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John,
Stated Recap This Stated was a busy one! I’ve been at City Hall a lot over these past weeks for budget hearings but this Thursday 3/16 I was so proud to introduce a new piece of legislation. Intro 963 is the first in the nation elephant captivity ban to be introduced in a City that currently has elephants. This legislation has limited exceptions, designed to ensure any elephant in captivity has its complex social-emotional needs met, and mandates that if certain standards cannot be followed then the elephant must be released to a sanctuary. We’ve worked closely with the Nonhuman Rights Project on this legislation after their extensive legal fight to free Happy the Elephant ended. The courts said that while, “the arguments are extremely persuasive for transferring Happy from her solitary one-acre exhibit,” the matter was for the legislative bodies, not the courts. To that end, we are taking up the baton in the next step of our shared campaign to end elephant captivity in our City for good.
I was also proud to sign on to three additional pieces of legislation.
Last but not least, three pieces of legislation I signed on to passed:
More to come in April!
Street Safety Earlier this month, I was horrified to hear that a parent at PS 107 was forced to throw themselves in front of a car to protect a group of children from an oncoming car. Last week I joined Assembly Member Bobby Carroll, the Department of Transportation (DOT), as well as Principal Joanna Cohen and school leaders to tour the area. I’ve heard from many parents about their concerns regarding traffic violence and pedestrian safety on 8th Avenue, particularly given that so many families walk these streets to and from school. In talking with Brooklyn DOT Commissioner Keith Bray, we settled on a few common sense solutions to make traffic safer on this block. DOT will look at installing speed cushions and turn restrictions as soon as they can. We talked about a speed bump but we were informed that because this street is a bus route, DOT won’t install a speed bump so as to not affect the bus lane. DOT will also put up more school zone signs, look into installing leading pedestrian intervals for the side streets, and explore adding a few permanent speed cameras on the surrounding blocks. The suggestion to reduce the speed limit also came up, and given this falls under State jurisdiction, I’ll work with our partners in Albany to see what can be done. These improvements will start in the coming weeks and I promise to keep you all updated as it happens! Please continue to send us your feedback.
Community Bulletin ● Heads Up: this weekend there will be road closures and no parking along Flatbush Avenue, between Grand Army Plaza and Nassau Street for the United Airlines New York City Half Marathon. ● Big changes are coming to the City’s zoning text! Follow the public hearing on 3/20 at 7 PM or 3/28 at the same time using this link. Sign up to ask questions or testify for the hearing on the 20th using this link. ● Are you a high school student in District 39? Check out the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force's Youth Steering Committee! The Task Force is an intergenerational coalition that provides mentorship opportunities to students, helping them advocate for climate education across the city and the state. ● The first Gowanus Oversight Task Force (GOTF) Public Update Meeting is on 3/29 from 6-8 PM at PS 32 Samuel Mills Sprole School (420 Union Street) and via Zoom. Attend to learn more about the GOTF and its work with City agencies to ensure that the Gowanus rezoning commitments are met. ● We are excited to co-sponsor the Kensington Community Iftar hosted by Arts & Democracy! This annual event celebrates Muslim women artists and brings community members across Kensington to share a meal together. RSVP here. ● Starting this week, Harold Ickes Playground will be closed for reconstruction for about a year. You can see more about the new design here as well as follow for construction updates. ● If you or someone you know needs free immigration help for citizenship eligibility or applications, join CUNY Citizenship Now!’s free event on Saturday, April 1st at the Brooklyn College West Quad Gym. Constituents can call at (646) 664-9400 or (212) 652-2071 to register for the event. ● A Business Improvement District (BID) is coming to Smith Street! Learn more about what a BID does, meet the Steering Committee behind the effort, and local businesses and property owners next Saturday, 3/25 at 9:30 AM at Invisible Dog. ● Join the South Asian Book Club to read South Asian authors every other Saturday morning at 10 AM via Zoom. Contact Anaka Purohit at [email protected] if you’re interested! ● Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island's (JCCGCI) annual Passover food distribution is fast approaching, and they are seeking volunteers to assist in the process of packing the food bags and distributing them to more than 1,000 low-income Brooklynites. Volunteers should RSVP to JCCGCI Special Assistant Sara Chamama at [email protected] or 718-449-5000 ext 2220. ○ Monday, 3/27 from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM ○ Tuesday, 3/28 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ○ Wednesday, 3/29 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ○ Thursday, 3/30 from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
In Solidarity, Shahana |
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