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BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J BTR UNE 21-27, 2019 13
BTR letters & comments
Anniversary of
exact chance
statements
So Stated presents many
commentaries this week refl
ecting recently enacted New
York state legislation involving
the new set of rent laws,
driver’s licenses for undocumenteded
residents and response
to the verdict in ‘Junior’
Guzman’s murder trial.
Statement from Assemblyman
Jeffrey Dinowitz on the
rent bill agreement.....“The bill
agreed upon by the Assembly
and State Senate majority conferences
is the most comprehensive
and impactful legislation
to protect tenants ever in
New York’s history.
“The bill includes two of my
own bills, lengthening the statute
of limitations for correcting
rent overcharges and repealing
the anti-tenant mandatory rent
deposit law that was put into effect
in 1997. The issues of major
capital improvements, individual
apartment improvements,
vacancy bonuses, preferential
rents, vacancy decontrol, and
so many other key issues have
been addressed by this landmark
legislation.”
Assemblyman Michael
Blake’s statement regarding
the passage of the Housing Stability
and Tenant Protection Act
of 2019..... “Our 79th Assembly
District is home to thousands
of Bronxites who live within
rent stabilized units, and now
they have strong protections
to stay in their homes without
fear that a landlord can unfairly
raise rents and expenses
- causing families to lose their
homes.
“By preventing bad landlords
from raising preferential
rates to exorbitant levels, limiting
the impact of renovations
on tenant rent costs, enacting
new anti-harassment protections,
and making it easier to
challenge rent increases and
fi le overcharge claims, the legislation
protects tenants...”
State Senator Alessandra
Biaggi issued the following
statement re the recently
enacted rent laws..... “For the
fi rst time in our state’s history,
New York is giving tenants
and renters the full protection
they deserve. This legislation
will expand housing protections
to residents across the
entire state, close loopholes in
our current rent stabilization
framework that have allowed
landlords to abuse tenants,
and most importantly, keep
New Yorkers in their homes
to build stronger neighborhoods.”
Borough President Ruben
Diaz, Jr. on the recently
passed ‘Green Light NY’ Legislation.....
“The passing of legislation
to allow undocumented
New Yorkers the ability to obtain
drivers licenses is an unqualifi
ed victory for the people
of this state. Not only will
this legislation help make our
roads safer, it will also help integrate
immigrant New Yorkers
more strongly within their
communities while also providing
them with increased
economic opportunities.”
State Senator Gustavo Rivera
celebrated the passage of
the Driver’s License Access and
Privacy Act..... “Immigrant
New Yorkers, regardless of
their legal status in this country,
will now be able to travel
to work, bring their children
to school, or take a loved one
to the hospital without fear of
a minor traffi c violation separating
them from their homes,
families, and lives. This measure
will improve the safety
of our roads, strengthen our
economy, and protect and empower
immigrant New Yorkers
as they contribute to the
fabric of New York State. I
am honored to have voted for
Green Light NY. “
State Senator Alessandra
Biaggi applauded the passage
of the Greenlight Bill, expanding
access to driver’s licenses
for undocumented New Yorkers.....
“(The) passage of the
Green Light bill is not only important
to the protection and
empowerment of immigrant
New Yorkers – it is necessary
for increasing public safety
on our roads and growing our
economy.
“This bill is not about immigration.
This bill is about
expanding access to driver’s
licenses to all New Yorkers,
regardless of immigration
status, to ensure that all drivers
on the road are safely and
properly licensed.”
Assemblyman Victor M.
Pichardo’s statement on the
jury’s verdict in the Lesandro
‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz trial.....
“Justice has been served to the
fi ve men who robbed the world
of a bright and upstanding
young man.
“The gang violence culture
deemed it acceptable to slaughter
a young kid. This grizzly
and barbaric violence that was
infl icted on another human
being is unacceptable and we
need to make sure we do more
to end this violence through
holistic and aggressive ways.”
Statement from Borough
President Ruben Diaz, Jr.
re: Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-
Feliz verdicts..... “Nearly one
year ago our borough felt the
unbearable pain of horrible
loss. A young man, Lesandro
‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz, was
senselessly murdered in an act
of heinous, reprehensible gang
violence.
“... Junior’s family, and
in fact our entire city, has received
a measure of justice...
these verdicts will send a message
to those who would commit
acts of senseless violence,
and help us move forward and
bring closure to this awful
chapter in our borough’s history.”
State Senator Gustavo
Rivera on guilty verdicts on the
trial of Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman
Feliz..... “Last year’s profoundly
disturbing murder of
15-year old Lesandro ‘Junior’
Guzman-Feliz shocked our
city to the core for its sheer
brutality and complete lack of
humanity.
“We need and must do
more to curtail the gang violence
culture that continues
to permeate our youths’ environment
in honor of Junior’s
memory.”
Councilman Andy King’s
response to city budget handshake.....
“Early childhood
workers around the city, such
as the dedicated teachers at
the Williamsbridge Early
Childhood Center in my district,
will receive a more fair
paycheck, acknowledging
their contributions as educators,
not babysitters.
“I appreciate as former
chairman of the council’s Library
Committee, how $33
million in new funding for
programming will impact
countless New Yorkers of all
ages. More staff in our city
parks means more safety,
more cleanliness, and more
programming. Schools across
the city, including my district,
will see new security cameras
thanks to new funding.”
Dear editor,
The NYC Transit Museum
26th Annual Bus Festival showing
off a fl eet of vintage buses
was a great trip down memory
lane. Up until 1969, bus drivers
had to make change and drive,
at the same time. No one dared
bring any food on the bus or
leave any litter behind. In the
mid 1960’s, air-conditioned
buses were becoming a more
common part of the fl eet. You
had to pay separate fares to ride
either the bus or subway. There
was no Metro Cards affording
free transfers between bus and
subway along with discounted
weekly or monthly fares.
This year marks the 50th
Anniversary of NYC Transit
bus drivers no longer having
to use a coin collector to make
change for riders. August 31,
1969 was the fi rst day that bus
riders either had to deposit
a subway token or the exact
amount in coins directly into
the fare box. Drivers would
no longer be required to make
change. They could concentrate
of driving instead of multi
tasking. It became the passenger’s
responsibility to deposit
the exact fare in cash or subway
token directly into the fare
box when boarding the bus.
All the driver had to do was
look through the upper portion
of the fare box and make sure
that the fare was paid. Previously,
drivers had to deal with
potential robbery while in
service due to carrying cash.
Safety increased for drivers,
passengers, and buses. There
were fewer traffi c accidents involving
buses. Bus operators
spent more time concentrating
on driving and less making
change for riders. On time performance
improved as passenger
boarding time sped up.
Larry Penner
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