlesis.org/maps/839-real-estate-influence-on-campaign-for-one-new-york-and-mayor-s-fund/raw?embed=true&zoom=0.4"></iframe><div style="padding: 5px;"><a href="http://littlesis.org/maps/839-real-estate-influence-on-campaign-for-one-new-york-and-mayor-s-fund">view this map on LittleSis</a></div>
<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">The Affordability Scam : de Blasio calls $1,900 rent on a Crown Heights, Brooklyn studio affordable </font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150729/prospect-lefferts-gardens/studios-cost-1900-at-new-46-unit-affordable-building-crown-heights" title="OUTRAGEOUS : $1,900 Studios Coming to 'Affordable' Building in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Bill%20de%20Blasio%20Housing%20Crisis%20LotteryTwitter_zps0ntgbwpi.jpg" border="0"/></a>
<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">A lack of democracy in New York City's land use process</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/7/14/a-lack-of-democracy-in-new-york-citys-land-use-process" title="A lack of democracy in New York City's land use process" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/0%20-%20Progress%20Queens%20Quote%20Box%20Alicia%20Boyd_zpsmmgxl7g7.jpg" border="0" alt="Activist Alicia Boyd on NYC's Community Board System : ''It's a lie anyway.''"/></a>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">"It's a lie anyway."</font></b></p>
<p>To some progressive activists, seeing Mayor Bill de Blasio’s land-lease proposal to construct buildings on the property of the New York City Housing Authority following so closely on the sale of several NYCHA Section 8 buildings, with plans for further expansion of land-lease opportunities on NYCHA lands, amounts to a full-throttle assault to privatize large parts of NYCHA, essentially opening the floodgates for private real estate developers to stampede toward a <b>land rush</b> of city real property in exchange for the administration receiving credit for the construction a miniscule number of new affordable housing units. It seems like a huge price to pay for perhaps constructing an initial 500 new affordable housing units within a larger goal of creating 80,000 units over a ten-year span.</p>
<p>These and other major city land use decisions are not being made with prior public input, much less without a specific mandate from voters.</p>
<p>Although more and more tenants and activists are recognizing Mayor de Blasio’s <b>pro-real estate agenda</b>, what is missing is tenant and activist consensus about what to do about this. Some activists have been fighting the sale of public library branches to real estate developers, thinking that each sale is a singular transaction, independent onto itself, and not part of a larger, pro-real estate agenda by the de Blasio administration. Activists think that if they can just defeat the sale of one library, then the larger cause can be won. Efforts by developers and city planning officials to subject small fights to the arduous <b>ULURP process</b>, while sidestepping larger projects, has the impact of narrowing activists’ focus at the same time that they can be worn down.</p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>About the role of Community Boards in allowing the public to participate in New York City's land use process, the Brooklyn tenant activist Alicia Boyd said, “It’s a lie, anyway, but we know politically that the political machine needs that lie .... They need the lie. They need the lie, so that the people will not stand up and say, ‘Hey, wait a minute ! That means that we have no power ? There’s no democracy here ?’ They need the lie.”</i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>As activists look to hold the administration accountable to activists’ expectations for a course for a post-Occupy Wall Street city that was not aligned with big business, there are many issues to consider. Firstly, how do activists plan to educate each other on a complete and accurate picture of how much of the political landscape in the de Blasio administration has been influenced by the real estate industry ? Secondly, will activists reject Mayor de Blasio’s incremental and inadequate remedy to the affordable housing crisis, and, if so, what can the community demand in its place ? And thirdly, what should be done about the veal pen nonprofit groups, which willingly deëscalate calls for political, social, and economic reform, based on the messaging emanating from City Hall ? Other issues undoubtedly also exist, but organizing cannot take shape about where we want to go as a city until everybody first agrees on what is actually happening now.</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/7/14/a-lack-of-democracy-in-new-york-citys-land-use-process" title="Do real estate developers control New York City's land use in the de Blasio administration ?" target="_blank">A Special Investigation : A lack of democracy in New York City's land use process (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftgyau0qNZYRmVdR1fMKEiTc68AMpgI1Ez_4jHHSDNmNhxIzr06Trk7Ufn_oLGAbgRpGx6It3txZJnbHSCpMBVNTOql4neCE-6JuMj3McySlo-DgctlI2ES-JP9BZkSFbnSLLFpa8oGc/s1600/2015-05-14+1MillionHomes+TenantMarch+Stop421a+421a+421-a+banner+%2528Foley+Square%2529%2528L%2527exportation%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="421a tax breaks" border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftgyau0qNZYRmVdR1fMKEiTc68AMpgI1Ez_4jHHSDNmNhxIzr06Trk7Ufn_oLGAbgRpGx6It3txZJnbHSCpMBVNTOql4neCE-6JuMj3McySlo-DgctlI2ES-JP9BZkSFbnSLLFpa8oGc/s640/2015-05-14+1MillionHomes+TenantMarch+Stop421a+421a+421-a+banner+%2528Foley+Square%2529%2528L%2527exportation%2529.jpg" title="de Blasio and Cuomo are for sale. REBNY is highest Bidder. #Stop421a" width="640" /></a></div>
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With about three weeks to go before the New York State legislature decides what to do with the <b>421-a tax breaks</b> for developers, which are set to expire on June 15, government reform activists are waiting to see if an array of nonprofit groups advocating for an end to the scandal-tarnished tax abatement program will stay true to their word.<br />
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<li>Read more : <a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/5/22/as-deadline-for-421-a-expiration-nears-activists-fear-electeds-are-laying-low-to-clear-path-for-renewal" target="_blank">As deadline for 421-a expiration nears, activists fear electeds are clearing path for renewal [UPDATED]</a> (Progress Queens)</li>
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NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-70670281542613331252015-05-10T19:07:00.000-07:002015-05-10T19:07:42.618-07:00#Stop421a<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0fCjym4uwrLe3Ddj-aaOxnJfLZiRJsLzPIebvny0THcweHIcweRerWiA8ezZZ4djTaJhaZF_NSp6-qdXzIcCn5SI-HsoluVTAe-hF_WOJAtCPD4EVmMpJVu8Sks6B-GMpQXA8PPJI8M/s1600/Stop+421-a+(Bill%2Bde%2BBlasio%2B421a%2BCentral%2BPark%2BMeme).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0fCjym4uwrLe3Ddj-aaOxnJfLZiRJsLzPIebvny0THcweHIcweRerWiA8ezZZ4djTaJhaZF_NSp6-qdXzIcCn5SI-HsoluVTAe-hF_WOJAtCPD4EVmMpJVu8Sks6B-GMpQXA8PPJI8M/s640/Stop+421-a+(Bill%2Bde%2BBlasio%2B421a%2BCentral%2BPark%2BMeme).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-45981010562342667382015-05-09T13:45:00.000-07:002015-05-09T13:45:43.207-07:00It's URGENT That We End 421--a Tax Breaks This Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Tell Mayor de Blasio <b><i>(212) 788-3000</i></b> and</div>
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Gov. Cuomo <b><i>(518) 474-8390</i></b> that </div>
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we can’t afford to give tax breaks </div>
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to the rich that cause our rents to go up !</div>
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<a href="http://stop421a.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Stop421a Tax Breaks</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IjFtIB7dOvn3ea9yCoODrQpoOMpysm8T860R_2COudVxl7ND0eKTFkWJNEztef0UPSejZS7cTGcSEYDY_SRK6abtEVgwmg-fU5l00xx9JjIjFVBvqcl_g489z4XcKS4Xji-RG9r3YJU/s1600/tell+de+blasio+and+cuomo+to+end+421a+tax+breaks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IjFtIB7dOvn3ea9yCoODrQpoOMpysm8T860R_2COudVxl7ND0eKTFkWJNEztef0UPSejZS7cTGcSEYDY_SRK6abtEVgwmg-fU5l00xx9JjIjFVBvqcl_g489z4XcKS4Xji-RG9r3YJU/s640/tell+de+blasio+and+cuomo+to+end+421a+tax+breaks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://stop421a.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Stop 421a Tax Breaks</a></div>
NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-13024237716337888152015-04-20T05:59:00.000-07:002015-04-20T14:31:04.072-07:00Is Bill de Blasio coördinating with Hillary Clinton's 2016 POTUS campaign ?<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">de Blasio's non-endorsement of Hillary Clinton</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/4/19/week-in-review-de-blasios-non-endorsement-of-hillary-clinton-preet-bhararas-upcoming-speech" title="Stabbed in de Back ! Mayor de Blasio withholding endorsement from Hillary Clinton 2016 POTUS campaign" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/2015-04-13%20de%20Blasio%20Clinton%20Stabbed%20in%20de%20Black%20-%20NYDN%20cover_zps2ththxhw.jpg" border="0" alt="Not Ready for Hillary Clinton"/></a>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Possible coördination ?</font></b></p>
<p>The decision by Mayor <b>Bill de Blasio</b> (D-New York City) to refuse to endorse former U.S. Secretary of State <b>Hillary Clinton</b>’s presidential campaign triggered lurid tabloid covers, including one in <i>The New York Daily News</i> with the headline, “Stabbed in de Back !”</p>
<p>The political fallout from the non-endorsement has ranged from one of portraying Mayor de Blasio as having acted <a href="http://nypost.com/2015/04/15/good-bill-hunting-hillary-supporters-attack-de-blasio/" title="Good-Bill hunting — Hillary supporters attack de Blasio" target="_blank">traitorously</a> to calculating.</p>
<p>On <i>The New York Times Close-Up</i> news magazine broadcast on NY1, <i>The New York Times</i> editorial board member <b>Eleanor Randloph</b> said she had a difficult time believing that the non-endorsement had not been orchestrated with the Clinton campaign, giving Mayor de Blasio time to deliver support from the political Left to the Clinton campaign at the right time.</p>
<p>It was not referenced by Ms. Randolph, but, in the lead up to the 2013 New York gubernatorial election, Mayor de Blasio <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/exclusive-mayor-de-blasio-asks-working-families-party-back-gov-cuomo-article-1.1807766" title="Mayor de Blasio privately asks Working Families Party to back Gov. Cuomo for reelection" target="_blank">worked behind the scenes</a> to strong arm the <b>Working Families Party</b> to endorse the neoliberal incumbent, Governor <b>Andrew Cuomo</b> (D-New York), even though Governor Cuomo had been waged an unrelenting attack on the poor by making cuts to Medicaid and closing hospitals, and, lately, threatening to undermine public education.</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/4/19/week-in-review-de-blasios-non-endorsement-of-hillary-clinton-preet-bhararas-upcoming-speech" title="Week in Review : de Blasio's non-endorsement of Hillary Clinton ; Preet Bharara's upcoming speech" target="_blank">Week in Review : de Blasio's non-endorsement of Hillary Clinton ; Preet Bharara's upcoming speech (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-47819562891044571872015-03-05T05:55:00.001-08:002015-03-18T10:10:21.639-07:00Bill de Blasio's war on public housing<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Cash-strapped NYCHA sold apartment buildings that had been recently refurbished</font></b></p>
<p>NYCHA claimed that it needed to sell 900 Section 8 apartments, because it could no longer afford to maintain them. </p>
<p>However, a Progress Queens investigation has revealed that four buildings that were sold were recently refurbished by NYCHA, seemingly refuting claims that these buildings were too dilapidated for NYCHA to maintain.</p>
<a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/3/4/cash-strapped-nycha-sold-apartment-buildings-that-had-recently-been-refurbished" title="Before NYCHA sold the buildings 1780 and 1782 Madison Avenue in Manhattan to private real estate developers, the city housing agency spent an unknown amount of money making unspecified refurbishing or repairs to the buildings." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Google%20Street%20View%20-%201780%20Madison%20Avenue%20-%20Manhattan%20Screen%20Shot600_zpsycoeop1c.jpg" border="0" alt="1780 and 1782 Madison Avenue, Manhattan - Sold by NYCHA photo Google Street View - 1780 Madison Avenue - Manhattan Screen Shot600_zpsycoeop1c.jpg"/></a>
<p>Before NYCHA sold the buildings 1780 and 1782 Madison Avenue in Manhattan to private real estate developers, the city housing agency spent an unknown amount of money making unspecified refurbishing or repairs to the buildings.</p>
<a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/3/4/cash-strapped-nycha-sold-apartment-buildings-that-had-recently-been-refurbished" title="Before NYCHA sold the building at 903 Halsey Street in Brooklyn to private real estate developers, the city housing agency spent an unknown amount of money making unspecified refurbishing or repairs to the buildings." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Google%20Street%20View%20930%20Halsey%20Street%20-%20Brooklyn%202014-sept%20Google%20Earth-Screen%20Shot600_zpsdnp5ikyr.jpg" border="0" alt="930 Halsey Street, Brooklyn - Sold by NYCHA photo Google Street View 930 Halsey Street - Brooklyn 2014-sept Google Earth-Screen Shot600_zpsdnp5ikyr.jpg"/></a>
<p>Before NYCHA sold the building at 903 Halsey Street in Brooklyn to private real estate developers, the city housing agency spent an unknown amount of money making unspecified refurbishing or repairs to the buildings.</p>
<a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/3/4/cash-strapped-nycha-sold-apartment-buildings-that-had-recently-been-refurbished" title="Before NYCHA sold the building at 55 Saratoga Avenue in Brooklyn to private real estate developers, the city housing agency spent an unknown amount of money making unspecified refurbishing or repairs to the buildings." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Google%20Street%20View%2055%20Saratoga%20Avenue%20-%20Brooklyn%202014-sept%20Google%20Earth-Screen%20Shot600_zpsp19gpvmd.jpg" border="0" alt="55 Saratoga Avenue, Brooklyn - Sold by NYCHA photo Google Street View 55 Saratoga Avenue - Brooklyn 2014-sept Google Earth-Screen Shot600_zpsp19gpvmd.jpg"/></a>
<p>Before NYCHA sold the building at 55 Saratoga Avenue in Brooklyn to private real estate developers, the city housing agency spent an unknown amount of money making unspecified refurbishing or repairs to the buildings.</p>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Conflicts of Interest : Administration officials were either paid to lobbying in support of the sale of approximately 900 NYCHA Section 8 apartments, or else they had prior relationships with some of the developers. </font></b></p>
<p>A controversial structured finance transaction originated by the <b>New York City Housing Authority</b>, or NYCHA, to create a special purpose vehicle to offload some Section 8 buildings to private developers is coming into greater view, according to an analysis by <b>Progress Queens</b>.</p>
<p>The portfolio of project-based, Section 8 buildings that NYCHA sold to a consortium of private investors named <b>Triborough Preservation LLC</b> included four buildings that had recently been refurbished. The portfolio of buildings that were sold were situated in neighborhoods, where there was a great potential for real estate value appreciation due to recent trends in gentrification, begging the question whether real estate developers had cherry-picked some of the best properties amongst NYCHA's roster of buildings.</p>
<p>Two principal de Blasio administration housing officials, <b>Gary Rodney</b> and <b>Vicki Been</b>, have had prior close ties to two of the developers in the consortium, <b>BFC Partners, L.P.</b>, and <b>L&M Development Partners, Inc.</b>, respectively. A third de Blasio administration official, <b>Jonathan Greenspun</b>, who serves as a commission on the city's <b>Commission on Human Rights</b>, was a lobbyist for BFC Partners, L.P.</p>
<p>Administration officials defended the controversial sale by arguing that NYCHA did not have the financial resources to maintain the dilapidated buildings. However, as documented in archival photographs published by Google Street View, four of the buildings had had scaffolding encircling the buildings, with one photograph showing workmen suspended along the front of one building doing exterior construction or repair work.</p>
<p>Some government reform activists told Progress Queens that the de Blasio administration disenfranchised taxpayers and NYCHA tenants by sidestepping the <b>Uniform Land Use Review Procedure</b>, or the ULURP process, when it sanctioned NYCHA’s sale of the properties. According to one source, a lawyer with expertise in city legislation, Section 197-c of the City Charter requires that any disposition of city real property must be made through the ULURP process. </p>
<p>City housing officials have suggested that they may seek to sell other NYCHA buildings in order to offload the responsibility of upkeep and maintenance for the buildings, a potential backdoor for for-profit real estate developers to raise the rents on tenants living in public housing.</p>
<p>According to a reading of some of the transaction agreements, the city conveyed rights to the consortium of developers to building residential and non-residential units on developable land that was also sold along with the project-based, Section 8 buildings.</p>
<p>Officials with NYCHA, City Hall, and the developers, who bought the Section 8 apartments, declined to answer questions about the transaction in time before the publication of Progress Queens report.</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/3/4/cash-strapped-nycha-sold-apartment-buildings-that-had-recently-been-refurbished" title="The portfolio of project-based, Section 8 buildings that NYCHA sold to a consortium of private investors included four buildings that had recently been refurbished." target="_blank">Cash-strapped NYCHA sold apartment buildings that had been recently refurbished (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/editorial/2015/3/4/councilmember-torres-a-public-housing-puppet-on-rebnys-strings" title="Councilmember Torres has undoubtedly come a long way for such a young elected official. However, he has more maturing to do, before he can act like the leader that taxpayers and NYCHA tenants expect him to be." target="_blank">Councilmember Torres : A public housing puppet on REBNY's strings (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2015/2/18/activists-worry-that-de-blasio-administration-will-keep-selling-nycha-to-developers" title="The sale by the de Blasio administration of approximately 900 project-based, Section 8 housing owned by the New York City Housing Authority, or NYCHA, to a consortium of private real estate developers is worrying tenants’ rights activists that market rate rents may soon creep into public housing." target="_blank">Activists worry that de Blasio administration will keep selling NYCHA to developers, undermining regulated rents (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-87784882475586818422014-12-21T11:45:00.000-08:002014-12-21T11:47:39.236-08:00de Blasio heads a bi-racial household, yet, in wake of NYPD double homicide, he cannot unify a multi-cultural city<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">de Blasio set to end first year presiding over an ungovernable New York City</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2014/12/21/de-blasio-set-to-end-year-presiding-over-an-ungovernable-new-york-city" title="de Blasio heads a bi-racial household, yet, in wake of NYPD double homicide, he cannot unify a multi-cultural city" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/2014-12-20deBlasioatpodiumwithBrattonatWoodhullHospitalNYPDPresserNYCMayorsOfficeOfficialYouTubeAcountScreenShot_zpscd405e0e.png" border="0" height=335 width=600/></a>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Two NYPD officers killed in Brooklyn ; suspect reportedly commits suicide ; de Blasio in hot seat</font></b></p>
<p>Rather than inspire from a place of equality, justice, due process, and the rule of law, Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner William Bratton are resorting to invoking fear to frighten New Yorkers, moving them in a direction of hatred and suspicion. </p>
<p>At Saturday night's press conference at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, where the fallen officers were taken and later pronounced dead, in his brief remarks, Mayor de Blasio invoked a sense of fear to motivate New Yorkers into action, saying that, "every New Yorker should feel they, too, were attacked," that "our entire city was attacked," further requesting that New Yorkers should report any information about plans for attacks on police, a sense of fear that NYPD Commissioner William Bratton reaffirmed by saying that New Yorkers should consider this like the Homeland Security alert system, an alarum code that the Bush administration notoriously abused to keep Americans living in fear of terroristic attacks, so that the administration could keep pushing its political goals, as well as its agendas of war and surveillance.</p>
<p>The reply messages of violence were further fueled by Patrick Lynch, the president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, or PBA, who Saturday night laid blame for the officers' deaths before Mayor de Blasio and police reform activists.</p>
<p>The ratcheting up of inflammatory rhetoric and tensions comes at a time when the de Blasio administration had been trying to fluff its nominal accomplishments in its first year. </p>
<p>Activists, who are calling for an end to discrimination, violence, and state-sponsored forms of oppression, are reaching for understanding and unity. However, elected officials and police union leaders remain entrenched in language of fear and suspicion. </p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
<p><hr width="100%"></p>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2014/12/21/de-blasio-set-to-end-year-presiding-over-an-ungovernable-new-york-city" title="As his first year in office comes to a close, Mayor Bill de Blasio faces a crisis in confidence from civic leaders, police unions, and by police reform activists, who each decry in him a lack of a true moral center." target="_blank">de Blasio set to end first year presiding over an ungovernable New York City (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2014/12/20/two-nypd-officers-shot-killed-in-brooklyn-in-unprovoked-act-suspect-commits-suicide" title="Mayor Bill de Blasio was under fire from police unions, civic leaders, and activists after two NYPD officers were killed in Brooklyn. Mayor de Blasio has been playing all sides as activists demand police reforms in the wake of the Eric Garner and Akai Gurley homicides by police." target="_blank">Two NYPD officers killed in Brooklyn ; suspect reportedly commits suicide ; de Blasio in hot seat (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-77871048405681079132014-12-04T15:12:00.001-08:002014-12-04T15:12:39.954-08:00Sen. Schumer asked for help to appoint a new commission to investigate and prosecute NYPD, IAB corruption<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Letter to Sen. Charles Schumer - Help us appoint a new commission to investigate NYPD, IAB</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.eldiariony.com/exigen-creacion-comision-investigue-nypd" title="Exigen crear nueva comisión que investigue quejas contra NYPD" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/2014-10-13NYPDFivePointsMarch-ElDiario_zps167111a5.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=422/></a>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Activists ask for a new commission, modeled after Knapp and Mollen, to investigate NYPD and IAB, but this time with the power to prosecute cases of corruption, authority that both the Knapp and Mollen commissions lacked </font></b></p>
<p>Sen. Charles Schumer, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was asked for his assistance and support for the creation of a new commission to investigate a pattern of corruption and the lack of accountability at the New York Police Department, including at its troubled Internal Affairs Bureau. </p>
<blockquote><p>"The nation needs a substantive examination of the overreach, the corruption, the brutality and murder, the abuse of discretion, and the lack of accountability of police departments in the nation, beginning with the NYPD, the largest police force in the nation. As your office contemplates how best the U.S. Senate can take part in the national debate over the need for policing reforms, we hope that in the meantime you will call for either Manhattan District Attorney Vance, U.S. Attorney Bharara, or Assistant Director Venizelos to create a new, independent commission with subpoena power to investigate -- and prosecute -- corruption, brutality, and murder by the NYPD, including corruption at IAB, along with other violations of constitutional rights, civil liberties, and civil rights."</p></blockquote>
<p>The letter to Sen. Schumer was sent after a prior e-mail to City Hall, dated 13 October 2014, went unanswered. </p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/248974188/2014-12-01-Senator-Charles-Schumer-Office-Fax-NYPD-Commission-Follow-Up-Letter-FILE-COPY" title="2014-12-01 Senator Charles Schumer Office Fax (NYPD Commission Follow-Up Letter) (FILE COPY)" target="_blank">Written letter to Senator Charles Schumer asking for his assistance and support for the creation of a new commission to investigate and prosecute NYPD corruption, including at IAB (Scribd)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.eldiariony.com/exigen-creacion-comision-investigue-nypd" title="Activists say the CCRB is negligent and that the City needs another panel to address complaints made against police" target="_blank">Exigen crear nueva comisión que investigue quejas contra NYPD (El Diario)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://nypdfivepoints.blogspot.com/2014/10/44-years-after-Knapp-and-22-after-Mollen-activists-demand-new-commission-to-investigate-NYPD-corruption.html" title="44 years after Knapp, and 22 after Mollen, activists demand new commission to investigate NYPD corruption." target="_blank">Written demand to Mayor de Blasio to appoint a new commission to investigate NYPD corruption, including at IAB (Scribd)</a></i></font></P>
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<p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"> <a title="View 2014-12-01 Senator Charles Schumer Office Fax (NYPD Commission Follow-Up Letter) (FILE COPY) on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/248974188/2014-12-01-Senator-Charles-Schumer-Office-Fax-NYPD-Commission-Follow-Up-Letter-FILE-COPY" style="text-decoration: underline;" >2014-12-01 Senator Charles Schumer Office Fax (NYPD Commission Follow-Up Letter) (FILE COPY)</a> by <a title="View NYPDFivePoints's profile on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/NYPDFivePoints" style="text-decoration: underline;" >NYPDFivePoints</a></p><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/248974188/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-ke7P1RFSJSu4eWVpnzZp&show_recommendations=true" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="0.7689684569479965" scrolling="no" id="doc_48185" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-31346652943838562442014-11-21T14:44:00.000-08:002014-11-21T14:44:19.787-08:00To address mental health needs of Rikers inmates, NY should examine state shortage of psychiatric hospital beds<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Mayor de Blasio announces mental health reforms at Rikers Island without acknowledging social impact of hospital closings</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2014/11/21/facing-threat-of-lawsuit-de-blasio-announces-reforms-at-rikers-island-without-acknowledging-hospital-closings" title="Mayor Bill de Blasio promises to get to the root causes of challenges faced at Rikers Island, but the mayor refuses to address the lack of psychiatric hospital beds that could treat people with mental health needs before they become ensnared by the city's drag-net approach to law enforcement." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/2014-11-20JosephPonteandBilldeBlasio-RikersMediaRountableNewsConferenceNYCMayorsOffice-YouTubeScreenShot_zps2e015326.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=353/></a>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">People with mental health needs end up in jails and prisons, overwhelming law enforcement</font></b></p>
<p>Amongst the <b>Rikers Island</b> reforms announced Thursday by Mayor <b>Bill de Blasio</b> (D-New York City) was the allocation of $32.5 million to fund mental health and anti-violence efforts. The mayor cited as a cause of challenges at Rikers Island the large number of severely, mentally-ill inmates, who created problems that needed to be "dealt with at their root."</p>
<p>However, public health advocates fault the state and city for allowing the closure of so many hospitals that used to treat people with mental health needs in a healthcare facility instead of allowing people with mental health needs get swept up in the city's dragnet of over-policing that then jails people with mental health needs at Rikers Island. </p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>“We stand ready to take legal action to compel long-overdue reforms at Rikers, if that becomes necessary to get the job done.” — U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara</i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>According to statistics reported in an investigation published last July by <i>The New York Times</i>, "Rikers now has about as many people with mental illnesses — roughly 4,000 of the 11,000 inmates — as all 24 psychiatric hospitals in New York State combined. They make up nearly 40 percent of the jail population, up from about 20 percent eight years ago."</p>
<p>There is a shortage of public hospital beds for people with mental health needs, according to a study by the Treatment Advocacy Center. The study recommended that New York state would need to add over 4,300 hospital beds dedicated to people with psychiatric needs in order to meet minimum standards of care.</p>
<p>In announcing reforms for Rikers Island, Mayor de Blasio never raised the issue of the lack of capacity to provide people with mental health needs minimum standards of care to prevent people with mental health needs from getting swept up in the city's dragnet of over-policing. </p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FFDB58">RELATED </font></p>
<p><hr width="100%"></p>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.progressqueens.com/news/2014/11/21/facing-threat-of-lawsuit-de-blasio-announces-reforms-at-rikers-island-without-acknowledging-hospital-closings" title="Mayor Bill de Blasio promises to get to the root causes of challenges faced at Rikers Island, but the mayor refuses to address the lack of psychiatric hospital beds that could treat people with mental health needs before they become ensnared by the city's drag-net approach to law enforcement." target="_blank">Mayor de Blasio promised to get to the root of unsafe conditions at Rikers Island, but he overlooks high social cost of hospital closings (Progress Queens)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-2097834737642062822014-08-23T18:57:00.002-07:002014-08-23T18:57:11.442-07:00On day of Eric Garner march, de Blasio defends Bratton and Broken Windows policing<a href="http://pix11.com/2014/07/21/protesters-call-for-brattons-resignation-in-wake-of-eric-garner-death/" title="Protesters call for Bratton’s resignation in wake of Eric Garner death" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/AGAINSTBRATTON-poster-Bratton-BrokenWindows-FederalInvestigation_zps61495eb6.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=338/></a>
<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Politicians down-play calls for NYPD reform</font></b></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>As long as Bratton is commish and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrokenWindows?src=hash">#BrokenWindows</a> is policy, NYPD will keep ravaging community. <a href="https://twitter.com/MattKozarTV">@MattKozarTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio">@BilldeBlasio</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNewYork">@CBSNewYork</a></p>— de Blasio Sold Out (@deBlasioSoldOut) <a href="https://twitter.com/deBlasioSoldOut/statuses/503212735325560833">August 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">NYPD Commish Bratton is responsible for the heavy-handed Broken Windows policing that harasses low-income and minority communities, claiming the life of Eric Garner</font></b></p>
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<p>As thousands of New Yorkers were collecting in Staten Island for a massive civil rights march seeking justice for Eric Garner, the Staten Island man choked to death by NYPD, Mayor Bill de Blasio was in a Brooklyn church, desperately spinning support for his controversial NYPD Commissioner William Bratton and the police department's Broken Windows approach to policing.</p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>"We have to make a lasting bond between our communities and our police," Mayor de Blasio said at the Kingsboro Temple of Seventh-day Adventist in Park Slope, Brooklyn. </i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>As the city and the nation reflect on police brutality, Mayor de Blasio reaffirmed his support for NYPD Commissioner William Bratton and the administration's contentious Broken Windows approach to policing, which many police reform advocates blame as the cause of Mr. Garner's murder while in police custody. Mayor de Blasio and other elected officials are deliberately down-playing the harsh police tactics that target people of color and low income communities. In New York, this state-sponsored race- and class-based approach to policing is known as <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/opinion/5199-neoconservative-roots-broken-windows-policing-theory-nypd-bratton-vitale" title="The death of Eric Garner has exposed a regressive bent to Mayor Bill de Blasio's policing policies." target="_blank">Broken Windows</a>. </p>
<p>At the Eric Garner march in Staten Island, two elected officials, who some said attended in Mayor de Blasio's stead, former Gov. <a href="https://twitter.com/Azi/status/503243772529213440" title="#benchmark: ''We will not stop until somebody goes to jail.'' — former Gov. David Paterson. #EricGarner" target="_blank">David Paterson</a> and Rep. <a href="https://twitter.com/Azi/status/503251807930699776" title="— @RepJeffries sets the benchmark : ''We will not be satisfied until "officers responsible … are convicted and sent up state.'' #EricGarner" target="_blank">Hakeem Jeffries</a>, both lowered the benchmarks for justice to the same political operative talking point : a successful prosecution of officers responsible for Mr. Garner's murder. To his credit, Rep. Jeffries <a href="https://twitter.com/Azi/status/503251337652740096" title="First reference to #BrokenWindows policing at #EricGarner made by @RepJeffries." target="_blank">did mention the role</a> of Broken Windows policing, but there was no political pressure overtly exerted on Mayor de Blasio to end the policing approach, nor was there a call for the mayor to fire Commissioner Bratton in favor of a culturally competent replacement.</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
<p><hr width="100%"></p>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://pix11.com/2014/07/21/protesters-call-for-brattons-resignation-in-wake-of-eric-garner-death/" title="" target="_blank">Protesters call for Bratton’s resignation in wake of Eric Garner death (PIX 11)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://nypost.com/2014/08/23/hundreds-head-to-staten-island-to-march-against-police-brutality/" title="Spearheaded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, marchers got on buses in Harlem and Brooklyn to travel to the site of Eric Garner’s death at Bay Street and Victory Boulevard." target="_blank">Thousands turn out for Eric Garner march against the NYPD (The New York Post)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/opinion/5199-neoconservative-roots-broken-windows-policing-theory-nypd-bratton-vitale" title="The death of Eric Garner has exposed a regressive bent to Mayor Bill de Blasio's policing policies." target="_blank">The Neoconservative Roots of the Broken Windows Theory (The Gotham Gazette)</a></i></font></P>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Tone deaf to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EricGarner?src=hash">#EricGarner</a> march, <a href="https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio">@BilldeBlasio</a> affirms support for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrokenWindows?src=hash">#BrokenWindows</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CommissBratton">@CommissBratton</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/MattKozarTV">@MattKozarTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNewYork">@CBSNewYork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneTermBill?src=hash">#OneTermBill</a></p>— de Blasio Sold Out (@deBlasioSoldOut) <a href="https://twitter.com/deBlasioSoldOut/statuses/503222184618508288">August 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">The mayor asks the city to place faith in due process, but the NYPD has routinely violated due process, and prosecutors do their own part to keep watering down due process</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/23/new-york-eric-garner-rally-michael-brown" title="Hands Up, Don't Shoot ! New York rally for Eric Garner : 'We don’t want any more Michael Browns'" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/RevDrMLKJr-Hands-Up-Dont-Shoot_zps92f66f96.jpg" border="0" width=400 height=200/></a>
<p>Mayor de Blasio did his own part to downsize community expectations, telling congregants at the Brooklyn Adventist church, "We all believe in due process, fairness, a full investigation, a full legal process. We believe everyone should be treated equally in that process." </p>
<p>Mr. Garner was choked to death by police on July 17. Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan has promised to schedule a grand jury to investigate possible charges against NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, who had placed Mr. Garner in an illegal chokehold that killed Mr. Garner. However, the date of the grand jury's empaneling has yet to be announced.</p>
<p>Mr. Garner's death has escalated public scrutiny on race- and class-based police brutality after Michael Brown was shot to death by Ferguson P.D. officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. In contrast to the prosecutorial investigation of Mr. Garner's death, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-grand-jury-ferguson-michael-brown-20140820-story.html" title="Grand jury starts on Michael Brown case: What you need to know" target="_blank">initiated on August 29 a grand jury investigation</a> of Mr. Brown death, but that was due to immense public pressure and a violent police crackdown on civil unrest following Mr. Brown's murder.</p>
<p>In both cases, civil rights activists have criticised the role of local prosecutors to investigate brutality and murder by police officers. Police departments are notoriously politicised by mayors, and local prosecutors are publicly-elected officials, meaning that local prosecutors are encumbered by political consultants and local lobbyist insiders, who are often shared by other local officials, especially mayors, other prosecutors, and even some locally-elected judges. What is more, local prosecutors' rates of conviction depend on nonaggression relationships with police officers in order to successfully prosecute cases at trial. If local prosecutors go up against police departments, that conflict may potentially upset local prosecutors' other criminal cases. Consequently, critics of the local prosecutors have, in turn, requested that federal prosecutors lead the charge to investigate the murders of Mr. Garner and Mr. Brown. The political conflicts facing local prosecutors are known to federal prosecutors, who are regularly forced to intervene in controversial prosecution cases when cases consist of violations that involve significant political or government individuals, which pose problems for the local prosecutor, as high-profile prosecutions of police officers can be deemed. </p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>Under "Broken Windows" policing, plainclothes police officers are ordered to treat very low-level crimes as major concerns.</i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>Since policing tactics have focused on minor infractions and low-level crimes, like selling loose, untaxed cigarettes for 50 cents, like has been charged that Mr. Garner engaged in on the day he was murdered, and for walking on the street, as was the reason Mr. Brown was stopped by police on the day he was murdered, the judicial system has become over-run by complex cases that may have escalated from what are generally regarded as underlying nuisance charges. Public defenders, local prosecutors, and the court system rush through these cases, giving people of color and low-income defendants short shrift in the justice system, resulting in an inherent state-sponsored structure that criminalizes people based on race and income. It is this broken system in which Mayor de Blasio wants the community to place their faith. </p>
<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">de Blasio gives lip service to NYPD's role of 'protect and respect,' but the mayor keeps expressing support for his culturally incompetent police commissioner and race- and class-based policing</font></b></p>
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<p>Critics of Mayor de Blasio have been asking for the resignation of NYPD Commissioner Bratton, an end to the Broken Windows approach to policing, and for a federal investigation into corruption at the NYPD and its Internal Affairs Bureau. However, the mayor and his teams of political operatives have thus far succeeded in limiting the community's conversation of Mr. Garner's murder in terms of improving police-community relations, a tactic that eventually failed former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani after Abner Louima was brutalized by police officers in a bathroom at a Brooklyn police station. Advocates for campaign finance reform believe that Mayor de Blasio is continuing the Giuliani-Bloomberg crackdown on the poor and people of color as political payback to real estate developers, which are <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/nyregion/in-mayoral-race-attacking-real-estate-industry-but-taking-its-cash.html" title="In Mayoral Race, Attacking Real Estate Industry but Taking Its Cash" target="_blank">amongst the mayor's biggest campaign contributors</a> and which desire the mass displacement caused by Broken Windows to support further, uncontrolled upward spiraling of real estate prices. Indeed, during the mayor's successful campaign, he very publicly aligned himself with corrupt real estate lobbyists. One real estate lobbyist, <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/09/8533531/former-rudin-lobbyist-volunteers-de-blasio" title="A former Rudin lobbyist volunteers for de Blasio" target="_blank">James Capalino</a>, served as an organizer last year for a <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/lobbyists-lined-host-million-dollar-bill-de-blasio-hillary-clinton-fundraiser-blog-entry-1.1696841" title="Lobbyists Lined Up To Help Host Million-Dollar Bill de Blasio/Hillary Clinton Fundraiser" target="_blank">problematic $1 million fundraiser</a> at the Waldorf-Astoria for Mayor de Blasio's campaign committee. Once elected, Mayor de Blasio has established a close working relationship with <a href="http://observer.com/2014/04/de-blasio-makes-surprise-stop-at-abny-breakfast/" title="De Blasio Makes Surprise Stop at Bill Rudin's ABNY Breakfast" target="_blank">William Rudin</a>, the corrupt boss of Rudin Management Company, the developer of the $1 billion luxury condo conversion of St. Vincent's Hospital. More and more, the minority community and activists are coming to terms with how Mayor de Blasio exploited <a href="http://ny-popculture-politics.blogspot.com/2014/08/As-de-Blasio-contains-fallout-from-Eric-Garner-death-mayor-s-standing-with-minority-communities-on-shaky-ground.html" title="As Mayor de Blasio faces fallout from relentless NYPD brutality, the mayor's standing with minority communities is on shaky ground" target="_blank">race implications of policing controversies just to get elected</a>, leading one political blogger, Suzannah B. Troy, to predict that <a href="http://youtu.be/KZn03x0C-l4" title="Mayor De Blasio Fire Bratton Eric Garner Murdered by NYPD No Guns Required" target="_blank">Mayor de Blasio may only be a one-term mayor</a>. Adding to the urgency for NYPD reform is the work of the activist group, <a href="https://twitter.com/AGAINSTBRATTON" title="New Yorkers Against Bratton" target="_blank">New Yorkers Against Bratton</a> and <a href="http://www.leftforum.org/content/how-can-nyc-police-reform-activists-break-free-veal-pen" title="How can New York City police reform activists break free from the ''Veal Pen'' ?" target="_blank">other activists</a>, who will not give up until there is an overhaul of the NYPD and many of the root and systemic causes of discrimination and brutality are fully addressed. </p>
<p>As a result of delays and other problems with the broken judicial system, police become jaded and corrupt after serving in the force for a year or two, some political bloggers assert. Pressures to achieve justice outside of the dysfunctional court system and political manipulation of crime statistics converge to act to influence police officers to self-appoint themselves as judge and executioner each time police confront citizens, some critics of police claim. The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/09/us/war-gear-flows-to-police-departments.html" title="War Gear Flows to Police Departments" target="_blank">militarization of police departments</a> adds to the perverse concentration of resources to make arrests of minor infractions and very low-level crimes, but these resources do nothing to improve the socio-economic conditions of the communities being targeted for these "broken windows" crimes. As all of this injustice plays out for minority and low-income communities, large-scale political and corporate corruption go unprosecuted, and federal agencies, such as the National Security Agency and the Department of Justice, continue to erode civil liberties and other Constitutional protections, further reaffirming the impression that each of the justice system is stacked against both people of color and the poor and due process no longer means anything. The politicisation of the Department of Justice by President Barack Obama further erodes some activists' faith in federal prosecutors' ability to investigate police departments that have been weaponized by the Department of Defense and the N.S.A. </p>
<p>Against these stark realities, the only failed solution Mayor de Blasio is offering is to cosmetically improve "police-community relations." </p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
<p><hr width="100%"></p>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/08/8551309/de-blasio-visits-brooklyn-church-during-garner-march" title="Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke to congregants at a church near his house in Brooklyn on Saturday morning, as a march to protest the death of Eric Garner was taking place on Staten Island." target="_blank">Mayor Bill de Blasio visits Brooklyn church during Garner march (Capital New York)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/23/nyregion/fatal-confrontation-heightens-tensions-in-staten-island-police-precinct.html" title="Plainclothes police officers are ordered to treat small crimes as pressing concerns." target="_blank">Fatal Confrontation Heightens Tensions in Staten Island Police Precinct (The New York Times)</a></i></font></P>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Bratton is culturally incompetent and pushes racist and classist <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrokenWindows?src=hash">#BrokenWindows</a> policing. <a href="https://twitter.com/MattKozarTV">@MattKozarTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio">@BilldeBlasio</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNewYork">@CBSNewYork</a></p>— de Blasio Sold Out (@deBlasioSoldOut) <a href="https://twitter.com/deBlasioSoldOut/statuses/503213992794685440">August 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-77958486944822426782014-08-17T11:10:00.001-07:002014-08-17T11:10:13.076-07:00OTB : One Term Bill<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">In Far Rockaway, Mayor de Blasio takes a beating</font></b></p>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">The Outerborough Mayor Neglects the Outerboroughs</font></b></p>
<p>In Far Rockaway, the citizens are waking up to a de Blasio administration that uses the recovery efforts from Super Storm Sandy as cheap photo-ops.</p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>"City Hall wants congratulations when Build It Back hands out a few reimbursement checks or breaks ground on building a new home. We say, it’s about time."</i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>Mayor Bill de Blasio has denied long over-due infrastructure improvements to Far Rockaway -- everything from improved transportation, including a ferry, reconstruction aid after Sandy, economic development planning, and improvements to parks.</p>
<p>The citizens are getting restless, and if the mayor fails to deliver on reforms and improvements, then the citizens are already talking about Mayor de Blasio being a one-term mayor.</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://rockawaytimes.com/2014/07/25/rockaway-might-need-otb-one-term-bill-de-blasio/" title="OTB : One Term Bill" target="_blank">EDITORIAL: Rockaway Might Need an OTB -- A One Term Bill de Blasio (The Rockaway Times)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-7013476351572715772014-07-30T14:25:00.001-07:002014-07-30T16:53:53.346-07:00Sign the Petition : Cuomo and de Blasio : Give Back Extell Campaign Donations<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Petitioning Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/andrew-cuomo-and-bill-de-blasio-give-back-extell-campaign-donations" title="Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio : Give back Extell campaign donations" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Cuomo-de-Blasio-Extell-Donations_zps12f8d04b.jpg" width=600 height=450 border="0" alt="Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio : Give back Extell campaign donations photo cuomo-de-blasio-change-dot-org-petition600_zps4068cb38.jpg"/></a>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio profited from huge campaign contributions from a wealthy real estate developer now being engulfed in scandals.</font></b></p>
<p>Following controversies that <b>Extell Development Company</b> had been subpoenaed by the <b>Moreland Commission</b> and that Extell won approval from City Hall to legally segregate low-income residents to use a separate "<a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/07/30/336322608/new-york-skyscrapers-separate-poor-door-sparks-outrage" title="New York Skyscraper's Separate 'Poor Door' Called A Disgrace" target="_blank">poor door</a>" building entrance, why are Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo keeping campaign contributions from Extell ?</p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>Sign the Petition : <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/bill-de-blasio-give-back-extell-campaign-donations" title="Following controversies that Extell had been subpoenaed by the Moreland Commission and that Extell won approval from City Hall to legally segregate low-income residents to use a separate "poor door" building entrance, why are Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo keeping campaign contributions from Extell Development Company ?" target="_blank">Cuomo and de Blasio : Give Back Extell Campaign Donations (Change.org)</a></i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>By some estimates, Mayor de Blasio accepted <a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130813/BLOGS04/130819970/longshot-dem-blasts-rivals-real-estate-cash" title="The Moreland Commission, a group created by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to investigate corruption in state government, recently issued subpoenas to five top developers in New York, amongst them : Extell Development Company, which has bundled over $18,000 in campaign contributions to the mayoral campaign committee of Bill de Blasio." target="_blank">over $18,000</a> in campaign contributions from Extell, related entities, or related individuals. For his part, Gov. Cuomo accepted <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/cuomo-donor-generous-stood-save-35m-article-1.1423003" title="Corporations and people affiliated with Extell Development made more than $300,000 in donations to Gov. Cuomo's campaign committee, around the same time the governor and lawmakers were weighing a housing bill that would save Extell $35 million in taxes over a decade." target="_blank">over $300,000</a> in campaign contributions from Extell-related donors, according to some press reports. </p>
<p>If not for the reason that Extell was the target of investigation by the Moreland Commission before the panel was disbanded, then for the reason that Extell is forcing low-income residents to use a segregated entrance -- Mayor de Blasio and Gov. Cuomo need to disgorge Extell's campaign contributions.</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
<p><hr width="100%"></p>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/andrew-cuomo-and-bill-de-blasio-give-back-extell-campaign-donations" title="If not for the reason that Extell was the target of investigation by the Moreland Commission before the panel was disbanded, then for the reason that Extell is forcing low-income residents to use a segregated entrance -- Mayor de Blasio and Gov. Cuomo need to disgorge Extell's campaign contributions." target="_blank">Petitioning Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio : Give Back Extell Campaign Donations (Change.org)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-67805051254838026892014-07-29T16:34:00.001-07:002014-07-29T16:34:23.872-07:00Bill de Blasio voted for "poor door" before he was against it<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">Extell Development Company, the developer behind the building that won permit to operate segregated entrances based on tenant income, was the target of a subpoena of the now-defunct Moreland Commission.</font></b></p>
<a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130813/BLOGS04/130819970" title="Sal Albanese Blasts Rivals For Accepting Corrupt Real Estate Donations" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/2013-08-14SalAlbaneseRealEstateCorruptionMorelandInvestigationGraphic_zpsdd3f8d1d.png" border="0"/></a>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Now that the U.S. Attorney's Office possesses the Moreland Commission's investigation files, will it expand inquiry into how Extell won approval for de jure segregation at its building at 40 Riverside Blvd. ?</font></b></p>
<p>One of the wealthy real estate developers that was the target of a subpoena issued by the now-defunct Moreland Commission was Extell Development Company, a developer with notoriously close ties to the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY). Extell is also the developer of the controversial building in the Upper West Side of Manhattan that now segregates tenants to use different entrances, based on income.</p>
<p>The use of the "poor door" was approved by the Democratic Party-controlled City Council in a 2009 vote. In a report in <i>The New York Post</i>, it was said that Mayor Bill de Blasio voted for the provision that allowed Extell to force low-income tenants to use the "poor door." </p>
<p>During last year's mayoral race, Mayor Bill de Blasio reportedly accepted over $18,000 in campaign contributions from Extell, according to calculations prepared by Mayor de Blasio's rival, Sal Albanese. Mr. Albanese's calculations were published last year by <i>Crain's New York Business</i>.</p>
<p>Last year, Extell became the subject of interest for Moreland Commissioners investigating the pay-to-play corruption in Albany. It was reported that Extell made over <a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/08/12/extell-upped-donations-to-cuomo-when-tax-breaks-bill-was-being-considered/" title="Extell upped Cuomo donations during tax bill talks : State law granting One57 an abatement could shave $35M in costs" target="_blank">$300,000 in related campaign contributions</a> to the campaign committee of Gov. Cuomo in the time leading up to when Gov. Cuomo signed into law tax breaks reportedly worth $35 million over a ten-year span for another of Extell's developments, the $2 billion super luxury condominium tower on West 57th Street known as One57.</p>
<p>If the corruption-fighting investigators of the Moreland Commission were interested in the corrupt pattern of pay-to-play in politics that invited large campaign contributions to fix legislative outcomes, then will the way Extell won its de jure segregating "poor door" provision approved by the City Council merit the same kind of scrutiny as did the $35 million tax breaks signed into law by Gov. Cuomo ?</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://nypost.com/2014/07/28/de-blasio-voted-for-luxury-building-poor-door-as-councilman/" title="Mayor Bill de Blasio voted for a 2009 measure that permits the separate entrance at 40 Riverside Blvd., that he now opposes." target="_blank">Bill de Blasio voted for luxury building ‘poor door’ (The New York Post)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130813/BLOGS04/130819970" title="Sal Albanese, a former City Councilman and longshot candidate for mayor, is calling on his fellow Democrats to return campaign contributions they've received from real estate firms being examined by a state anti-corruption panel." target="_blank">Sal Albanese Blasts Rivals For Accepting Corrupt Real Estate Donations (Crain's New York Business)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/nyregion/in-mayoral-race-attacking-real-estate-industry-but-taking-its-cash.html" title="Out of about $30 million in individual contributions raised in the mayoral race as of late August 2013, the candidates had collected at least $2.2 million from real estate executives and industry employees, according to an analysis by The New York Times." target="_blank">In Mayoral Race, Attacking Real Estate Industry but Taking Its Cash (The New York Times)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/08/07/extell-silverstein-thor-hit-with-subpeonas-over-tax-breaks/" title="Extell, Silverstein, Thor hit with subpeonas over tax breaks : State corruption panel probes links with lobbyists, pols" target="_blank">Extell, Silverstein, Thor hit with subpeonas over tax breaks (The Real Deal)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/08/12/extell-upped-donations-to-cuomo-when-tax-breaks-bill-was-being-considered/" title="Extell upped Cuomo donations during tax bill talks : State law granting One57 an abatement could shave $35M in costs" target="_blank">Extell upped Cuomo donations during tax bill talks : State law granting One57 an abatement could shave $35M in costs (The Real Deal)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-58697977105964314552014-07-29T04:52:00.001-07:002014-07-29T04:52:38.922-07:00Bill de Blasio, Gale Brewer, and Tish James all voted for the "Poor Door" : The New York Post<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">POOR DOOR FLIP FLOP : Mayor voted <i>for</i> a measure that segregates low-income people to use a separate entrance at 40 Riverside Boulevard <i>before</i> he publicly opposed it.</font></b></p>
<a href="http://observer.com/2014/04/de-blasio-makes-surprise-stop-at-abny-breakfast/" title="Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped by an Association for a Bitter New York power breakfast to pay respect to one his key real estate development supporters, Bill Rudin." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/BilldeBlasio-BillRudin-ABNY_zps12c27827.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=400 alt="Bill de Blasio, center, with Bill Rudin, right, at the Association for a Bitter New York photo BilldeBlasio-BillRudin-ABNY_zps12c27827.jpg"/></a>
<p>From <i><a href="http://nypost.com/2014/07/28/de-blasio-voted-for-luxury-building-poor-door-as-councilman/" title="Mayor de Blasio voted for a 2009 measure that permits the separate entrance at 40 Riverside Blvd., which he now opposes." target="_blank">The New York Post</a></i> :</p>
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<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">De Blasio voted for luxury building ‘poor door’ as councilman</font></b></p>
<p>By Yoav Gonen | July 28, 2014 | 10:40pm</p>
<p>Mayor de Blasio and other officials denouncing “poor door” entrances for subsidized tenants in luxury buildings actually voted in favor of a measure that made such separation possible, a Post review found.</p>
<p>When the lengthy text of a zoning resolution was amended by the City Council in July 2009, then-Councilman Bill de Blasio — who arrived late to the meeting — was among the majority who voted “aye.”</p>
<p>One provision said developers of market-rate condos could include affordable units on site, instead of off-site, while allowing for the separation of a number of services that included the entrances.</p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>But de Blasio’s vote didn’t stop City Hall officials last week from putting the blame for the controversial Extell Development project at 40 Riverside Blvd. — which will have separate entrance for subsidized tenants — solely on former Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s team.</i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>“The previous administration changed the law to enable this kind of development,” City Hall spokesman Wiley Norvell said last week.</p>
<p>Asked about the role of de Blasio and the council in approving the 2009 measure, administration officials said it was a single provision in a 104-page zoning change, which was otherwise beneficial.</p>
<p>“The resolution at issue was focused on helping more low-income New Yorkers buy their own homes and expanding affordable housing,” said Norvell.</p>
<p>He added that the administration is working on amending the zoning language to prevent future developments with similarly split entrances.</p>
<p>“Now that we are in a position to bring those rules fully into line with our priorities and values, we will make the necessary changes to ensure families in affordable housing are treated equitably,” he said.</p>
<p>Among the other elected officials who voted in favor of the 2009 zoning changes are current Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and Public Advocate Letitia James.</p>
<p>The two were among those who took part in a press conference on the steps of City Hall this past Friday condemning the prior administration for signing off on the project.</p>
<p>Asked about her vote, Brewer also said the two-doors effect emerged from a “small” provision in a “long” resolution.</p>
<p>“I doubt any of us on the Council were aware of that provision; I certainly wasn’t,” she said. “A separate door on a building that benefits one specific project evades the spirit of our city — and we are working to close this loophole.”</p>
<p>Like the administration, James’ spokeswoman Aja Davis pointed to the overall benefits of the zoning changes approved within the 2009 measure, calling Extell’s separation of units an by income as an “exploitation” of the amendment.</p>
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<p><font size="1" color="#FF0000">RELATED </font></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://nypost.com/2014/07/28/de-blasio-voted-for-luxury-building-poor-door-as-councilman/" title="Mayor de Blasio voted for a 2009 measure that permits the separate entrance at 40 Riverside Blvd., which he now opposes." target="_blank">Bill de Blasio voted for luxury building ‘poor door’ as councilman (The New York Post)</a></i></font></P>
<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/nyregion/in-mayoral-race-attacking-real-estate-industry-but-taking-its-cash.html" title="Out of about $30 million in individual contributions raised in New York City's 2013 mayoral race as of late August of that year, the candidates had collected at least $2.2 million from real estate executives and industry employees, according to an analysis by The New York Times." target="_blank">In Mayoral Race, Attacking Real Estate Industry but Taking Its Cash (The New York Times)</a></i></font></P>
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<!--END OF TABLE-->NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-60703342730510197492014-07-02T08:34:00.002-07:002014-07-02T08:35:49.945-07:00SHAME : de Blasio mailer praises LICH closure<p>From the Demand A Hospital listserv </p>
<blockquote><p>Dear All :</p>
<p>A deceptive astroturf mailer is being sent to Brooklyn residents formerly treated by Long Island College Hospital. The mailer praises the condo conversion deal that closed the hospital with plans to replace it with another "urgent care center on steroids."</p>
<p>LINK : De Blasio-allied group defends LICH deal to brownstone Brooklyn (Capital New York) : <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/07/8548261/de-blasio-allied-group-defends-lich-deal-brownstone-brooklyn">http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/07/8548261/de-blasio-allied-group-defends-lich-deal-brownstone-brooklyn</a></p>
<p>Shades of when Bll Rudin used an astroturf group called "Westside Healthcare Coalition" to send his own deceptive mailers about the inferior urgent care center to be operated by North Shore-LIJ/Lenox Hill at the old O'Toole Building that the community was being duped into accepting as a sub-par replacement for the full-service and Trauma Level I hospital that was St. Vincent's. </p>
<p>LINK : Westside Healthcare Coalition is a Lie (Scribd) : <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/52718885/West-Side-Healthcare-Coalition-is-a-Lie">http://www.scribd.com/doc/52718885/West-Side-Healthcare-Coalition-is-a-Lie</a></p>
<p>The really shocking part of the deceptive LICH mailers being sent to Brooklyn residents is that the mailers are coming from the lobbying firm Berlin Rosen, which is Mayor Bill de Blasio's political arm in public relations. </p>
<p>Mayor de Blasio didn't save LICH, betraying his campaign promise to support "hospitals, not condos." Now, the mayor and his people want to spin a story about how the luxury condo conversion of another hospital is good for still yet another big name real estate developer, this time the Fortis Property Group. </p>
<p>Shame !!!!!</p>
<p>-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- </p>
<p>Tell Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to stop closing our hospitals. Call 311 for the mayor and 1 (518) 474-8390 for the governor.</p>
<p>You can also tweet your concerns to : @BilldeBlasio -and- @NYGovCuomo </p></blockquote>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-6461223185480834562014-06-25T15:24:00.002-07:002014-07-16T12:47:03.773-07:007 million $lush fund reasons why VOCAL-NY, CPR community groups no longer pressing for NYPD reforms<p><b><font size="5" color="#FF0000">VOCAL-NY amongst CPR community groups receiving over $7 million in FY15 City Council slush funds</font></b></p>
<a href="https://twitter.com/maslowsneeds/status/481857058975674369" title="Groups in @changethenypd receiving $7 million + in FY15 @NYCCouncil slush funds #VealPen ; of which $25,000 allocated to VOCAL-NY is to pay for anti-stop-and-frisk training." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/CommunitiesUnitedforPoliceReformCPRLogo_zpsf0892575.png" border="0" width=600 height=160 alt="Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) Logo photo CommunitiesUnitedforPoliceReformCPRLogo_zpsf0892575.png"/></a>
<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Despite cheap "progressive" talk from mayor and new Council speaker, New York City Council is still disbursing speaker slush funds, even as one sitting Councilmember's funding had to be supervised due to pending corruption charges. </font></b></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>New York City Council Divvies Up $50 Million in Speaker Slush Funds <a href="http://t.co/jUmrGwJxMb">http://t.co/jUmrGwJxMb</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/WSJ">@WSJ</a></p>— Informed Voting (@informedvoting) <a href="https://twitter.com/informedvoting/statuses/481832958735560704">June 25, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-council-divvies-up-50-million-in-discretionary-funds-1403661246" title="The New York City Council plans Wednesday to approve $50 million in discretionary funds to hundreds of community groups, defying Mayor Bill de Blasio's call for abolishing this type of government funding that some critics describe as "pork."" target="_blank">New York City Council Divvies Up $50 Million in Speaker Slush Funds (The Wall Street Journal)</a></i></P>
<p><i><a href="http://www.metro.us/newyork/news/local/2014/05/07/queens-councilman-ruben-wills-arrested/" title="Queens Councilman Ruben Wills maintained his innocence on Wednesday after being indicted on multiple corruption charges, including the theft of campaign finance funds and grant money awarded to a nonprofit he led." target="_blank">Queens Councilman Ruben Wills arrested by Attorney General’s office in corruption probe (UPDATE) (Metro New York)</a></i></P>
<p><i><a href="http://council.nyc.gov/downloads/pdf/budget/2015/FY15%20Schedule%20C%20Template%20-%20Final.pdf" title="Fiscal Year 2015 Adopted Expense : Budget Adjustment Summary / Schedule C" target="_blank">MMV Slush Funds Report For Fiscal Year 2015 Adopted Expense : Budget Adjustment Summary / Schedule C (New York City.gov)</a></i></font></P>
</TD> <td WIDTH="70%"><p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Slush funds allocated to VOCAL-NY include $25,000 for anti-Stop-and-Frisk workshops, even though Mayor Bill de Blasio campaigned to end the "Stop-and-Frisk" era in NYPD policing. </font></b></p>
<p>Following the Veal Pen Workshop for police reform at the Left Forum 2014, some of the member groups belonging to a coalition known as <a href="https://twitter.com/changethenypd" title="Community Groups Dependent on New York City Council Slush Funds" target="_blank">Communities United for Police Reform</a>, or <b>CPR</b>, were shown to have influence over the stalled social movement to press the New York City government to deliver police reforms. When one of the stalling member groups in the CPR coalition, <b>VOCAL-NY</b>, was pressed about their role in deliberately deescalating public pressure for police reforms, a VOCAL-NY director, <a href="https://twitter.com/AGAINSTBRATTON/status/473548078503690241" title="When asked whether Jennifer Flynn Walker feared the loss of her funding if she confronted Mayor de Blasio over the lack of reforms at the NYPD, Ms. Walker accused activists of being cops/informants." target="_blank">Jennifer Flynn Walker, had a meltdown on Twitter</a> after activists pressed whether City Council slush funds played a role in CPR easing off pressure on the de Blasio-Mark-Viverito administration. </p>
<p>"Professional" activists like Ms. Walker get a "seat at the table" next to powerholders, precisely because these "professional" activists accept government funding from the very politicians, who grassroots activists are targeting for legal reforms. Those government funding allocations come with implicit strings attached to not embarrass the politicians publicly, to not create any "scandals," and to settle for the low-bar "politics of the possible" that politicians, like Mayor Bill de Blasio, can deliver without upsetting his big money campaign donors. </p>
<p>Some police reform activists believe that the mayor announced his controversial pick for NYPD commissioner to placate nervous billionaire real estate developers, who want to keep seeing escalating New York City real estate prices. The only way real estate prices can keep spiraling up out of control is by keeping all the youths and people of color either locked up in school or locked up in jail. </p>
<p>Making do by accepting Mayor de Blasio's appointment of <b>William Bratton</b> as the new commissioner of the New York Police Department means that the City Council has to keep funding community programs to deal with police brutality and the violation of innocent people's rights. </p>
<p>Indeed, the slush funds allocated to VOCAL-NY include $25,000 that are intended to "provide <b>Know Your Rights workshops</b> to inform people of their legal rights during police encounters (including stop, question and frisk) and role play de-escalation strategies in order to stay safe and calm." (Emphasis Added) </p></TD> </TR>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/maslowsneeds/status/481857058975674369" title="Groups in @changethenypd receiving $7 million + in FY15 @NYCCouncil slush funds #VealPen ; of which $25,000 allocated to VOCAL-NY is to pay for anti-stop-and-frisk training." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/VOCAL-NYFY15MMVCityCouncilSlushFunds-Includingforanti-Stop-and-FriskWork_zpsb820b109.png" border="0" width=600 height=309 alt="VOCAL-NY FY15 MMV City Council Slush Funds - Including for anti-Stop-and-Frisk Work photo VOCAL-NYFY15MMVCityCouncilSlushFunds-Includingforanti-Stop-and-FriskWork_zpsb820b109.png"/></a>
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<p>CPR member groups receiving FY15 slush funds are : </p>
<p>  -  <u>Bronx Defenders</u> : $1,636,000</p>
<p>  -  <u>Legal Aid Society</u> : $5,865,750</p>
<p>  -  <u>New York City Anti-Violence Project</u> : $186,755</p>
<p>  -  <u>Streetwise & Safe</u> : $10,000</p>
<p>  -  <u>VOCAL-NY</u> : $62,000</p>
<p>  -  <u>Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice</u> : $24,000</p>
<p>The controversial City Council practise of doling out slush funds was a hallmark issue in last year's mayoral campaign, and the slush fund allocations were used as an accusation of corruption against former Council Speaker Christine Quinn. According to her campaign promises, the new Council speaker, Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito, promised to bring reforms to the City Council never made possible under former Speaker Quinn's leadership. Alas, Speaker Mark-Viverito is using the shady distribution of slush funds to control strategic community groups for political reasons, which is no different from the motivations of her her predecessor.</p>
<p>It's not known why VOCAL-NY still needs $25,000 for workshops that will train people how to deal with police use of "Stop-and-Frisk," if Mayor de Blasio campaigned to end the "Stop-and-Frisk" era at the NYPD. The right thing for VOCAL-NY to do is to come forward to press the mayor to deliver the full range of reforms at the NYPD that he supposedly gave lip service to in last year's mayoral election.</p>
<p>Unless, of course, some of the CPR community groups are afraid to pressure the de Blasio-Mark-Viverito administration for the full range of legal reforms needed to end police brutality, violations of the Handschu Agreement, and other infringements of civil liberties and civil rights of innocent New Yorkers. For years, activist have wondered how could the City Council fund, on the one hand, police procedures that violate the <b>Civil Rights Act</b> protections of it citizens, at the same time when, on the other hand, the City Council is funding community groups for protection from police brutality ? What kind of duplicitous City Council budget are elected officials adopting ?</p>
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<p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"> <a title="View 2014-05-31 Veal Pen (Left Forum) Contact Sheet (Twitter Handles) (FINAL)(2014-06-25 FY15 Schedule C Slush Funds Update) on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/231306351/2014-05-31-Veal-Pen-Left-Forum-Contact-Sheet-Twitter-Handles-FINAL-2014-06-25-FY15-Schedule-C-Slush-Funds-Update" style="text-decoration: underline;" >2014-05-31 Veal Pen (Left Forum) Contact Sheet (Twitter Handles) (FINAL)(2014-06-25 FY15 Schedule C Slush F...</a> by <a title="View Connaissable's profile on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/Connaissable" style="text-decoration: underline;" >Connaissable</a></p><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/231306351/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-mhcgAVDxazqhvfnKpItL&show_recommendations=true" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" scrolling="no" id="doc_14859" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-13877341230583480512014-06-16T19:36:00.001-07:002014-06-16T19:37:32.207-07:00Healthcare workers plan protest against healthcare and jobs cuts Wednesday on Staten Island<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Nurses and caregivers will picket at Staten Island hospitals on Wednesday</font></b></p>
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<P><font FACE="bookman"><i><a href="http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/06/nurses_and_caregivers_will_pic.html" title="Thousands of nurses and caregivers -- including many at Staten Island University Hospital -- will be holding protests for quality care and good jobs at over 100 facilities throughout the New York City area. " target="_blank">Nurses and caregivers will picket at Staten Island hospitals on Wednesday (Staten Island Live)</a></p>
<P> <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/30/1303271/-NY-WFP-on-the-brink-of-doing-the-right-thing-apparently-folds" title="A select few unions are pushing the WFP activists towards endorsing Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- mainly the CWA and SEIU 1199." target="_blank"
>NY WFP, on the brink of doing the right thing, apparently folds to Cuomo (Daily Kos)</a></i></font></P>
</TD> <td WIDTH="70%"><p>On Wednesday, healthcare workers are promising to protest healthcare and job cuts being imposed by the chief executive officers of various New York City-area healthcare corporations, according to a report in <i>Staten Isalnd Live</i>.</p>
<p><font size="3"><blockquote><i>STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Thousands of nurses and caregivers -- including many at Staten Island University Hospital and Richmond University Medical Center -- will be holding protests for quality care and good jobs at over 100 facilities throughout the New York City area.</p>
<p>The "informational picket lines" at hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and other facilities mark the launch of an effort to educate patients and the public about healthcare CEOs "who are severely threatening the quality of healthcare services and jobs for New Yorkers," said 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, which represents over 250,000 healthcare workers in New York State, and more than 400,000 total members throughout the East Coast, in a written statement.</i></blockquote></font></p>
<p>It's unknown what impact the protests and pickets will accomplish. Even as 1199 protests the job losses and healthcare cuts by healthcare CEO's, note that 1199 helped to strong-arm the Working Families Party to endorse the re-election campaign of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose very own Medicaid Redesign Team implimented large-scale healthcare cuts, including the outsourcing to Stephen Berger the effort to keep closing city hospitals that have resulted in still yet further healthcare union job losses, not including the negative impact to public health.</p></TD> </TR>
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NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-80803406876771404292014-06-08T09:03:00.000-07:002014-06-08T09:03:12.840-07:00Demand A Hospital : NYTimes LICH Report Back<p>From Demand A Hospital : </p>
<blockquote><p>Dear All : </p>
<p>Two articles of interest to many : </p>
<p>(i) For de Blasio, Deals, Drama and (Maybe) Progress (The New York Times)</p>
<blockquote><p>On Tuesday, activists gathered in Borough Hall to grieve over the fate of Long Island College Hospital, which is to be converted into a condominium site with some sort of health care facility, though it is uncertain how much of one. The hospital effectively closed last month, leaving residents in surrounding areas worried about curtailed services, in particular the prospect of waiting a dangerously long time for an ambulance. On May 31, a man in Red Hook did die after what was reported to be a long wait, and though it was unclear whether a direct connection existed, the episode served as a dramatic confirmation of the community’s apprehension.</p>
<p>That a certain amount of anger over the hospital is now directed at Bill de Blasio is hardly surprising, given how much theater he mined from his efforts to save it during the mayoral race last summer, at one point even getting arrested during a protest. Although the mayor’s office has been working to bring the state university system, which owns the hospital, developers and community members to an accord and thus preserve health care, the sense that Mr. de Blasio exploited the issue, declared victory in the face of a loss and then moved on has clearly taken hold.</p>
<p>LINK : http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/08/nyregion/for-de-blasio-deals-drama-and-maybe-progress.html</p></blockquote>
<p>(ii) New York City Street Homelessness Rises 6% (The Wall Street Journal)</p>
<blockquote><p>At a City Council hearing on Friday, several council members urged Mr. de Blasio’s budget director, Dean Fuleihan, to increase city resources to prevent homelessness. Mr. de Blasio pledged during the campaign and since he has taken office to make reducing homelessness a top priority, but some advocates and elected officials have said they don’t believe the administration is doing enough.</p>
<p>LINK : http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2014/06/06/new-york-city-street-homelessness-rises-6/</p>
</blockquote><p>As Jay Kallio commented on The New York Times column, "Government only works when we remain vigilant, and continue the fight long after the election results are in. Start calling and demonstrating today. The job of civic engagement never ends."</p>
<p>Thank you for all that you do.</p>
<p>-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- </p>
<p>Tell Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to stop closing our hospitals. Call 311 for the mayor and 1 (518) 474-8390 for the governor.</p>
<p>You can also tweet your concerns to : @BilldeBlasio -and- @NYGovCuomo</p></blockquote>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-4719122158796466522014-06-06T08:46:00.001-07:002014-06-06T08:46:19.852-07:00Did BdB use LICH just to get elected ?<p>From Demand A Hospital :</p>
<blockquote><p>Dear All : </p>
<p>Two hospital-related stories in the news this week : </p>
<p>BILL DE BLASIO BETRAYED HIS BELIEVERS IN COBBLE HILL, BROOKLYN<br>
By : Liza Featherstone, amNewYork</p>
<p>There are signs de Blasio is willing to fight for ordinary New Yorkers. Additional paid sick leave and universal pre-K are nothing to dismiss. But when the interests of ordinary New Yorkers conflict with those of the real estate industry, which donated heavily to de Blasio's campaign, is Mayor 99 Percent setting aside his protest placards? Many in Cobble Hill think so.</p>
<p>LINK : http://www.amny.com/opinion/columnists/liza-featherstone/bill-de-blasio-betrayed-his-believers-in-cobble-hill-liza-featherstone-1.8348173</p>
<p>NYC'S TOP NONPROFIT HOSPITALS SPEND LITTLE ON CARE FOR THE UNINSURED<BR>
By : Tara Palmeri, The New York Post</p>
<p>Lenox Hill Hospital — which boasts a luxury maternity wing that has catered to celebrities such as Beyoncé — was among the stingiest of the group, according to the records. While it took in revenue totaling $744.8 million in 2012, it administered just $4.12 million — or 0.57 percent — in free care, according to the data.</p>
<p>Michael Dowling, the president of North Shore-LIJ Health System, which oversees Lenox Hill and 15 other area hospitals, earned well over half of what was paid out in free aid that year ($2.83 million).</p>
<p>LINK : http://nypost.com/2014/06/02/nycs-top-nonprofit-hospitals-spend-little-on-care-for-uninsured/</p>
<p>-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- </p>
<p>Tell Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to stop closing our hospitals. Call 311 for the mayor and 1 (518) 474-8390 for the governor.</p>
<p>You can also tweet your concerns to : @BilldeBlasio -and- @NYGovCuomo </p></blockquote>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-1132274171366279352014-05-22T16:42:00.000-07:002014-05-22T20:16:49.268-07:00Bill de Blasio Hospital Closings Flyer<p>The wave of hospital closings continue into the de Blasio-Mark-Viverito administration from the Bloomberg-Quinn administration, because lying, cheating politicians, first promise to meet community demands to save our hospitals, but then turn out to fail to live up to their campaign promises.</p>
<p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"> <a title="View 2014-05-22 Bill de Blasio Hospital Closings Flyer on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/225700891/2014-05-22-Bill-de-Blasio-Hospital-Closings-Flyer" style="text-decoration: underline;" >2014-05-22 Bill de Blasio Hospital Closings Flyer</a> by <a title="View Connaissable's profile on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/Connaissable" style="text-decoration: underline;" >Connaissable</a></p><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/225700891/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-fOflHVVkwhtpn80FHF6m&show_recommendations=true" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" scrolling="no" id="doc_92380" width="600" height="800" frameborder="0"></iframe>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-34693331322888080802014-04-13T18:08:00.003-07:002014-04-14T08:05:12.938-07:00Bill de Blasio and Bill Rudin Community Betrayal ?<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Has Mayor de Blasio turned his back on the community demand for a full-service hospital to replace St. Vincent's ?</font></b></p>
<a href="https://www.crainsnewyork.com/gallery/20140413/NONPROFITS/413009999/3" title="Bill de Blasio and Bill Rudin Community Betrayal ?" target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/Bill-Bratton-Bill-de-Blasio-and-Bill-Rudin_zps8187f9c9.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=450 alt="Bill Bratton, Bill de Blasio, and Bill Rudin photo Bill-Bratton-Bill-de-Blasio-and-Bill-Rudin_zps8187f9c9.jpg"/></a>
<p><b>Bill Rudin</b> is one of the most corrupt real estate developers in New York City. He is the one, who basically foreclosed on <b>St. Vincent's Hospital</b>. He and his family paid off former Council Speaker <b>Christine Quinn</b> with $30,000 in campaign donations to look the other way. Has Bill Rudin found a way to pay off Mayor <b>Bill de Blasio</b>, too ?</p>
<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : Bill de Blasio may not like the condos Rudin Management is building in place of the old <b>St. Vincent's Hospital</b>, but that hasn't impacted his relationship with the developer's former lobbyist, <b>James Capalino</b>. (<a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/09/8533531/former-rudin-lobbyist-volunteers-de-blasio" title="A former Rudin lobbyist volunteers for Bill de Blasio" target="_blank">A former Rudin lobbyist volunteers for Bill de Blasio * Capital New York</a>)</li>
<li>RELATED : Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped by an Association for a Better New York power breakfast to pay respect to one his key real estate development supporters, Bill Rudin. (<a href="http://observer.com/2014/04/de-blasio-makes-surprise-stop-at-abny-breakfast/" title="Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped by an Association for a Bitter New York power breakfast to pay respect to one his key real estate development supporters, Bill Rudin." target="_blank">Mayor de Blasio Makes Surprise Stop at Bill Rudin's ABNY Power Breakfast * The New York Observer</a>)</li>
</UL></p>
<a href="http://observer.com/2014/04/de-blasio-makes-surprise-stop-at-abny-breakfast/" title="Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped by an Association for a Bitter New York power breakfast to pay respect to one his key real estate development supporters, Bill Rudin." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/BilldeBlasio-BillRudin-ABNY_zps12c27827.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=400 alt="Bill de Blasio, center, with Bill Rudin, right, at the Association for a Bitter New York photo BilldeBlasio-BillRudin-ABNY_zps12c27827.jpg"/></a>
<p><i>From the Demand A Hospital listserv :</i> </p>
<blockquote><p>Dear All :</p>
<p>Last year, Bill de Blasio demonstrated outside the construction site for the $1 billion Rudin luxury condo complex in order to burnish his appeal amongst the communities impacted by hospital closings. The theme of that protest was "Hospitals, Not Condos."</p>
<p><ul>
<li>LINK : Bill de Blasio to lead ‘Hospitals Not Condos’ rally at former St. Vincent’s site, with Belafonte, Sarandon, Cynthia Nixon, others (<a href="http://eastvillagernews.com/2013/08/de-blasio-to-lead-hospitals-not-condos-rally-at-former-st-vincents-site-with-belafonte-sarandon-cynthia-nixon-others-2/" title="Bill de Blasio to lead ‘Hospitals Not Condos’ rally at former St. Vincent’s site, with Belafonte, Sarandon, Cynthia Nixon, others" target="_blank">East Villager</a>)</li>
</UL></p>
<p>Furthermore, one of the NYC Is Not For Sale commercials that helped to elect Mayor de Blasio focused on the corrupt role of Bill Rudin's campaign donations to former Council Speaker Christine Quinn.</p>
<p><ul>
<li>LINK : New Super PAC ad blasts Christine Quinn for role in closing of St. Vincent’s Hospital (<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ad-blasts-christine-quinn-closing-st-vincent-hospital-article-1.1325928" title="The ad from New York City is Not for Sale 2013 slams Christine Quinn for supporting zoning change that cleared path for hospital closure." target="_blank">The New York Daily New</a>)</li>
</UL></p>
<p>But now that he's been elected, Mayor de Blasio is socializing with the very same corrupt real estate developer whose luxury condo conversion deal he once criticized. </p>
<p><ul>
<li>LINK : Bill Bratton, Bill de Blasio and Bill Rudin at an April 3 gala. (<a href="https://www.crainsnewyork.com/gallery/20140413/NONPROFITS/413009999/3" title="Bill de Blasio and Bill Rudin Community Betrayal ?" target="_blank">Crains</a>).</li>
</UL></p>
<p>Does this mean that Mayor de Blasio has turned his back on the community's demand for a full service hospital to replace St. Vincent's ? </p>
<p><i>Thanks for all that you do.</i></p>
<p>-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- </p>
<p>Tell Gov. Andrew Cuomo to stop closing our hospitals : 1 (518) 474-8390</p>
<p>You can also tweet your concerns to Gov. Cuomo at : @NYGovCuomo</p></blockquote>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-72946971099341382892014-04-04T21:59:00.001-07:002014-04-04T22:07:56.536-07:00Remembering St. Vincent's Hospital and Dr. Brickner ; Mayor de Blasio with Bill Rudin (twice)<p>From the Demand A Hospital listserv : </p>
<p>Dear All : </p>
<p>A news round-up, plus photographs of Mayor de Blasio kissing up to Bill Rudin and embracing Rudin lobbyist, James Capalino.</p>
<p>1. <u><b>Remembering Dr. Brickner</u></b>. Dr. Philip Brickner, who was chairman of St. Vincent's community medicine department, made house calls and set up a “free clinic” for people in need. He passed away on March 24 at his home in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. He was 85. (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/04/nyregion/dr-philip-w-brickner-who-made-house-calls-to-the-vulnerable-dies-at-85.html" title="Remembering Dr. Philip Brickner, who made house calls to the vulnerable, dies at 85" target="_blank">Remembering Dr. Philip Brickner, who made house calls to the vulnerable, dies at 85 * The New York Times</a>)</p>
<p>2. <u><b>Remembering St. Vincent's Hospital</u></b>. Some say that Rudin Management, the builder of the new billion-dollar luxury condominium complex at St. Vincent’s footprint, was coincidentally former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s largest campaign contributor, and she didn’t do all she could do to save the hospital. Sadly, this article unfairly blames St. Vincent's for the economic consequences of making good on its own charity mission. Healthcare has taken a beating in Greenwich Village and Chelsea, and, citywide, the assault continues. (<a href="http://indypendent.org/2014/04/04/remembering-st-vincents" title="Remembering St. Vincent's Hospital" target="_blank">Remembering St. Vincent's Hospital * The Indypendent</a>)</p>
<p>3. <u><b>Bill Rudin breakfast</u></b>. Mayor Bill de Blasio makes a "surprise" appearance last Wednesday morning at Bill Rudin's Association for a Better New York power breakfast. (<a href="http://observer.com/2014/04/de-blasio-makes-surprise-stop-at-abny-breakfast/" title="Mayor de Blasio makes surprise stop at ABNY insider breakfast" target="_blank">Mayor de Blasio makes surprise stop at ABNY insider breakfast * The New York Observer</a>)</p>
<p>4. <u><b>Bill Rudin gala</u></b>. Mayor de Blasio expresses support Thursday night for police crackdown as a way to jack up real estate values at Bill Rudin's Waldorf-Astoria charity benefit in this desperate Bloomberg public relations puff piece meant to help rehabilitate the Rudin family's tarnished image. See photo. (<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-04/scene-last-night-bill-de-blasio-rudin-bullets-at-police-gala.html" title="Mayor de Blasio kisses up to corrupt real estate developer Bill Rudin at Waldorf-Astoria gala" target="_blank">Mayor de Blasio kisses up to Bill Rudin at Waldorf-Astoria gala * Bloomberg</a>) </p>
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-04/scene-last-night-bill-de-blasio-rudin-bullets-at-police-gala.html" title="NYPD Commissioner William Bratton with Mayor Bill de Blasio and the corrupt real estate developer, William Rudin, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/BillBratton-BilldeBlasio-BillRudin_zps2e98efb1.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=400 alt="NYPD Commissioner William Bratton with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Bill Rudin photo BillBratton-BilldeBlasio-BillRudin_zps2e98efb1.jpg"/></a>
<p>5. <u><b>James Capalino connection</u></b>. Reminder that last year, then mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio literally and figuratively embraced campaigning with Rudin's corrupt ULURP condo conversion lobbyist, James Capalino. See photo. (<a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/09/8533531/former-rudin-lobbyist-volunteers-de-blasio" title="James Capalino, a former Rudin lobbyist volunteers for de Blasio" target="_blank">James Capalino, a former Rudin lobbyist volunteers for de Blasio * Capital New York</a>) </p>
<a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2013/09/8533531/former-rudin-lobbyist-volunteers-de-blasio" title="New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio literally and figuratively embraced corrupt Rudin ULURP condo conversion lobbyist, James Capalinio." target="_blank"><img src="http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa235/maslow25/james-capalino-bill-de-blasio_zps92ca225a.jpg" border="0" width=600 height=749 alt="Bill de Blasio with James Capalino photo james-capalino-bill-de-blasio_zps92ca225a.jpg"/></a>
<p>Thank you for all that you do.</p>
<p>-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- </p>
<p>Tell Gov. Andrew Cuomo to stop closing our hospitals : 1 (518) 474-8390</p>
<p>You can also tweet your concerns to Gov. Cuomo at : @NYGovCuomo </p>
NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-74075128450230450292014-03-15T12:34:00.002-07:002014-03-15T12:34:43.878-07:00Is Bill de Blasio doing enough about St. Patrick's Day Parade's LGBT discrimination controversy ?<p><font size="1" color="#808080">PUBLISHED : SAT, 08 MAR 2014, 10:10 PM<br>
UPDATED : SAT, 08 MAR 2014, 03:09 PM</font></p>
<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">The large commercial beer brewer <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/101496160" title="Heineken pulls out of New York City's St Patrick's Day Parade amid LGBT discrimination controversy" target="_blank">Heineken has withdrawn its support of the discriminatory St. Patrick’s Day Parade</a> in New York City even after Mayor Bill de Blasio has said that he will allow city workers to march in uniform in the parade, which bans open gay participation.</font></b></p>
<p>"Bill de Blasio is the first New York mayor for 21 years to boycott the St. Patrick's Day parade over its ban on gay participants – but is he doing enough ?" asked Ed Pilkington in <i>The Guardian</i>. </p>
<p>LGBT New Yorkers, activists, allies, and several community groups have beseeched Mayor Bill de Blasio to ban city employees from wearing their city uniforms if they plan to participate in the discriminatory St. Patrick's Day Parade that runs on Fifth Avenue. Opponents of the discriminatory parade charge that by allowing city employees to wear their uniform to the parade, the municipal government is tacitly endorsing the parade organizers' discrimination against open LGBT participants. </p>
<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://gaycitynews.com/st-pats-dispute-free-speech-issue/" title="In St. Patrick’s Day Parade Dispute, Free Speech is Not the Issue" target="_blank">In St. Pat’s Dispute, Free Speech is Not the Issue (Gay City News)</a></li>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/08/new-york-mayor-de-blasio-st-patricks-parade-gay-ban" title="New York mayor out of step with St Patrick's Day march over anti-gay ban" target="_blank">New York mayor out of step with St Patrick's Day march over anti-gay ban (The Guardian)</a></li>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://gaycitynews.com/lgbtq-leaders-allies-call-mayor-ban-uniformed-groups-discriminatory-st-pats-parade/" title="LGBTQ Leaders, Allies Call on Mayor to Ban Uniformed City Personnel in Discriminatory Fifth Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade" target="_blank">LGBTQ Leaders, Allies Call on Mayor to Ban Uniformed City Personnel in Discriminatory St. Pat’s Parade (Gay City News)</a></li>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://www.amny.com/news/heineken-pulls-support-from-st-patrick-s-day-parade-in-new-york-city-1.7401032" title="Two major beer manufacturers on Friday dropped sponsorship of St. Patrick's Day parades in New York City and Boston to protest bans on gays marching openly. Sam Adams pulled out of Boston's parade, which takes place on Sunday, and Heineken yanked its support of the New York City parade, slated for Monday. Both parades are allowing gay groups to march but are banning signage about sexual orientation." target="_blank">Heineken pulls support from St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City (amNewYork)</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p>The mayor has announced that he is not marching in the parade on March 17, but his police commissioner, William Bratton, will be marching, along with other city employees, who are being allowed by the mayor to participate in their city uniforms.</p>
<p>The mayor's Council speaker has announced that she will not allow a formal City Council contingent to participate, but she is allowing City Council employees to participate unofficially, if they so choose.</p>
<p>All of this allows the St. Patrick's Day Parade to continue its discrimination against open LGBT participation, notwithstanding the minuscule steps taken by the mayor and his Council speaker, and this leaves many LGBT activists upset that the mayor may actually be violating the city's human rights law that bans discrimination, as alluded to in a recent editorial in <i>Gay City News</i>. If city resources are used to support or endorse the discriminatory policies of the parade, LGBT activists may have a case to request a court-ordered injunction that would could bar city employees from wearing their city uniforms in the parade or the use of other city resources for the parade. It remains to be seen what course of action LGBT activists take between now and March 17, the date of the parade.</p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7434112777050933353.post-66404048151399047002014-03-15T09:49:00.001-07:002014-03-15T09:51:02.221-07:00After Buildings Collapse, New York City Mayor Postpones Dealing With Crumbling Infrastructure<p><b><font size="3" color="#FF0000">Aging Infrastructure Crumbles In New York, and Mayor Wants to Delay the Inevitable</font></b></p>
<p>"The city's infrastructure, including its aging gas mains, were again called into question on Wednesday, after an <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/03/8541958/de-blasio-well-talk-about-infrastructure-later" title="Bill de Blasio : We’ll talk about infrastructure later" target="_blank">explosion caused two buildings to collapse in East Harlem</a>," reported Dana Rubinstein last week in Capital New York. </p>
<p>But New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who dislikes being challenged into having difficult conversations by the media, refused to discuss the city's crumbling infrastructure.</p>
<p>“This is not the occasion to talk about the dynamics of our national government and the lack of support for infrastructure improvements," Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference last Thursday, according to Capital New York. "That’s a separate discussion, but for another day."</p>
<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/03/8541958/de-blasio-well-talk-about-infrastructure-later" title="Bill de Blasio : We’ll talk about infrastructure later" target="_blank">Bill de Blasio : "We’ll talk about infrastructure later" (Capital New York)</a></li>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://ny-popculture-politics.blogspot.com/2014/03/Crumbling-Infrastructure-Gas-Explosions-Hospital-Closings-and-No-Permanent-NYC-Buildings-Department-Head.html">Crumbling Infrastructure, Gas Explosions, Hospital Closings, and No Permanent NYC Buildings Department Head (NYC : News & Analysis)</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p> Thousands of miles of main gas lines in New York City are decades old, <i><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2014/0312/Deadly-building-explosion-puts-focus-on-NYC-s-aging-infrastructure-video" title="Deadly building explosion puts focus on NYC's aging infrastructure (+video)" target="_blank">The Christian Science Monitor</a></i> reported. WNYC reported that the gas main that runs near the buildings, which exploded and collapsed, is <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/story/coned-hunting-possible-gas-leak-127-year-old-pipe/" title="ConEd Hunting for Possible Gas Leak in 127-Year-Old Pipe" target="_blank">127 years old</a>. Last year, it was reported that a building was damaged by a <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/07/11/gas-explosion-causes-partial-collapse-of-lower-manhattan-building/" title="Explosion Leads To Partial Collapse Of Building In Chinatown" target="_blank">partial collapse in Chinatown</a>. The aging and collapse of city buildings comes on top of a report published today by Politicker, where the mayor was unapologetic for <a href="http://politicker.com/2014/03/de-blasio-says-he-has-no-regrets-about-agency-staffing-after-east-harlem-explosion/" title="Bill de Blasio Says He Has No Regrets About Agency Staffing After East Harlem Explosion" target="_blank">not having yet appointed a permanent head for a major city infrastructure agency</a>.</p>
<p><ul>
<li>RELATED : <a href="http://gothamist.com/2013/05/04/video_could_natural_gas_pipeline_re.php" title="Could Spectra Natural Gas Pipeline Really Blow Up The West Village ?" target="_blank">Could Spectra Natural Gas Pipeline Really Blow Up The West Village ? (Gothamist)</a></li>
</UL></p>
<p>Isn't it about time that the mayor got around to finally appointing a permanent commissioner to head the city's Department of Buildings ? After that, the de Blasio administration should complete an assessment of the city's crumbling infrastructure, map it against prior complaints, and prioritize the renewal of the city's basic physical and organizational structures, facilities, and utilities. And he should use this opportunity to make the city go green. Get rid of that dangerous Spectra natural gas pipeline running under the West Village.</p>NYC News & Analysishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899988550696097916noreply@blogger.com0