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Tenants Political Action Committee

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New York, New York 10007

New York State Legislative Task Force

On Demographic Research and Reapportionment

 February 2, 2012

 Testimony of Michael McKee, Treasurer

When I testified before this Task Force last September, I expressed a good deal of skepticism about what you were already planning behind closed doors.

Now it turns out that I was not skeptical enough. The legislative lines recently released by this Task Force leave observers grasping for adequate adjectives and nouns to describe your process, and your product. Chutzpah? Gall? Maddening? Insane? Blatant? All deficient to express the appropriate outrage.

I guess “Up to your old tricks” is also inadequate, as the proposed district lines are even more outrageous this time than in the last several decades.

While my testimony will focus on the State Senate lines, the Assembly majority must share the blame. It was not surprising that Assembly Member McEneny was recently quoted as acknowledging the reality of this bipartisan gerrymandering exercise: “As a practical matter, they [the Senate majority] draw their lines, we draw our lines.” (City & State, January 6, 2012, “Quietly, Senate GOP Releases Plan For 63rd Seat.”) Not surprising, but appalling.

From Coffee Party Board Member Eric Byler:

On Friday Jan. 20, the Coffee Party is joining Move to Amend and democracy advocates across the US to hold more than 80 rallies in front of federal court buildings, including the US Supreme Court. These rallies will launch grassroots campaigns for ballot initiatives and resolutions rejecting the "Citizens United" decree for unlimited, anonymous spending to influence our elections.

Momentum has been building in recent months, with resolutions passed by city councils in Los Angeles and New York City, and the Montana Supreme Court asserting that states have the right to prevent the corporate purchase of their governments.  Let's make this happen in states, towns, and cities across the country.

Here are some actions you can take:

A Department of Homeless Services lawyer advised us late Friday that those notices were sent "in error" and that the City is awaiting a court decision on whether it has to pay January rent.   Counsel for the City have informed us that if no decision is issued by January 19th, the City will commence paying January rent on that date.

It has come to our attention that all eligible Advantage tenants received a letter sent from HRA stating that the City is paying Advantage rent for January 2012 (despite the typo in the letter).  This letter was sent in error.  At this point, the City has not paid January 2012 Advantage rent.  The City is awaiting a court decision on whether the City still has an obligation to pay January rent on behalf of eligible Advantage tenants.  Once that decision is made, the City will inform tenants and landlords as to the status of the January 2012 Advantage rental subsidy payments.  DHS is updating its website and 311 to reflect this information, and will send out a corrected letter upon receiving a court decision, as in the prior two months

 

For January 2012, Advantage landlords received an accurate letter stating the above. 

John Rhea, the New York City Housing Authority's chairman, talks on The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC, about their new strategic plan to -- including selling off air-rights and other strategies to raise revenue to support the city's public housing.