Council Gives to Lopez Nonprofit
September 16th, 2010
The now under fire Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, the nonprofit founded by Brooklyn boss Assemblymember Vito Lopez, received nearly $17.9 million in government subsidies in 2009.
That funding is now under intense scrutiny by the city Department of Investigation, which says the nonprofit is dysfunctional, has a clueless board, bloated staff salaries and little oversight of the programs it funds, according to a report released yesterday.
But none of that means the nonprofit isn’t a favorite for city politicians to give to. In fiscal year 2011, which spans from July 2010 to June 2011, the City Council allocated $581,385 via its member items.
Councilmember Erik Martin Dilan, whose district overlaps Lopez’s, gave the most with $198,875. Councilmember Stephen Levin, a former staffer for Lopez, allocated $64,000 to the so-called dysfunctional nonprofit, Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley gave $18,510 and an additional $300,000 was allocated from the entire City Council (otherwise known as the speaker’s pot).
The Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council is a common beneficiary of council member items. The Brooklyn delegation gave the group $350,000 last fiscal year as did Crowley, Dilan and the entire council.
To the Post yesterday, Lopez denied the nonprofit was dysfunctional, calling it efficient.
By Courtney Gross on September 16, 2010, 11:24 amIn category: City Hall, Crime & Safety, Economy, Electoral Politics, Eye Opener, Gotham City, Governing, Law, Measuring UP, Public Finance, nextNY | 1 Comment »




