The Fate of Rangel & Engel: More Bronx Redistricting Discussion

7 Mar

From reader Jack commenting on previous post.

Not sure what Mr. Kappstatter means by “Charlie Rangel totally screwed out of the Bronx.” The maps I’ve seen aren’t too precise, but from what I can see Rangel’s district (the 13th under Mann’s numbering) does move up the far west of the Bronx starting along the Harlem River around Highbridge. It starts jutting further east around University Heights, covering all of Kingsbridge, Bedford Park, and Norwood. A lot of us Bronxites in the Northwest move from Engel to Rangel.

Kappstatter is also wrong about “only Riverdale” staying in Engel’s district. The maps show Woodlawn and a significant portion of Wakefield and other east Bronx neighborhoods (can’t tell if it stretches as far as Co-op City — don’t think so. That would be interesting though, since Co-op City is Engel’s original base. He first won a seat in Congress as a Co-Op City guy.)

I imagine Engel isn’t happy with all the money he spent on lobbyists (including the convicted tax evader Nick Spano!) Frankly though — his district was absurdly drawn to maximize his Jewish vote. I don’t see Engel running in Rockland — he was only up that far to capture the Jewish vote. The question is — is his Riverdale base strong enough to carry him in parts of Westchester where people will have never even heard of him. (Except that he camps out for the State of the Union) My question — who would run against him? Stewart-Cousins would seem to have a good base for this district. Who are some of the ambitious pols in lower-Westchester who may be tempted?

Bob Kappstatter responds:

Nita Lowey vs. Engel?

And Jack is right, Engel’s new district would swing across the top of the Bronx over to Co-op City (Darn those small maps!), but it’s questionable whether he could still pull votes from there after Joe Crowley (who would lose it in his new district) has had it for a number of years.

Professional political numbersmeister Jerry Skurnik pointed out to me that “Engel’s present district is only 40% Bronx and he hasn’t faced a serious Westchester or Rockland opponent since 2002.”

As for Charlie Rangel, although the new district DOES cut into a piece of the northwest Bronx, Charlie (who’s father was Puerto Rican) would being running in an overwhelming Latino district (55.1% Hispanic, 35.% black), with a large number of Hispanic electeds already chomping at the bit to run there.

“Carlito” might/maybe squeeze through in a primary if they all pile in and dilute the vote.

Right now, this is all so much political bloviating. We shall see, and let the games begin!

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Kappstatter’s Take on Bronx District Lines

6 Mar

I just got off the phone with former Daily News columnist Bob Kappstatter (Boy, do we miss Kappy’s weekly column or what?) and he pointed me to this entry on his Facebook page and authorized me to post it here. Thanks, Bob! And, stay tuned for more about this critical issue on Bronx Matters.

Okay, fast look at the Bronx winners and losers in the new congressional proposed by Magistrate Roanne Mann. I could be wrong, but:
1. Jose Serrano expands west into Soundview and gives up a small slice along the northwestern edge to go to that new Latino district that takes in Harlem and upper Manhattan.
2. Joe Crowley gives up Soundview, but keeps the white northeast Bronx and his Queens home base.
3. Charlie Rangel totally screwed out of the Bronx. Victory for Dem County Leader Carl Heastie.
4. Eliot Engel just about totally screwed since only Riverdale stays in a district that’s totally southern Westchester. He either beats a Westchester contender, or faces off against a challenger in a new district that’s totally in Rockland, without his Riverdale political support.

The link for the maps the magistrate proposes is right here: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/115548887/Regional-Layouts

Loss of Promised Park Money Focus of BronxTalk Tonight

5 Mar
Gary Axelbank says that “tonight’s BronxTalk will feature a discussion with an analyst from the Independent Budget Office about the status of the promised funding for Bronx parks under the Croton filtration agreement. The program will include exclusive video from the press conference where Mayor Bloomberg made the promises about the extent of the improvements to Bronx parks. Should be fascinating! Tonight at 9:00pm on Bronxnet’s Cablevision channel 67 and Verizon Fios 33.”
For background, see this excerpt from a terrific recent article from Adam Wisnieski in the Riverdale Press:

The Press recently reported that the City Comptroller’s Office is conducting an audit to determine whether the Bronx actually received the $240 million it was promised for dealing with the construction of the Croton Water Filtration Plant.

A video clip from 2003 shows Mayor Michael Bloomberg announcing the deal at  St. James Park, shortly after the City Council voted to approve building a filtration plant under the Mosholu Golf Course.

“That vote cleared the way for the creation, over the next five years, of an unprecedented $219 million green legacy here in the Bronx. That is a level of investment in parks that has not been seen in the Bronx or in any other borough for that matter, since the days of the WPA, when the entire parks system was rebuilt and it tripled in size,” Mr. Bloomberg said, as boos and chants of “No filtration!” rang out in the background.

“The investment in parks in the Bronx that I am describing does not in any way reduce what the city Department of Parks and Recreation plans to spend on capital projects in the Bronx, which this year is $44 million dollars. In fact, it more than triples the city’s commitment to the parks in this borough over the next five years,” Mr. Bloomberg said at the time, noting that the money was to be spent within five years.

That total allocation has been adjusted to about $210 million, not including an earlier agreement. In 1999, the DEP agreed to fund projects totaling $43 million as part of a ULURP application — approved by the City Council — to construct the plant on parkland.

But as previously reported in The Riverdale Press, the money hasn’t made it to the parks. Based on figures the Independent Budget Office gave to the Croton Filtration Monitoring Committee by the Independent Budget Office, Croton money started flowing into the Bronx in 2005. For five years, $113.8 million in Croton allocation money was spent on Bronx parks, approximately $100 million less than was promised in that time frame.

For whole article click here.

Morning Matters — 3/5/12

5 Mar

Good morning, all. Here are some Bronx issues that matter ….

Citing the police shooting of Ramarley Graham in Wakefield, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson wants NYC police officers to undergo periodic psychological examinations.

A colleague of the cop that shot Graham tells the Daily News’ Kevin Deutsch that that officer feels “terrible” about the incident.

Worth a read: A lengthy, link-laden takedown of the controversial Fresh Direct deal on Alternet.

Fordham U. students will be rallying today, responding to the racial and homophobic slurs that have been scrawled on campus property in recent weeks.

Judge Roanne Mann will hear arguments today in the redistricting battle which is fielding multiple NYC political armies. According to an article in the New York World, Mann appears to be rather interested in a district-line proposal by the good-government group Common Cause which ignores where particular politicians live (what a concept!). The fight is bringing to the fore ambitions of various lawmakers including Bronx Democratic chair Carl Heastie, an assemblyman. According to El Diario columnist Gerson Berrero (from Twitter, so no link) there was an emergency meeting among Bronx Democrats last night to forge a unified response.

The Riverdale Press examines what shape Congressman Eliot Engel’s district will take if the wishes of Assembly Democrats or Senate Republicans are realized.

This article from Bangla Patrika translated in Voices of NY is from a couple of weeks ago but interesting and important nonetheless. A growing community of Bronx Bangladeshis in Parkschester, Soundview and Castle Hill is exploring putting up a candidate to challenge Council Member Annabel Palma when she faces re-election in 2013.

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Borough President Diaz Discusses Fresh Direct and More on BronxTalk

2 Mar

In case you missed it earlier this week, Gary Axelbank interviewed Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. on BronxTalk. They discussed the controversial Fresh Direct deal, the Kingsbridge Armory, the police shooting of Ramarley Graham and more. Check it out.

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Afternoon Matters 3/2/12

2 Mar

Good afternoon all! Thanks to everyone who “liked” Bronx Matters on Facebook on our first day of operation yesterday. Already up to 78 likes at the time of this posting. That’s awesome. Hope to get to 100 today. The more people involved, the livelier the conversation. Keeps me on my toes, too. So, thanks again. Here are some Bronx things that matter this afternoon.

fish men from Hunts Point on Vimeo.

The Hunts Point Express posted this terrific short documentary video by two filmmakers from the Netherlands exploring two very different approaches to the fish business at The Point CDC, and at the new mechanized Fulton Fish Market.

Juan Gonzalez  in today’s Daily News writes about overcrowding at PS 119 in Soundview. This interested me because I don’t think there’s been much focus lately on Bronx school overcrowding.  I remember writing about the space crunch at PS 8 in Bedford Park (not 0nline — no Web then) in my first issue as Norwood News editor in 1994. Kids were being bused off to another school at 7 a.m. to make room — later there were split sessions. District 10 was the second most crowded district in the city then and maybe still is, even with several new schools in the mix. We kept up the reporting for many years and the Bronx News Network regularly covered efforts to get schools placed where the National Guard buildings are behind the Kingsbridge Armory. Gonzalez writes about the “temporary” — and overcrowded — portable classroom trailers at PS 119 that have been in place for 15 years. Those same “temporary” trailers are a staple of most schoolyards in District 10 outside of Riverdale, and in other areas of the borough. The resulting lack of playground space can’t help but be a factor in the borough’s obesity epidemic. If you’re a teacher or parent who can report on the state of overcrowding at your school, at its impact, please comment on this post.

No more Monkey House at the Bronx Zoo. A good piece in the Times explains why. Did you know that a Congolese pygmy was on exhibit there in 1906, wrestling with an orangutan? Incredible.

Reading Dan Beekman’s story in the Daily News today makes you think how important it is for students — and everyone — to put their lives in perspective, to know that no matter how tough things are, that around the world there are so many places where people have it so much tougher. Fifteen students from the Eagle Academy for Young Men went to Malawi in Africa to build a school for local villagers.

“I was surprised,” one Mount Eden student said. “The mothers and the grandmothers had kids on their backs and they would start working anyway. It made me realize how lazy we are. It made me want to do more.”

Read it all.

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Morning Matters — 3/1/12

1 Mar

Good Morning Readers – Thanks for checking out Bronx Matters. I’m going to try to post links to a few Bronx things that matter every morning, say by 11 a.m. or so. So, here we go!

Visitors to the Point CDC take a look at an interactive model of the Sheridan Expressway and its surroundings. (Photo: Kimberly Devi Milner/Hunts Point Express)

It’s long been the dream of many activists, citizens and environmentalists in Hunts Point (that’s in the southeast Bronx for those of you reading this beyond the borough) to decommission the 1.25-mile Sheridan Expressway in order to make way for parkland, affordable housing and more waterfront access. With a federal Department of Transportation grant of $1.5 million, city agencies are studying the future of the Expressway and surrounding arteries. Hunts Point Express reports that an interactive model of the Expressway is making its way through the borough to engage citizens in planning for its future. For more background on the community’s efforts to eliminate the Sheridan, and an illustration of what could replace it, check out this Express article from last year.

The city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development targets 200 crumbling buildings a year in its Alternative Enforcement Program, and it has just added another batch of them with 56 in the Bronx, reported Dan Beekman in yesterday’s Daily News. Through the program, HPD makes emergency repairs and bills the landlords who neglected the critical work in the first place. Want to find out what HPD has on record for the condition of your building? Just plug in your address at HPD Online and you’ll find out that and a lot more.

The battle over Congressional lines is heating up, pitting Bronx Democratic chief Carl Heastie (who represents the northeast Bronx in the Assembly) against fellow lawmaker Keith Wright, of Manhattan, who wants a chunk of the Bronx for Charlie Rangel’s district. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued a statement yesterday placing himself firmly in Heastie’s corner and arguing against the use of the Bronx as spare parts for Manhattan’s legislative districts. “We will not stand for any plan that would slice the Bronx into many small pieces,” Diaz said. “For decades, the Bronx has had at least one Congressional district entirely within its borders, and this should not change.” The district he is referring to is Jose Serrano’s.

—Jordan Moss

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Help Keep an Eye on Bronx Public Projects!

1 Mar

DeWitt Clinton High School on Mosholu Parkway is undergoing a series of renovations. (Photo by Jordan Moss)

A tab at the top of this page is “Eye on Public Projects.” Check it out. Bronx Matters will regularly check up on public construction and rehab work all over the borough, like we did  with the status of a series of improvements to DeWitt Clinton High School (photo above). If you know of a project that might be experiencing delays, or just one that you have questions about, email us at bronxmatters-at-gmail.com and we’ll try our best to look into it. In the meantime, click that tab above or right here to see what we have in our sights so far.

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