- See more at: http://blogtimenow.com/blogging/automatically-redirect-blogger-blog-another-blog-website/#sthash.Q6qPkwFC.dpuf B - to the - R - to the - O - N - X!!! News Roundup, Feb. 25 | Bronx News Networkbronx

Friday, February 25, 2011

B - to the - R - to the - O - N - X!!! News Roundup, Feb. 25

We're skipping the usual intro today and just giving you the "BX Marks the Spot" hip hop video shown yesterday at Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.'s state of the borough speech yesterday. Produced by Bronxnet's Derek Woods and featuring Opera Steve, Silkedeezy and Steve Kane, the video was created in response to what Diaz Jr. perceived as negative stereotyping of the borough by "American Idol." Enjoy. The Bronx, The Broooooooooooonx!



Story of the Day:
Diaz Jr. spoke at length yesterday about his support for the Fair Wage for New Yorkers Act, also known as the "living wage" bill, which was born out of the battle over wages during the Kingsbridge Armory mall negotiations in 2009. The legislation, sponsored by Bronx council members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma, would tie city subsidies to wage guarantees. In other words, under this law, if a developer receives city subsidies -- tax breaks, no-interest loans, etc. -- then the companies who move into the devleopment will be required to pay employees who work there, $10 an hour, plus benefits, or $11.50 an hour, without benefits.

City Limits writer Neil deMause sifts through the arguments on both sides of the issue in this hearty piece of in-depth journalism.

A couple of follow-up notes on this: 29 Council members support bill, including everyone in the Bronx delegation aside from Jimmy Vacca. They need five more to create a veto-proof super majority. Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera told me yesterday that they will work hard to get Vacca into the fold, but that the east Bronx representative has a "different constituency" than he and the other Bronx delegates and that the living wage issue isn't as important to them, and consequently, Vacca. "All politics is local," Rivera said. Stay tuned.

Quick Hits:
A big drug raid on Villa Avenue netted a small arsenal of firearms, including five assault weapons.  More from NY1.

Taxi chief David Yassky and Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith write about the mayor's vision for a new fleet of cabs that could be hailed, legally, in the Bronx and other outer boroughs.

Video story on the funeral of Russell Smith, the 11-year-old who was recently struck and killed by a car on the Grand Concourse.

More on the potential Bronx building workers strike, which we reported on yesterday.

A Bronx filmmaker, Thomas Allen Harris, is working on creating a digital photo history of black New York.

NY1 on the yesterday's state of the boro.

A Bronx woman says Animal Care and Control gave away her dog.

The debate over new charter schools at JFK High School heats up.

Bronx residents have a great idea for the city: combine the Croton force main piping project with the Parks' Putnam Greenway project. Win-win, they say. 

Enjoy the weekend. The Bronx, The Broooooooooooonx!!!

1 comment:

  1. Is "different constituency" code for "white?"

    Can you explain the many exceptions to this bill? Who would be bound by it? How much money would the groups need to receive to qualify? Would charities be included? Would just the recipient be bound or also tenants of a project (say like the Armory)?

    In the current version of the bill, would the retailers that would have opened in the Armory have been bound by the living wage or simply the company that was going to renovate the Armory?

    ReplyDelete

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