5 Bronx State Senators Urge Cuomo to Maintain Income Tax for Wealthy

Twenty state senators, including five representing the Bronx, are urging Gov. Cuomo to keep an income tax surcharge for wealthy New Yorkers. In a press release, they wrote ...

Given the fact that the federal government extended the Bush-era high-income tax cuts, it’s fair to question whether we should be giving the wealthiest New Yorkers a state tax cut too. During these difficult financial times sacrifices must be shared by all. Should wealthy New Yorkers really receive two tax cuts?

The senators representing the Bronx who signed the letter are Gustavo Rivera, Jose M. Serrano, Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Adriano Espaillat and Ruben Diaz, Sr. For the full release, click here. They say keeping the tax would generate a more than $1 billion the next fiscal year, and more than $4 billion the year after.

The Partnership for New York City, a business group, believes the tax hurts the non-wealthy. In this Post article, Kathryn Wylde, head of the groups, says it's "two-income families struggling to maintain a middle class existence in a high-cost region," that will be negatively affected. The Partnership put out a report on the subject that can be found in the "Reports" section of of their website.

What do you think? Just click the comment button below.

Ed. note: A reader rightly points out in the comments section that Adriano Espaillat represents part of the Bronx. So, we've changed the post from the original to reflect that. 

Senate Dems Get Their Committee Assignments

Senate Democratic Leader John Sampson released a list today of Senate committee assignments today, which are shown below.

The Republicans have also published their assignments, along with the names of reps who will chair said committees. The list is here. Sen. Dean Skelos, leader of the now-majority Republicans, gets to name committee chairs--positions of power that come with a "lulu," or financial bonus.

No Democrats were granted chair positions this time, and neither was Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein, or any other member of his newly formed Independent Democratic Conference.

The minority committee assignments are posted below. The names at the top of each committee list that have an asterisk next to them are the ranking minority members--i.e., the top Democrat on that committee.

New Sen. Gustavo Rivera is the new minority ranking member of the Committee on Crime Victims, Crimes & Corrections (formerly chaired by Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson when the Dems were in the majority). He's also been assigned to the Committees on Agriculture, Health, Finance, Higher Education, Labor and Banks.

Other Bronx Senators in minority ranking positions: Ruben Diaz on Aging (he was the former committee chair),  Jose M. Serrano for Cultural Affairs, and Hassell-Thompson on the judiciary committee.

See the list document for more.
46671049 Senate Democratic Committee Assignments

Bronx Immigration Seminar to Focus on Haiti and 2010 Census

State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, along with the Bronx Americaribbean Chamber of Commerce will be holding an informational seminar this Friday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. at the Haitian Congregation of the Good Samaritan Church at 661 E. 219th Street (corner of 219th Street and White Plains Road).

The seminar will discuss how to understand temporary protected status (TPS) and how Haitians can receive TPS.

The seminar will also have a Haiti update and a session on Census 2010. TPS applications can also be filled out at the meeting (passport or resident alien card required).

Questions? For more information call Carolyn D. Jones at 718-547-8854, Krystal Serrano at 914-497-1931, or Rev. Nathaniel Saint Pierre at 718-881-3779

Bronx Pols Reluctant to Criticize Monserrate; Diaz, Sr. Even Praises Him

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Many, if not all, of the Bronx’s elected officials have hosted, or attended, events and rallies designed to shed light on the crime (which is more prevalent in the Bronx than elsewhere in the city), honor the victims, and condemn the perpetrators.

It’s been interesting, then, following local pols’ reaction – or lack of reaction – to the conviction last week of State Sen. Hiram Monserrate of Queens, who was found guilty of misdemeanor assault of his girlfriend.

With the exception of Jeff Klein, none of Monserrate’s Senate colleagues here in the Bronx have been willing to criticize him, at least publicly, let alone demand his removal from office.

State Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., for one, seems amused, not angry. “We are still the Four Amigos!” Diaz told reporters – a reference to himself, Monserrate, Pedro Espada, and Carl Kruger – after Monserrate was found not-guilty of the more serious felony assault charge, which would have forced him to step down.

Diaz later sent out a press release, which said, in part: “Senator Monserrate was found guilty of trying to do good by forcing his girlfriend to go to the hospital for treatment.” He said he hopes to officiate at Monserrate's wedding. (As columnist Clyde Haberman notes in today's Times, it can't be easy planning a wedding when the groom and bride aren't allowed to talk to each other.)

Espada, another friend of Monserrate's (the two men helped bring the Senate to a standstill this summer), is similarly nonplussed by the conviction. "As it relates to Albany business, I think it's something that should be put behind us now," Espada said, according to The Buffalo News.

Ruth Hassell-Thompson, who chairs the Senate’s domestic violence task force, insists no one is "anxious to see this swept under the rug." But, at the same time, she hasn't exactly rushed out to reproach her colleague. She believes the Senate should wait until December, when Monserrate is sentenced, to decide how to punish him.

Jose M. Serrano, meanwhile, has yet to speak on the matter. And neither has Eric Schneiderman, although he’s been tapped to lead a committee that will consider possible disciplinary action against Monserrate.

UPDATE:

Council members Annabel Palma and Melissa Mark-Viverito just released a joint statement which said, in part:

Hiram has broken the public’s trust and it is our hope that he will now demonstrate leadership by stepping down from his position. Remaining in office would be a disservice to his district and his constituents.

Bronx News Roundup for June 9

Pedro Espada Jr., the new State Senate president, said in a radio interview on Tuesday morning that he personally wanted to bring same sex marriage to a vote. He also went on to say that he intends to fire the Senate’s highest-ranking Democratic staff member, Angelo Aponte, who as secretary of the Senate was the top aide to Malcolm A. Smith, the former majority leader. More here

State Senator Pedro Espada Jr. requested more than $2 million dollars in Senate earmarks this year for two groups with links to the health care organization that he founded according to the New York Times

Democrats met behind closed doors this morning to discuss a possible legal path to help them block the shift of control of the New York Senate to Republicans after the defection of Democrats Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate. Also, Governor Patterson called the shift an “outrage” and vowed to try and stop it, although there isn’t much he can do.

Mott Haven residents express anger over the Department of Parks and Recreation plans to plant trees in front of homes.

Sensors planned for the Bronx River Parkway will transmit real-time information on vehicle speeds and traffic volumes to police and public works employees.

Residents in the Wakefield section of the Bronx are unhappy over State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson’s undecided stance on the gay marriage debate.

Deal Reached to Allow Ailing Bronx Senator to Vote on Budget

Liz Benjamin reports that Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and Minority Leader Dean Skelos reached a deal that would allow Bronx State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, suffering from walking pneumonia, to vote before the vote actually came up in the chamber. This exception is known as "unanimous consent."

However, that doesn't mean the budget will pass today. The Senate has now voted on only two of the nine budget bills.

Bronx News Roundup, April 2

Not a lot to be happy about in the Bronx today, but we'll have some more posiitive news coming up later to cheer you up.

The health of Bronx/Westchester Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson continues to hamper the efforts of state Democrats to pass a budget, once again underscoring their precarious hold on the majority. Democrats outnumber Republicans 32-30 in the senate and need all 32 votes to pass the budget (or any bill for that matter). With Hassell-Thompson back in the hopsital yesterday after being diagnosed with walking pneumonia and Republicans calling for a full debate on the legislation (stalling), Democrats were forced to adjourn without voting on the budget.

At the same time, the state's Comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, a Democrat, says the proposed budget is swollen and irresponsible, given the economic downturn.

This is why we read the NY Post. A story in the paper today says a Westchester Ave. pizzeria was doubling as a drug depot. Here's the intro: "At one Bronx pizzeria, the toppings included pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms -- and lots of cocaine." Later in the story, a DEA agent says, "This gives a new meaning to the phrase, 'slice and a Coke.'"

The Daily News also picked it up. Their lead: "I'll have a large pie, half-pepperoni, half-cocaine." Video reports on the drug depot/restaurant, John's Pizza and Heroes, from NY1. Chanel 11. And ABC.

More bad (gruesome) news: a Bronx man accused of killing his daughter and stuffing her body in a boiler was also the father of the girl's unborn child, according to the Bronx DA.

Unfortunately, pizza drug spots and gruesome murder/incest-rape stories are what we get from other news outlets covering the Bronx.

Later today, we'll have preview some more positive stories from the Norwood News (but also another murder, unfortunately)

Bronx News Roundup, April Fool's Day

Not surprisingly, the state government failed to meet it's April 1 budget deadline, passing only one budget bill last night.

However, Bronx State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, provided some drama and heroics when she was rushed to the hospital, diagnosed with walking pneumonia, and then later returned, accompanied by three paramedics to vote on the one budget bill. Her fellow lawmakers gave her a standing ovation.

From now on, we will call Hassell-Thompson the Willis Reed of New York state senators.

And MTA rescue plan, which was reportedly coming together yesterday, was again derailed by a small group of state senators (this time of the upstate variety) who balked at a higher payroll tax.

Two Liberian immigrants who lived in the Bronx and were killed in the former Long Island condo of football player Jonathan Vilma may have been murdered as payback for a counterfeit money scam they concocted.

Yesterday, the Daily News' Bob Kappstatter dished on the vacant county clerkship, Diaz, Jr.'s plans for a swift transition and district leader Kenny Agosto's language skills.

More from the Times on the mishandling of the Yankees community fund money.

Just to flesh this out a little here: Basically, a lawyer hired by the Yankees to oversee the fund filed a lawsuit against Serafin Mariel, who is the chairman of fund, for putting the money into the bank (New York Community Bank) he founded and still works for. The lawyer says this constitutes a conflict of interest. And also, because the money isn't earning any interest, he says it's just irresponsible investment. The lawyer also says the fund hasn't paid him the $35,000 he says the Yankees said he would be paid for overseeing the fund.

Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Councilman Joel Rivera (who helped appoint Mariel) both defended him, but said the matter would be up to the courts to decide. Hope that helps.

Speaking of the Yankees, Metro-North officials say the stop at the new Stadium will open on May 23.