BY FRANK VERNUCCIO
Clearly, America requires
investment in improved infrastructure.
Unfortunately, the
current infrastructure legislation
will do little to address
that. In reality, it is a Trojan
Horse, using a misleading title
to masquerade a panoply
of Progressive goals hidden
in 2,700 pages that are far too
unpopular, and unwise, to
be pushed through honestly.
Only 23%, or $550 billion, of
the Senate version would actually
be used to rebuild roads,
bridges, and similar projects.
The touted purpose of the
legislation, to rebuild roads,
bridges, and other related
major projects, receives only
$110 billion of the $1.5 trillion
passed in the Senate.
Sen. Kennedy (R-Lousiana)
argues that it shouldn’t
even be called an infrastructure
bill. A more accurate description,
he notes, would be a
Green New Deal and welfare
bill.
Two versions of the legislation
range in price from $1.5
trillion-$3.5 trillion, the largest
tax and spend measure
on record. Neither version
will help the nation. Far more
harm than good will occur if
it is passed.
The concerns are not GOP
talking points. Sen. Manchin
(D-West Virginia) warns that
the U.S. faces “grave consequences”
if the $3.5 trillion
bill is enacted, sparking infl
ation. Infl ation is still stubbornly
set at a 13-year high,
with mammoth increases in
basic commodities in energy
topping the list. Adding several
trillion dollars more to
the mix could send the economy
over the brink.
Paying for the measure
could literally destroy retirement
planning for vast numbers
of Americans.
The Washington Times
points out that one way the
measure would raise revenue
to pay for itself is a gimmick
called “pension smoothing.”
Which would reduce the
amount corporations are required
to contribute to their
employees’ pension funds and
instead use that money to increase
their profi t margins,
allowing a greater tax haul.
Small businesses and family
farms would be devastated
due to the concept of taxing
unrealized capital gains upon
death, another desperate attempt
BRONX TIMES R 30 EPORTER, SEPT. 9-16, 2021 BTR
to fi nance the bill.
A Trump-era program to
reduce drug costs would be delayed.
Breaking a promise yet
again, the Biden administration
is seeking to fi nance the
pricetag with a “vehicle mileage
tax.” A Freedom Works review
of the concept notes that
“The new national motor vehicle
per-mile “user fee” pilot
program found in Title III of
H. R. 3684 is merely a regressive
tax by another name.
While pundits argue about the
costs and benefi ts of a commercial
vehicle mileage tax,
the inclusion of passenger vehicles
in the program should
be a huge red fl ag for citizens
concerned about their growing
tax burden.”
Spending in programs included
do not even pretend
to be infrastructure-related.
They include vast amounts for
agricultural climate research
and other climate-specifi c programs,
including the establishment
of a “Climate Corps,”
housing programs, purchasing
“green materials,” universal
pre-K, tuition free community
college, providing lawful
permanent status for some illegal
immigrants, and investments
for native housing and
health facilities. A review by
Brookings favors the legislation,
but readily describes its
support because it makes “the
country more inclusive, environmentally
resilient, and industrially
competitive…”
Following the political battles
to eventually gain passage,
a legal challenge may well ensue
centering on racially discriminator
language. Former
New York State Lt. Gov. Betsy
McCaughey argues in Forbes
that “…the measure discriminates
against whites at every
turn … this racist bill locates
and hands out jobs and contracts
projects based on race,
not merit…” As an example,
McCaughey points out that
“The bill includes grants to
install solar or wind technologies
and generate jobs in areas
decimated by closing coal
mines or coal-fi red electric
plans. Here’s the catch: when
contractors bid, the bill says
minority-owned businesses
will get chosen fi rst. Bad news
for white contractors and displaced
coal miners, who are
overwhelmingly white and
need jobs. (Section 40209).”
Whatever the merits (or
not) of the proposed infrastructure
legislative ideas,
they are certainly not infrastructure,
making the legislation
the largest bait and
switch scheme in U.S. history.
CIVIC CENTER
Community Action
Civic Association
BY THOMAS CASEY
The East Bronx History
Forum and the Huntington
Free Library are pleased to
announce the Forum will
hold its 157th meeting on
Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 8 pm.,
with a Zoom presentation
about Hart Island by Natalie
J. Sobchak Lacina, an adjunct
professor at Fordham
Law School. The many diverse
stories of Hart Island,
located just off the east side
City Island in the Bronx
starts in 1654 and is debated
in 2021.
In 1654, Hart Island was
deeded to Thomas Pell by
Wampage, aka Anhooke,
who’s tribe was responsible
for the death of Anne
Hutchinson in 1643, not far
from Pelham Bay Park. Now,
The Department of Corrections
has transferred Hart
Island to the Parks Department.
Another interesting
fact is that the fi rst mustering
of recruits from the New York
31st, U.S. Colored Troops in
the Civil War were organized
on Hart Island. The Massachusetts
54th Colored Troops
were led by Lt. Robert Gould
Shaw and recognized for
bravery in the movie “Glory.”
Lt. Robert Shaw studied at
Fordham Preparatory in the
1850s and Denzel Washington
who won an Oscar portraying
Private Trip in “Glory” is
a Fordham University graduate.
Sobchak Lacina, a professor
at Fordham Law School,
who with her husband have
called City Island their home
for more than 30 years. Natalie
is an attorney that worked 20
years at the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of
New York and currently for
the Pace Women’s Justice Center,
that provides free legal services
to victims and survivors
of domestic violence. Natalie
also majored in History at Boston
University and together
with her legal and not for
profi t expertise, led to a focus
on neighboring Hart Island.
Please join us and discover
the complex history of Hart Island
and learn about the most
recent changes and the possible
future to the largest unknown
piece of the Bronx. The
East Bronx History Forum
will post the login details on
our web page at BronxNYC.
com. Please help defray the
cost of the meetings by using
the donate button. We
will meet online, at 8 p.m.,
Wednesday Sept. 22.
CIVIC CENTER
East Bronx
History Forum
Lt. Robert Gould Shaw May, 1863.
Photo by Photo courtesy Thomas Casey
From Councilman Mark Gjonaj
BY COUNCILMAN
MARK GJONAJ
Hurricane Ida’s effect on
our city has been historical,
inundating us with never
before seen levels of fl ooding.
The fl ooding tragically
claimed the lives of 10 New
Yorkers, and nearly 50 people
nationwide. We mourn their
loss and will remember them.
The fl ooding also caused
signifi cant damage to residences
and businesses,
leaving some New Yorkers
(particularly in the outer
boroughs), without power for
stretches of time. Although
an expansive topic and I will
not belabor it for the scope
of this column, enough is
enough, and the city outer
boroughs need to pursue legislative
solutions to make
them more storm resilient.
There are already bills introduced,
we must push them
forward.
I want to remind you, that
if you are a disaster survivor,
you may qualify for federal
assistance. FEMA has
deemed our city a disaster
zone, thereby allowing the
affected to seek grants up to
$36,000 each. To fi le an individual
assistance application,
visit http://disasterassistance.
gov or call (800)
621-3362.
For city assistance with issues
like water or sewage continuing
to come out of a toilet,
sink drain or bath tub drain,
or any other types of fl ooding
in your home, I implore you
to call 311.
The American Red Cross
in Greater New York is offering
general assistance to disaster
survivors, including
sheltering, debit cards and
immediate needs like emergency
attention. Call 1-877-
733-2767 for more information.
As always, my district
offi ce can be reached at either
(718) 931-1721 or at MGjonaj@
council.nyc.gov, and
my constituent affairs team
is equipped to assist you with
any comment, question or
concern you may have. It is
my pleasure to serve the wonderful
people of Council District
13 — be well and stay
safe.
link
/disaster-assistance.gov
/disaster-assistance.gov
/disaster-assistance.gov
link
/council.nyc.gov