News Briefs

Brown Memorial Rededication
Rev. Clinton M. Miller & the Brown Memorial Baptist Church Family are inviting the community to the church’s Sanctuary Rededication Services Prayer & Praise Service at 7 pm, Friday, February 3.
The rededication comes after several years of fundraising and construction to renovate the very old church building.
Additionally, the church’s sanctuary rededication and Baptismal Service is slated for 1 pm, Saturday, February 4.
The guest preacher is the Reverend Doctor David L. Kelly, III, of the Pastor Christ Fellowship Baptist Church.
All services will be held at Brown Memorial Baptist Church, 484 Washington Avenue. For more information call (718) 638-6121.
Murdoch snags another top education employeeCity Schools Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott announced this week that Department of Education Communications Director Natalie Ravitz is leaving to become Chief of Staff to Rupert Murdoch, the Chairman and CEO of News Corporation.
The move follows former Chancellor Joel Klein, who left over a year ago to work for Murdoch’s education initiative. Klein’s initial replacement Cathy Black, used to also work for Murdoch.
Murdoch currently owns Wireless Generation, which has millions of dollars of no-bid contracts with the Department of Education. Wireless Generation is also seeking contacts with the New York State Department of Education.
Murdoch’s other holdings include the New York Post, Fox News and the Community Newspaper Group, which has a chain of newspapers in select neighborhoods of Brooklyn.
“Natalie has been an integral part of my cabinet and close confidante since I took over as Chancellor, and I want to thank her for her sharp insight, strategic vision, and commitment to advancing our education agenda,” Chancellor Walcott said. “We will miss her, but wish her nothing but the best as she begins this exciting new journey.”

City hires more social services workersThe city’s Human Resources Administration (HRA) announced this week they will hire more than 200 additional workers to handle a spike in the number of poor flocking to its centers for benefits.
The announcement comes after Our Time Press broke the story about the long lines of people standing in front of the jobs center office on DeKalb Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant after the fire department closed it down for overcrowding.
The story was later picked up by several news outlets.
“The alleviation of crowding at our office is a high priority,” HRA Deputy Commissioner Patricia Smith testified at a City Council hearing.
About 1.8 million city residents now receive food stamps, up more than 700,000 from four years ago, according to published reports.
The agency also plans on adding 49 food stamp eligibility workers and 50 job opportunity specialists. It’s also expanded space in its waiting rooms.
The expansion comes as Governor Cuomo has still not rescinded a state waiver to the city allowing it to fingerprint all food stamp applicants.

The NHL comes to Brooklyn
The New York Islanders will play the first-ever National Hockey League game at the Barclays Center now under construction at the Atlantic/Flatbush Avenue intersection at 7:30, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012 when they take on the New Jersey Devils.
The preseason game will mark the first hockey event at Barclays Center, the new major sports and entertainment venue, which will officially open on September 28 with the first of multiple JAY-Z concerts.
The game will also mark the first NHL game to be played in Brooklyn.
“We’re extremely excited to play the first NHL game in the new, state-of-the-art Barclays Center,” Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said. “We already have some of the most passionate fans in the league supporting our young team, and we are looking forward to expanding our base into Brooklyn.”
The arena is also home to the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) starting next season.

City gets Navy Yard for Supermarket
Nearly 25 years after the redevelopment of the six-acre Admirals Row site at the corner of Flushing Avenue and Navy Street was first proposed, the federal government has transferred the property to the City of New York, which will turn it over to the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) for redevelopment.
As a result of the transfer, the area’s first major supermarket will be built, two of the historic but neglected buildings will be preserved and new space for industrial tenants will be developed.
BNYDC, which manages the Brooklyn Navy Yard on behalf of the City, will now issue a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a developer to create a 74,000-square-foot supermarket and 79,000 square-feet of additional neighborhood retail space, as well as 127,000 square feet of industrial space on Admirals Row.

NYCHA development being privatized. Prospect Plaza residents need credit check to move back in

A Brownville public housing development, which displaced over 1,000 low-income residents nine years ago for alleged renovations, is now being slated for redevelopment as a mixed-income project with retail on the ground floor.
The Prospect Plaza Housing Development at 1773 Prospect Plaza was shuttered in 2003 by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) for planned renovations. This includes four 12- and 15-story buildings with 368 apartments, and the closing displaced 1,172 residents, who were told they could return upon completion.
However, in 2007 the project was suspended after it was determined that it was financially infeasible to renovate the towers.
Then this month NYCHA announced jointly with the Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) that it issued a call for developers to design, construct and operate a mixed-use development that will result in a minimum of 80 NYCHA public housing units and 280 affordable housing units along with ground-floor retail, community facility space and open space.
“This is outrageous,” said Milton Bolton, former Prospect Plaza Tenant Association President who has been a long-standing supporter of making sure the Plaza’s status returns to the NYCHA residents. “All 360 units was supposed to be NYCHA housing”
Bolton noted that according to the new plans, only 22 percent of the units will be for NYCHA tenants and all future new applicants who choose to return to the new development will have to undergo a credit check as part of the application process.
“You do not do credit checks for people who are already in housing,” said Bolton. “They are trying everything to make this development private”.
NYCHA Spokesperson Zodet Negron responded that the agency is in contact with about 240 former Prospect Plaza households, most of which were relocated to other NYCHA public housing units in Brooklyn, with a large concentration in the Ocean Hill-Brownsville community (Community Board 16).
“The Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) program will be used to finance the project and requires reasonable credit history, including a credit check, for all new residents of the development,” said Negron.
Meanwhile, Bolton said he is very disappointed in all the local elected officials in not coming to bat and dropping the ball since 2003 for their low-income constituents.
“They (elected officials) were supposed to see that this gets built and none of them did. I remember a City Council hearing about this several years and they all swore they would make it (renovations) happen, but it never did,” said Bolton.
Negron said the new development will be done in three phases with completion slated for 2017 – or 14 years after closing Prospect Plaza. By Stephen Witt And Diane Dixon

A transcript of President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought – and several thousand gave their lives.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world. For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example. Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

We can do this. I know we can, because we’ve done it before. At the end of World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known. My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to college on the GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.

The two of them shared the optimism of a Nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism. They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share – the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.

The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them.

Let’s remember how we got here. Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving our shores. Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete. Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.

In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them. Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people’s money. Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.

It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hard-working Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly four million jobs. And we lost another four million before our policies were in full effect.

Those are the facts. But so are these. In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than three million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005. American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990s. Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we’ve put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like that never happens again.

The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.

This blueprint begins with American manufacturing.

On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen. In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. We got workers and automakers to settle their differences. We got the industry to retool and restructure. Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.

We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the American auto industry is back.

What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other industries. It can happen in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. We can’t bring back every job that’s left our shores. But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do business in places like China. Meanwhile, America is more productive. A few weeks ago, the CEO of Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back home. Today, for the first time in fifteen years, Master Lock’s unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.

So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back. But we have to seize it. Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.

We should start with our tax code. Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas. Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and everyone knows it.

So let’s change it. First, if you’re a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn’t get a tax deduction for doing it. That money should be used to cover moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide to bring jobs home.

Second, no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas. From now on, every multinational company should have to pay a basic minimum tax. And every penny should go towards lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay here and hire here.

Third, if you’re an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut. If you’re a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making products here. And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

My message is simple. It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America. Send me these tax reforms, and I’ll sign them right away.

We’re also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all over the world. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years. With the bipartisan trade agreements I signed into law, we are on track to meet that goal – ahead of schedule. Soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea. Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.

I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products. And I will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the rules. We’ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration – and it’s made a difference. Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But we need to do more. It’s not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated. It’s not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they’re heavily subsidized.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trade practices in countries like China. There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders. And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing finance or new markets like Russia. Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you – America will always win.

I also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United States but can’t find workers with the right skills. Growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job. Think about that – openings at a time when millions of Americans are looking for work.

That’s inexcusable. And we know how to fix it.

Jackie Bray is a single mom from North Carolina who was laid off from her job as a mechanic. Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory in Charlotte, and formed a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College. The company helped the college design courses in laser and robotics training. It paid Jackie’s tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.

I want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as Jackie did. Join me in a national commitment to train two million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job. My Administration has already lined up more companies that want to help. Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, Orlando, and Louisville are up and running. Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers – places that teach people skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

And I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs, so that from now on, people like Jackie have one program, one website, and one place to go for all the information and help they need. It’s time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system that puts people to work.

These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today. But to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.

For less than one percent of what our Nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every State in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning – the first time that’s happened in a generation.

But challenges remain. And we know how to solve them.

At a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have forced States to lay off thousands of teachers. We know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000. A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance. Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies – just to make a difference.

Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. In return, grant schools flexibility: To teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.

We also know that when students aren’t allowed to walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. So tonight, I call on every State to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn eighteen.

When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in July. Extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves middle-class families thousands of dollars. And give more young people the chance to earn their way through college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.

Of course, it’s not enough for us to increase student aid. We can’t just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. States also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets. And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down. Recently, I spoke with a group of college presidents who’ve done just that. Some schools re-design courses to help students finish more quickly. Some use better technology. The point is, it’s possible. So let me put colleges and universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down. Higher education can’t be a luxury – it’s an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.

Let’s also remember that hundreds of thousands of talented, hardworking students in this country face another challenge: The fact that they aren’t yet American citizens. Many were brought here as small children, are American through and through, yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. Others came more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs somewhere else.

That doesn’t make sense.

I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That’s why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before. That’s why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office.

The opponents of action are out of excuses. We should be working on comprehensive immigration reform right now. But if election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, and defend this country. Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship. I will sign it right away.

You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn equal pay for equal work. It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work; and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.

After all, innovation is what America has always been about. Most new jobs are created in start-ups and small businesses. So let’s pass an agenda that helps them succeed. Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow. Expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs. Both parties agree on these ideas. So put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this year.

Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet. Don’t gut these investments in our budget. Don’t let other countries win the race for the future. Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.

Nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy. Over the last three years, we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, I’m directing my Administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources. Right now, American oil production is the highest that it’s been in eight years. That’s right – eight years. Not only that – last year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past sixteen years.

But with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough. This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy – a strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.

We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly one hundred years, and my Administration will take every possible action to safely develop this energy. Experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade. And I’m requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use. America will develop this resource without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk.

The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose between our environment and our economy. And by the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of thirty years, that helped develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale rock – reminding us that Government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.

What’s true for natural gas is true for clean energy. In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled. And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.

When Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he worried that at 55, no one would give him a second chance. But he found work at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan. Before the recession, the factory only made luxury yachts. Today, it’s hiring workers like Bryan, who said, “I’m proud to be working in the industry of the future.”

Our experience with shale gas shows us that the payoffs on these public investments don’t always come right away. Some technologies don’t pan out; some companies fail. But I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not walk away from workers like Bryan. I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here. We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That’s long enough. It’s time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs.

We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. But there’s no reason why Congress shouldn’t at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation. So far, you haven’t acted. Well tonight, I will. I’m directing my Administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power three million homes. And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense, the world’s largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history – with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.

Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy. So here’s another proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need them. Send me a bill that creates these jobs.

Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America’s infrastructure. So much of America needs to be rebuilt. We’ve got crumbling roads and bridges. A power grid that wastes too much energy. An incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the world.

During the Great Depression, America built the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge. After World War II, we connected our States with a system of highways. Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great projects that benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today.

In the next few weeks, I will sign an Executive Order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects. But you need to fund these projects. Take the money we’re no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home.

There’s never been a better time to build, especially since the construction industry was one of the hardest-hit when the housing bubble burst. Of course, construction workers weren’t the only ones hurt. So were millions of innocent Americans who’ve seen their home values decline. And while Government can’t fix the problem on its own, responsible homeowners shouldn’t have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief.

That’s why I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low interest rates. No more red tape. No more runaround from the banks. A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit, and will give banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.

Let’s never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a Government and a financial system that do the same. It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.

We’ve all paid the price for lenders who sold mortgages to people who couldn’t afford them, and buyers who knew they couldn’t afford them. That’s why we need smart regulations to prevent irresponsible behavior. Rules to prevent financial fraud, or toxic dumping, or faulty medical devices, don’t destroy the free market. They make the free market work better.

There is no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary, or too costly. In fact, I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his. I’ve ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that don’t make sense. We’ve already announced over 500 reforms, and just a fraction of them will save business and citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years. We got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill – because milk was somehow classified as an oil. With a rule like that, I guess it was worth crying over spilled milk.

I’m confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal agency looking over his shoulder. But I will not back down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill we saw in the Gulf two years ago. I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury pollution, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean. I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage, or charge women differently from men.

And I will not go back to the days when Wall Street was allowed to play by its own set of rules. The new rules we passed restore what should be any financial system’s core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs with the best ideas, and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a home, start a business, or send a kid to college.

So if you’re a big bank or financial institution, you are no longer allowed to make risky bets with your customers’ deposits. You’re required to write out a “living will” that details exactly how you’ll pay the bills if you fail – because the rest of us aren’t bailing you out ever again. And if you’re a mortgage lender or a payday lender or a credit card company, the days of signing people up for products they can’t afford with confusing forms and deceptive practices are over. Today, American consumers finally have a watchdog in Richard Cordray with one job: To look out for them.

We will also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments. Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there’s no real penalty for being a repeat offender. That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing. So pass legislation that makes the penalties for fraud count.

And tonight, I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis. This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans.

A return to the American values of fair play and shared responsibility will help us protect our people and our economy. But it should also guide us as we look to pay down our debt and invest in our future.

Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile. People cannot afford losing $40 out of each paycheck this year. There are plenty of ways to get this done. So let’s agree right here, right now: No side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay.

When it comes to the deficit, we’ve already agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts and savings. But we need to do more, and that means making choices. Right now, we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households. Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.

Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else – like education and medical research; a strong military and care for our veterans? Because if we’re serious about paying down our debt, we can’t do both.

The American people know what the right choice is. So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.

But in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes. Tax reform should follow the Buffett rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. In fact, if you’re earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up. You’re the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. You’re the ones who need relief.

Now, you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.

We don’t begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it. When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they envy the rich. It’s because they understand that when I get tax breaks I don’t need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference – like a senior on a fixed income; or a student trying to get through school; or a family trying to make ends meet. That’s not right. Americans know it’s not right. They know that this generation’s success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to their country’s future, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense of shared responsibility. That’s how we’ll reduce our deficit. That’s an America built to last.

I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt; energy and health care. But no matter what party they belong to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right now: Nothing will get done this year, or next year, or maybe even the year after that, because Washington is broken.

Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?

The greatest blow to confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events beyond our control. It came from a debate in Washington over whether the United States would pay its bills or not. Who benefited from that fiasco?

I’ve talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad – and it seems to get worse every year.

Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics. So together, let’s take some steps to fix that. Send me a bill that bans insider trading by Members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow. Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact. Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa – an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.

Some of what’s broken has to do with the way Congress does its business these days. A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything – even routine business – passed through the Senate. Neither party has been blameless in these tactics. Now both parties should put an end to it. For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote. That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.

Finally, none of these reforms can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this town. We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common sense ideas.

I’m a Democrat. But I believe what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed: That Government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more. That’s why my education reform offers more competition, and more control for schools and States. That’s why we’re getting rid of regulations that don’t work. That’s why our health care law relies on a reformed private market, not a Government program.

On the other hand, even my Republican friends who complain the most about Government spending have supported federally-financed roads, and clean energy projects, and federal offices for the folks back home.

The point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective Government. And while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress. With or without this Congress, I will keep taking actions that help the economy grow. But I can do a whole lot more with your help. Because when we act together, there is nothing the United States of America can’t achieve.

That is the lesson we’ve learned from our actions abroad over the last few years.

Ending the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our enemies. From Pakistan to Yemen, the al Qaeda operatives who remain are scrambling, knowing that they can’t escape the reach of the United States of America.

From this position of strength, we’ve begun to wind down the war in Afghanistan. Ten thousand of our troops have come home. Twenty-three thousand more will leave by the end of this summer. This transition to Afghan lead will continue, and we will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against America.

As the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo; from Sana’a to Tripoli. A year ago, Qadhafi was one of the world’s longest-serving dictators – a murderer with American blood on his hands. Today, he is gone. And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change can’t be reversed, and that human dignity can’t be denied.

How this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain. But we have a huge stake in the outcome. And while it is ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well. We will stand against violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings – men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.

And we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests. Look at Iran. Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program now stands as one. The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent. Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.

The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to the Americas are deeper. Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history. We’ve made it clear that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a new hope. From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies; to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about. That’s not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to work with us. That’s not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin; from Cape Town to Rio; where opinions of America are higher than they’ve been in years. Yes, the world is changing; no, we can’t control every event. But America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs – and as long as I’m President, I intend to keep it that way.

That’s why, working with our military leaders, I have proposed a new defense strategy that ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget. To stay one step ahead of our adversaries, I have already sent this Congress legislation that will secure our country from the growing danger of cyber-threats.

Above all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who defend it. As they come home, we must serve them as well as they served us. That includes giving them the care and benefits they have earned – which is why we’ve increased annual VA spending every year I’ve been President. And it means enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our Nation.

With the bipartisan support of this Congress, we are providing new tax credits to companies that hire vets. Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families. And tonight, I’m proposing a Veterans Job Corps that will help our communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters, so that America is as strong as those who defend her.

Which brings me back to where I began. Those of us who’ve been sent here to serve can learn from the service of our troops. When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight. When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails. When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one Nation, leaving no one behind.

One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names. Some may be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn’t matter. Just like it didn’t matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates – a man who was George Bush’s defense secretary; and Hillary Clinton, a woman who ran against me for president.

All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission. It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job – the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs. More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other – because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there’s someone behind you, watching your back.

So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes. No one built this country on their own. This Nation is great because we built it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.

Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Kings County Politics: Barron likes chances in Bed-Stuy

If Bedford-Stuyvesant proves to be the bellwether district in deciding the 10th Congressional District race, then City Councilman Charles Barron likes his chances.
Barron, along with incumbent Rep. Ed Towns and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries are all vying for the seat in the district that covers a wide swath of Brooklyn. Pundits believe that if each candidate covers their base constituency then the vote in Bed-Stuy could decide the election.
“The people of Bed-Stuy need a voice in Washington to stand up to both the Democrats and Republicans. Both Towns and Jeffries say they are unifiers. But look what bipartisanship got us. It got us the Iraq War and lifted a cap on $3 trillion worth of services that cut Medicaid and Medicare,” said Barron.
Barron said while it is easy for both Towns and Jeffries to jump aboard the Obama bandwagon, he will question the president on why the unemployment rate for African-Americans is 16 percent – nearly double the national unemployment rate and what will he do to bring these numbers more in line.
“Obama will carry New York City so the question isn’t how much support are we going to give Obama. The question is how much is Obama going to support us?” said Barron.
While Barron said he likes his chances in Bed-Stuy, his campaign will be run on a relative shoestring. He said he expects to raise about $150,000 total – well below the expected large election war chests of both Town and Jeffries.
Then again, Barron narrowly lost to Towns in a three-way race in 2006, when former Assemblyman Roger Green played a spoiler role.
In that election Towns carried Bed-Stuy by about 200 votes in roughly 2,500 votes cast, according to Barron.
In this election, though, Jeffries is stronger than Green in that the former self-proclaimed reformer now has the backing of powerful Kings County Democratic boss Vito Lopez and his network of political clubs. This includes Bed-Stuy’s Vanguard Independent Democratic Association (VIDA) club.

VIDA tabs Cornegy President
Speaking of the Vanguard Independent Democratic Association (VIDA), the powerful Bed-Stuy political club picked Democratic District Leader Robert Cornegy as it’s new president – a move that several independent Democratic sources say is more like an “anointment”.
Cornegy was handpicked by City Councilman Al Vann several years ago when he suddenly dropped out of the Democratic Assembly District Leader race and appointed Cornegy to replace him without opposition.
Cornegy was also on the inside when Vann swapped his former state assembly seat with former City Councilwoman Annette Robinson when she was term limited out of office.
Now with strong rumors that Robinson is going to retire, Cornegy said he’s going to run for her 56th District Assembly seat.
While Cornegy has to be considered an early favorite, sources say several other people are considering throwing their hat in the ring. This includes Common Grounds Coffee Shop owner Tremaine Wright, Community Board 3 member Ella Joy Williams and Rep. Ed Towns’ liaison, Karen Cherry.
“I see the Assembly race as a wonderful opportunity for us as a community to elect a capable, dynamic and responsive elected official,” said Wright. “If Ms. (Annette) Robinson decides she’s retiring then a number of people will pop up who might not even be thinking of running and it would be a healthy race.”
One political source said Cornegy could be tested in the Assembly race.
“He (Cornegy) was definitely anointed and there’s definitely questions about his abilities,” said the source. “I don’t get the sense he has what it takes. There’s a place for political clubs, but there’s times when they are not in the best interests of the community.”
But Cornegy defended political clubs, saying they just have to be updated and that Central Brooklyn is suffering because of division from independent Democrats.
“Clubhouse politics have always been a rallying point and meeting point for getting things done,” said Cornegy. “The power of clubs is undeniable, but how the power is yielded has to be looked at.”

Odds and Ends
Olanike (Ola) Alabi, the 57th Democratic Assembly Female District Leader, will be fighting a war on two fronts in the September primary.
That after Parliament Democratic Club President and community activist Renée Collymore announced she will again take on Ola for the Female District Leader seat. Ola is also running against male Democratic District Leader Walter Mosley for the state Assembly seat that Jeffries must vacate to run for Congress.
Also announcing a run for office is longtime community activist Tony Herbert, who will run for William Boyland’s 55th District Assembly seat.
Boyland, while still in office, is facing felony charges of bribery and corruption and must step down if he is convicted.
While Herbert said he feels bad that “a brother” might be convicted, the upside is it can be an opportunity to transform the community.
“We’re supposed to be about the community and there’s been problems in the community for a long time,” said Herbert. “The Boylands have been about the family business and not the peoples’ business and that’s the issue.”

Comptroller John Liu Meets with Our Time Press publishers

At a time when the Bloomberg Administration is closing after-school programs to save $20 million in a $68 billion budget, the tens of millions of dollars that Comptroller John Liu has been finding in city agency accounts is very meaningful. The comptroller has also created a transparency to the city’s finances that is unprecedented. A visit to the My Money NYC Web site (www.comptroller.nyc.gov/mymoneynyc) allows the examination of city agency expenditures and shows that MWBE businesses received only 2.9% of the city budget, and that the percentage to African-Americans was less than 2%.
We had the opportunity to speak with the comptroller when he met with Our Time Press at Rowe’s Restaurant on Tompkins Avenue January 5. Over a shared plate of okra, saltfish and white rice, he spoke with us about the first half of his term in office and why he seems to work at it with such obvious enthusiasm.

Our Time Press: How’s it going in the comptroller’s office?
John Liu: In a couple of days it’s going to be halfway through and it has gone by so quickly. I remember giving my first speech like yesterday, and the swearing in and boom!, half the term is over. It’s been exciting, no question.
Aggressively pursuing our responsibilities, and some may say, “Maybe you don’t have to pursue it so vigorously”, but I have a job that the people put me in this office to do. And it’s a job that requires independence from other elected officials, especially City Hall. I’m the 43rd person to have the privilege of holding this office. And through auditing and contracts and making good investments, those are responsibilities I take very seriously. Especially in a time when City Hall talks about service reductions and layoffs, one of my main focus points has been on the outside contracting, where it seems too often the reductions of service and layoffs of city employees are kind of at the top of the list of options and somehow the outside contracting escapes the list of options. Maybe we can’t afford all those outside contractors.

Our Time Press: What’s been your “highlights,” major accomplishments, halfway through?
John Liu: Very proud of the transparency we’ve introduced to city government; for example, mymoneynyc.com, and you can get to it through the comptroller’s office. It’s an online tour that allows the public access to everything that is happening with the public’s money. It’s literally the city’s checkbook. You can see every expenditure paid. By agency, by purpose, the date, the amount, you can sort and download, it’s literally like going to a bank and signing onto your own checking account. It’s the city’s checking account, and in fact, it is your account. It’s an unprecedented level of transparency, not only here in New York City, but all across the country. And in fact, we’ve gotten many calls from other states and cities asking us about how we implemented something like this.
We looked at a number of large contracts, City Time being one of them, but other ones too, a project called ECTP, a 911 call system, projects that have been years delayed and suffered severe cost overruns. We’ve been able to, in the case of City Time, put a stop to additional money and additional contact being related to that contract, and in other cases, greatly pared down the amounts of the monies that are being spent on those contracts.

Our Time Press: I saw an article in the Daily News the other day about your office finding $17 million being held by an agency. What happens when you find that money? Does it just go into the general fund? Can it be earmarked for programs, job programs?
John Liu: My office does not have the power of the purse. The power of the purse lies with the City Council and the mayor. When we find money that’s being inappropriately kept or used, the agency has to turn that money back into the city’s treasury, so it does go into the general fund, at which point, through the normal budgetary process, it gets allocated.

Our Time Press: It just seems like you were finding significant amounts of money, $20 million, $17 million, sooner or later you’ve got a pile there.
John Liu: It adds up very quickly, and many of these are several millions if not in the tens of millions-dollar range. The biggest one being an audit we did of the Economic Development Corporation, which netted $125 million dollars. This is money that, we’re not saying that anyone is doing anything improper or stealing. It’s just that no agency gets to say, “We’re going to keep this money on the side and withdraw it as we need.” You have to go through the normal budget process. And when you think of the scale, we have a $70 billion dollar budget, think of how the mayor spoke of closing 105 senior centers earlier 2011, the price tag, or the cost savings of that was $27 million dollars. So the $27 million dollars cost for that versus finding $17 million here, finding $10 million there, it adds up pretty quickly.

Our Time Press: That’s why I asked if it could be earmarked, because it seems every summer that comes around, there’s never enough money for the teenage jobs and you’re only talking about relatively small amounts of money.
John Liu: That’s right. All these millions they add up and the goal is, and this is why the contracts and the auditing has been a primary focus for me. I knew when I took office, I was coming from the City Council, I knew that we were in very tough fiscal times, and for years the mayor’s been saying we need to have reduction in services and layoffs of city workers. We pointed out that it wasn’t that inevitable, because there was still pockets of waste that could be recovered so that those services could be protected.

Our Time Press: Looking in other areas for a moment, if you were mayor what would you do differently in education and health?
John Liu: I would do a lot differently. First, big picture. A fundamental problem of our schools our days is that they have become statistic-generating factories. No longer places of learning. I think we have to restore the learning atmosphere. As opposed to the test-taking, numerical- performance generating, and in many cases, a highly policed atmosphere where none of those things are conducive to proper learning. So we have to restore the learning atmosphere in the schools. That’s going to require a reduction in the emphasis on these once-a-year high-stakes tests. There’s going to be an emphasis on the overcrowding, because the over-crowding in some of these schools leads to a great deal of tension. Not only among students, but among anybody else. That then requires the DOE to flood the schools with a high concentration of police officers and school safety agents, it’s not conducive to learning. Also, paying more attention to what the teachers are saying. So I think the teachers have been pushed to the side in terms of determining how best to educate the kids. It’s all about management and statistics, and the teachers are not being given the opportunity to suggest how better to educate kids. For example, I actually believe there should be more testing. But the testing I’m talking about is not these once-a-year high-stakes standardized tests. We should go back to the days when I went to school when we got pop tests once a week. And you didn’t know what was going to be on the test. But that requires the DOE to treat teachers as professionals. As people who know what they are doing.
Another big area is the idea of co-location of schools. I think the way it’s been executed has been terrible. Has been overly divisive and controversial. I don’t know what the value is in closing a school, and some of these schools have been around for a hundred years with generations of alumni who now have Alma Mater to point to. And replacing these schools with half-a-dozen different management units we now call schools, I’m not sure what the value of that is. Or the value of sticking a new school into a building that has another school, very divisive and unnecessarily so.
So in terms of the learning atmosphere, the reduction of emphasis on the high stakes testing, giving teachers more latitude and relying on them as professionals, reducing the police presence and structuring the schools in a way that’s less divisive. Those are the things that I would do very quickly if I had a chance to.

Our Time Press: Any thoughts on curriculum?
John Liu: I think there needs to be some more emphasis on career and technical education, which is something that has been expanded in recent years, but we need to do more. I’ve been very involved, for example, in Transit Tech, which is a high school in East New York which trains students to maintain subway cars, in getting subway cars to work on. That’s a great school and gives students choices. Many of the students, we want to prepare them to go to college. Some students realize that college is not a part of their immediate goals, let’s get them ready for something else. And these career and technical education schools are there for them. The gifted or talented programs are all concentrated in Manhattan. In Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, there aren’t any of these or not nearly enough to satisfy the demand and the need. So we have to provide more choices and providing more choices doesn’t always require closing down schools and opening new schools.

Our Time Press: The work you’ve done with the private equity firms in terms of leveling the playing field, how would you expand that in other government agencies?
John Liu: That’s my prime directive. To level the playing field in this city, and as far beyond as I can. Certainly in the city of New York, where we draw people from around the world, it should be a place of opportunity. And I feel that it is not a place of equal opportunity yet. We have to work towards that goal.
You know what we were able to do last year in terms of some big bond deals. Instead of having the same old people take their turn at selling the city’s bonds, we opened up the process and by doing so, we attracted more offers, got better results for the taxpayers and we were able to have a company that would not have been a part of the process get in the door.
This year we’ve focused on another part of the investment banking world, which is the management of our pension funds. We’re looking to build that kind of capacity among money managers, and as part of that program, we are increasing the piece of the pie that is directed toward developing emerging managers, specifically MWBE’s. We put out an RFP and in this case, Vista Equities. We’ve had experience with Vista and they were able to show great results in the past, and they were able to trade on their great track record and deliver superior results for our city. And your question is how do we get other government agencies to do this.
The playing field has been very un-level for a very long time. It’s hard to change that overnight. It can’t be changed overnight. In fact, it requires a concerted effort. If you look at what we did in my office, that did not come easily. We could have done the easy thing and just do the same-old, same-old; instead, there was a substantial amount of work , it requires a lot more work. I thinks agencies need to step up the effort. They have to make the effort and that has to come from the top. If it does not come from the top, there is no incentive to go the extra mile to level the playing field. And that’s something that I do criticize this administration for. Because notwithstanding all the sweet talk out there, the tone has not been set at the top. You can see it not only in the results of contracting, you can see it in the upper ranks of the administration, you can see it in who is walking in and out of City Hall itself, and all of that translates into the ongoing disparity that we have in unemployment. It’s all connected. Minority entrepreneurs have the strongest track record of creating the jobs and hiring people in the neighborhoods where those jobs are needed the most. And so to me, we have billions of dollars of purchasing power in the city of New York.

Our Time Press: Could you just explain minorities having the strongest track record?
John Liu: It’s been well-documented and is a lesson that Carl McCall taught me some time ago. If the city continues to give these big contracts to the same old big companies, they’re not necessarily hiring from the communities that need it the most. A big company can be hiring from everywhere–NJ, Conn., from all over the place. But if you’re hiring locally, whether an Asian-owned business in Flushing or a Black-owned business in Bed-Stuy, or an Hispanic business in Washington Heights, that’s where they’re going to be hiring people from. And those are the places where the jobs are needed the most. That’s what I mean about a strong track record. Just out of practical reasons. The minority businesses hire from where they are.

Our Time Press: Regarding the city agencies, the DOE increased their book vendor qualification levels to something like $5 million…
John Liu: And that cut out a lot of minority vendors.

Our Time Press: Exactly. Those contract elements, are they under mayoral control and how can those systems be changed?
John Liu: Yes, they are and we first look within our own agency. And the contracts that we do the most are the bond contracts and the pension investment contracts. And we’re trying to pry all those open from within my office. When you look at the other agencies, first and foremost, you have to tell it like it is. For a long time, and I was hearing this all the years I was on the City Council, I kept hearing, “The city’s doing much more business with minority vendors”. And for years I was hearing this and I would ask, “Well, how much more business are we doing” and I could never get the answer. Now as comptroller, we’re still asking City Hall for that information. And all of last year we kept getting stonewalled. They have a report, they just didn’t want to release it to us. So at that point, we just decided, you know what, since we pay all the bills, we know where the money is actually going, and we started tracking what money actually ends up in the hands of minority contractors. And that’s why we developed the MWBE report card. Which is continuously updated, and it reflects the percentage of money that’s actually winding up with minority entrepreneurs as well as with women entrepreneurs. And the statistic is shockingly small. But at least the first step is just laying it out, bit by bit, so that people could start to understand why the problem is persisting and not improving. Identify that this is an issue, that 2% is going to minority businesses is woefully inadequate. That gives city agencies the added incentive to go the extra mile so that their own statistic can improve. And we also help them understand what barriers are existing that make it hard for minority entrepreneurs.

Our Time Press: What kind of barriers have you found?
John Liu: We’ve interviewed dozens of minority entrepreneurs and asked them about the kinds of problems they face doing business with the city. Bonding requirement are one of them. That’s been a big one. Another is that for some of these small companies the threshold is set too high to participate. A company can handle a 100K but may not ber able to handle a $500,000. Another issue “retainage”, where the city holds back 15% even after the job is completed. This can severely impact a small company.
A number of issues have come out regarding procurement rules and we’re looking to make changes in those rules. Now, how to get agencies to perform: Number one, lay it bear so that agencies are, for want of another term, embarrassed. I don’t believe there is actual intent, I think it just has to be demonstrated what the problem is. Secondly, change some of the rules that are impediments. Set a tone from the top that says go the extra work and you will get recognized for it. Why will they do it if they’re not going to be recognized for it.

Our Time Press: In that 2%, any breakdown in terms of ethnicity?
John Liu: Yes, African-American, Hispanic, Asian and women. Those are the four breakdowns. And there are disparities within each of these subgroups. But the disparities are tiny amounts.
The city touts that fact that they do $400 million in business with minorities. That’s in a budget with $18 billion in contracts which is a little over 2%. Which is completely unacceptable and does not reflect the skills and talents of minority entrepreneurs. What it does expose is an ongoing system bias that makes it difficult for minority entrepreneurs.
Our Time Press: What about the Occupy Movement?
John Liu: The Occupy Movement is something that we all have to take very seriously. I see it as a spontaneous outcry not different from the outcry from the general public. The rich keep doing far better and everybody else is being left behind. The fact that they were seemingly not organized. Not that much different from what the general public was thinking. I think it was just wrong to send in police with riot gear in the middle of the night.
Our Time Press: Is there anything else you would like our readership to know?
John Liu: Well, there is an investigation into my campaign financing.
Our Time Press: That was our next question.
John Liu: One guy did the wrong thing. And the FBI complaint clearly states that he lied to my campaign. He actually asked the undercover to tell lies to my campaign staff so that we would not be suspicious. There is an investigation going on, we’re fully cooperating. I want them to get as much done as possible. At the end of the day, I’m proud of the fund-raising we’ve been doing. It is mostly from a community that has not had a voice before and people are proud to be participating. Nonetheless, none of this is going to slow me down from what I’m doing as comptroller, and also getting ready for any options that may lay ahead in a couple of months.
At this point, where I am today is far beyond anything I could have imagined growing up in New York City. Every additional day I’m in office is a bonus for me.

Cuomo outlines plans for New York State of State speech calls for growing the economy

Governor Andrew Cuomo this week delivered his 2012 State of the State Address in which he outlined a comprehensive agenda that builds on the success of last year.
This included strengthening the state’s legacy as one of the nation’s most progressive and investing billions of dollars in key public-private sector partnerships and rebuilding infrastructure to create thousands of new jobs.
“New York has a long and proud history as the progressive capital of the nation. It’s a legacy that we reestablished last year. We must build on our success this year,” he said.
To battle the foreclosure crises Cuomo announced the Department of Financial Services will create a Foreclosure Relief Unit to provide counseling and mediation services to help New Yorkers stay in their homes.
“The financial crisis has taken a serious toll on homeowners across New York State, with many forced out of their homes and others facing foreclosure,” he said.
Cuomo also announced the state was creating a Tenant Protection Unit to ensure the tough rent regulations enacted in 2011 are properly enforced. It will also investigate fraud and prosecute landlords who fail to maintain essential services.
The governor also vowed to build on last year’s efforts to expand economic opportunities for minority and women owned business enterprises (MWBEs).
With credit access difficulties hindering the competitiveness of many MWBEs, New York will extend credit to give MWBE contractors the backing they need to succeed. The program will support at least $200 million in contracting for MWBE firms, he said.
Cuomo also outline the reinstitution of the ‘millionaires tax’ with long-term changes to the corporate, sales, and personal income tax systems, and to find ways to close tax loopholes, promote efficiency in administration, improve New York’s business climate, and enhance collection as well as enforcement.
Governor Cuomo called for comprehensive reform of the state’s campaign finance system to make sure that all New Yorkers have an equal voice in the political process.
New York ranks 48th in the nation in voter turnout and a smaller percentage of New York residents contribute to candidates to state office than anywhere else in the nation, he noted.
The reform would include matched contributions and lower contribution limits, and increase enforcement at the Board of Elections.
In regard to immigration, Cuomo said his administration will create an Office of New Americans to assist legal permanent residents who come to New York State. The office will provide a variety of services, including helping those with high-skills training and experience obtain the licenses and credentials they need to earn their way; helping those with limited formal education receive access to adult education and job training; and helping new legal permanent residents navigate the path to citizenship.
It will also encourage entrepreneurship and take steps to protect new Americans as they transition to full participation in New York’s communities.
Speaking of new initiatives, Cuomo plans to launch the New New York Leaders Initiative to create opportunities for the state’s next generation to dedicate their careers to public service.
The first component of the initiative, the Student Intern Program, will assign students to a particular branch of government to provide hands-on experience for interns to interact with government leaders and policy makers.
The second component, the Empire State Fellows Program, will be a full-time leadership training program that will prepare the next generation of talented professionals who are members of underrepresented groups for careers as state policy makers.
The New NY Leaders Initiative is designed to renew the connection between young people and the state and ensure that state government is diverse, talented, and prepared to lead the way for decades to come, he said.
Cuomo also vowed to vigorously protect a woman’s right to choose and pledged to fight for passage of the Reproductive Health Act.
The Act protects the fundamental right of reproductive freedom and ensures that the rights of individuals to make difficult and personal health care decisions are preserved.
On economic growth praised the state in working together in a bipartisan manner and putting the people first, which in turn established the credibility to govern and to lead.
“Now we must build on what we have already accomplished to begin to undo decades of decline. We have big problems, but we are confronting them with big solutions. Now is the time to get to work, building a New New York together,” he said.
“Our challenge for 2012 is this: How does government spur job creation in a down economy while limiting spending and maintaining fiscal discipline? The answer is forging public-private partnerships that leverage state resources to generate billions of dollars in economic growth and create thousands of jobs,” he added.
This includes taking a comprehensive approach to casino gaming and recognizing that New York is losing tax revenue, tourism dollars and jobs to neighboring states. As such, the governor announced that he will support a constitutional amendment to allow gaming in New York State.
An estimated $1 billion in economic activity could be generated from gaming in New York State, he said.
At the same time, Cuomo announced the creation of the New York Works Fund and Task Force to coordinate and leverage capital investment- twenty private sector dollars to every public dollar- and put thousands of New Yorkers to work.
The fund will support projects to improve or replace more than 100 bridges including the Tappan Zee, repair work to 2,000 miles of roadways, upgrades to 90 municipal water systems, improvements to 48 state parks and historic sites, and repair work to 114 flood control projects and dams.
In order to follow through on his agenda, Cuomo said a “reimagined” government was essential.
“To tackle this ambitious agenda, we need a government that can make it happen. This is not a question of tinkering around the edges. We need a government that performs better and costs less,” he said.
Cuomo said this starts with fiscal discipline and recognizing that the state is more competitive when taxes are reduced. As such he called for holding the line on spending this year and closing the remaining $2 billion budget deficit with no new taxes or fees.
Noting that by next year, pension costs for schools, state, and local governments will have increased more than 100% since 2009, Cuomo called for reform to the pension system and the creation of a Tier VI retirement plan.
The Governor announced that he will ask the joint Legislative and Executive Mandate Relief Council to hold public hearings and issue a package of recommendations to be voted on this legislative session.
Cuomo also vowed to transform public schools.
“New York spends more money on education than any other state, yet places 38th in graduation rates,” said Cuomo.
To reform the state’s education system, the governor said he will appoint a bipartisan education commission to work with the legislature to recommend reforms in key areas including teacher accountability, student achievement, and management efficiency.

Food Prices Under Microscope in the 10th Congressional District

Rev. Taharka Robinson has made it his mission to address hunger and soaring food prices in the 10th Congressional District.
On the day before Christmas, Robinson commenced a series of protests charging Foodtown at Restoration with pricing food higher than other supermarkets in the district.
Robinson was responding to an August 2011 press release from the NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs which found that some supermarkets across the city engaged in “inaccurate pricing, improper taxing of products, improper labeling and inaccuracy of scales and scanners.”
Robinson targeted Foodtown because he conducted a cursory study on Dec. 19 of six supermarkets in the 10th Congressional District. He bought milk, orange juice, and ground turkey. Robinson found that the price of Shady Brook ground turkey varied from $4.19 at NSA Supermarkets to $5.49 at Associated and Foodtown. Robinson admitted his study was not consistent because he bought milk at 5 stores, juice at 4 stores, and ground turkey at 5 stores.
For Robinson, the point is the connection between food prices and hunger. A local paper reported in March that “The 10th Congressional District in central Brooklyn, with close to 30% of its people facing food hardship, had the sixth highest rate of the county’s 436 Congressional Districts.” Robinson believes regulation and legislation is necessary to provide oversight of the retail food industry.
Robinson led a protest in front of Foodtown in Restoration on Dec. 22. Congressman Edolphus Towns joined the protest, saying,
“It’s about fairness” said Congressman Towns wh was present. “We want to make sure we are paying what other people are paying. If hunger is a problem, we have to do everything we can to eliminate hunger. Also, price can be a problem. If they are charging us more than other people pay, that’s wrong. When I go back to Washington, D.C., be assured I will take this issue and deal with it in an effective manner.”
Robinson is collaborating with another food industry watchdog, NYC Coalition Against Hunger. “The supermarket industry should be commended for providing vital services to the community and creating jobs, especially in a tough economy when profit margins in that industry are often relatively low,” said Joel Berg, executive director, New York City Coalition Against Hunger. “But they have a legal responsibility to post accurate prices, and charge customers only what is posted, and to refrain from charging a sales tax on food. And they have a moral responsibility to charge prices that are as low as possible for food. These issues are particularly urgent in the 10th Congressional District of Brooklyn, which has one of the highest rates of food hardship in the entire country.”
Noah Katz owner of Food Town, an anchor business in Restoration, said “We are priced competitively with every other supermarket in the area. We do price checks all the time with all of the other supermarkets. We have somebody that works for us and all they do is go visit all the supermarkets that we compete with everywhere throughout New York, including Bed Stuy.”
Foodtown has been at Restoration since 2003. “We are a family run business operating supermarkets throughout New York City. We believe it is important to give back. We have been doing that since we’ve been in business in every neighborhood that we operate.”
Katz did reach out to Robinson. “I am still interested in meeting with him and his group. I welcome the opportunity to share with them all of our price checks which will show that we are in fact one of the cheapest supermarkets in the area. I want to show him how we very scientifically go through all of our price checks for all our stores.”
Katz gave an example of his efforts to lower prices for Bedford Stuyvesant and a couple of other stores. “For Thanksgiving, I had a conversation with the company that supplies us with fruits and vegetables. I said to them ‘I want you to call up the farmer that grows the collards, kale, mustards, and turnips for us. I want to ask the farmer that nobody makes any money on those items for Thanksgiving. The farmer breaks even, the distributor breaks even, and I break even so that we can sell as much collards, kale, mustard, and turnips it as we can for Thanksgiving,” said Katz.
“This is what we do all the time. I am challenging manufacturers all the time to figure out ways to lower costs so we can lower retails,” Katz said. “These are the conversations I want to have with Rev. Robinson.”
Regarding the NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs report on improper labeling, Katz admitted his supermarket had been fined. “Some of the fines that we received were for failure to price mark individual items. For example, when we put up a display of crackers for 2 for $3.00, we put up a sign. We don’t price mark all the boxes. That is true for every supermarket in the City of New York,” Katz said. “There is a law in NYC that says you are supposed to price mark every box and every can. We are not in compliance with that law. We think it’s an outdated law. NYC is the only jurisdiction in the state that requires price marking. We have been working with the City to try and get that law changed like every other area in the U.S. has already done.” Katz works with the Food Industry Alliance, a consortium of all the supermarket retailers in the state. “That law, although it is outdated, generates a tremendous amount of money in fines for supermarkets.”

People line up in the cold outside housing court

It was 10 am Tuesday, and the bitter cold on the first official business day of the new year didn’t diminish the long line standing outside the housing court building at 141 Livingston Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
“They want their rent money, but they don’t want to fix or repair anything,” said Shakia Sease, a single mother of four children ages 17, 14, 12 and 9 who lives in Canarsie’s Breukelen Houses, which is a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) development.
Sease said she has put work orders into management of the Breukelen Houses to get her apartment fixed and repair people say they came and the work is done, but they never showed up to do the work.
Among this work that still needs to be done includes radiator maintenance, a hole in the ceiling above the shower pipe and the need for a new front door, she said.
“I’m not behind on my rent and I brought documentation to prove it but they (NYCHA) say I am behind so they’re taking me to court.”
Once in the building, the housing court is in Room 202, it is packed with people. This includes young children – some of whom are sleeping on the hard, wooden benches – and others who are standing as all the seats are taken. Meanwhile, the line to the information counter is snaked around the wall outside the room leading to the elevators.
“If you have an emergency you can ask for representation and the landlord almost always has an attorney on their behalf and they’re (landlords) not usually here. So you just deal with their attorney,” said Julio Pacheco, who lives near Brooklyn College and is currently three months behind in his $1,000 per month one-bedroom apartment.
“I had a situation where I owed money for school loans and I got backed up after the state threatened to garnish my wages,” said Pacheco, who is a maintenance worker for Columbia University.
Pacheco said his landlord filed to evict him and he was in housing court to get an extension to pay his back rent.
One woman with three young children who gave her name only as Nicole, was facing eviction from her one-bedroom apartment at NYCHA’s Boulevard Houses in East New York.
“I’ve seen four people from my building here today and we all got served with eviction notices on New Year’s Eve,” she said.
Nicole said her apartment was also in disrepair and has never been fixed.
“I’ve been looking for another apartment and applied for Section 8 (a federal housing subsidy) but I got frozen out after the city ran out of vouchers,” Nicole said.
Nicole said she attends school and works full-time at a hospital on the night shift, but between rent and medical bills she is having trouble keeping a roof over her and her children’s heads.
“They cut me off of Medicaid because they look at your gross and not your net. But a lot of the money I make pays for babysitters while I’m working or going to school,” she said.
According to the supervising court interrupter, who has been in his position for the past 12 years, housing court cases have doubled or tripled in volume over the past year. At the same time, the state has ordered cutbacks in his department, forcing him to lay off one worker.
The supervisor said workers in his department interpret for both landlords and tenants if need be.
Many knew immigrants buy a three- or four-family house and then they get into problems with tenants that are unable to pay the rent.
“About 10 percent of all the eviction cases end up with people being thrown out on the street,” said the supervisor. “They say the economy is getting better, but not here.”

Obituary: Marie Francesse Louis

Marie Francesse Louis was born in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York on July 12, 1972 to the late Jacques Louis and Marie Louise Paraison. She was the eldest of five children. During infancy she was sent to Haiti were she was raised by her grandparents, and returned to the United States at the age of three. She attended PS 241, Holy Spirit Catholic School, A. Philip Randolph Campus High School, and Columbia University, where in 1994 she obtained a BA degree in Biology.
Early on in childhood, her aspiration was to become a physician, but while attending college, she worked for the Milken Foundation, as a Milken Scholar, where she realized that her true calling lied in empowering others. While working for The Valley, a non-profit agency, she developed a passion for serving the community and addressing its needs, especially that of education and employment.
From 1995-1998 she worked for the Valley at the Wadleigh Beacon site in Harlem where she was the director of tutorial, educational and recreational programs and developed and managed after-school programs, helped start the Paul Roberson Leadership program, summer camps and provided summer youth employment opportunities.
In 1998, Marie joined Community Counseling and Mediation (CCM) Beacon, where she worked closely with Emory Brooks to provide counseling services, after-school,employment, cultural and recreational programs for youth and young adults. She was instrumental in starting Georgia’s Place, which provides housing for senior citizens and homeless adults.
Marie was there to make sure that the Brooklyn community got its fair share when Bruce Ratner, of Forest City Ratner, announced plans to move the NBA Nets to Brooklyn and build an arena, housing, parks and office space in the Prospect Heights section. She was on the board and at the signing of the monumental Community Benefits Agreement that heralded a shift in the community development paradigm.
While working on the terms for Community Benefits Agreement, Marie and James Caldwell started the non-profit organization, Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development, as known as BUILD. As Chief Operating Officer of BUILD, she worked long hours and developed many programs for the Brooklyn community. She was also exceedingly active in politics, working behind the scenes on numerous campaigns. She was the Youth Director for the 77th Precinct Community Council and an active member of the Community Board of District 8.
Marie wrote many proposals to obtain grants and funding to help start and support numerous programs and initiatives. A few of these initiatives included the High School for Youth and Community Development, Bethune Junior Scholar Society, as well as the College and Career Circle program.
As passionate as Marie was about the community, she was even more engaged, devoted and loving towards her family. Before her father passed away in 1992, Marie promised him that she would help keep the her siblings close, and true to her promise, they grew closer as they got older. She was always there to provide love, support and guidance in every way.
In 2007, Marie married her love, Jean Wikerson Louisma. Through this union, they had two beautiful children, Josiah, age 4 and Dariana, age 18 months.
Her love went beyond her immediate family. Whenever someone was in need, Marie rarely said no to a request. She never took her blessings for granted and always wanted to help in any way possible. She extended open arms to all and was know as a kindhearted soul by family and friends alike. To those close to her, she was also know as somewhat of a family historian. She spent many hours speaking with elders in the family so that she could preserve our rich family history as members of the Haitian Diaspora with an undying love for Haiti. She believed in leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.
She had an infectious smile that just drew you in. She took pleasure in reading, watching movies and the Soap Network and listening to Haitian music, just to name a few. Her love of Tiramisu was also worth a thirty minute trip to the Olive Garden just to satisfy a craving. Although her organization and filing style was unconventional, she was always on top of her game, and no matter how short day was, there was always another errand to run.
During her short time here on earth, she always had optimistic insight, kind words and a warm heart. For the past six months she fought a challenging battle with cancer. Through it all, Marie Francesse always kept her faith in God and was thankful for all the blessings God provided throughout her life. She triumphantly went home to be with the Lord at 7:52 AM on December 23, 2011 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital.
Marie Francesse Louis is survived by her husband Jean Wikerson Louisma, son Josiah, daughter Dariana, mother Marie Louise Paraison, sisters Marie Edwige, Marie Margareth, Donna and Rachelle, brother Jacques, step mother Alberte Louis, mother-in-law Lumene Louisma, sisters-in-law Geslie Janvier-Abellard with her husband Laft Abellard and Betty Louiville and brother-in-law Jean Gardy Louiville.

2011 in Review By The Our Time Press Staff

January
Medgar Evers College restrained from evicting Center for NuLeadership
The new administration of Medgar Evers College got into a heated debate with several elected officials and community leaders after it decided to evict the Center for NuLeadership.
The Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions is a public policy, research and advocacy academic center that assists with entry into college for those with involvement in the criminal justice system.
In an effort to force the center off the campus, President William Pollard and Provost Howard Johnson blocked the center’s funds and refused to approve a $2.4 million grant that would have given first-time nonviolent offenders a second chance by sentencing them to college rather than prison.
The Supreme Court granted a temporary restraining order to prevent its eviction.
The matter was finally resolved in March when Our Time Press learned that NuLeadership will accept an offer from the State University of New York.

Cathie Black Becomes Schools Chancellor
Former media executive Cathie Black was appointed by Mayor Bloomberg as the city’s new chancellor of the Department of Education.
Black promptly showed she had neither the experience or understanding for the job, sparking lawsuits and an outcry from the African-American political leadership – particularly after she issued insensitive slurs about residents needing more birth control to ease overcrowding.
“We are calling for her resignation. We don’t believe she should have been selected in the first place,” said City Councilman Charles Barron.
Councilwoman Letitia James offered a reasoned response to Ms. Black’s comments on school overcrowding.
“Apparently, within a week of Cathie Black taking over for former Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, she has already shown her lack of experience in the field. Students have a right to a public school education, and overcrowding is not a funny subject,” said James.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE:
Focus of African-American and African Diaspora Studies Conference
This past week, scholars came to New York City from around the country and eight nations to take part in an historic conference on the state of African-American and African Diaspora Studies. The theme that ran throughout the conference was the need to bring the studies out of the ivory towers and into the streets, the hearts and minds of the masses of people of African descent.

February
Charter versus Public Schools
At an emotional and passion-fueled public hearing held recently by the Department of Education, parents and children turned out in large numbers to give their opinions and to have their voices heard.
The hot-button topic for discussion was the proposed site of a new public charter school; the co-location of the Teaching Firms of America Charter School into existing neighborhood Public School 308 (Clara Cardwell), located at 616 Quincy Street.
The community centered their objections to the proposed charter school around the issue of teaching space available. The parents advocated for their children’s right to have an “optimum learning environment” and grew frustrated as the children chanted “No Charter”– making their voices heard.

Wal-Mart Issue
The New York City Council hosted a raucous hearing on the potential entry of Wal-Mart into the city market.
The hearing was hosted by the Committee on Community Development, chaired by Council member Al Vann, jointly with the Committees on Small Business and Economic Development.
Public Advocate Bill de Blasio submitted a report on Wal-Mart’s Economic Footprint in collaboration with the Hunter College Center for Community Planning and Development.
The report found “Wal-Mart depresses area wages and labor benefits contributing to the current decline of good middle-class jobs, pushes out more retail jobs than it creates, and results in more retail vacancies.”

March
Von King Cultural Center hours cut
The city has quietly cut the hours of a popular park cultural center in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant that serves dozens of young kids, teens and seniors – helping some with homework, providing a computer lab for others and involving many with arts programming.
Parents were notified Feb. 8 that the Herbert Von King Cultural Center’s hours would be reduced from 10 am to 9 pm on weekdays to 10 am to 7 pm.
“I’m infuriated that the Parks Department didn’t even consider having a dialogue with the people this affects,” said Lydia Temples, whose nine-year-old daughter, Nia Temples-Orr, goes to the cultural center after school.
The center, a former public library, is located in the popular eight-acre Herbert Von King Park, bounded by Greene, Lafayette, Tompkins and Marcy Avenues. It includes an amphitheater, a computer lab and a homework room. The indoor/outdoor amphitheater also hosts popular concerts in the summer.

Boys & Girls repeats as boys basketball champs
The road to New York City high school basketball glory once again runs through
Bedford-Stuyvesant.
That after Boys & Girls High School successfully defended their Public School Athletic League Class AA title in beating Coney Island’s Lincoln High School 62-55.
The championship game, played at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, featured the two top-ranked public high school teams in the city. In the past seven years, either Lincoln or Boys & Girls have won the championship.
“The first one (last year’s championship) was more of pressure, more of getting that monkey off your back,” Boys & Girls Coach Ruth Lovelace told reporters. “This one, I was a little bit more calm. I didn’t sleep (Saturday) night, but I did feel good. I told the guys in pregame talk that I really felt good about this one.”

April
NYCHA goes commercial
The cash-strapped New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is laying the groundwork for going into the commercial real estate business in Bedford-Stuyvesant, this paper has learned.
Several sources confirmed NYCHA has been meeting with stakeholders from both the Sumner and Tompkins Houses to discuss its preliminary plans to add hundreds of housing units to both developments with retail on the ground floor.
The Housing Authority ran a $19 million operating deficit for fiscal year 2010.
“NYCHA is looking for ways to generate income and is looking to put retail in both the Sumner and Tompkins Houses,” said a source involved in the discussions. “They were saying they want to add over 100 units to both of those housing developments.”

City looks to cut 17,000 child care slots
Kevin Gillespie stood in the drizzle outside the Tabernacle Church of God Day care Center with his three young children and contemplated his family’s future.
“Both my wife and I work, and we need day care,” said Gillespie. “Now one of us will have to stay at home and it will cut back on our money because one of us will be forced to stay home.”
Gillespie is one of thousands of working parents citywide who’s facing the same prospect as the Bloomberg Administration readies to cut some 17,000 day care slots.
The impact is particularly great in Brooklyn’s neighborhoods of color. For instance, in the City Council districts of members Al Vann and Darlene Mealy, which represents the bulk of Bedford-Stuyvesant, 534 children will lose their day care slots, which is more than half of the 794 children that have vouchers.

May
Boys & Girls gets money
Boys & Girls High School is in line for an infusion of several million dollars but school administrators, parents, clergy and other stakeholders in Bedford-Stuyvesant want to know the catch.
Their concern comes after the Department of Education (DOE) last week applied for federal funding to improve the 2,000-student school at Fulton Street and Utica Avenue under the condition it partners with an educational partner organization (EPO).
“We have tons of questions that need to be answered,” said Boys & Girls High School Principal Bernard Gassaway. “Such as how much will the EPO get funded, where it comes from and who makes the final decisions on school policy and practices.”

Bed-Stuy sanitation garage on hold
Bedford-Stuyvesant residents, which have been asking and pleading for a sanitation garage for 25 years, will have to wait at least another year.
That after the city pulled the money for the project out of the fiscal year 2011-12 budget and put it towards two other projects that distribute garbage more equally around the city.
“Obviously, it’s a total disrespect to our community,” said Community Board 3 Chair Henry Butler. “The Department of Sanitation gave no explanation as to why they took money from our project and gave it to other projects.”

June
Bed-Stuy youth wins national chess tourney
It’s morning at I.S. 318 on Walton Street in Williamsburg and James Black, Jr., 12,
looked across the chessboard at his opponent, coach Elizabeth Vicray, and hit the timer with his right hand.
“Checkmate,” he said, smiling.
And so went another chess victory for Black, Jr., a Bedford-Stuyvesant resident who is determined to become the youngest grandmaster in the United States.
Black, Jr. recently led the school’s team to the national championships in both the K-8 and K-9 divisions. He is only seven points away from the 2,200 needed to be named a master by the United States Chess Federation.

Unions Protest Bloomberg Budget Cuts
As New York City’s July 1 budget deadline looms, Mayor Bloomberg has proposed cutting
4,000 teachers, day care closures and the elimination of 22 firehouses.
Meanwhile, week after week municipal workers have been staging large protests, joined by hundreds of city residents who will be impacted by the cuts.
Last week, DC 37 became one of the latest unions to stage a public protest to Bloomberg’s proposals.
DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts “served notice on the Bloomberg Administration and the City Council that they cannot balance the budget on the backs of city workers.”

July
MoCADA gets money
The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) received a $2.5 million allocation from the recently passed 2011-12 city budget.
The money came through the strong lobbying efforts of City Council member Letitia James along with help from Council Speaker Christine Quinn.
Laurie Cumbo, founder and executive director of MoCADA, said the money comes as a major step in her ultimate goal to develop and own a museum that brings cultural diversity to downtown Brooklyn.
The museum is located at 80 Hanson Place in Fort Greene.

CBA for East New York
A detailed Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) has emerged between the local East New York community and Related Cos., the developer of Gateway Center Properties Phase ll.
The CBA’s purpose is “to provide benefits in conjunction with the development of Gateway Center ll, and to ensure the viability of this economic resource” in a manner “that is advantageous to both the neighborhood and surrounding communities.”
The Gateway ll CBA calls for job training and development, business development, environmental sustainability, enforcement of developer obligations, and accountability.

August
Mayor deflects questions on opportunities for people of color
City officials last week remained tight-lipped on its plans to increase employment and business opportunities for people of color in downtown and Central Brooklyn.
The issue came up at a press conference where Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz announced that United American Land would develop 49,000 square feet of retail space in the city-owned Brooklyn Municipal Building at 210 Joralemon Street across the street from Brooklyn Borough Hall.
Bloomberg got testy when asked what plans are in place to ensure that jobs and business development will come to communities of color and in Downtown Brooklyn, where many African-Americans and Hispanics shop?

Bloomberg’s $127M Young Men’s Initiative
Where’s the money going?
That’s what some African-American-run community-based organizations (CBO) want to know about Mayor Bloomberg’s recently announced three-year $127 million Young Men’s Initiative (YMI) to improve the futures of young black and Latino men by systematically targeting the areas of greatest disparity.
“Nobody approached us,” said James Caldwell, president of Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development (BUILD), which has a database of about 5,000 people from the targeted initiative community looking for work and opportunities. Under the initiative, Bloomberg will put in $30 million, hedge fund billionaire George Soros and his Open Society Foundations are putting in $30 million and the city will allocate $67.5 million.

September
Troy Davis Executed Supreme Court Denies Last Appeal
On the streets, in churches and in homes, vigils were held waiting on the slow-motion lynching that was the killing of Troy Anthony Davis by the state of Georgia. After the execution hour had passed we learned of a last appeal to the Supreme Court. Three hours later we were told that the Justices had denied Davis’ appeal, the death warrant was enforced and Troy Davis was executed September 21, 2011 at 11:08pm.

NYPD Detains Councilman Williams
The heat on the city’s controversial stop-and-frisk initiative targeting mainly black and Hispanic young men was turned up several degrees Monday when cops handcuffed and detained two black city officials at the West Indian Day Parade along Eastern Parkway.
“It is a reflection of a culture which includes stop-and-frisk protocol that I hope after this incident will finally end based on how unfairly it targets innocent black and Latino young men,” said Williams at a press conference concerning the incident.

October
Move to end food stamp fingerprinting
The City Council is trying to end the city practice of requiring federal food stamp applicants to submit to fingerprinting to receive benefits.
Under the legislation that will be introduced next week, the city’s Human Resources Administration must submit an annual report to the Council on the amount of money spent on finger-imaging each year, and the number of fraudulent cases detected and referred to for criminal prosecution as a result of the practice.

Von King Park goes wireless
Bedford-Stuyvesant residents can now launch with their smartphones, tablets, laptops and other WiFi-enabled devices for free at Von King Park.
The launch is part of a five-year digital city initiative to provide free WiFi at 26 locations in 20 New York City parks across the five boroughs.
Other locations are expected to come online over the next several months.

November
From Brownsville to Wall Street
Several hundred marchers came from Brownsville to Wall Street last Saturday to protest the result of economic inequities and to speak on the many connections between the targets of the Occupy Wall Street Movement and the situation of African-Americans.
Not forgotten is that the 1% got to be the 1% by first stealing the labor of African-American ancestors and using it as “starter capital” to clear the land, build the roads, and plant and harvest the crops. To load ships with slave-produced goods, and then use the unloaded ballast as cobblestones on New York streets.
The march was organized and led by Mr. A. T. Mitchell and his community empowerment organization, Man Up!, known for working in the hard world where the results of economic violence are everyday affairs and where the people were saying they were sick of it.

December
Occupy Our Homes
Rain did not deter 500 “Occupy Our Homes” protesters who marched the streets of East New York on Tuesday.
The group took a tour of foreclosed homes in the area and supported one family who “liberated” a foreclosed home on Vermont Avenue.
Chants ranged from, “All day, all week, Occupy East New York;” “We are the 99%,” “the people united will never be defeated;” “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out;” “Get up, get down, there’s revolution in this town.” The crowd flowed from the sidewalks to the streets, at times blocking traffic. As the drivers drove by, they honked in solidarity.

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