Message from
Councilman Mark Gjonaj
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O 60 CTOBER 18-24, 2019 BTR
COUNCILMAN MARK GJONAJ
BY GEORGE HAVRANEK
The charm and quaintness
of low-density communities
comes with price tags that
hinder quality of life. Decriminalization’s
that foster nuisance
behaviors have caused
widespread community concerns
among the low densities.
Continuous overdevelopments
substantially increase population;
however, the low-density
communities continue to confront
neglect and cutbacks in
areas of need. Law enforcement,
schools, essential services,
and infrastructure are
affl icted with undue stress.
Calls to 311 or 911 provide little
relief.
This dilemma is strongly
related to the inability of the
low-density community to
meet stringent requirements
set by the political hierarchies
and policymakers in City Hall
and Albany. The formula that
determines police presence in
a specifi c area is not easily accessed
public information. Apparently,
this information is
safeguarded like a cherished
generations-old family recipe.
In this current dynamic of
reactivity before proactivity increased
police presence in the
low-density community must
be tethered to a dramatic unwanted
surge in violent crime.
Residents of the low-density
communities are extremely
grateful that their streets are
largely absent of violent, serious
criminal behaviors. However,
this is not ample reason
for the overt neglect that negatively
affects their rights to a
fi ne quality of life. Nuisance
issues, although problematic,
rightfully take a back seat to
serious criminal activity. However,
nuisance issues need to
be properly handled. If left unaddressed
these troublesome
nuisance behaviors will evolve
into serious problems.
This ever-mounting problem
denigrates communities
and will eventually take the
fi ne quality of life in the lowdensity
community from endangerment
to extinction.
‘More Police, Less Crime
‘ is our battle cry response to
the linear misleading, simplistic
rhetorical statement ‘More
911 Calls, More Police’. This response
is partially based upon
evidence contained in a February
2018, study conducted
by Princeton University and
supported by the United States
Department of Justice and National
Organization of Black
Law Enforcement. The study
concludes that crime reductions
are strongly related to
more police presence, not aggressive
policing. The study
showed increased police presence
brought signifi cant declines
in petty crimes (now
known in NYC as nuisance
issues), property crimes, auto
thefts, robbery, and murder.
In addition, increased police
presence in one area is
likely to reduce crime in surrounding
areas. According to
researcher Steven Mello, “The
results highlight that fi scal
support to local governments
for crime prevention may offer
large returns, especially during
bad macroeconomic times.”
The aforementioned statement
indicates federal and state subsidies
for our local law enforcement
agencies to increase police
presence could reap major
dividends for our communities
by reducing crime and alleviating
irksome quality of life issues.
Reference: Mello, Steven,
More COPS, Less Crime (February
13, 2018). Available at
SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=
2812701 or http://dx.doi.
org/10.2139/ssrn.2812701
Community Footnotes
Our valued friends at Community
Board 10 inform us that
the NYC Department of Sanitation
has expanded their curbside
electronics collection to include
the entirety of Bronx CB
10. Curbside electronics collection
takes place Monday –Friday.
Please call 311 to schedule
pickups.
It is not too early to think
about snow removal or seasonal
smoke alarm checks.
Area senior citizens and disabled
individuals, incapable
of performing mandated snow
removal duties please register
for Councilman Mark Gjonaj’s
‘Snow Removal Program’. The
American Red Cross in partnership
with the councilman
provides free smoke alarm installation
through the ‘Sound
the Alarm’ program. Remember,
a mere two minutes can be
the difference in successfully
escaping a house fi re.
Please call (718) 931-1721 for
registration / more information
about these important
community services or to contact
Councilman Gjonaj.
Political leaders to gauge a
community’s interest and fortitude
use the attendances at local
civic association meetings.
The continued large turnouts
show our elected offi cials that
we have the fortitude and resolve
needed to confront adversity.
It is important for our community
to consistently build
on this momentum. The next
meeting of the Spencer Estate
Civic Association is Wednesday,
November 20, at 7:30 p.m.
Any area homeowner or renter
interested in membership to
the all inclusive Spencer Estate
Civic Association in box
George Havranek on Facebook
or send-email with subject matter
Spencer Estate to gghh55@
aol.com.
If we want to ‘keep and reap
the blessings’ of our fi ne quality
of life ‘we must undergo the
fatigue of supporting it’.
Remember: Inclusion brings
solutions.
Saturday, October 26, 7
p.m. will be the Post’s Annual
Halloween Party. Admission
is $5 a head, it’s pot luck so
bring a dish, cash bar. Costume
is a must, no exceptions,
there will be a prize for best
costume.
November is a busy month
for the Legion so I want to get
some dates out early so you
can mark your calendars.Sunday,
November 3 at Brewski’s
the 2nd annual Christian Engledrum/
Korony Post Troop
Fundraiser, cover charge gets
ya some great music from local
bands. This event raises
money to send care packages
to our troops serving in
harms way, protecting our
freedoms. Friday, November
8, P.S. 108 hosts a Veterans Appreciation
Breakfast where
the children thank and honor
the veterans. It is a very nice
ceremony. Nice to see a school
educating the children in patriotism.
Saturday, November 9, 7
p.m., Marine Corps League,
Yankee Detachment 255 will
host the Marine Corps Birthday
celebration, $20 in advance
or $25 at the door, buffet
dinner,cake and coffee, beer,
wine and soda. If you wish to
pay in advance there will be a
sign up sheet at the Post.
On Sunday, November 10,
at noon sharp, Throggs Neck
Annual Veterans Day Parade,
come out and thank the veterans
for all they have sacrifi
ced for us. I will continue
to post these dates as we get
closer to each of them. Thats
all for now. We are stronger
as one, let’s work together.
God bless America.
At the NYC Council’s Italian-American
Heritage event on Thursday, October
10, I was honored to recognize
Community Board 11’s very own Silvio
Mazzella for his meritorious contributions
to our community. Our
NYC Council District 13 draws a lot
of its strength from its diversity and
multicultural sensibilities, amongst of
which are our many Italian-American
friends and neighbors. The history of
New York City and Italian-Americans
are largely intertwined, due in large
part to the integral role Italian-Americans
have played in the development of
our great city.
Silvio Mazzella, veteran and community
leader, is one of the gems of
the Bronx’ long-standing Italian-
American community. He was born
and raised in the Morrisania section
of the south Bronx, where he then attended
Cardinal Hayes High School,
Northeastern University, and Monroe
College before volunteering for service
with the United States Marine Corps.
After defending our country in
Vietnam and Okinawa, Mazzella was
honorably discharged, from where he
embarked on a career of community
leadership, carrying into the civilian
realm the Marine Corps motto of Semper
Fidelis – ‘always faithful’.
At present, Silvio Mazzella serves
as a member of the Community Board
11, where he was previously treasurer.
He is the current secretary of the Morris
Park Community Association, the
current vice president of the 49th Precinct
Community Council and was
elected chairman of the Jacobi Medical
Center Advisory Board in 2013. He is
also responsible for organizing memorial
services for Veteran’s Day and Memorial
Day. In addition to his active involvement
in nearly every facet of our
community, he is also a proud father of
three and grandfather of six, with his
wife Yvonne of almost 50 years.
We are proud to have Silvio Mazzella
as a member and leader of our
Bronx community. He continues to
create and has already established a
lasting legacy. I hope that his life dedication
to public service stands as an
example for us all to try to imitate.
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