Public Advocate's Corner

A New Report Details Cost of 2nd Avenue Subway Construction

A report released today by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum says that the City, State, and MTA have done almost nothing to assist businesses affected by construction of the Second Avenue Subway:

"Since the construction began, small businesses in the area have been shuttered and others have had to take drastic measures to stay afloat including laying off staff and cutting store hours. With the current completion date for phase one of the Second Avenue Subway still nearly eight years away and potentially subject to further delays, many small businesses will not survive the construction."

Read the Report

Read today's amNY piece

West Sider of the Year

 
(Above right: Public Advocate Gotbaum with host Howard Rubenstein, and Tom Allon, President and CEO of Manhattan Media)

On Thursday night, the West Side Spirit, a weekly paper that covers the Upper West Side of Manhattan, honored Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum at its annual WESTY Awards. She was presented with the most prestigious 'West Sider of the Year' award, recognizing her career in public service and contributions to the community.

 

Touring the Earth School

Today, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum visited PS 364 in Manhattan - also known as the Earth School - to meet with administrators, teachers, parents, and students. According to its website, the School's mission is "to support children’s inherent love of learning through curriculum that is active, playful, socially-conscious, and rigorous. The Earth School’s educational program is designed to support children’s academic achievement and to encourage their commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict and the preservation of the Earth’s resources."

(Left: Gotbaum with Marlon Hosang, Principal of PS 64, and Daniella, Vice Principal of PS 64; Right:Gotbaum with the PTA President, and Jocelyn Walsh, Parent Coordinator for the Earth School)

   

Friday Morning School Visit

(Above, Public Advocate Gotbaum with Principal Sonhando Estwick)

This morning, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum visited Tompkins Square Middle School to speak with teachers, administrators, parents and students. The school is a model of successful community-building and student achievement, and Gotbaum sought to find out why its program is so effective. (Pictured below, from left, senior policy analyst Tomas Hunt, Public Advocate Gotbaum, and Lisa Donlan)

Stand for Freedom in Iran!

Today, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum stood with elected officials, religious leaders, human rights activists, and thousands of attendees at the Stand for Freedom in Iran rally, protesting the UN visit of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Public Advocate Gotbaum said:

Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to all the different groups standing today in solidarity with Iranian-Americans and Iranian citizens who disputed the results of June’s elections. I would like to thank all the speakers – in particular Governor David Paterson, Comptroller Tom Di Napoli, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, as well as the Iranian womens’ rights activists – for their powerful words. 

Throughout my career I have stood for women’s rights and always sought to represent the women who had no voice. The participation of women in the political process is one of the causes of my life.When I witnessed the video of Neda Soltan’s murder, I was heartbroken. Neda’s crime was to attend a rally in support of freedom, like so many other women – and men – in the weeks after Iran’s elections.

More From Race for the Cure

Check out some more pictures of Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum at the 2009 Komen NYC Race for the Cure:

(Pictured above, from left: Gabrielle Union, Cyndi Lauper, Public Advocate Gotbaum)

Supporting Women's Health at Race for the Cure

On Sunday, I attended the 2009 Komen NYC Race for the Cure, which is raising money to support 'community-based organizations providing life-saving breast health, education, screening and treatment to people in New York City, Long Island, Rockland and Westchester Counties.' At the kick-off event, I spoke with Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman (pictured above); singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper; Mayor Bloomberg and others.

As always, I urge New York women to make an appointment for an annual physical checkup. Current studies suggest that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. The older the woman, the greater the risk: women under forty should schedule a clinical breast exam every three years; women older than forty should have one every year and augment with an annual screening mammogram. Anyone at risk because of family history may need to be tested more frequently.

On Sunday, I attended the 2009 Komen NYC Race for the Cure, which is raising money to support 'community-based organizations providing life-saving breast health, education, screening and treatment to people in New York City, Long Island, Rockland and Westchester Counties.' At the kick-off event, I spoke with Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman (pictured above); singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper; Mayor Bloomberg and others.

As always, I urge New York women to make an appointment for an annual physical checkup. Current studies suggest that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. The older the woman, the greater the risk: women under forty should schedule a clinical breast exam every three years; women older than forty should have one every year and augment with an annual screening mammogram. Anyone at risk because of family history may need to be tested more frequently.

A Day of Remembrance and Service

              

Today, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum visited the Holy Apostles Episcopal Church to participate in the  9/11 Day of Remembrance and Commitment to Service--initiated this year by the First Lady and President Obama. She was joined by Kevin Concannon, the chief Obama Administration official in charge of USDA anti-hunger programs; Sen. Charles E. Schumer; Councilmembers Bill de Blasio and Eric Gioia, and Joel Berg of the NYCCAH, which organized the event. In her remarks, Public Advocate Gotbaum said:

Good afternoon, everyone. I’m pleased to be at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, a wonderful organization and emergency food provider. And I want to thank Joel Berg and the New York City Coalition Against Hunger for honoring the first official Day of Remembrance and Commitment to Service.

Today is a day of sadness and reflection for New Yorkers, and all Americans. I remember this day, eight years ago. All New Yorkers came together. Today calls for that kind of moment again. The President and First Lady have made a national call to service, and we should respond enthusiastically.

In 2008, there were nearly 40 million Americans in poverty—a 13.2% poverty rate, up from 12.5%; and there were over 46 million people without health insurance, up from 45.7 million.

In New York, there are more than 1,200 soup kitchens and food pantries, and they need more help—in particular, skills-based volunteers to address management and organizational challenges. Today, Joel Berg and the NYCCAH have made it possible for people to do that. NYCCAH helps search for nearby neighborhood organizations, so they can support emergency food providers.

I’m glad to have served today and I encourage all New Yorkers to take advantage of opportunities like this one.

Second Avenue Community Thanks Public Advocate Gotbaum

Giuseppe Pecora, owner of Delizia Pizzeria and a leading member of the Second Avenue Business Association, sent a letter last week to Public Advocate Gotbaum. He thanked her for her continued support, and for her office's recently released survey, which confirmed that construction of the Second Avenue subway is causing severe damage to business along the construction corridor. In the coming months, Gotbaum will continue to push for enactment of her recommendations--such as emergency grants to small businesses, tax abatements for landlords, among others. Mr Pecora's letter is reprinted below.

Dear Ms. Gotbaum:

It was both a pleasure and a desperately needed morale boost for the suffering community to have met you.

As you noticed on Friday, we support the Second Avenue Project. But it shouldn’t be built at our expense only. This project desperately needs leadership, and communications between business owners, contractors, tunnel builders, the MTA, the Department of Buildings and Sanitation.

Up to now, it is clear that if we don’t stand up for ourselves, city agencies will not give us the services that would minimize the overall community impact. Businesses and tenants have had phone services interrupted for days; disruptions in delivery services; thousands of dollars in losses. Blocks of car traffic is closed without notice.

Ms Gotbaum, we need your support. More than ever do we have a fighting chance to survive and save our community.

Thank you,

Giuseppe Pecora

Visiting Seniors in Chinatown

On Thursday, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum visited the Project Open Door Senior Center, a facility operated by the Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc. In 2005, Public Advocate Gotbaum helped secure city approval to build the Open Door Center. Today, the Center is thriving, playing host to art shows, activities for seniors, catered meals, and other senior services.

On Gotbaum's visit, she met with Director Po-ling NG; distributed water bottles, whistles, and other souvenirs to hundreds of senior citizens.