Living Wage Supporters Seek Compromise

Faced with criticism from opponents who say the bill would squash jobs, backers of a proposed "living wage" mandate in the City Council are now reportedly willing to make some concessions.

"We're trying to take into account some legitimate concerns," Bronx Councilman Oliver Koppell, who sponsored the legislation with Councilwoman Annabel Palma, told the Daily News. "What we want is something that'll work and also something that will engender as little resistance as possible."

In Living Wage Battle, Vacca Remains Unconvinced

Editor's note: A version of this article first appeared in this week's Norwood News, out today.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. at a rally last week in support of the living wage bill. (Courtesy Borough President's Office)

The City Council held a long-awaited hearing on a controversial living wage bill last Thursday, with both sides of the debate testifying about the potential effects of the legislation in a session that lasted over two hours.

The Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, sponsored by Bronx Council Members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma, would require developers of projects receiving taxpayer subsidies of more than $100,000 to pay workers $10 an hour with benefits, or $11.50 without.

The bill, which sprang from the living wage fight that derailed a plan to develop the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall, has the support of every Bronx Council member, with the exception of James Vacca, who had said he was waiting for a hearing on the issue before taking a side.

“He’s wary of any legislation that might prevent jobs, and I’m not sure he’s convinced,” said Vacca spokesman Bret Nolan Collazzi, in a phone interview after the hearing.

“We’re not planning on signing on at this time,” he said.

The legislation currently has the support of 30 Council Members; 34 are needed to override a mayoral veto.

The assertion that a living wage mandate would kill jobs was put forth in a report released by the city’s Economic Development Corporation last week. The 44-page study concluded that requiring employers to pay a higher wage would ultimately stifle commercial development and job growth.

Vacca Holds Out On Living Wage; No Hearing Date Yet

City Councilman James Vacca is the only Bronx member of the Council who has yet to throw his weight behind the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act--the bill that would require developers of retail projects receiving taxpayer subsidies to pay workers $10 an hour with benefits, or $11.50 without.

This week, his spokesman Bret Collazzi said the councilman is waiting for an official hearing to be held on the legislation before he takes a stance.

“He’s open to the idea, but he’s not there yet,” Collazzi said. “He’s met with both sides, he’s interested in it, but he won’t make a decision until the hearing.”

The fate of a hearing lies in the hands of  Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who has said that she's opening to the Council having one. Quinn spokeswoman Maria Alvarado said nothing has been scheduled yet.

"No hearing date has been set at this point, but the committee is continuing to work on finding a date," she wrote in an E-mail.

The living wage bill has lingered in the Council for almost a year; it was introduced last spring by Council Members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma, and has strong backing from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., who led the effort to defeat the city’s plan to build a mall at the Kingsbridge Armory, mainly because the developer would not guarantee that retail workers be paid a living wage. [Corrected from an earlier version]

The bill currently has the support of 29 members, short of the 34 that would be needed to override a likely mayoral veto. Mayor Bloomberg has been vocal about his opposition to a living wage requirement on the grounds that it would harm small businesses and discourage development.

The Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act would apply to any development project that receives more than $100,000 in tax breaks or city subsidies.

“We even exempted some small businesses to make sure we weren’t hurting small businesses that might not be able to pay these wages,” Council Member Koppell said at a rally for the legislation last month. “We worked hard to craft this bill so that there can be no exceptions [to it].”

Webster Rezoning Okayed, Setting Up Makeover

(Editor's Note: this article was first published in the Norwood News, out now)

A plan to rezone Webster Avenue between East Gun Hill and Fordham roads was officially approved by the City Council at the end of March, the culmination of years of planning by local leaders and elected officials to help transform the 1.75-mile corridor.

“We worked very diligently over a five-year period to craft this proposal,” said Community Board 7 member Ozzie Brown, who said the plan lays the groundwork for a more vibrant and pedestrian-friendly Webster Avenue.

“We were able to set the context for what might happen in this region for the next 10, 15 years or so,” Brown said.

Frustration Bubbles Over at Reservoir Access Meeting

(Editor's Note: this article was first published in the latest edition of the Norwood News, on the streets and online now.)

By JORDAN MOSS

After a long-delayed report that essentially denies the community greater access to the Jerome Park Reservoir was issued last week, activists and officials are feeling powerless, particularly because a Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) official assigned to report to the community on its findings refused to answer any questions.

The Facility Monitoring Committee (FMC), an advisory body that meets monthly at the DEP’s community office on Jerome Avenue to keep tabs on the Croton water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park and related projects, includes the chairs of the three surrounding community boards, Councilman Oliver Koppell, and representatives of the Parks Department and the borough president’s office.

But despite all that civic firepower, Fr. Richard Gorman, the committee chair, says it has “no juice” in getting the answers it needs. He argued for a higher-level hearing, organized by the borough president’s office.

The last straws appear to be the continued lack of progress in hiring Bronxites to work on the project and the report which, citing security concerns, essentially closes the door on community hopes to have greater access to the path inside the two chain-link fences that ring the reservoir.

Bronx Living Wage Campaign Heats Up

Text and Videos By JORDAN MOSS


Untitled from Bronx News Network on Vimeo.

The campaign that would require developers of retail projects receiving taxpayer subsidies to pay a living wage -- $10 with benefits and $11.50 without -- is heating up as advocates press for an April City Council hearing. Council Speaker Christine Quinn has said she would allow hearings on the bill, which has 29 supporters, including every Bronx member of the City Council except for James Vacca of the east Bronx. Vacca was very much on the minds and tongues of numerous speakers at a Living Wage NYC rally last week at the Bronx Pentecostal Deliverance Center on the anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death.

The legislation was introduced by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., (see the video above) who led the effort to defeat the city’s effort to build a mall at the Armory, mainly because the developer would not guarantee that retail workers be paid a living wage. Council Members Oliver Koppell (speaking in the video below) and Annabel Palma are leading the charge in the Council.


Oliver Koppell Speaks At Living Wage Rally from Bronx News Network on Vimeo.

Mayor Bloomberg is on record opposing the bill, but with five more backers, the Council would have enough votes to override his veto.

Bronx Faith Leaders Throw Support Behind Living Wage Bill

Ed. note: This story appears in the latest edition of the Norwood News.

Clergy members from the Bronx and across the city led a silent march on City Hall on Nov. 17 to voice their support for the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, or “Living Wage Bill.”

The legislation, sponsored by Bronx Council members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma, would require most development projects that receive public funding to pay workers employed there a living wage — $10 an hour with benefits or $11.50 an hour without.

The bill was sparked by a contentious debate last December over the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, when the City Council — backed by a fierce coalition of Bronx advocates and Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. — voted down plans for a shopping mall at the hulking Kingsbridge Road landmark.

The Related Companies would not agree to require retailers to pay a living wage there, despite the fact that the group was slated to receive tens of millions of dollars in subsidies, had the project been approved.

The Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act has gained momentum since its introduction in May, and faith leaders from churches and synagogues across the city say they are putting their support behind the bill.

“I am distressed by the number of our parishioners who are behind in their rent, deep in debt and working second jobs to try to catch up,” said Rev. Doug Cunningham of New Day United Methodist Church, a parish based in Bedford Park and Norwood.

Bronx News Roundup, Oct. 7

The body of a pregnant woman who had been missing for more than a week was found behind the wheel of a parked car, yards away from a Bronx police station. According to the preliminary autopsy, Gizela Andrade, a diabetic since childhood, died of an insulin overdose, although a possible suicide note was found in her home.

An angry judge dismissed an interpreter after a lawyer complained that the translations were too confusing. Defense lawyer Lynn Calvacca accused Sonia Ioannou of butchering the cross examination of a witness who speaks only Greek. The dispute began during the trial of Israel Feliciano, who stands accused of murdering Bedford Park pizza manager George Orfanos in 1992.

Bronx Science's girls volleyball team beat Kennedy for the first time since 2007.

A woman was found guilty in the murder of a 91-year old granny in the Bronx. Sparkle Daniel was found guilty of second degree murder and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Daniel will be sentenced on Oct. 25; the other woman involved in the murder is currently awaiting trial.

Lawyers are forced to look into special treatment accusations in Co-op City, where a board member was allegedly bumped to the top of a waiting list for a popular sought-after townhouse.

Council member Oliver Koppell recently acquired $5,000 for the Bronx Arts Ensemble and the Bronx Opera.

Progress report cards for several elementary schools were not looking good as schools were slammed with C's and D's. In the Bronx 56 schools received A's and 92 schools received B's. School principals say the grades are a wakeup call for new changes. 

Bronx News Roundup, July 8

Non-profits and community organizations in the Bronx, and all across the state, might not be getting their usual grants from state legislators this year. Governor Paterson vetoed thousands of member item requests (among other cuts) in an attempt to balance the state's long-overdue budget. He delivered his list of vetoes to legislators yesterday; you can check out what got nixed here.

Speaking of political pork: City Councilman Oliver Koppell didn't fair so well this year in securing district funds compared to other council members, according to the Riverdale Press. 

This stifling heat wave is finally starting to drop off (thankfully!). Unfortunately, thousands of outer borough residents are still without power, as Con Edison works to repair outages caused by this week's strain on the power grid.

A Bronx man was arrested on animal cruelty charges after leaving his dog in a van while he went for a swim. Police tried to revive the animal after freeing it from the 140 degree car, but the dog died shortly after.

The New York Times has a story and photo slideshow on the growing Mexican population in Belmont, the neighborhood traditionally known as the borough's "little Italy."

Bronx-native and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor raved about her dumpling lunch in Chinatown yesterday but had little to say about Lindsey Lohan's recent legal troubles, according to the Daily News. 

A man who tried to rob two women on East 180th Street last year--an attempt that scored him a measly $4--was sentenced to life in prison this week based on a number of previous convictions and unlawful run-ins. 

Kingsbridge Armory Battle Inspires Citywide Living Wage Bill

Two Bronx politicians are picking up the torch from the living wage campaign that was at the heart of last year's battle over the Kingsbridge Armory.

City Council members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma introduced a bill yesterday, dubbed the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, that would require all development projects that receive public subsidies from the city to pay workers eventually employed there a living wage--$10 an hour with benefits or $11.50 an hour without.                                                                                      

Living wage--just $2.75 more than the mandated minimum wage of $7.25, and adding up to about $18,000 a year, according to Koppell--was a hot button topic last year during the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory. The City Council voted down plans for a shopping mall at the hulking Bronx building in December because Related Companies, the developer, would not agree to a living wage provision for workers there, despite the fact that the group would be getting millions of dollars in taxpayer funded credits.

"Today, we're showing everyone that this debate is not just about one parochial section of the Bronx. This is a citywide debate," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., who joined a bevy of Bronx pols and leaders--and those from other boroughs--on the steps of City Hall yesterday to show their support of the bill.

Council Reaffirms Vote Blocking Armory Mall Plan

The City Council yesterday voted 48 to 1 with one abstention to override the mayor's veto of their vote last week to reject the Related Companies proposal to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall. Three additional Council members showed up to add their voices to oppose the mayor. We need to check this, but presumably only outgoing Council Member Maria Baez, who is reportedly in ill health, did not show up to vote. In the Times story today, G. Oliver Koppell, who appeared to be headed toward voting with the mayor on the earlier vote, had some harsh words for Mr. Bloomberg.

"There is only one administration and one mayor to blame,” Koppell said to applause from his colleagues.

Koppell Bucks Own Club, Backs Bloomberg for Mayor

On Monday, the Bloomberg campaign announced its eleventeenth millionth endorsement (anyone care who Bono wants to run the Big Apple?), this time from a "Senior Democrat" who turned out to be none other than Bronx City Council member Oliver Koppell.

This is far from surprising, given the kind words Koppell has often reserved for Mayor Mike and the Riverdalian's lead role in helping the mayor secure an extension on term limits.

But it's just a little bit ironic.

During the race for the Democratic nomination in the 11th Council District, Koppell repeatedly used Cassino's support for Bloomberg as a counter-weight to his attacks on Koppell's efforts to overturn the two-term limit (imposed after two citywide referendums) for the city's elected officials.

Makes you wonder if Cassino could have gained an edge if he would have been a little more, um, Democratic about the mayor's race. All we know now is that whoever won that race would have showed up as Bloomberg's eleventeenth millionth endorsement.

Nick Judd of the Riverdale Press also some fantastic stuff on the paper's blog about how others in the Benjamin Franklin Democratic Reform Club feel Koppell made a poor decision. And also how Koppell thinks his endorsement of the mayor might help him get some love in the Council during what will undoubtedly be his third term in office.

New from the Norwood News

The latest edition of the Norwood News hit streets last Thursday morning, but due to technical difficulties we were unable to get the Web version up online until today. Sorry for the delay. Here's a quick preview:

We have in-depth post-primary election stories on Oliver Koppell's convincing victory over challenger Tony Cassino in the 11th Council District as well as challenger Fernando Cabrera's narrow win over incumbent Maria Baez in the 14th.

Also, 14th District third-place finisher Yudelka Tapia says despite her problems with Cabrera's past political affiliations (he used to be a Republican) and residency issues (he only moved to the district a little more than a year ago), she will work with him for the good of the community.

The heart of Cabrera's campaign was the relentless support of his congregation at New Life Outreach International Church, a churh he started in the NW Bronx 20 years ago.

The Bronx (and New York City) Ghanaian population is rising and coming together to promote their culture as well as build a political voice.

The new leader of nation's largest labor group came to the Bronx to meet with representatives from the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA). KARA, alongw with Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and members of Community Board 7, is trying to negotiate an unprecedented (in NYC anyway) labor and benefits agreement with the Related Companies, which is planning to turn the Armory into a shopping mall.

Local Football action!

Pedro Espada is meeting with local business leaders and community groups as he decides where to distribute nearly $2 million in discretionary funding.

And always look to Neighborhood Notes page for local events, programs, services and announcements and to our Out & About page to find out about all the arts and entertainment opportunities in the borough.

Want to give us feedback on a story? Have a news tip or a topic you think we should write about? Feel free to send us ane-mail at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.

Riverdale Pols Say Cookie Company Owes City

Local lawmakers are not letting the Bronx-based cookie factory, Stella D’oro go without a fight.

Congressman Eliot Engel, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Councilman Oliver Koppell recently drafted a letter to the New York City Department of Finance, asking them stop the company’s move to Ohio until taxpayers money that was granted to them in the form of a tax abatement is returned.

The three politicians are also requesting the cookie business not be allowed to take plant machinery with them that they say was purchased and upgraded using taxpayer dollars.

“We feel very strongly that the New York City tax payers should not be outsourced to Ohio,” the three said in the letter.

Stella D'Oro was awarded tax abatements under the Industrial Commerical Abatement Program(ICAP).

Brynwood Partners, the Connecticut-based private equity firm that purchased Stella D’Oro from Kraft in 2006, announced earlier this month the sale of the pastry label to Lance Inc., prompting the relocation of production, including the machinery at the Bronx plant, to Ashland, Ohio. The move is set to take place in October.

The letter also references the end of 10 month-long employee strike that came to a close in July after the company was charged with unfair labor practices. Engel, Dinowitz, and Koppell believe the closing of the bakery may have been in retaliation, saying the workers' "sense of justice was short lived."

"We should not be sending our jobs and tax money to Ohio," said Engel. "Brynwood Partners made a coldy calculated that they wanted to break the Union," he added, "and when they lost a National Labor Relations Board decision, they decided to sell out. "

The lawmakers are demanding a temporary restraining order against the sale until the Department of Finance enacts "'claw back' procedures to recoup the tax abatements," that they say "have not been expended in a way beneficial to New York City."

They additionally requested that Lance Inc. be informed of their intentions.

Councilman Koppell hopes the city gets involved.

“It’s a longshot but we’re trying it," he said.

Koppell Wins Decisively in 11th District

Councilman Oliver Koppell declaring victory before a packed house at the
Ben Franklin Club. (Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz in foreground). Photo by Jordan Moss

Oliver Koppell scored a decisive victory in the 11th District against Anthony Cassino, the former chair of Community Board 8. The vote was 5348 (63.9%) to 2301 (36.1%)

Koppell staff and supporters started filing into the cramped storefront Ben Franklin Reform Democratic Club on E. 231st St. in Kingsbridge just after 9 p.m. Almost immediately volunteers starting filing in with precinct vote tally sheets which signaled Koppell's victory long before TV stations reported it.

Koppell gave a spirited acceptance speech standing on a chair, including a boisterous defense of his leadership in extending term limits. Essentially, Koppell saw it as a vindication for his position.

Over at the Ibiza night club near Manhattan College, the scene was more subdued as Cassino chatted with and thanked supporters.

We'll have more on this race and the other Bronx Council races tomorrow.

Final Primary Thoughts (Most importantly, remember to vote tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 15)

Well, we've arrived. The moment of truth. Tomorrow, primary voters in the Bronx will decide who they want to represent them in City Council. (We'd say there's still the matter of the general election, but let's be honest here.)

There are three, maybe four Council races in the borough that are worth watching because they could be close (or at least relatively so): the 14th, 11th, 12th and maybe the 16th. In each of those races, the incumbent is not guaranteed victory in tomorrow's primary. And if any of them go down, it will be an exception to the rule.

Last week, the NY Times, in a story about 14th District incumbent Maria Baez's perilous re-election battle -- she's facing two well-financed opponents, Fernando Cabrera and Yudelka Tapia -- reported that incumbents have won re-election in 97% of all Council races over the past 20 years. That means, if any of those incumbents gets knocked off we could be staring at history when the final results are tallied.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm excited to see some political competition.

Candidates ask us who we're endorsing in the various races. Our answer is always the same: we don't endorse. What we do endorse is informed voting and political engagement. And through our coverage and our debates we've hoped to foster that.

On that note, kudos to Oliver Koppell, the 11th District councilman, for being the only incumbent to engage his (or her) challenger(s) in a debate. Baez? A no show. Larry Seabrook (12th) and Helen Foster (16th)? Nope.

As a voter, you have to ask yourself: Why aren't these people willing to debate their opponents? It's not because they were too busy.

In any case, we're hoping some of the competition and campaigns have invigorated a Bronx voting bloc that is shockingly apathetic.

Last fall, Pedro Espada was voted in by less than 5,000 voters in a senate district with more than 100,000 registered voters. Four years ago, only 17% of those eligible actually voted in the 11th district.

So? Vote. That's all we're saying.

Here's a few last-minute snippets from the races.

• 11th District Challenger Tony Cassino read the Norwood News late last week and immediately sent out a flyer with Koppell's quote about why he's not a big fan of public referendums like the two that installed term limits. Basically, Koppell said the public isn't "sophisticated enough" to handle big decisions.
• Tapia was endorsed today by the Daily News.
• Cabrera was endorsed recently by the Rev. Al Sharpton.
• The Tapia campaign continues to attack Cabrera's campaign, while Cabrera focusses his sights on Baez. At the same time, Tapia's campaign continues to leave former strategists in its wake.
• In the last few days, Tapia's campaign has tried to say Cabrera had a poor attendance record during his tenure at Community Board 7. It's unclear exactly what his attendance was, Board 7 district manager Fernando Tirado, says records were not well kept during those years. While Cabrera's attendance record wasn't perfect, it wasn't atrocious either, Tirado says.
• Caberera's campaign is upset that Tapia is handing out literature linking her and Ruben Diaz Jr. who has endorsed Cabrera. Diaz released a statement saying, "While other candidates are trying to mislead the public by distributing material with my picture, I urge all democrats to vote for Dr. Fernando Cabrera in the primary."
• Tapia, having last month fired her campaign manager Onix Sosa after he took a job with Espada (Sosa was then fired for his long record of mismanaging apartment buildings), is now dealing with another disgruntled former advisor in Victor Solis.
• Solis, a veteran political operator who used to work for Bloomberg, says Tapia owes a friend of his, Carlos Garcia, $6,000. Garcia, in a phone interview, said he leant the money to Tapia in early June because he believed in the Tapia campaign, based moslty on the advice of his good friend, Solis. Elias Alcantera, a spokesman for the campaign, says Tapia and Solis had "personal" issues that had nothing to do with the campaign. Solis showed the Norwood News a check from Tapia to Carlos Garcia, a school teacher, for $6,000. Garcia and Solis are both listed as contributors to the campaign.
• According to city records, Tapia's campaign has received $20,900 in loans and only paid back $8,500. Three people were listed as giving her those loans. Garcia was not one of them. The campaign finance board only recently released public funds to Tapia's campaign. Not disclosing a loan, a spokesman for the board said, would result in a significant penalty for any campaign.
• We have no idea what Baez is doing. She didn't call us back today.

Vote!

UPDATE: Someone from Baez's office called us late in the afternoon to say that the councilwoman is planning to vote at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning at PS 33 (on Jerome Avenue near Fordham Road). In the evening, she's hosting an event at the Monte Carlo Room, at 2700 Jerome Ave., to celebrate what she hopes will be a hard-fought victory.

New from the Norwood News

The latest edition of the Norwood News is on streets and online now. Here's a quick preview of the stories you'll find.

Lots of politics as we approach the Sept. 15 primary.

In-depth profiles of the two candidates for City Council in the 11th District: Incumbent Oliver Koppell and form Community Board 8 Chairman Tony Cassino. [Come to the debate between the two candidates tonight at the Mosholu Library, 7 p.m., 285 E. 205th St. (between Bainbridge and Perry Avenues.) We're on our way there now! ]

Here's our 2009 voter guide for the upcoming primaries.

Pedro Espada talks about anything and everything in his new office on Fordham Road.

B.P. Ruben Diaz opposes the Armory plan with no benefits agreement in place.

And much more...

Prior 11th District Debate

BRONXTALK-MONDAY, JULY 27, 2009

If you haven't seen it yet, we thought Bronx News Network readers would, on the eve of our own debate tomorrow (Thursday, Sept. 10) at the Mosholu Library, benefit from viewing this July BronxTalk 11th District Council debate between Oliver Koppell and Anthony Perez Cassino. The debate covers important issues including the Kingsbridge Armory and the filtration plant. If you have follow-up questions on the issues addressed here or other questions entirely, bring them to the debate tomorrow or leave them as comments here on the blog.

11th Council District Debate

A Democratic Primary Debate Between the Candidates for City Council in the 11th District

Here's the flyer for the Council debate we're hosting tomorrow, Sept. 10.

Bronx News Roundup, Aug. 27

The funeral of Jose Pena-Seguira, the livery-cab driver who was shot dead in Mott Haven on Sunday, is being held today. Before the ceremony, Pena-Seguira's friends and colleagues will march from his place to work to where he was killed, to bring attention to the dangers cab drivers face. Since May, three Bronx cab drivers have been murdered on the job.

Councilman Oliver Koppell has been raising questions about his primary opponent Tony Cassino's relationship with Grassroots Initiative, a non-profit consulting firm.

Gabe Pressman looks back at New's York "love affair" with the Kennedy's, and touches on the family's connection with the Bronx.

Who knew? Jacobi Medical Center specializes in treating snake bite victims.

The so-called Five Borough Pizza Tour comes to the Bronx this Sunday. See here and here. Talking of pizza, some guy has decided to visit every non-chain pizza joint in the city, order a plain slice, consume it, and review it on his blog, Slice Harvester.

A free screening of Bronx Princess will held in Mullaly Park this Sunday. According to a press release, the film is a "tumultuous coming-of-age story" involving a Bronx-raised teenager girl of Ghanaian origin. The screening starts at 9 p.m. Before that, there will be story-telling and musical performances by some of the artists featured in the film. Here's the trailer: