[BwayDems] E-News - Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito - April 2010

[Taranto, Joseph]

April 2010

 

Inside this Newsletter:

*	Keep Up With Our Work Online
*	Recent News and Events
*	Opportunities 
*	Updates on Legislation & Budget
*	Upcoming Events
*	Getting Involved
*	District Office Information

 

Keep Up With Our Work Online

 

Subscribe to Our Blog: http://newsfrommelissa.wordpress.com

Become a Fan on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/mmvfb

Follow Us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NewsFromMelissa

 

Encourage your friends and neighbors to subscribe to our listserv by completing our new online form: http://tinyurl.com/mmvsubcribe

                                                                                    

 

Recent News and Events

 

Reminder: Complete the Progressive Caucus Budget Survey

 

Have you filled out our budget survey yet?  If not, please take a moment to do so.  My colleagues in the Progressive Caucus and I have launched this survey to give our constituents an opportunity to make their voices heard as the City Council considers ways to balance the budget deficit. We want to ensure that the views of District 8 residents are reflected in the results, so please take a moment to fill it out.  It can be accessed at http://www.surveymonkey.com/nycbudget08.

 

Constituent Services Office Hours Now Offered on the West Side and in the South Bronx!

 

Unfortunately, we do not have the financial resources to open permanent district offices on the West Side and the Bronx.  However, we have done the next best thing.  In an effort to make it more convenient for our constituents we are now offering services at both locales.  

 

West Side: On Monday, April 12th, we began holding office hours from 2:00pm-4:00 pm at the Columbus/Amsterdam BID office located at 991 Amsterdam Avenue between 108th and 109th Streets.  Office hours will continue every other Monday from 2:00-4:00 PM (i.e. the next session will be on April 26th, followed by May 10th).  We are grateful to Peter Arndtsen and the Columbus/Amsterdam BID Board for allowing us use of their space.  For more information on services out of this office please call Elsie Encarnacion at 212-282-9800 Ext: 203. 

 

South Bronx: We are equally grateful to Anthony Jordan from St. Benedict the Moor Neighborhood Center in the Bronx for providing space out of his Center.  The Center is located at 283 Saint Ann's Avenue.  Effective Wednesday, April 21st, we have begun providing services there from 2:00pm-4:00pm every other Wednesday (i.e. the next session will be on May 5th, followed by May 19th).  For more information on services out of this location, please call Diana Ayala at 212-828-9800 Ext: 202.  

 

East Harlem: Services at the East Harlem District office are provided weekly, Mondays & Wednesdays from 10AM-7PM, Thursdays from 10AM-6:00PM and Saturdays 10AM-1PM.  

 

No appointments are necessary at any of the sites.

 

MTV Airs Special on 'Wise Latinas' Featuring Elsie from Our Office & Laura from the District 8 Youth Council

 

True Life Presents: Wise Latinas debuted on MTV on Monday, April 19th.  This special profiled the lives of three women of Puerto Rican descent that are working hard to give back to their communities.  Two of those women are Elsie, a staff member in Melissa's office and Laura, an active member of the District 8 Youth Council, both East Harlem natives.  The show highlighted the important efforts being undertaken by Melissa's office and Women of El Barrio to build leadership among Latinas in East Harlem.  On Monday, Women of El Barrio held a special event to celebrate the debut.  For those who missed it, we hope to get a link soon to be able to stream the program. Please check our blog regularly for updates.

 

Upcoming Parks Hearing on Concessions

 

The City Council's Parks & Recreation Committee, which is chaired by Melissa, will hold a hearing on April 27th at 10:00 a.m. to explore the policies and practices around concessions awarded by the Parks Department.  As you probably know, issues around concessions have had a significant effect on parks in District 8, most notably on Randall's Island.  The proposal to put up tennis bubbles in Central Park has also generated further interest in this topic.  The hearing will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall.  For more information, visit: http://wp.me/pJ9TG-bg.

 

Victory at Lexington Courts

 

Lexington Courts, a nine-building complex in East Harlem that had been in danger of foreclosure and subsequent conversion to market rate housing, has been acquired by Pacific Housing Advisors, a developer of affordable housing.  The apartments in Lexington Courts will now remain affordable for tenants earning no more than 60% of the Area Median Income.  Melissa and other community leaders, including Tenant Association President Peggy Morales and Gus Rosado of El Barrio's Operation Fightback, fought to make this rescue effort a reality for the hundreds of residents of Lexington Towers.  For more information, see http://wp.me/pJ9TG-ao.  

 

Efforts Continue to Combat Hate in Puerto Rico

 

Melissa and several NYC elected officials recently joined Puerto Rican LGBT activists in denouncing the use of anti-gay slurs on the television program Super Xclusivo by sending a letter to the FCC calling for an investigation of the show.  Shortly after sending the letter, the show aired a public apology and pledged to no longer use such language on the program.  For more information, see our blog posts: http://wp.me/pJ9TG-ag and http://wp.me/pJ9TG-ax.  

 

 

Opportunities

 

Junior Ranger Day Camp

The Parks Department and Urban Park Rangers are offering a Junior Ranger Day Camp program this summer, where children will have the opportunity to stay active and explore nature right here in the City.   The program runs from June 29th through August 20th at Inwood Hill Park (Manhattan), Crotona Park (Bronx), Marine Park (Brooklyn) and Blue Heron Park (Staten Island. The cost is $65 per week, including lunch.  Half price scholarships are available.  ACS Child Care Vouchers are also accepted.  Call 311 or visit the following website for an application and further details: www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers. 


Updates on Legislation & Budget

 

The following is a list of the legislation that I have introduced this month:

 

*         Int 162 (with Speaker Quinn) <http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=657939&GUID=660732D7-03D2-4BA9-979F-A86F768D88F0&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=0162> : To require one annual household hazardous waste collection event in each borough.

*         Res 162 <http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=657916&GUID=35DD2F23-8730-4AA7-9135-0EB9095C76AF&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=0162> : Calling upon the United States Congress to pass and President Obama to sign a just and humane comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2010.

*         Res 163 <http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=657947&GUID=BBAFC162-3FE4-4FE9-AE93-140F48584D92&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=0163> : Urging the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign the Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Detention Act and the Strong Safe Treatment, Avoiding Needless Deaths, and Abuse Reduction in the Detention System (STANDARDS) Act, two bills that will reform the U.S. immigration detention system.

*         Res 164 <http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=657948&GUID=53A97C32-C6A1-4405-A143-38BAD0F98683&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=0164> : Urging President Obama to put an end to the 287(g) program, an immigration enforcement program that is causing an increase in racial profiling and civil rights abuses in localities throughout the United States.

*         Res 165 (by Council Members Mendez and Mark-Viverito) <http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=658007&GUID=4F35083B-DCF7-4671-9D07-9645D3F5A1B2&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=0165> : Urging Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuño to meet with the labor unions representing Central government workers in Puerto Rico to discuss alternative solutions to the economic crisis and reduce the privatization of important government functions, for the benefit of all Puerto Ricans including the thousands who live in, or have relatives who live in, New York City.

 

For a complete list of Melissa's legislation, visit http://newsfrommelissa.wordpress.com/legislation.  

 

Discretionary Funding Applications

 

The application period for discretionary expense and capital funding is now closed.  For groups that have submitted applications, we will provide an update on the outcome of your submission after the City's budget passes (sometime before the end of June).  If you have any questions, please contact Joe Taranto (jtaranto at council.nyc.gov or 212-788-6960).

 

Upcoming Events

 

District 8 Youth Council
When: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

Where: District Office

For more information: Contact Elsie Encarnacion at 212-828-9800

 

Anti-Displacement Task Force

For more information: Contact Elsie Encarnacion at 212-828-9800

 

Parks & Recreation Committee Hearing

When: Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Where: Council Chambers, City Hall

For more information: Contact Joe Taranto (jtaranto at council.nyc.gov or 212-788-6960)

 

Dominican Sunday Prom Dress Giveaway

When: Saturday, May 8, 2010

Where: 981 Amsterdam Avenue

For more information: Contact Dominican Sunday (212-749-0781 or dominicansunday at hotmail.com <mailto:dominicansunday at hotmail.com> ).

 

To have a local event featured in our Upcoming Events section, please send an email to newsfrommelissa at gmail.com with the information.

 

 

Getting Involved

 

District 8 Youth Council

 

The Youth Council provides a wonderful opportunity for the community's youth (ages 13 and up) to take part in local politics in their surrounding community. Young people become involved with local entities that handle youth related issues such as; the Youth & Education Committee meetings of Community Board 11 so as they can see the importance of local politics both to the Community and to themselves. The youth are currently working on a video project to compete in the New York Civil Liberties Union "Freedom of Expression: What is the Change You Believe In?" contest.  The District 8 Youth Council meets on Tuesdays and Thursday from 5pm - 6pm weekly. For more information contact Elsie Encarnacion at 212-828-9800.

 

Anti-Displacement Task Force

 

The Task Force is a body comprised of Community Based Organization (CBOs), tenants, activists, advocates and elected officials who collectively work, as a community, to confront ruthless landlords, investors, and developers that are attempting to displace members of our community. Their work brings visibility to the housing crisis through community forums, marches, rallies and other initiatives. I am right behind their efforts to empower tenants and community members by providing information and a local support network. To inquire about the next meeting call Elsie Encarnacion at 212-828-9800.

 

Harlem African Burial Ground Task Force

 

Harlem African Burial Ground Task Force is a group of concerned citizens who have united to help the Elmendorf Reformed Church (ERC) to restore and memorialize its historically and culturally significant colonial African Burial ground at 1st Avenue, between 126th and 127th Streets. ERC was established in 1660. In 1665, the First Church of Harlem, also known as the Dutch Reformed Church of Harlem (ERC), erected a church building at the corner of First Avenue and 127th Street, and a quarter acre of land connected with the church was set aside and became known as the "Negro Burying Ground" (hereafter called the African Burial Ground).   To learn more, or join and help, please contact: Deborah Gibson at 

(212) 534-5856 or dig1214 at aim.com.

 

 

District Office Information

 

105 East 116th Street

New York NY, 10029

 


Office Hours


 

Monday                      9am to 7pm

Tuesday                     9am to 6pm

Wednesday                9am to 7pm

Thursday                   9am to 6pm

Friday                                    9am to 6pm

Saturday                  10am to 1pm

 

Note that Constituent Walk-In Days fall on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am to 6:00pm, as well as Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm.  No appointment is necessary.  

 

Upcoming West Side Office Hours

 

April 26th and May 10th from 2pm to 4pm

991 Amsterdam Ave (btwn. W 108th and W 109th Streets)

 

Upcoming South Bronx Office Hours

 

May 5th and May 19th from 2pm to 4pm

283 Saint Ann's Avenue

 

To unsubscribe from our listserv, please send an email to newsfrommelissa at gmail.com with 'Unsubscribe' in the subject line. 

 

 

 

 

 

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