BRONX TIMES REPORTER, N 48 OVEMBER 17-28, 2019 BTR
Action
Association
BY FRANK VERNUCCIO
Welcome to the era of Middle
Finger Politics.
Government, as it was conceived
by America’s Founding
Fathers, was supposed to be
transparent and answerable to
the people. It was designed to
be responsive to the wishes of
the voters as expressed in elections.
However, far too much infl uence
and power are currently
retained by a contingent of insiders
who move back and forth
between elective offi ce and the
bureaucracy. The result is that
rather than having a federal
government that is responsive
to the people, it feels free to give
them and their wishes the middle
fi nger.
The problem is also prevalent
on the state and local
level, nowhere more so than in
New York City. The Northeast
Bronx has received an extra
dose of middle fi nger politics in
recent years. Many of our roads
are so battered they resemble
tank traps, and are inadequate
for the rise in traffi c. In response
to complaints, what did
city government do? They gave
the middle fi nger to complaining
residents by installing absurd
and dangerous ‘road diet’
plans on key avenues such East
Tremont and Morris Park. The
designs are so bad they literally
invite accidents.
The middle fi nger didn’t
stop there. ‘Speed cameras’
were installed, calibrated in
such an absurd way that even
the slightest acceleration activated
them and resulted in a
tickets.
Environmentalists might
delight in anything that harms
drivers, but they should look
twice. While increasing harassment
of drivers, the city, in key
areas like the northeast Bronx,
have cut back on express bus
service. That express bus service
was already inadequate,
as its routes failed to refl ect the
commercial growth of Manhattan’s
West Side, where many
northeast Bronx residents
commute to. And of course, any
plans to improve subway service
are either totally nonexistent
or a pipedream for the distant
future.
Own a home in the area?
There’s a big middle fi nger for
you, too! The city repeatedly
hikes property taxes, under
the lying excuse of increased
assessments. If you need a
glass of water when you open
up your bill, think twice about
how much you drink. Water
rates continually rise, as well.
Some might recall that water
meters, when installed, were
supposedly only to promote
conservation, not promote revenue.
Yes, your elected offi cials
lied to you, and continuously
lie about that. Got a complaint?
Well, you will only get a middle
fi nger in response.
The most basic service city
residents seek is to be safe. But
the extremists who dominate
city government hate the police,
who have to deal with reality,
not sleazy politics. Our
elected mandarins do everything
possible to handicap the
brave men and women who
patrol our streets. A cop has
to worry about getting sued,
fi red, or killed merely for doing
his or her job. What, you
want your (excessively high)
tax dollars to go to law and order
rather than the latest nut
job left wing scheme? You want
that revenue used to keep you
safe rather than enrich friends
and relatives of the mayor? A
big middle fi nger to you from
Gracie Mansion!
Perhaps we shouldn’t worry
too much about the fate of our
cops, since their numbers dwindling.
The leaders of our city
would far rather spend money
on their ideological schemes
rather than the basics such as
civic safety. That’s why the size
of the NYPD is signifi cantly
smaller than it was during the
Giuliani era.
The unsung heroes of our
community, the small business
people who create jobs and
keep our community alive, predominately
want City Hall to
stay out of their way. But the
onslaught of nonsensical regulations,
and the urge to levy
fi nes on any ridiculous excuse,
means that there is a very special
middle fi nger reserved for
them.
Message from Councilman Mark Gjonaj
COUNCILMAN MARK GJONAJ
BY MARY JANE MUSANO
Our November meeting will
be on November 26 at 7:30 p.m.
at the First Lutheran Church
of Throggs Neck on Hollywood
and Baisley avenues. John
Cerini, our Bronx Tax Man,
will be our guest speaker. Tax
time is around the corner, so
let’s all be prepared. Come to
the meeting and learn about
the new tax laws and how you
can save money. We will have
some Thanksgiving giveaways
and surprises, so put the date
on your calendar and bring a
friend with you.
Also, if you have not yet paid
your dues, please do so as soon
as possible. You can pay your
dues at the meeting or send it to
1145 Hobart Avenue, Bronx, NY,
10461. Remember, we depend
on your dues to be able to bring
you great events and continue
with our monthly meetings.
Thank you to all who have sent
in dues and a special thank you
to those who have sent more
than the required $10. It helps
more than you know. We appreciate
all of our wonderful members
and love to hear your ideas
and suggestions, so send them
in with your dues. We want you
to be as involved as you possibly
can be.
Christmas Tree Lighting
Our annual Christmas Tree
Lighting will be on Saturday,
December 14. We will gather
in Schneider-Sampson Park
on Hollywood and Baisley avenues
at 5:30 p.m. We hope you
will join us for cookies and hot
chocolate. It is a great time to
wish your friends and neighbors
a Merry Christmas. This
is also a great time to bring a
neighbor with you. All are welcome.
A little elf told me that Santa
will arrive on his special red
sleigh with toys for the good
girls and boys 12 and under.
Gifts will be given on a fi rst
come, fi rst served basis for as
long as they last. So, please arrive
early. Parents, you will
want to bring your camera to
snap a photo as Santa holds
your little one on his knee as
they sit in his beautiful red
velvet chair. Don’t miss this
heart-warming event. We look
forward to seeing you there.
Please help to spread the word.
BY TONY SALIMBENE
Here are some upcoming
events: Sunday, December 1 is
the Bronx County Auxiliary
Holiday Gift Shop at Bronx
VA - an annual tradition, followed
by our 253 Holiday Party
in the ‘nursing home’ section.
Great band playing too. Come
by around 10 a.m. Ask at the
volunteer lobby info desk if you
need directions within the hospital.
Santa’s Helpers needed.
Saturday, December 7 is the
Remember Pearl Harbor Annual
Wreath Ceremony at Bicentennial
Veterans Memorial
Park. Starts 1 p.m. sharp. Colation
to follow. ‘Until the last one
of us is left.’ The 3rd Sunday regular
Post 253 meeting at ATNY is
followed by our annual Christmas
Party. Members may bring
a guest, hopefully a new post,
auxiliary or SAL member.
Forgot congrats to PC Guy
and Toba of the Co-op City
American Legion Post for recognition
from the Bronx Chamber
of Commerce.
Sick call: Angelo our SAL
historian and museum instructor,
feel better buddy and PC
Joe on the mend.
Until next time: Think Mid-
Winter Conference, Albany,
weekend of January 24.
Let’s give them another
great Bronx showing.
Last week, the City Council passed
a three-part series of legislation that increased
property taxes for homeowners
and renters.
It is no exaggeration to declare that
our city, and our Bronx community, has
a crisis of affordability. As such, this
was legislation I voted against and continue
to oppose.
The cost of living in New York City
is already high, and many individuals,
families and small businesses are
struggling to make ends meet under existing
tax law. To increase this tax, in
an environment already hostile to homeowners
and renters, is unthinkable.
Whatever revenue this increased tax
generates is going to be offset and nullifi
ed by the losses of residents and small
businesses, as they fl ee an inhospitable
housing market.
NYC Council District 13, my Bronx
community and yours, actually has
the highest effective tax rate of any district
in the fi ve boroughs. This means
that our residents tend to pay a higher
tax rate relative to the actual market
value of their house, than anyone else.
Not only is that itself unacceptable and
unfair, but it is an injustice that will be
exacerbated further by this new tax legislation.
Also, it is important to note that it is
a common misconception that increases
in property taxes affects only homeowners
and landlords. We can see in practice,
however, that this is frequently not
the case. Landlords generally respond
to increases in real estate tax by shifting
the added cost onto their renters.
While the landlords may be able to defl
ect the added cost posed by raised real
estate tax, the renters cannot, and this
de-incentivizes prospective and existing
renters from either signing a lease
or renewing one. When people don’t
want to sign or renew leases, we lose
residents of our community.
This is misguided legislation that
will ultimately backfi re on its proponents.
Increased real estate tax in a city
where we are literally amidst a housing
crisis is irresponsible. As your elected
offi cial, committed to the homeowner
and renters alike, I staunchly oppose
this legislation, will oppose others like
it in the future and will continue to fi ght
to end this affordability crisis in our
community.