<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>The Wonkster &#187; Immigrants</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/category/immigrants/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster</link>
	<description>Gotham Gazette&#039;s blog about New York policy and politics</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:38:29 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>Quinn and ICE</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/08/17/quinn-and-ice/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/08/17/quinn-and-ice/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:12:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9989</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Council Speaker Christine Quinn introduced legislation today that would prohibit New York City&#8217;s department of corrections from subsidizing the work of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Make the Road New York issued this statement supporting the move:
&#8220;The announcement by Speaker Quinn and Council Members Mark-Viverito and Daniel Dromm that the New York City Council will [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Council Speaker Christine Quinn introduced legislation today that would prohibit New York City&#8217;s department of corrections from subsidizing the work of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Make the Road New York issued this statement supporting the move:</p>
<p>&#8220;The announcement by Speaker Quinn and Council Members Mark-Viverito and Daniel Dromm that the New York City Council will prohibit New York City&#8217;s Department of Corrections from subsidizing and supporting the deportation of thousands of non-criminal New Yorkers each year is fantastic news.</p>
<p>Every day New York City benefits from the energy, initiative and hard-work of immigrants. In a city where forty percent of all New Yorkers are immigrants, and for the City to do its job, New York City government must not burn bridges to immigrant communities. Today, New York City is taking a clear stand that it refuses to be in the business of tearing apart of immigrant families and subsidizing the deportation of non-criminal New Yorkers.&#8221;</p>
<p>Quinn&#8217;s legislation follows Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s decision to <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20110523/204/3531">pull out of the federal Secure Communities Program</a> and the US government&#8217;s insistence that New York legally must take part in the program. <span id="more-9989"></span></p>
<p>Make the Road New York released statements of support for Quinn&#8217;s legislation from a number of Democratic legislators:</p>
<p>&#8220;Speaker Quinn&#8217;s proposal will ensure that the focus is where it should be: On those the Obama administration has said it would focus on in Immigration Enforcement.&#8221; state Senator Jose R. Peralta. &#8220;I applaud Speaker Quinn and urge her City Council colleagues to pass this bill.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I applaud Speaker Quinn for her leadership on making the city of New York a safer city for immigrants who call it home. We cannot continue to have immigration officials in Riker&#8217;s and in our jails working with local law enforcement to identify and deport any and all immigrants detained there &#8212; even those who are found innocent of any crime. I applaud this effort to ensure that immigrant New Yorkers feel they are safe and that cooperating with local police is in everyone&#8217;s best interest to ensure the safety of our communities,&#8221; said State Senator Gustavo Rivera.</p>
<p>&#8220;I am happy that Speaker Quinn is taking action on this important issue &#8212; saving the City up to $50 million a year while also protecting immigrants with no prior criminal record from unfair, lengthy detention periods. This proposal is tough on crime too, making sure that cooperation does take place in other cases.&#8221; said Assemblyman Francisco Moya. &#8220;Those who are innocent will be treated fairly regardless of their immigration status, but this proposal also allows for the necessary cooperation between law enforcement agencies.&#8221;</p>
<p>Assemblywoman Grace Meng stated, &#8220;I commend Council Speaker Christine Quinn&#8217;s bill to create a detainer discretion policy. Speaker Quinn&#8217;s actions are a strong and confident indication that our great city will not stand for collaborations between agencies that target immigrant communities. In my district, one of the largest and most common issues that we have seen are families who are torn apart by immigration issues. I am fully committed to continuing to work with my colleagues in government to promote policies that actually make our communities more secure, not waste government resources in deporting immigrants. I also want to thank Make the Road NY for all its hard working in leading this campaign to withdraw ICE from Riker&#8217;s Island.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I applaud Make the Road for its dedication and tenacity in addressing this matter and congratulate them on achieving this important step in ensuring that New York residents are treated justly and fairly regardless of immigration status. I stand firmly with Make the Road and support their worthwhile mission,&#8221; said Assemblyman Matthew Titone.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/08/17/quinn-and-ice/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Morgenthau and Silver On Secure Communities</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/morgenthau-and-silver-on-secure-communities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/morgenthau-and-silver-on-secure-communities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:46:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ICE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Robert Morgenthau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secure communities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sheldon Silver]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9600</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau has nothing but praise for Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s  decision to suspend New York&#8217;s involvement in the Secure Communities program.
A number of law enforcement officials from across the state also have praised Cuomo for the move &#8212; along with a number of legislators and civil rights groups. The Gazette reported [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau has nothing but praise for Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s  <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/cuomo-suspends-participation-in-secure-communities/">decision to suspend New York&#8217;s involvement in the Secure Communities program</a>.</p>
<p>A number of law enforcement officials from across the state also have praised Cuomo for the move &#8212; along with a number of legislators and civil rights groups. The Gazette <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20110523/204/3531">reported last week</a> that Cuomo was considering withdrawing from the program and was likely to make a decision soon.</p>
<p>&#8220;I have long been concerned about the issues that arise when local police  indiscriminately share information with federal immigration  authorities. Specifically, cooperation with federal immigration  officials creates a lack of trust in law enforcement among the public.  This makes it hard for police and prosecutors to do their jobs because  immigrants become reluctant to report crimes or cooperate with  investigations,&#8221; said Morgenthau in a detailed statement. &#8220;That is why, during the 35 years I was district attorney  in Manhattan, my policy was to never share the names of individuals  involved with the criminal justice system to immigration authorities  until after they were convicted of a serious crime. &#8221;</p>
<p>Morgenthau&#8217;s full statement and comments from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.<br />
<span id="more-9600"></span></p>
<p>Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, &#8220;I commend Governor Cuomo for suspending New York’s participation in the federal Secure Communities Program and thank the Assembly’s Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force for calling attention to this issue. The stated purpose of the program was to identify and remove illegal aliens convicted of serious crimes, however the vast majority of immigrants deported under the program to date have never been convicted of any crime.  There is also a concern that the program is having a chilling effect on the relationship between law enforcement and law abiding immigrants.&#8221;</p>
<p>Here is Morgenthau&#8217;s full statement thanks to Make the Road New York:</p>
<p>&#8220;I strongly support Governor Andrew M. Cuomo&#8217;s courageous decision to suspend New York&#8217;s participation in Secure Communities pending a review of the program. I have long been concerned about the issues that arise when local police indiscriminately share information with federal immigration authorities. Specifically, cooperation with federal immigration officials creates a lack of trust in law enforcement among the public. This makes it hard for police and prosecutors to do their jobs because immigrants become reluctant to report crimes or cooperate with investigations. That is why, during the 35 years I was district attorney in Manhattan, my policy was to never share the names of individuals involved with the criminal justice system to immigration authorities until after they were convicted of a serious crime. Programs like Secure Communities, which require automatic immigration database checks for people arrested by local police upon booking, magnify the problems I tried so hard to avoid.</p>
<p>About a year ago, I drafted an editorial in the Wall Street Journal calling for a more nuanced approach to the cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration officials. I am now encouraged that the Governor and other elected officials around the country share my concerns and are taking a critical look at overbroad state and local immigration enforcement cooperation programs like Secure Communities.</p>
<p>New York state law enforcement officials have no obligation to spend time and resources, and endangertheir critical mission of keeping our communities safe, to enforce federal immigration law. The Governor&#8217;s decision to suspend New York&#8217;s participation in the Secure Communities program is an important step toward separating the roles of local police and federal immigration authorities in the eyes of the public, and also protecting New Yorkers from suffering often cruel and unfair treatment in the federal immigration system.&#8221;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/morgenthau-and-silver-on-secure-communities/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Meng and Rivera on Secure Communities</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/meng-and-rivera-on-secure-communities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/meng-and-rivera-on-secure-communities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:04:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grace Meng]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gustavo Rivera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ICE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secure communities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9594</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Assemblywoman Grace Meng and Sen. Gustavo Rivera are applauding Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s decision to suspend New York&#8217;s participation in the Secure Communities program. Both asked Cuomo to consider ending participation in the program last month. Cuomo is clearly scoring major points with progressives (a group he has neglected up to this point) by making this [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Assemblywoman Grace Meng and Sen. Gustavo Rivera are applauding Gov. Andrew Cuomo&#8217;s <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/cuomo-suspends-participation-in-secure-communities/">decision to suspend New York&#8217;s participation in the Secure Communities program</a>. Both <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20110523/204/3531">asked Cuomo </a>to consider ending participation in the program last month. Cuomo is clearly scoring major points with progressives (a group he has neglected up to this point) by making this move.</p>
<p>Here is their joint statement:</p>
<p>&#8220;We are proud to stand with Governor Cuomo today as he announced the suspension of New York&#8217;s participation in Secure Communities, a controversial partnership between immigration officials and local law enforcement that has come under scrutiny at a national level for straying from its intended purpose of deporting dangerous criminal immigrants. While Secure Communities is intended to focus on the deportation of dangerous criminal immigrants, 79% of those deported nationwide under this program had no criminal record.</p>
<p>We applaud Governor Cuomo for acting on the evidence that has accumulated over the last few months that indicate that Secure Communities is not fulfilling its stated mission as well as evidence that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have misled elected officials in New York and throughout the country.</p>
<p>Governor Cuomo has shown his commitment to public safety by taking issue with a program that would deter victims and witnesses of crimes from coming forward because of fear of being deported. If New York had continued to implement a very flawed Secure Communities program throughout the state, and especially in New York City, it would have led to the routine separation of immigrant families as well as the widespread distrust of law enforcement in immigrant communities throughout the state, creating a public safety crisis for communities like the ones we represent.</p>
<p>Governor Cuomo has proven to be a leader on the issue of public safety at a national level by forcing the federal government to reexamine whether Secure Communities is actually making our communities more secure, not only here in New York, but throughout the country. We are committed to continuing to work with Governor Cuomo to promote policies that actually make our communities more secure.&#8221;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/meng-and-rivera-on-secure-communities/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Make the Road Praises Cuomo</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/make-the-road-praises-cuomo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/make-the-road-praises-cuomo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:44:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ICE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Make the Road New York]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secure communities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9591</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Make the Road New York has released a statement congratulating Gov. Andrew Cuomo from suspending New York&#8217;s participation in the Secure Communities program:
&#8220;We applaud Governor Cuomo for his courageous leadership to protect all  New Yorkers from the consequences of a misguided immigration enforcement  strategy. Secure Communities erodes trust between local government and  [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Make the Road New York has released a statement congratulating Gov. Andrew Cuomo from suspending New York&#8217;s participation in the Secure Communities program:</p>
<p>&#8220;We applaud Governor Cuomo for his courageous leadership to protect all  New Yorkers from the consequences of a misguided immigration enforcement  strategy. Secure Communities erodes trust between local government and  immigrant communities because community members perceive that local  police are funneling immigrants into a broken immigration system.  Immigrants, then, are less likely to report crimes, to seek needed  services or to serve as witnesses,&#8221; said Javier H. Valdés, Deputy  Director of Make the Road New York. &#8220;We look forward to continuing to  work with the Governor to protect and improve the immigrant community&#8217;s  relationship with local law enforcement in order to create a stronger  and safer New York.&#8221;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/make-the-road-praises-cuomo/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cuomo Suspends Participation in Secure Communities</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/cuomo-suspends-participation-in-secure-communities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/cuomo-suspends-participation-in-secure-communities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:05:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Felix Ortiz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gustavo Rivera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ICE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[immigration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secure communities]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9586</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced that he will suspend New York&#8217;s participation in the federal Secure Communities program that sends finger print data from local police departments to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The program is designed to catch illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes but data has shown that the program has led mostly [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced that he will suspend New York&#8217;s participation in the federal Secure Communities program that sends finger print data from local police departments to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The program is designed to catch illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes but data has shown that the program has led mostly to the deportation of immigrants who have no criminal record. We <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/albany/20110523/204/3531">reported last week</a> that Cuomo was close to make a decision about withdrawing from the program. Cuomo was under pressure from Latino legislators who have been increasingly concerned that the immigrant community will be scared to contact police, or use emergency services for fear that they will be deported through the program.</p>
<p>&#8220;There are concerns about the implementation of the program as well as its impact on families, immigrant communities and law enforcement in New York,&#8221; Cuomo said in a statement. &#8220;As a result, New York is suspending its participation in the program.&#8221; It isn&#8217;t exactly clear that Cuomo can withdraw from the program. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn withdrew from the program last month but was quickly informed by the Department of Homeland Security that he could not and that soon participation will be mandatory for the entire country. The program was initially sold to states as being voluntary. Emails between Gov. David Paterson and an ICE representative recently revealed that Paterson only signed on to the program only after being told that the program was optional for every locality.</p>
<p>Cuomo&#8217;s move has earned him high praise from Hispanic legislators as well as civil rights groups and law enforcement officials.</p>
<p>State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Vice Chair of the Latino Caucus of the  Senate, said in a statement, &#8220;I applaud Governor Cuomo for having the courage to put an  end to this program&#8217;s existence in New York. The Secure Communities  program has frightened victims and witnesses of crime from coming  forward. We need to make our neighborhoods safe places for our families  and not take part in a problematic and contradictory program that  hinders our safety.&#8221;</p>
<p>Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties  Union, said in a statement, &#8220;We applaud Governor Cuomo for taking the bold step of  removing New York State from the Secure Communities initiative, which,  despite its name, has become a sore subject for those who work day and  night to make our neighborhoods safer. We need to ensure that vulnerable  populations are protected, and the decision to remove our state from  this program is a positive move for all New Yorkers.&#8221;</p>
<p>John Poklemba, Counsel to the New York State Association of Chiefs of  Police, said in a statement, &#8220;Governor Cuomo has made the right decision to take New  York State out of the controversial Secure Communities program. This  program unfortunately has had a negative impact on our crime-fighting  efforts. Law enforcement must have tools and resources that are both  effective and fair.&#8221;</p>
<p>For more reaction, check <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/meng-and-rivera-on-secure-communities/">here</a> and <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/make-the-road-praises-cuomo/">here</a>.</p>
<p><span id="more-9586"></span></p>
<p>Here is the full release from Cuomo&#8217;s office:</p>
<p>GOVERNOR CUOMO SUSPENDS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL SECURE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM</p>
<p>Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State will suspend participation in the federal Secure Communities Program to review the mounting evidence that the program is not meeting its stated goal and has serious consequences for witnesses, victims of crime and law enforcement.</p>
<p>The goal as stated by the federal government was to deport serious felons, and, based on evidence to date, it appears the program in New York is failing in this regard and is actually undermining law enforcement. Because of similar concerns, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is investigating the program.</p>
<p>&#8220;There are concerns about the implementation of the program as well as its impact on families, immigrant communities and law enforcement in New York,&#8221; Governor Cuomo said. &#8220;As a result, New York is suspending its participation in the program.&#8221;</p>
<p>In a letter to DHS, Governor Cuomo&#8217;s administration stated that information produced thus far has called into question – at both the federal and state levels – the implementation and intended effect of the Secure Communities program.</p>
<p>Governor Cuomo&#8217;s office has also received complaints stating that the goals of the program were not being met. The questions raised are further aggravated by inconsistent statements by DHS and a failure to disclose basic information about the program.</p>
<p>Congressman Jose E. Serrano said, &#8220;Governor Cuomo has taken a brave and necessary step in suspending New York State&#8217;s participation in the flawed &#8216;Secure Communities&#8217; program, and he deserves great praise. He is firmly in line with our state&#8217;s pro-immigrant tradition and on behalf of the immigrants and their friends in our community, I would like to thank him. Having New York State pull back from this unfair and aggressive program should be a wake-up call to the Department of Homeland Security. It is time to end this program and I am glad my home state will no longer take part.&#8221;</p>
<p>Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez said, &#8220;I thank Governor Cuomo for showing the leadership and foresight to suspend this misguided program, which does not reflect New York&#8217;s long history as a welcoming home for newly arrived immigrants. The Secure Communities initiative does not make our nation safer, but inhibits cooperation with law enforcement and violates immigrants&#8217; due process rights.&#8221;</p>
<p>Derek P. Champagne, Franklin County District Attorney and President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York (DAASNY), said, &#8220;By suspending the state&#8217;s participation in this program until a comprehensive review is complete, the Governor is sending a strong message that the law enforcement tools we utilize must be clearly communicated, evenly applied and effective. We will continue to use the effective tools that have been in place for many years to ensure that we are identifying and preventing any risk to public safety.&#8221;</p>
<p>Janet DiFiore, Westchester County District Attorney, said, &#8220;I support Governor Cuomo&#8217;s decision to take New York State out of the Secure Communities Program in light of reports of the unintended consequences by its implementation. I remain confident that law enforcement throughout the state presently has sufficient tools at its disposal to continue to safeguard and protect all New Yorkers.&#8221;</p>
<p>State Senator Adriano Espaillat, Chair of the Latino Caucus of the Senate, said, &#8220;Governor Cuomo&#8217;s decision to end the so-called Secure Communities program in New York will restore rights and justice to countless immigrants across the state. We must enact policies and reforms that bolster our diverse population, not penalize it by instilling a sense of fear of wrongful deportation in our neighborhoods.&#8221;</p>
<p>State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Vice Chair of the Latino Caucus of the Senate, said, &#8220;I applaud Governor Cuomo for having the courage to put an end to this program&#8217;s existence in New York. The Secure Communities program has frightened victims and witnesses of crime from coming forward. We need to make our neighborhoods safe places for our families and not take part in a problematic and contradictory program that hinders our safety.&#8221;</p>
<p>Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, Chair of the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force, said, &#8220;The Secure Communities program has done the opposite of what it was supposed to do, and Governor Cuomo is right in removing our state from the program. While we continue to work to find ways to make it safer for victims and witnesses of crime to come forward and be a part of the process to save our communities, we must not let our state be part of an experiment that puts innocent people at risk.&#8221;</p>
<p>Thomas H. Mungeer, President of the New York State Police Benevolent Association, said, &#8220;We support Governor Cuomo&#8217;s action today in suspending Secure Communities until the numerous questions, including a federal Inspector General&#8217;s investigation, can be resolved. Police rely upon a partnership with the communities that they serve to ensure the public safety of us all. The questions that have surrounded the implementation of Secure Communities drives a wedge between law enforcement and the people they are sworn to protect. We are confident that the procedures we currently use and the strong relationships we currently have with federal, state and local authorities will ensure that we can keep our communities safe while also maintaining our relationship of trust.&#8221;</p>
<p>John Poklemba, Counsel to the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, said, &#8220;Governor Cuomo has made the right decision to take New York State out of the controversial Secure Communities program. This program unfortunately has had a negative impact on our crime-fighting efforts. Law enforcement must have tools and resources that are both effective and fair.&#8221;</p>
<p>Jack Mahar, Sheriff of Rensselaer County and President of the New York State Sheriffs Association, said, &#8220;Every day, law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to rid our neighborhoods of crime, and we do it with the cooperation of the law-abiding public. This program was intended to make communities safer and stronger, but many people question whether this program has really accomplished its objectives. Governor Cuomo is right to remove our state from this program until all concerns are addressed.&#8221;</p>
<p>Clinton County Sheriff David Favro said, &#8220;Governor Cuomo&#8217;s decision to freeze the Secure Communities program until the questions that have been raised about its implementation can be settled, is a wise one. While we are sworn to keep our communities safe, that cannot come at the price of their trust. Our strong current partnerships with federal law enforcement and long-standing operations in this state will ensure that we continue to communicate effectively to identify undocumented immigrants in our county jails and take appropriate actions.&#8221;</p>
<p>Chautauqua County Sheriff Joseph Gerace said, &#8220;We support Governor Cuomo&#8217;s action today in suspending Secure Communities until the numerous questions, including a federal Inspector General&#8217;s investigation, can be resolved. Sheriff departments rely upon a partnership with the communities that they serve to ensure public safety for us all. The questions that have surrounded the implementation of Secure Communities jeopardizes that relationship. We are confident that the procedures we currently use and the strong relationship we currently have with federal, state and local authorities will ensure that we can keep our communities safe while also maintaining our relationship of trust.&#8221;</p>
<p>Steven Krokoff, Chief of the Albany Police Department said, &#8220;In light of the confusion surrounding this program and the pending Inspector General&#8217;s review, the Governor&#8217;s decision to freeze this program until the federal review is complete is appropriate. The procedures we currently use will ensure the safety of neighborhoods across the state while at the same time encouraging individuals in all communities to come forward to report crimes.&#8221;</p>
<p>Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said, &#8220;We applaud Governor Cuomo for taking the bold step of removing New York State from the Secure Communities initiative, which, despite its name, has become a sore subject for those who work day and night to make our neighborhoods safer. We need to ensure that vulnerable populations are protected, and the decision to remove our state from this program is a positive move for all New Yorkers.&#8221;</p>
<p>Chung-Wha Hong, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, said, &#8220;For centuries, families have gone to great lengths to come to this great nation, and we owe it to ourselves and our neighbors to make sure the law is on their side. Unfortunately, the Secure Communities program has failed to provide protections to many individuals. Governor Cuomo&#8217;s decision to remove New York from the program is a right one, and we look forward to working with him to make our state safe for all residents.&#8221;</p>
<p>A copy of the letter sent to DHS can be found at: www.governor.ny.gov/assets/Secure%20Communities.pdf.<br />
###</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/06/01/cuomo-suspends-participation-in-secure-communities/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Fare Increase Not a Bargaining Chip?</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/04/29/fare-increase-not-a-bargaining-chip/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/04/29/fare-increase-not-a-bargaining-chip/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:44:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bhairavi Desai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cabs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[david yassky]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taxi and limousine commission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[taxis]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=9430</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Asking for a fare increase as city officials are trying to get a new class of cab in the outer boroughs isn&#8217;t playing hardball, Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, told Gotham Gazette today. 
It&#8217;s merely about timing. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s generally not a negotiation ploy by us,&#8221; Desai said, citing the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Asking for a fare increase as city officials are<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/nyregion/new-york-city-shelves-plan-to-legalize-hailing-livery-cabs.html"> trying to get a new class of cab</a> in the outer boroughs isn&#8217;t playing hardball, Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the <a href="http://www.nytwa.org/">New York Taxi Workers Alliance</a>, told Gotham Gazette today. </p>
<p>It&#8217;s merely about timing. </p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s generally not a negotiation ploy by us,&#8221; Desai said, citing the increased cost of gas. &#8220;For us, the fare proposal has been in the works, because we know next month it will be seven years since we&#8217;ve had an overall raise. Driver income has not been at a livable standard.&#8221;</p>
<p>The alliance announced this week it will be asking the Taxi and Limousine Commission for an approximately 25 percent fare increase. The proposal will not be finalized until Wednesday, but Desai said it would likely ask for the waiting rate to increase from 40 to 50 cents and the mileage rate to go up to $2.50 from $2. The alliance will also ask for increases in taxi surcharges for rush hour and late night. </p>
<p>The request comes as the Bloomberg administration attempts to drill down a proposal to get more cab service in the outer boroughs. Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced in his <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20110120/203/3455">State of the City speech</a> in January he would <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20110119/203/3454">propose legislation</a> to allow livery cabs in the outer boroughs to pick up people hailing on the street &#8212; prohibited under current law. </p>
<p>After a <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703778104576287502122288290.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">backlash</a> from city officials and the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20110330/203/3501">taxi industry</a>, the administration is considering creating another class of yellow cab that would be limited to outer-borough pick ups instead. </p>
<p>Desai said the alliance isn&#8217;t opposed to servicing the outer boroughs, but as it stands now <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&#038;ct2=us%2F0_0_s_5_0_t&#038;usg=AFQjCNF7i3xjuaxKs9lSIBtXZL0_08N9vg&#038;did=a91eca203302be3&#038;sig2=6vSf4-S-w4wOXpkeF3YMpA&#038;cid=17593889349947&#038;ei=UCK7TeD6IMfrgge4mPKEAg&#038;rt=MORE_COVERAGE&#038;vm=STANDARD&#038;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ny1.com%2F%3FArID%3D138200">it&#8217;s not economical.</a> Drivers cannot cruise residential streets for street pickups without losing money, she said. A fare increase would help convince drivers to go to Brooklyn or Queens, Desai added. She also suggested creating cab stands in commercial areas of the outer boroughs. </p>
<p>On his radio show this morning, Bloomberg said he was sympathetic to the cab industry&#8217;s qualms. </p>
<p>Above all else, Desai said she wants to make sure the yellow cab reserves the exclusive right to pick up New Yorkers at the curbside. </p>
<p>&#8220;We don&#8217;t want to see more vehicles on the road,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s going to increase congestion and increase competition in a field where it&#8217;s already competitive.&#8221;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/04/29/fare-increase-not-a-bargaining-chip/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Bloomberg Joins It Gets Better Campaign</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/04/bloomberg-joins-it-gets-better-campaign/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/04/bloomberg-joins-it-gets-better-campaign/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:25:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gay rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[it gets better]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lgbt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lgbt youth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=8940</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The latest in the It Gets Better Project from Hizzoner himself. 

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The latest in the <a href="http://www.itgetsbetter.org/">It Gets Better Project</a> from Hizzoner himself. </p>
<p><object width="350" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1qRuJhnFjhk&#038;hl=en_US&#038;feature=player_embedded&#038;version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1qRuJhnFjhk&#038;hl=en_US&#038;feature=player_embedded&#038;version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="350" height="300"></embed></object></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2011/01/04/bloomberg-joins-it-gets-better-campaign/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Council Set to Expand Housing Law</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/11/30/council-set-to-expand-housing-law/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/11/30/council-set-to-expand-housing-law/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:04:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[asthma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Council Speaker Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[safe housing act]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=8792</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For some New Yorkers, their apartments are far from welcoming.
Their one or two-bedroom abodes actually make them sick. 
Three years ago, the City Council approved legislation to target buildings with the worst housing code violations &#8212; those perennially without heat or hot water or collapsed floors and roofs. Together, the Department of Housing Preservation and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For some New Yorkers, their apartments are far from welcoming.</p>
<p>Their one or two-bedroom abodes actually make them sick. </p>
<p>Three years ago, the City Council approved <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/print/2155">legislation</a> to <a href="http://www.maketheroad.org/article.php?ID=466">target buildings</a> with the worst housing code violations &#8212; those perennially without heat or hot water or collapsed floors and roofs. Together, the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/home/home.shtml">Department of Housing Preservation and Development</a> and the City Council targeted 200 buildings a year and forced landlords to make the repairs.  </p>
<p>Now, Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced this morning, the council is set to consider legislation to expand the program to target larger buildings with hazardous conditions related specifically to asthma, such as vermin or mold. </p>
<p>&#8220;We are recognizing peoples&#8217; homes can actually make them sick,&#8221; said Quinn, surrounded by a crowd of officials and advocates on the steps of City Hall. </p>
<p>Hazardous building conditions have long been connected to the city&#8217;s<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&#038;source=web&#038;cd=2&#038;ved=0CCAQFjAB&#038;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fdoh%2Fdownloads%2Fpdf%2Fasthma%2Ffacts.pdf&#038;rct=j&#038;q=highest%20asthma%20rates%20nyc&#038;ei=GC31TPCRH4WClAfOrpnJBQ&#038;usg=AFQjCNF5uetTcRYoymLzHKlNxA-AGuYlgA&#038;sig2=MhrQkQ6XTqemL3s0cQ9zsg&#038;cad=rja"> concentrated asthma pockets</a>, which affect neighborhoods like Sunset Park, Corona or Bushwick. By using targeted enforcement of these violations, Quinn said the city could curtail asthma rates in these areas. </p>
<p>The legislation, she said, promises to more than double the amount of units in the program. The council will have its first hearing on the proposal on Dec. 14. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/11/30/council-set-to-expand-housing-law/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Living Wage Waters are Choppy</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/10/26/living-wage-waters-are-choppy/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/10/26/living-wage-waters-are-choppy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:39:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work and Labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[annabel palma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gale brewer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[living wage study]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sick leave]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=8592</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In the wake of Council Speaker Christine Quinn&#8217;s decision not to support paid sick leave, some City Council members and advocates are attempting to make waves on another issue: the living wage. 
Currently two bills to require some sort of wage mandate at city-subsidized developments are treading water at City Hall. One would require a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the wake of Council Speaker Christine Quinn&#8217;s decision not to <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20101015/203/3384">support paid sick leave</a>, some City Council members and advocates are attempting to make waves on another issue:<a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100413/203/3241"> the living wage.</a> </p>
<p>Currently two bills to require some sort of wage mandate at city-subsidized developments are treading water at City Hall. One would <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=648823&#038;GUID=1C04704A-7CC3-4728-BD33-0D3B95DE5E6F&#038;Options=&#038;Search=">require a prevailing wage</a> for building service employees, while the other would <a href="http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=664291&#038;GUID=A83A5A5B-9589-4589-AAD7-5B2C6884610F&#038;Options=ID|Text|Attachments|Other|&#038;Search=wage">require a living wage</a> for every worker on a city-assisted development, including the development&#8217;s tenants. </p>
<p>Quinn has not taken a position on either. When asked during her sick leave announcement earlier this month, she <a href="http://www.cityhallnews.com/newyork/article-1616-with-paid-sick-leave-shelved-progressives-plot-tactics-for-next-move.html">sidestepped</a> the issue.</p>
<p>The issue <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/work/20100115/22/3147">came to a head last year</a> when the council defeated a proposal to morph the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx into a shopping mall. The developer on the project would not agree to a<a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20091215/203/3126"> living wage mandate</a> &#8212; defined as $10 an hour with benefits &#8212; which is largely credited with killing the project. <span class="photo_right"><a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/4099894561_fe756a6356_m.jpg"><img src="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/4099894561_fe756a6356_m.jpg" alt="Photo credit: (cc) 2009  Atomische • Tom Giebel" title="4099894561_fe756a6356_m" width="240" height="160" class="size-full wp-image-8593" /></a></span></p>
<p>In the latest feud, council members and advocates will gather on the steps of City Hall tomorrow to denounce a $1 million city-funded study on the effectiveness and success of living wage policies. The <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/06/08/living-wage-study-gets-approved-with-skepticism/">study</a> was commissioned by the Economic Development Corp. and is being conducted by <a href="http://www.crai.com/">Charles River Associates</a> &#8212; a consulting firm based in Boston. It is supposed to be completed by next spring. </p>
<p>The presser tomorrow, according to an advisory we just got, will &#8220;exposes Charles River Associates (CRA), EDC&#8217;s choice to conduct the study, as a business-backed lobbying group using economists who oppose living wage and even minimum wage policies for EDC&#8217;s study.&#8221;</p>
<p>The chief economist on the study is <a href="http://www.utexas.edu/opa/experts/profile.php?id=168">Daniel Hamermesh</a>, a reputable professor at the University of Texas at Austin. <a href="http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~dneumark/">David Neumark,</a> a professor of economics at the University of California and a fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, is also on the study team. He has authored several studies questioning the sustainability of living wage policies. </p>
<p>The Bloomberg adminsitration said it would not consider a widespread living wage policy until the study was completed &#8212; a move some critics say is meant to stall the legislation at the City Council. Earlier this year, <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/05/11/council-and-administration-spar-over-wages/">one administration official said</a> the wage proposals could squash economic development and be potentially against the City Charter. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/10/26/living-wage-waters-are-choppy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Horses Get Sick Time</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/07/15/horses-get-sick-time/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/07/15/horses-get-sick-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:30:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Council]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[paid sick leave]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=7990</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In an attempt to move the stalled paid sick leave bill, advocates showed up at Central Park yesterday to point out carriage horses get time off (the result of a bill passed earlier this year), but people aren&#8217;t guaranteed sick time. 
We couldn&#8217;t make it, but they sent over photos. 
What a juxtaposition. 

In March, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In an attempt to move the stalled <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100325/203/3225">paid sick leave bill,</a> advocates showed up at Central Park yesterday to point out carriage horses get time off (the result of a <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100415/203/3245">bill passed</a> earlier this year), but people aren&#8217;t guaranteed sick time. </p>
<p>We couldn&#8217;t make it, but they sent over photos. </p>
<p>What a juxtaposition. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/horseaction-007.jpg"><img src="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/horseaction-007-300x224.jpg" alt="horseaction 007" title="horseaction 007" width="400" height="324" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7991" /></a></p>
<p>In March, the paid sick leave bill got a hearing, but nothing has happened since. Council Speaker Christine Quinn <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2010/06/council-speaker-chris-quinn-st.html">still hasn&#8217;t taken</a> a position on it. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/07/15/horses-get-sick-time/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Caught in the Act!</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/06/01/caught-in-the-act-2/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/06/01/caught-in-the-act-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:51:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adriano espaillat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arrest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brad Lander]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Danny Dromm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[immigration reform]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[julissa ferreras]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jumaane Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Melissa Mark-Viverito]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ydanis rodriguez]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=7597</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Add council members Brad Lander, Danny Dromm and Julissa Ferreras to the recently arrested list at City Hall.
No, this wasn&#8217;t Larry Seabrook-style. 
Lander, Dromm and Ferreras were arrested downtown today during a protest with the New York Immigration Coalition, which has demonstrated in front of the federal building in Lower Manhattan several times in the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Add council members <a href="http://council.nyc.gov/d39/html/members/home.shtml">Brad Lander</a>, <a href="http://council.nyc.gov/d25/html/members/home.shtml">Danny Dromm</a> and <a href="http://council.nyc.gov/d21/html/members/home.shtml">Julissa Ferreras</a> to the recently arrested list at City Hall.</p>
<p>No, this wasn&#8217;t <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/02/09/another-one-bites-the-dust-2/">Larry Seabrook-style</a>. </p>
<p>Lander, Dromm and Ferreras were arrested downtown today during a protest with the <a href="http://www.thenyic.org/content.asp?cid=37">New York Immigration Coalition</a>, which has demonstrated in front of the federal building in Lower Manhattan<a href="http://www.thenyic.org/templates/documentFinder.asp?did=1222"> several times in the past month</a> in support of comprehensive immigration reform. In May, council members Ydanis Rodriguez, Jumaane D. Williams, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Assemblymember Adriano Espaillat were all arrested in similar demonstrations. </p>
<p>After booking, Lander did have time to update his facebook status &#8212; see below. </p>
<p>Lander, Dromm and Ferreras have all been released. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/arrest1.jpg"><img src="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/arrest1.jpg" alt="arrest" title="arrest" width="400" height="174" class="alignright size-full wp-image-7602" /></a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/06/01/caught-in-the-act-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Budget Breakdown</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/05/24/a-budget-breakdown/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/05/24/a-budget-breakdown/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 May 2010 16:13:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime & Safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fiscal year 2011]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new york city]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=7527</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Not all is fair in fiscal year 2011 &#8212; at least to the hordes of advocates and politicians vying to save their favorite projects and programs. 
Below you can find out how your favorite agency has fared, whether its proposed cuts are deeper than other departments and how much it&#8217;s slated to spend this year. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Not all is fair in <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100507/203/3260">fiscal year 2011</a> &#8212; at least to the hordes of advocates and politicians vying to save their <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100519/203/3272">favorite projects</a> and <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100510/203/3262">programs</a>. </p>
<p>Below you can find out how your favorite agency has <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/omb/downloads/pdf/mm5_10.pdf">fared</a>, whether its proposed cuts are deeper than other departments and how much it&#8217;s slated to spend this year. </p>
<p>Click on the chart to interact. You can click through agencies on the side and roll over the graphic to view the funding level by fiscal year. If you want an expanded view, you can click on the title. </p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
<p><script type="text/javascript" src="http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/visualizations/6cf7ca6c674e11dfafa7000255111976/comments/6cfe8528674e11dfafa7000255111976.js?width=415&#038;height=350"></script></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/05/24/a-budget-breakdown/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rikers Beds Won&#039;t go to ICE</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/05/07/rikers-beds-wont-go-to-ice/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/05/07/rikers-beds-wont-go-to-ice/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 May 2010 18:27:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[department of corrections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[immigration and customs enforcement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rikers island]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=7405</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Empty beds on Rikers Island are going on the rental market. 
Tenants, however, won&#8217;t include federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 
To help close a city budget gap, the Department of Correction has proposed to lease several hundred vacant beds on Rikers Island to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. They will charge $150 per [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Empty beds on Rikers Island are going on the rental market. </p>
<p>Tenants, however, won&#8217;t include federal <a href="http://www.ice.gov/">Immigration and Customs Enforcement</a>. </p>
<p>To help <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/searchlight/20100507/203/3260">close a city budget gap</a>, the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/doc/html/home/home.shtml">Department of Correction</a> has proposed to lease several hundred vacant beds on Rikers Island to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. They will charge $150 per bed a day, raking in about $13.2 million every year. Stephen Morello of the Department of Correction called in to say those beds won&#8217;t go to federal immigration officials, whose presence on Rikers has been the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/nyregion/25rikers.html">subject of some controversy</a>. </p>
<p>&#8220;We had an exploratory conversation with them,&#8221; said Morello of federal immigration officials renting beds. &#8220;They are not interested in our space.&#8221;   </p>
<p>Federal immigration officials do not have a separate facility on Rikers, but they do have staff members that review inmate files and select people for interrogation &#8212; and potentially deportation. A Freedom of Information Act request by <a href="http://www.maketheroad.org/report.php?ID=989">immigration advocacy groups</a> last year found between 2004 and 2009, 13,000 Rikers inmates were put in deportation proceedings because of this practice. </p>
<p>This is not the first time the city has leased space in its correction facilities to other law enforcement agencies. When Suffolk County was out of room, the city leased out its beds to them. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/05/07/rikers-beds-wont-go-to-ice/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Liu Says Explore Arizona Divestment</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/04/29/liu-says-explore-arizona-divestment/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/04/29/liu-says-explore-arizona-divestment/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:56:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye Opener]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arizona law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christine Quinn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John Liu]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=7315</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Comptroller John Liu called the anti-immigration law approved in Arizona the &#8220;new apartheid&#8221; this afternoon, and said the city should explore divesting in companies based there. 
&#8220;This is clear,&#8221; said Liu outside City Hall. &#8220;What&#8217;s happened in Arizona is the new apartheid. &#8221;
The comptroller said the city should explore the same type of ban it [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/">Comptroller John Liu</a> called the anti-immigration law approved in Arizona the &#8220;new apartheid&#8221; this afternoon, and said the city should explore divesting in companies based there. </p>
<p>&#8220;This is clear,&#8221; said Liu outside City Hall. &#8220;What&#8217;s happened in Arizona is the new apartheid. &#8221;</p>
<p>The comptroller said the city should explore the same type of ban it had during apartheid in South Africa, which included prohibiting certain investments with the country. Liu did not know off hand how much of the New York City pension funds were invested in companies with Arizona connections, but his office is looking into it, he said. </p>
<p>The call came on the steps of City Hall this afternoon, where elected officials and advocates rallied to denounce the Arizona law, which forces <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/04/29/2010-04-29_arizona_goes_loco.html">police officers to ask individuals</a> for their immigration status if they look suspicious. Officials say the law amounts to de facto racial profiling. </p>
<p>In addition to Liu, <a href="http://council.nyc.gov/d10/html/members/home.shtml">Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez</a> called for a complete ban on Arizona &#8212; no visiting the Gran Canyon, sorry.  Other officials said the new law should spur officials to act on immigration reform in Washington.<br />
<span id="more-7315"></span><br />
&#8220;This brings memories of Jim Crow to the African American community,&#8221; said <a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=072">Assemblymember Adriano Espaillat</a>. &#8220;This brings a chilling effect to our gay and lesbian community that remembers Stonewall.&#8221;</p>
<p>He continued: &#8220;This is whether we have the moral fortitude to do what&#8217;s right for our country.&#8221;</p>
<p>The City Council is expected to approve a resolution this afternoon denouncing the law and calling for immigration reform this year. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/04/29/liu-says-explore-arizona-divestment/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Working Families Party:Boycott Arizona</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/04/29/working-families-partyboycott-arizona/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/04/29/working-families-partyboycott-arizona/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:51:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dan Cantor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John Stewart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working families party]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=7312</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Working Families Party is looking to harness anger over Arizona&#8217;s new immigration law through a petition designed to push New York&#8217;s politicians to boycott the state.
Arizona&#8217;s law enforcement officials are now mandated to detain anyone they suspect of being an undocumented immigrant. A lot of people are rather steamed at Arizona lately for the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Working Families Party is looking to harness anger over Arizona&#8217;s new immigration law through a <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&amp;view=bsp&amp;ver=1qygpcgurkovy">petition</a> designed to push New York&#8217;s politicians to boycott the state.</p>
<p>Arizona&#8217;s law enforcement officials are now mandated to detain anyone they suspect of being an undocumented immigrant. A lot of people are <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/04/26/2010-04-26_rev_al_plans_immig_rally.html">rather steamed</a> at Arizona lately for the newly enacted law.</p>
<p>A number of Arizonan law enforcement officials say the law will cause them major headaches, alienate populations they have been trying to create a working relationship with and basically be impossible to enforce.</p>
<p>Here is a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/27/stewart-hammers-arizona-f_n_553157.html">video </a>of the Daily Show&#8217;s John Stewart slamming the legislation and calling Arizona the &#8220;meth lab of Democracy.&#8221;</p>
<p>Sen. Craig Johnson <a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/senator-johnson-arizona-iced-tea-long-island-business-boycott-misguided">wants you to know</a> that Arizona iced tea is actually made in his district. So don&#8217;t boycott that, k? Thx!</p>
<p>Here is the text a letter the WFP sent to supporters :  <span id="more-7312"></span></p>
<p>Dear Working Families supporter,</p>
<p>Arizona just passed the harshest anti-immigrant law in the nation. But New York could help repeal it.</p>
<p>Our state legislators are considering joining the national movement to boycott Arizona until the state rolls back its drastic new measures &#8212; like the requirement that police must detain anyone whom they &#8220;suspect&#8221; of being an undocumented immigrant.1</p>
<p>While the boycott would be largely symbolic, this tactic has worked once before. When Arizona&#8217;s leaders refused to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 1987, a nationwide boycott cost the state the chance to host the Superbowl. Voters soon reinstated the holiday.</p>
<p>Do you support a New York boycott of Arizona? If so, sign our petition urging Albany to pass their boycott resolution:</p>
<p><a href=" http://action.workingfamiliesparty.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1713&amp;tag=az1">http://action.workingfamiliesparty.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1713&amp;tag=az1<br />
</a><br />
New York&#8217;s boycott resolution will urge our state government and private companies to avoid travel, tourism and other business dealings with Arizona until the state repeals this law. The petition says, &#8220;New York is a state of immigrants, and we oppose Arizona&#8217;s harsh new law. We call on the New York State Legislature to push back by passing the Arizona boycott resolution.&#8221;</p>
<p>You might think a law like this could never get passed in New York &#8212; but at least two prominent candidates for New York Governor won&#8217;t rule out doing what Arizona just did. Republican Steve Levy, who has a long history of immigrant-bashing, said much of the law was &#8220;very rational.&#8221; And Tea Party candidate Carl Paladino said anyone who criticizes the Arizona law is pandering to &#8220;illegals.&#8221;</p>
<p>A boycott is one way to send a message that New Yorkers won&#8217;t tolerate such extreme intolerance &#8212; because our diversity is our strength. If you back a New York boycott of Arizona, sign the petition to Albany:</p>
<p><a href="http://action.workingfamiliesparty.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1713&amp;tag=az1">http://action.workingfamiliesparty.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1713&amp;tag=az1</a></p>
<p>Thanks,</p>
<p>Dan Cantor<br />
WFP Executive Director</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/04/29/working-families-partyboycott-arizona/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cracking Down on Immigration Services Fraud</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/03/31/cracking-down-on-immigration-services-fraud/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/03/31/cracking-down-on-immigration-services-fraud/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:06:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David King</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=7137</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sen. Eric Schneiderman and Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat announced legislation today that would require private immigration service providers to be licensed and create a database of providers so that customers can find licensed providers. The legislation would also establish harsher penalties for service providers that violate the law.
According to a release from Schneiderman&#8217;s office the bill [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sen. Eric Schneiderman and Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat announced legislation today that would require private immigration service providers to be licensed and create a database of providers so that customers can find licensed providers. The legislation would also establish harsher penalties for service providers that violate the law.</p>
<p>According to a release from Schneiderman&#8217;s office the bill is necessary because of widespread fraud among service providers.</p>
<p>&#8220;Across New York, fraudulent service providers are making millions of dollars by ripping off immigrant communities for what they think are rushed or necessary applications for life-altering legal documents: green cards, entrance visas for family members, or the passports to leave and enter the country,&#8221; read the release. &#8220;In reality, many of these so-called service providers leave immigrant communities with nothing at all, while helping themselves to large fees.</p>
<p>&#8220;Many of these providers falsely claim that they are attorneys or have close connections with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, oftentimes using titles such as notary-public or “notario” to deceive people into believing that they are legitimate,&#8221; continues the release. &#8220;Victims of these scams not only stand to lose large sums of money, but also are likely to suffer harm to their immigration status.&#8221;</p>
<p>The legislation has the support of a number of immigrant rights organizations. “As an organization that sees firsthand the immigration consequences wrought by the shoddy work of unscrupulous immigration service providers, the Schneiderman/Espaillat bill will go a long way to protect the most vulnerable immigrants among us,&#8221; said Angela Fernandez, Executive Director of Northern Manhattan Coalition For Immigrants’ Rights.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/03/31/cracking-down-on-immigration-services-fraud/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Musical Chairs</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/01/19/musical-chairs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/01/19/musical-chairs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:32:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Courtney Gross</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Use]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waterfront]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[department]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mayor Michael Bloomberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seat swapping]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=6334</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As promised, today starts the seat swapping in the Bloomberg administration.
For the next three weeks, first deputy commissioners will be assigned to another agency in the hopes of breaking down bureaucratic barriers. The idea was integral to the mayor&#8217;s inauguration address on New Year&#8217;s Day. Some assignments have been done with specific policy proposals in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As promised, today starts the seat swapping in the Bloomberg administration.</p>
<p>For the next three weeks, first deputy commissioners will be assigned to another agency in the hopes of breaking down bureaucratic barriers. The idea was integral to the mayor&#8217;s <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/iotw/20100104/200/3140">inauguration address</a> on New Year&#8217;s Day. Some assignments have been done with specific policy proposals in mind, such as the swap between Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, who are tasked with <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/communitydevelopment/20091130/20/3111">focusing on foreclosure prevention</a>. </p>
<p>Here are the <a href="http://nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&#038;catID=1194&#038;doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fnyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2010a%2Fpr025-10.html&#038;cc=unused1978&#038;rc=1194&#038;ndi=1">assignments</a>: </p>
<p>Administration for Children&#8217;s Services (ACS) &#8212; DOE<br />
Administrative Justice Coordinator (AJC)  &#8212; CCPC<br />
Business Integrity Commission (BIC) &#8212; DSNY<br />
Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) &#8211;CUNY<br />
City University of New York (CUNY) &#8212; CEO<br />
Citywide Events Coordination and Management (CECM) &#8212; NYC &#038; Co<br />
Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) &#8212; CHR<br />
Commission for the United Nations Consular Corps and Protocol (UN) &#8212; MOIA<br />
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) &#8212; CCRB<br />
Commission on Women&#8217;s Issues (CWI) &#8212; MOCDV<br />
Commission to Combat Police Corruption (CCPC) &#8212; AJC<br />
Community Affairs Unit (CAU) &#8212; CECM<br />
Criminal Justice Coordinator (CJC)&#8211; Law<br />
Department for the Aging (DFTA) &#8212; MOPD<br />
Department of Buildings (DOB) &#8212; NYCHA<br />
Department of City Planning (DCP) &#8212; HDC<br />
Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) &#8212; SCA<br />
Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) &#8212; HPD<br />
Department of Corrections (DOC) &#8212; DHS<br />
Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) &#8212; EDC<br />
Department of Design and Construction (DDC) &#8212; DCLA<br />
Department of Education (DOE) &#8212; Parks<br />
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) &#8212; DOF<br />
Department of Finance (DOF) &#8212; MOO<br />
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DoHMH) &#8212; DOC<br />
Department of Homeless Services (DHS) &#8212; HHC<br />
Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) &#8212; DCA<br />
Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) &#8212; MOFTB<br />
Department of Investigation (DOI) &#8212; MOCS<br />
Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) &#8212; DEP<br />
Department of Probation (DOP) &#8212; ACS<br />
Department of Sanitation (DSNY) &#8212; BIC<br />
Department of Small Business Services (SBS) &#8212; HRA<br />
Department of Transportation (DOT) &#8212; DDC<br />
Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) &#8212; DOP<br />
Design Commission (Design) &#8212; DOT<br />
Economic Development Corporation (EDC) &#8212; SBS<br />
Fire Department* (FDNY) &#8212; NYPD*<br />
Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) &#8212; CAU<br />
Housing Development Corporation (HDC) &#8212; LPC<br />
Human Resources Administration (HRA) &#8212; DoHMH<br />
Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) &#8212; DOB<br />
Law Department (Law) &#8212; DOI<br />
Mayor&#8217;s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) &#8212; DFTA<br />
Mayor&#8217;s Office of Contract Services (MOCS) &#8212; CJC<br />
Mayor&#8217;s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting (MOFTB) &#8212; DoITT<br />
Mayor&#8217;s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) &#8212; UN<br />
Mayor&#8217;s Office of Operations (MOO) &#8212; DCAS<br />
Mayor&#8217;s Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA) &#8212; CWI<br />
Mayor&#8217;s Office to Combat Domestic Violence (MOCDV)  &#8212; MOVA<br />
New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) &#8212; DCP<br />
NYC &#038; Company (NYC &#038; Co) &#8212; DYCD<br />
Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)  &#8212; TLC<br />
Office of Emergency Management* (OEM)  &#8212; FDNY*<br />
Office of Labor Relations* (OLR) &#8212; OMB*<br />
Office of Management and Budget* (OMB) &#8212; OLR*<br />
Police Department* (NYPD) &#8212; OEM*<br />
School Construction Authority (SCA)  &#8212; Design<br />
Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) &#8212; OATH</p>
<p>Those with an asterisk are participating in the second phase of the program starting February 1.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/01/19/musical-chairs/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Liu Turns to Mom</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/08/25/5122/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/08/25/5122/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:43:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gail Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Electoral Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/08/25/5122/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Faced with continuing &#8212; and escalating &#8212;  allegations that he fabricated parts of his life story, city comptroller candidate  John Liu Tuesday evening turned to core supporters and his mother for help. At a rally in Chinatown, hundreds cheered Liu, who hopes to become the first Asian ever elected to citywide office in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Faced with continuing &#8212; and escalating &#8212; <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/08/24/liu-defends-past-in-east-harlem/"> allegations</a> that he fabricated parts of his life story, city comptroller candidate <a href="http://www.liunewyork.com/"> John Liu</a> Tuesday evening turned to core supporters and his mother for help. At a rally in Chinatown, hundreds cheered Liu, who hopes to become the first Asian ever elected to citywide office in New York. Supporters such as Manhattan Borough President <a href="http://www.mbpo.org/"> Scott Stringer</a>, City Councilmember <a href="http://council.nyc.gov/d42/html/members/home.shtml"> Charles Barron</a> and Roger Toussaint, president of <a href="http://www.twulocal100.org/"> Transport Workers Union Local 100</a>, castigated the Daily News for questioning Liu&#8217;s official biography and used the allegations to trumpet Liu&#8217;s background and the American dream. </p>
<p>But the star of the event was Liu&#8217;s mother Jamy, whose <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/08/23/2009-08-23_city_controller_hopeful_john_liu_touts_youth_in_sweatshop__only_family_says_it_n.html"> comments</a> to Daily News reporter Erin Einhorn ignited the controversy Sunday.  During his campaign, notably in a recent ad, Liu has said that at age 7 he had to work in sweatshop beside his mother. But Einhorn quoted Liu&#8217;s mother as saying, &#8220;I never go to the factory. I just go there and pick up some material and bring home because I had to take care of my kids.&#8221;<br />
<span id="more-5122"></span></p>
<p>Today the News continued its articles, saying Liu now said he worked largely at home. It also <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election_2009/2009/08/25/2009-08-25_sweating_small_stuff.html"> cited</a> what Einhorn and fellow reporter Adam Lisberg called &#8220;a growing list of embellishments that the comptroller candidate has made,&#8221; including describing his father as &#8220;a low level bank clerk&#8221; when one bank document portrayed him as an executive with considerable responsibilities. </p>
<p>Obviously uncomfortable in front of the crowd, Jamy Liu did not discuss that but she did address discrepancies in accounts of her work for a dress company. She said the factory &#8220;where I took John and his brothers&#8221; paid her by the piece so she took work home. &#8220;I was ashamed to talk about this but not anymore,&#8221; Jamy Liu said.</p>
<p>Choking up a bit, John Liu thanked his mother &#8220;for having the grace, the courage and the fire for speaking like she did today &#8230; and speaking about something I did not realize was such a painful experience for her.&#8221;</p>
<p>Seeking to turn the episode to Liu&#8217;s advantage, other speakers  sought to portray  Jamy Liu&#8217;s experience &#8212; and her reticence about it &#8212; as a common thread through the city&#8217;s immigrant and working communities</p>
<p>Stringer said the incident prompted him to ask his mother if her mother &#8212; his grandmother, who emigrated from Russia &#8212; had worked in a sweatshop. &#8220;My mother loudly said, &#8216;no, she worked in a factory,&#8217;&#8221; Stringer related. But, he continued, she was 15 years old, had no union to protect her, and working conditions were tough. But back then, he continued, &#8220;they weren&#8217;t called sweatshops.&#8221;</p>
<p>Virginia Ky of the <a href="http://www.cpc-ny.org/">  Chinese American Planning Council</a> compared her experience working in a restaurant to Liu&#8217;s in the factory, while Brooklyn Democratic District leader Olanike Alabi, who is black, declared, &#8220;We know struggle &#8212; some as the sons and daughters of immigrants, some as descendents of slaves.&#8221; </p>
<p>Alabi sounded the frequent theme that the News articles represented a distraction from more important matters. &#8220;We only wish every one was interested in talking about the real issues,&#8221; she said.&#8221;</p>
<p>Picking up on that, Barron advised Liu to appear at this rally with his mother and then not to &#8220;talk about it any more because they&#8217;re trying to distract us from the real issues of New York City.&#8221;</p>
<p>Will Liu take that advice? More important, will he be able to? </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/08/25/5122/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Immigration&#039;s Female Face</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/07/15/immigrations-female-face/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/07/15/immigrations-female-face/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:51:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gail Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring UP]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=4717</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post was filed by Jackie Pearce.
The face of immigration in America is changing, according to experts, advocates and media representatives who gathered at the Ford Foundation auditorium this afternoon.  That face, they say, is a woman’s.
The panel discussion focused on a poll recently released by  New American Media, which looked at the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><i>This post was filed by Jackie Pearce.</i></p>
<p>The face of immigration in America is changing, according to experts, advocates and media representatives who gathered at the Ford Foundation auditorium this afternoon.  That face, they say, is a woman’s.</p>
<p>The panel discussion focused on a poll recently released by <a href="http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/"> New American Media</a>, which looked at the problems and experiences of the often-silent female immigrant. Women  now account for the majority of immigrants coming to the U.S. &#8212; 53 percent.  <span id="more-4717"></span></p>
<p>For the report, women from over 44 countries were questioned on issues of discrimination, healthcare access, language acquisition and other obstacles confronting them. </p>
<p>Many of the panelists said they expected the poll&#8217;s results to change the discussion surrounding immigration, creating a more personal look.</p>
<p>&#8220;They [lawmakers] are not used to thinking of immigrants as women,&#8221; said Angela Kelley, vice president for immigration policy and advocacy at the <a href="http://www.americanprogress.org/"> Center for American Progress</a>.</p>
<p>She said the poll’s results present the immigrant as a mother and the core of the family, as opposed to a figure on a chart. She thinks American women, in particular, will recognize &#8220;shared values,&#8221; helping to humanize the debate.</p>
<p>The poll found that immigrant women have been tremendously successful in keeping their families together, despite the challenging process of group relocation.  According to the survey, 85 percent said all their children were in the U.S. with them, and the majority would take their children with them if deported.  </p>
<p>However, despite their successes, the women face enormous obstacles.  During their first year in the U.S., their incomes averaged $500 a month, and many were paid under the table or for temporary projects.  As much as 30 percent have no form of health insurance and use the emergency room as their primary care.</p>
<p>According to Sergio Bendixen of the polling firm <a href="http://www.bendixenandassociates.com/"> Bendixen &#038; Associates</a>, &#8220;keeping their kids healthy is something that weighs heavy on them.&#8221;</p>
<p>Bendixen also spoke about the results on questions related to discrimination. While the numbers of cases vary depending on ethnic group, he said, &#8220;They were unanimous in letting us know it has gotten worse.&#8221;</p>
<p>Kelley said the discrimination results partly from the political tactics of &#8220;separatism.&#8221; She said that certain lawmakers and pundits &#8212; &#8221; <a href="http://loudobbs.tv.cnn.com/"> Lou Dobbs</a> with a big ol’ megaphone&#8221; &#8212; have people convinced that immigrants are inherently different than people born in the United States. &#8220;The beat of the drum that they are different than us has unleashed a real ugliness,&#8221; including an increase in hate crimes, Kelley said.</p>
<p>Despite some of the depressing statistics, Bendixen emphasized the role women play in the continuity of society and the importance of hearing their voices. &#8220;It’s about a timeless truth that women are the lynchpins of the family, of the community, of many nations,&#8221; he said. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/07/15/immigrations-female-face/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Domestic Workers Push for Bill of Rights</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/06/12/domestic-workers-push-for-bill-of-rights/</link>
		<comments>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/06/12/domestic-workers-push-for-bill-of-rights/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:23:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alex Kane</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Civil Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eye on Albany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gotham City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Governing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigrants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nextNY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Assembly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill of rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Hall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[domestic workers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[senate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vigil]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/?p=4218</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Taking care of children and the elderly: Check.
A bill of rights: left blank.
Early this morning, dozens of domestic workers and their allies set up shop outside City Hall, participating in a 24-hour vigil to lobby for a bill that would provide basic labor protections for domestic workers in New York.
Domestic laborers said that the 24-hour [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Taking care of children and the elderly: Check.</p>
<p>A bill of rights: left blank.</p>
<p>Early this morning, dozens of domestic workers and their allies set up shop outside City Hall, participating in a 24-hour vigil to lobby for a <a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A1470" target="_blank">bill</a> that would provide basic labor protections for domestic workers in New York.</p>
<p>Domestic laborers said that the 24-hour vigil is symbolic of their working situation. &#8220;We work in the employers&#8217; house around the clock, 24 hours,&#8221; said Joycelynn Gill-Campbell, a former nanny from Barbados who is now a full-time organizer with <a href="http://domesticworkersunited.org/" target="_blank">Domestic Workers United</a>, a grassroots group.</p>
<p>If passed, the domestic workers&#8217; bill of rights would be the first bill to address their exclusion from federal and state labor laws. Though its prospects, according to some legislators, looked good at one point, it too could become a casualty of the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/06/11/monserrate-stalls-peralta-weighs-in/">Senate stalemate</a>. </p>
<p>&#8220;I know what it is to be treated less than a human being and to be exploited and abused,&#8221; Gill-Campbell said. &#8220;We have to create history.  The bill of rights is about correcting all the injustices that have been done.&#8221;<br />
<span id="more-4218"></span><br />
Another member of Domestic Workers United, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/04/05/2009-04-05_giving_rights_to_caregivers_without_a_vo.html" target="_blank">Patricia Francois</a> from Trinidad, spoke of the abuse she endured from her employer in Manhattan. &#8220;After I was beaten physically and verbally, I had to [quit],&#8221; she said.</p>
<p>Francois added that if &#8220;we don&#8217;t go to work, Wall Street doesn&#8217;t go to work.&#8221;</p>
<p>The legislation, which has been passed by the labor committees in the Senate and the Assembly, includes provisions to ensure that domestic workers would get overtime pay, one day a week off, advance notice of termination and severance pay.  It also includes an annual cost of living increase and paid holidays and personal days.</p>
<p>The Senate Codes Committee has approved the bill as well, and it is waiting passage in the Assembly Codes Committee.</p>
<p>But the <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/06/11/judge-grants-smiths-request/" target="_blank">ongoing debacle in Albany</a> has imperiled the bill.</p>
<p>&#8220;The Democratic caucus is serious about this legislation, and we are serious about protecting our workers,&#8221; said Ana Tinsley, a spokesperson for <a href="http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/diane-j-savino" target="_blank">Sen. Diane Savino</a>, the main sponsor of the legislation in the Senate.  But, &#8220;for the time-being, there is a Senate standstill on pretty much everything.&#8221;</p>
<p>When asked whether she was confident that the bill would get taken up before the legislative session expires, Tinsley said, &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t give you a firm yes or no.&#8221;</p>
<p>Still, some legislators appear to be confident in the bill&#8217;s ultimate passage. Ben Rosen, the communications director for <a href="http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=070" target="_blank">Assemblyman Keith Wright</a>, said that &#8220;the prospects are good&#8221; for the legislation&#8217;s approval before the legislative session expires.  Wright is the main sponsor for the bill in the Assembly.</p>
<p>Supporters of the legislation say that the political support is there from both sides of the aisle, like from Republican <a href="http://frankpadavan.com/11/default.aspx" target="_blank">Sen. Frank Padavan</a>, although some conservatives oppose it.  E.J. McMahon of the Manhattan Institute told the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/nyregion/01nanny.html?scp=3&amp;sq=domestic%20workers&amp;st=cse" target="_blank">New York Times</a> in 2007 that &#8220;any attempt like this to mandate working conditions for a large number of entry-level workers can only have one result: fewer such jobs for people who need them.&#8221;</p>
<p>Yesterday, Gov. David Paterson <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/134093" target="_blank">told WNYC </a>that &#8220;these workers deserve equal rights and if they&#8217;re able to pass the bill, or if they&#8217;re able to ever get the legislature to come back, I will sign it.&#8221;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2009/06/12/domestic-workers-push-for-bill-of-rights/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
