letters & comments
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J BTR UNE 7-13, 2019 13
statements
BTR
Belief in God
still lingers
Dear editor,
Tiny is an 80 pound Red
Noise Pit Bull that’s in love
with every dog, cat, squirrel
Green wall
finally removed
Dear editor,
The ‘green wall’ off the
I-267 Harding Avenue exit 9
has been moved back and
shrubbery removed giving
a clear vision to Locust Point.
Now all that’s left is for the
drivers to actually stop at the
stop signs.
Maybe 3D painted street
markings would work.
Robert Neglia
and bird he sees. But when
he hears thunder he shakes
and hides thinking he was being
punished by his dog god
just like we humans did many
years ago.
It took me years to convince
him otherwise but some
of his god beliefs still lingers
on thanks to the primitive
believers of people with guns
and fi recrackers.
Dante Barozzi
This issue of As Stated offers
insights on New York Cuty
property tax arrears, a tragedy
at Truman High School,
the survival of our small businesses,
a tribute to this year’s
Pride March and a salute to
Black Music Month.
Statement from Councilman
Mark Gjonaj regarding
the Council vote on setting interest
rates for deliquent property
taxes..... “I voted against
Resolutions 889 and 890 that
would set interest rates on delinquent
property taxes at a
stunning 18%.
“For the most part, if a homeowner
is behind on their
property taxes it’s because
they can’t afford it. Instead of
digging owners further into
the hole, we should advance
initiatives to help them get
back on their feet and not lock
them into a fi nancial death
spiral.
“Property owners need relief.
It is universally understood
that New York City’s
property tax system is inherently
unfair and discriminatory
to the poorest of the poor.
“A 2018 report ... found that
this category of New Yorkers
saw their property tax burden
more than double between
2005 and 2016, from 6.6% to
12.7% of their household incomes.
Unfortunately, these
are the very people that would
be impacted the most by the
18% penalty rate.
“Obviously, we must have
incentives and penalties to ensure
that homeowners meet
their property tax obligations.
At 18% interest, New York
City is just a few points within
loan shark territory. That’s no
way to run the fairest big city
in America.”
Councilman Andy King’s
blistering remarks surrounding
the actions of Truman High
School staff in relation to the
2018 suicide of 16-year-old Mya
Vizcarrondo- Rios..... “Last
year, hearing initial accounts
of the tragedy of the suicide of
Truman High School student
and my constituent Mya Vizcarrondo
Rios, as a father, as
a youth development professional,
as a neighbor, it broke
my heart. But today, after
reading (about) the suit fi led
by Mya’s grieving parents, I
am profoundly disturbed that
the adults tasked with educating,
developing and protecting
our children failed Mya in
such an egregious manner.
“It is heartbreaking that
this child spoke to both a guidance
counselor and the principal
of the school, who seemingly
didn’t take accounts of
bullying leading to sexual violence
seriously. It is diffi cult
to do so, but we must acknowledge
the neglect that was perpetrated
on this child by those
at Truman. Therefore I call for
the immediate termination or
resignation of those who Mya
reached out to and did not protect
her.”
Statement from Councilman
Mark Gjonaj, chair of
the City Council’s Small Business
Committee, regarding Intro
800a..... “The small business
sector accounts for 95%
of our city’s workforce. Thus,
their survival is critical to
New York’s stability and future.
We must see micro-businesses,
those with less than
ten employees, as partners
and not ATM machines to
withdraw from to fund wellmeaning
but unsustainable
legislation.
“No one can argue against
the validity of workers having
time off. Unfortunately, this
legislation unnecessarily pits
employees against employers
by adding yet another burden
to businesses that are already
struggling to stay afl oat.
“This legislation places the
entire fi nancial burden on local
business owners. It makes
no attempt to force the city to
share the burden for what can
only be viewed as an unfunded
mandate. The bill does not include
any programs or tax incentives
to help businesses absorb
the heavy costs that will
come with its passage.”
Assemblyman Michael A.
Blake prepared the following
statement on Pride month.....
“We celebrate the start of
Pride month by recalling that
50 years ago this month, LGBTQ
New Yorkers - including
courageous, transgender
women of color - stood up and
fought back against systemic
violence and oppression.
“The movement for equality
began at Stonewall, and it
continues in every community
as our LGBTQIA family
carry on the fi ght for the right
to live and love. I look forward
to standing side by side with
the LGBTQ community in the
Bronx and anywhere we must
go to ensure that equality prevails.”
Assemblyman Michael A.
Blake recognizes the roots of
Black music during Black Music
Month..... “As the birthplace
of hip-hop, the Bronx has much
to celebrate this Black Music
Month. Together, we honor
the contributions and innovations
that African American
artists have provided to music
and culture. There is no doubt
the Boogie Down Bronx has
made its voice heard through
music. Our roots come from
African drums and emerge
from the Caribbean Steel pan.
Whether in gospel on a Sunday
morning or Jazz on a beautiful
night, Black music is for all of
us and it demonstrates that
our history extends beyond
any border or country.”
COUNCILMAN MARK GJONAJ
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BRUCKNER DETOX
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New owner:
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A sense of concern and outrage
is brewing in Throggs
Neck about a possible conversion
of an offi ce building into
an unwanted use.
Commercial tenants at
2800 Bruckner Boulevard received
letters to vacate the
property, and community
leaders have formed a coalition
to fi ght a possible alcohol
Westchester Square reels over vagrants
ulder during a confrontation
Continued on Page 67
Continued on Page 67
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While Bronxites prepared
to take a ‘bite out of crime’
at the annual August 1 Night
Out Against Crime, one crook
turned that around and took
a bite out of a local merchant
who tried to interrupt his
thievery.
A.M.A.F. Fashion business
owner Abdul Sol felt more
than an impact to his quality
of life on the morning of Sunday,
July 9, when a shoplifter
tried to leave his store with
a bag of clothing and Sol sufered
a severe bite on his left
rearm and a dislocated right
with the man.
At his 25 Westchester
Square store, Sol recalled how
the shoplifter had on previous
customer.
occasions
been a paying “He spent money here,
it’s not like I never saw him
before,” Sol said. “He came
around two or three months
ago and bought a pair of
shoes.”
But the Sunday of the assault,
the suspect asked for a
shopping bag, grabbed stuff,
and tried to leave, according
to Sol.
“I told him, ‘No, you can’t
take my stuff.’”
A fi ght ensued and Sol said
he “went to the ground with
him. I hurt my shoulder. He
took a big bite in my arm. I was
at the hospital until 6 o’clock. I
still have pain in my shoulder.
I still can’t lift my left arm.”
Sol said he had seen the
shoplifter associate with patients
from the Bronx Psychiatric
Center, so he fi gured he
was a client.
As Bronx Psychiatric Center,
on Waters Place, continues
to release its patients on
the street during the day, they
interact with homeless people
and drug rehab program.
Complaints have been
fi led with the city about beds
being moved into the building
or illegally converting it
into a residential building,
with some folks planning to
take legal action against the
landlord because they have
leases, according to multiple
sources.
Homeowners and renters
are also circulating petitions
to protest what appears to be
“a substance-abuse rehabilitation
program recruiting
staff” to work in the building
and lack of community notice
or engagement on what
may be sited at 2800 Bruckner
Boulevard.
“The community is defi -
nitely mobilized,” said Steven
Kaufman, an attorney who
is leading the Throggs Neck
Strong coalition looking into
the matter, adding “I believe
with mobilization, we might
be able to stop what they want
to do.”
Tenants in the building
say they got letters over the
last two weeks telling them
to vacate the building by
September, said Bobby Jaen,
Throggs Neck Merchants Association
president and coalition
member.
So far, at least 20 complaints
have been logged with
the NYC Department of Buildings,
including those concerning
“commercial space that is
being turned into residential
space” and those saying tenants
see “beds, dressers, mirrors
and chairs,” being moved
in.
As of press time, a meeting
of the Throggs Neck Strong
coalition has been planned
for the Crosstown Diner on
Thursday, August 3, with Jaen
expecting around 125 people,
following a lot of community
organizing and petitioning
that led to a forceful showing
at an earlier impromptu meeting
on Friday, July 28.
Anthony Mameli, Charles
Ruttenberg Realty’s Bronx
commercial real estate manager,
said the company was
planning a grand opening for
its new offi ce at the building
Bronx Times Reporter
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Bayside, NY 11361