NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
Bronx Candidates Receive
Public Matching Funds
Bronx Political
Endorsements
BY BRONX TIMES
Rivera Endorses Lander for Comptroller
State Senator Gustavo Rivera endorsed
Brad Lander for New York City Comptroller
during a visit to the Kingsbridge Social Club.
Rivera praised Lander’s long-time advocacy for
immigrant New Yorkers and support for small
businesses.
“Brad stood with essential workers at Hunts
Point when they were on strike demanding
fair pay and he has supported Bronxites in the
Bronx River fi ght against environmental racism,”
said Rivera.
The city needs leaders who are committed to
not leaving communities of color behind in the
city’s recovery, Rivera said.
“Brad has the track record we need to ensure
a more just economic recovery that truly
addresses the challenges faced by New Yorkers
and I am confi dent that he will hold our City accountable
in accomplishing that goal,” he said.
NYC Imams Endorse McGuire for Mayor
A group of over 60 Muslim Imams endorsed
Ray McGuire for mayor of New York City in a
letter citing his ability to lead in crisis, negotiate
large budgets, and unify people as reasons
for their support.
In a signed letter delivered to the campaign,
the group stated: “Ray McGuire is a unifi er
with a detailed plan to revive New York City.
The McGuire Comeback plan will add 500,000
new jobs that will go to everyday New Yorkers,
ensure that Muslim small business owners
can afford to keep their businesses and provide
much needed relief after a diffi cult year.”
McGuire said he was honor to have their
support.
“I’ve heard their concerns, especially with
regards to their small businesses, and I’m committed
to including Muslim leaders in my administration
to help shape the policy priorities
for their community,” McGuire said.
To read the letter and view the full list of signatories,
click here.
Op-Ed: Bringing Cannabis Equity to The Bronx
in New York City
alone. . Under the MRTA,
New York City could accrue
an estimated $336
million in additional tax
revenue, which can stabilize
our City and State
budgets under strain and
need relief to prevent cuts
to local funding. When
the government looks for
savings, we all know that
communities of color are
hurt the worst.
MRTA also allows onsite
“consumption sites”–
like cigar lounges – where
cannabis can be consumed
and enjoyed by New Yorkers
of age. The economic
and employment opportunities
are hard to ignore.
Standing up for economic
and racial equity is
why I am running for borough
president. We need
bold leadership to ensure
every Bronxite has an opportunity
to thrive in the
cannabis industry.
Assemblywoman Nathalia
Fernández represents
The Bronx’s 80th
District and is a candidate
for Bronx Borough
President. On Twitter @
Fernandez4NY.
Editor’s Note: It is the
policy of PoliticsNY to
post all op-eds it receives
with the exception of blatantly
hateful and derogatory
op-eds along with
some exceptions during
election times. In this
case, we will take up to
two op-eds per candidate
until May 10, and generally
will not post op-eds
from supporters of candidates.
The op-eds do
not refl ect the views of
PoliticsNY.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A BTR PR. 23-29, 2021 15
BY ARIAMA C. LONG
The Campaign Finance Board
(CFB) yesterday doled out a whopping
$23.3 million in public matching
funds to candidates running
for offi ce this year, tacking onto
the already historic $72.2 million
they’ve given out in funds in these
and any other races for the last 32
years, said the CFB.
More candidates are registered
to run in the 2021 elections than
in any previous New York City
election cycle, and more than 71
percent of the individual contributions
raised are from New York
City residents, said CFB.
To qualify for public funds,
candidates must meet fundraising
thresholds demonstrating
support from within their communities,
in City Council races
that means candidates must raise
at least $5,000 from city residents
and at least 75 contributions from
residents of the district where
they are running, said CFB.
The CFB then provides matching
funds to qualifying candidates,
$8 for every $1 they raise,
up to the fi rst $175 for donations to
City Council and Borough President
candidates.
Overall, 20 candidates for
borough president, and 206 City
Council candidates have qualifi
ed for public funds payments
with 103 receiving a maximum
public funds payment today, April
15, said CFB.
Here’s a breakdown of what
Bronx candidates received yesterday
in the borough president’s
race and by city council district:
Borough President-
Fernando Cabrera $210,786
Nathalia Fernandez $69,350
Vanessa Gibson $140,476
Luis Sepulveda $223,356
City Council-
DISTRICT 8
Diana Ayala $39,349
DISTRICT 14
Fernando Aquino $17,632
Haile Rivera $129,923
Socrates Solano $190
Yudelka Tapia $5,130
DISTRICT 16
Yves Filius $91,299
Althea Stevens $14,478
DISTRICT 18
Michael Beltzer $10,617
Darlene Jackson $47,268
Mohammed Mujumder $95
BY BRONX TIMES
BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN
NATHALIA FERNÁNDEZ
Last month, New
York joined fi fteen other
states in legalizing adultuse
cannabis. This landmark
piece of legislation
passed by the State
legislature, which I’m a
proud member of, seeks
to provide restorative justice
to New Yorkers across
the state. The Marijuana
Regulation and Taxation
Act (MRTA) results from
years of studies and advocacy
to create the gold
standard of marijuana legalization
legislation. This
bill has the opportunity
to increase racial equity
in the state and provide a
pathway to economic recovery
post-COVID.
For years, New Yorkers
of color have overwhelmingly
File photo
shouldered the brunt
of the racist war on drugs.
Across the city, Black
New Yorkers were arrested
on low-level cannabis
charges at eight times
the rate of white people.
Of the 10 NYC neighborhoods
with the highest
rates of cannabis-related
arrests, four are in The
Bronx. In 2019, we voted
to decriminalize cannabis.
However, people of
color still made up 94 percent
of cannabis arrests
by the NYPD in 2020, even
though reports show that
white Americans use cannabis
at a higher rate.
The MRTA is slated
to create a new, equitable
“green economy.” In 2019
alone, the cannabis industry
created over 33,000
jobs nationally. And those
jobs come with a median
salary that’s 10.7 percent
higher than the national
average. Bronxites
deserve access to these
employment opportunities.
We must have leaders
who are fully committed
to implementing the bill
to ensure our borough can
take full advantage of its
benefi ts.
In May of 2018, a report
estimated a $3.1 billion
adult-use cannabis
market for New York
State, with $1.1 billion generated
PoliticsNY.com PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews
/PoliticsNY.com