BY GEORGE HAVRANEK
Green Light Hypocrisy
Flying beneath the radar is
Green Light New York, which
takes effect December 14. The
Green Light Law, approved
earlier this year, permits undocumented
immigrants and
any other resident of New
York to apply for specialized
driver’s licenses from their local
Department of Motor Vehicles
offi ces. These licenses differ
from what is already given
to current applicants in New
York, and cannot be used to
board a plane.
The purported intent of
this document is to allow individuals
to legally drive in New
York. According to the New
York Law Journal, opponents
of this controversial action believe
those licenses will allow
undocumented immigrants
in New York to cast ballots in
state and local elections. There
is nothing in the current state
rules for voter registrations
that prevents undocumented
immigrants from casting ballots.
Due to this honor system
format anyone with a ninedigit
driver’s license number
in New York can theoretically
register to vote without proof
of citizenship.
As reported by Kayla Epstein
of the Washington Post,
the bills’ sponsor, Senator Luis
Sepúlveda declared, “This legislation
will not only provide
undocumented immigrants
with a legal solution to obtain
a driver’s license, but its
positive impacts will include
signifi cant economic growth.
Millions of dollars will be
raised in revenue, auto insurance
premiums will decrease,
and local economies will see a
boom as earnings and spending
increase.”
According to DMV 250,000
undocumented immigrants are
expected to apply for driver licenses
with a fi rst year revenue
forecast of 87 million dollars.
Accurate valuation based
on the economic stimulus directly
related to Green Light
New York is incalculable. It is
plausible to suggest most people
have a fi nite amount of income.
In addition, automobile
ownership and usage brings
fi nancial obligations such as
registration fees, insurance,
fuel costs, and maintenance.
New York State municipalities
will reap some fi nancial benefi
ts from typical fees tethered
to the issuances of drivers’ licenses,
license plates and vehicle
registrations. However,
after absorption of these extra
fi nancial burdens can we
accurately calculate monies
that will be spent by undocumented
immigrants to bolster
local economies?
An economic analysis conducted
by the Mayors Offi ce
of Economic Opportunity entitled
“An Economic Profi le of
Immigrants in NYC” showed
the 2018 median annual income
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 50 ECEMBER 6-12, 2019 BTR
of an undocumented immigrant
in New York City to be
less than $25,000. The expectations
of a revenue stream to
bolster local economies after
undocumented immigrants
pay typical living expenses
and cover costs related to automobile
usages or ownerships
defy economic logic. It appears
unrealistic to label the
issuance of drivers’ licenses to
undocumented immigrants as
catalytic to an economic boom
in New York City.
Green Light NY will place
additional drivers on over
congested roadways and is
unlikely to result in insurance
rate reductions for those
with cars registered in Bronx
County. According to the
Property Casualty Insurance
Association of America due to
territorial rankings, property
and auto insurance rates in
Bronx County remain among
the nation’s highest. It is reasonable
to surmise additional
driver licenses will lead to
across the board increases in
drivers, cars, and potentially
automobile accidents. Green
Light New York is not a surefi
re path toward auto insurance
rate reductions.
Despite staunch community
oppositions the City Hall
inspired usually vocal anti-
automobile movement has encouraged
numerous actions
such as unwanted road diets,
elimination of parking spaces,
holiday street closures, congestion
pricings, and the overuse
of revenue generating
traffi c devices. These actions,
part of the Vision Zero initiative,
are safeguards to eliminate
traffi c related deaths and
injuries on NYC roadways by
creating safe zones and decreasing
vehicular traffi c. The
Green Light law by encouraging
more drivers on already
overcrowded roadways seems
contrarian to these long-term
safety measures tailored to
protect those on New York
City roads and streets. Despite
the likely increase of automobiles
on many ‘dieting’ and
overcrowded roadways the
typically tumultuous factions
of the City Hall supported anti
automobile movement remain
in library reading room silence.
The surface intent of the
Green Light Law providing
undocumented immigrants
that meet DMV requirements
with opportunities to attain
drivers’ licenses without eligibility
to vote in elections
is an incontrovertible truth.
However, actions have consequences
or in this case unintended
benefi ts. The Green
Light law, absent of measures
to prevent voter fraud appears
tailored to stimulate political
agendas, and voting blocs,
certainly not local economies.
This is another shining example
of hypocrisy by bureaucracy
in the slowly decaying
Big Apple.
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 possess the fortitude
and resolve needed to
confront adversity. The next
gathering of the Spencer Estate
Civic Association is our
Christmas/Holiday event
Wednesday, December 11, at
7:30 p.m. Please note this is
the second Wednesday of the
month and deviates from our
typical schedule. Our valued
friends Community Board 10
district manager, Matt Cruz
and ‘Benevolent Bronx Taxman’
John Cerini are slated to
address our membership. 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.
Message from
Councilman Mark Gjonaj
COUNCILMAN MARK GJONAJ
BY ANNIE BOLLER
At our Tuesday, November
19 meeting, Senator Alessandra
Biaggi showed her true
grit by attending our meeting
wearing a cast on her right
foot after having just come
through foot surgery. Senator
Biaggi discussed a myriad
of topics including the Bronx
Bus Redesign, the upcoming
budget process, campaign fi -
nance reform and predatory
development, just to name
a few. In her role as chair of
the Ethics Committee, she is
working on reforms which
heretofore haven’t been dealt
with. Health statistics show
that the Bronx has the highest
rates of asthma and autism in
New York State.
A representative from
Councilman Mark Gjonaj’s
offi ce spoke briefl y about upcoming
events.
There is a toy drive taking
place through Monday, December
18. If you have toys to
donate, they can be dropped
off at P.S. 14.
Our next and fi nal meeting
for 2019 will be Tuesday, December
17 during which there
will be a holiday raffl e.
Meetings are suspended
during the months of January
and February, 2020. Updates
will be posted in the Bronx
Times Reporter during that
period.
Membership dues are due.
Please send to 1720 Mayfl ower
Avenue, #9H, Bronx, NY 10461.
Our email is pbta1965@gmail.
com.
The holidays have always been a
special time for me and my family.
It is a time where I stop to self-refl
ect on the past year and spend time
with my close family and friends. It
is also a special time I take to spend
in my community alongside my fellow
neighbors. As such, this fi scal
year, I have taken it upon myself to
sponsor a few free events around the
district for individuals and families
alike to enjoy. There is no better time
spent than mingling with family
and friends, reacquainting with old
neighbors, and making new friends
that can become family.
We will kick start the holidays
with two free events on Saturday, December
14. First, our annual Breakfast
with Santa, which will be held at
F & J Pine Restaurant located at 1913
Bronxdale Avenue from 8:30 to 11:30
a.m. Then we will have our Holiday
Tro
lley of Fun in partnership with
our non-profi t organization KRVC,
which will run through City Island
from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at P.S. 175
located on 200 City Island Avenue,
Pelham Bay from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at
Orrico’s Italian Restaurant located
on 3019 Westchester Avenue, and
Throggs Neck from 3 to 4 p.m. at El
Paisano Pizzeria located on 3444 E.
Tremont Avenue. On Monday, December
23 I will also be sponsoring
Menorah Lightings at the following
locations and times: Loreto Park
at 3 p.m., Bronx House at 3:30 p.m.,
and Albert Einstein Hospital at 5:30
p.m..
I believe that no one should be
alone during the holidays. Therefore,
please spread the word and bring a
friend to partake in these festivities.
I look forward to spending the holiday
season with you all.
Thank you for making the Bronx
the greatest borough. Happy Holidays.
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