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

Paid Sick Leave Comes to the Floor

   

At noon today, Public Advocate Gotbaum stood with Councilmember Gale Brewer, Borough President Scott Stringer, Gloria Steinem, and hundreds of advocates to voice support for a bill that will require paid sick days for workers to care for themselves or a loved one. With H1N1 flu cases on the rise, action is needed to ensure that workers can stay home sick without losing pay--limiting the spread of flu in the workplace.

It's the latest in a series of demonstrations made by Gotbaum and supporters of the bill.

Kudos to Costco!

I was so pleased to have been informed that Costco, the big-box retailer, has decided to accept Food 
Stamps at all its stores nationwide, given its positive experience in New York City.

Earlier this year, I was among those who strongly urged Costco to accept Food Stamps at its new store in Manhattan, which is scheduled to open in November in East Harlem. After initial resistance, Costco agreed. It also announced that it would accept Food Stamps at its Brooklyn and Queens stores. Nothing was said about the Costco in Staten Island, so I personally wrote Costco's CEO and asked whether Costco also would accept Food Stamps in that borough as well. After my inquiry, Costco said that it would.

According to The Associated Press, Costco doubted that many New York customers would use Food Stamps. Instead, it saw a strong and favorable response. Costco, which operates more than 400 stores in the United States, expects to accept Food Stamps in about half its stores by Thanksgiving. Given these tough economic times, Costco's action is indeed commendable.

Today's New York Post Cover

Today’s cover makes it clear that the New York Post is eager to add gay-baiting to its tradition of tasteless, offensive humor. Surely the Post could have found a better, and more convincing, way to point out the Yankees’ superiority without suggesting that the Phillies are gay (“Only in the City of Brotherly Love…”) —and therefore, by their logic, bad at baseball.

The Yankees, who are on their way to a 27^th World Series title, represent the best in baseball, and one of the most diverse, tolerant cities in the world. The Post, in contrast, represents the lowest form of journalism and a New York that is sexist, homophobic and intolerant.

Mayor Bloomberg's Call to Eliminate the Office

Just a few months ago, Mayor Bloomberg said, "I don't have any plans to try to have a charter revision commission to eliminate the office" (NY Daily News, June 22, 2009). But today, we hear something completely different: “Get rid of the Public Advocate.” Just like with term limits, the Mayor claims one thing, only to do another when it suits his political needs.

For Mayor Bloomberg, the office representing the needs of New York’s most vulnerable and underserved is merely a pest. The voice for the unemployed, uninsured, homeless, and low-income families is a ‘gadfly’— an annoyance we can do without.

And for Mayor Bloomberg, the most important problem facing New York is that there are too many checks on his power. In a third term, one of the first items on his agenda may be to eliminate the agency that helps New Yorkers receive the services they deserve. This is an arrogant, and out-of-touch view of the problems facing New York. And the last time I looked, I don’t recall the city charter saying that it’s the job of the press to monitor city services and recommend improvements.

The Office of the Public Advocate, in addition to serving as a watchdog over all city agencies, helps over 12,000 New Yorkers ever year access city services and solves their problems with city government.

We have helped school children get education services, senior citizens get transportation and hot meals, and victims of domestic violence find safer places to live. We have reduced barriers to food stamps, improved women’s access to reproductive services, and increased protections for abused and neglected children. In addition to helping individual New Yorkers and families, the Office of the Public Advocate has also gotten the administration to change policies and practices through our reports, advocacy and legislative efforts.

A Setback for the Public Option

I am disappointed by the Senate Finance Committee’s rejection of two Democratic proposals that would create a public health insurance option to compete with the private companies and hold down costs. Despite a 13-10 Democratic majority on the committee, backing from President Obama, estimates that a public option would save tens of billions of dollars, and polls showing clear majority support for the proposals, five Democratic senators caved to pressure from private companies and Republican scare tactics. On the Senate floor and in conference with the House, Democrats must continue to push for a public option, which would be a boon for struggling Americans with and without insurance.

That said, Democrats must remain united in support of any bill that enforces strict regulations on insurance companies and mandates health insurance for all Americans—provided there are sufficient subsidies to make insurance affordable. Even without a public option, such legislation would represent the most significant action on healthcare in over 40 years.

Read my Huffington Post piece on health insurance reform: "Now is the Time to Deliver"

Clarifying the Job of Public Advocate

Last week, the NY Daily News published an editorial that misrepresented my accomplishments over two terms in office. I responded in a letter, published today and posted in full below:

To the Editor:

When the Daily News editorial board comments on my record, it tends to ignore its own coverage – over 300 news articles – of nearly eight years of accomplishments and actions by the public advocate’s office. Last week’s endorsement for public advocate ("Gioia for public advocate", September 10) is no different. It calls for reinventing the office to improve the lives of New Yorkers—just what I have done over my two terms. It calls for a problem solver who champions quality-of-life benefits, instead of a ‘mayoral critic’. This is ironic because I have been accused over the years of focusing on assisting New Yorkers in need instead of picking public fights with the mayor. And it mentions noble successes backed by Councilmember Gioia – improving the food stamp application; persuading Costco to accept food stamps – without noting that these would not have occurred without my leadership and the seat I occupy.

-Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum

Debunking the Healthcare Myths

Today on The Huffington Post, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum comments on President Obama's address to Congress and takes aim at critics of reform:

Last night in his address to Congress, President Obama made a clear and convincing case for reforming our broken healthcare system. He laid out a plan that would protect those who have insurance and provide tax credits for those who don’t. And he pledged to cut spending and raise taxes on expensive plans in order to pay for it.

President Obama also addressed the scenes in recent town hall-style forums across the country, where representatives and senators have tried to discuss plans for healthcare reform. Often, these events have turned into shouting matches—a chance for citizens who oppose the President to berate their elected representatives, often invoking the specters of ‘rationing’ and government ‘death panels’ to bolster their case.

Read the rest: "Now is the Time to Deliver"

A Vigilant Watchdog Does More Than Make Noise

Yesterday’s article in Crain's, “The Return of the Public Advocate”, misrepresents my office’s accomplishments over the last eight years and the role of the Public Advocate.

The job of Public Advocate isn’t about making the most noise, it’s about serving as a vigilant watchdog over city services and helping solve the problems of the most vulnerable residents.

As Public Advocate, I have improved special education services; increased women’s access to reproductive healthcare; secured greater protections for abused and neglected children; reduced barriers to accessing food stamps; passed a bill to protect immigrants from misusing medication; and much more. This year, my office’s recommendations for maintaining mayoral control of the schools were used as a blueprint by the state legislature.

Additionally, each week my office solves hundreds of complaints from senior citizens seeking transportation and hot meals; parents needing school services; residents in hazardous public housing; and low-income families who encounter barriers obtaining public benefits.

All this with a budget that is about half of some borough presidents, and continues to be cut. Clearly, the next Public Advocate must continue to help needy New Yorkers.

We need to help 2nd ave businesses before it is too late

Today, Public Advocate Gotbaum toured the second avenue businesses upended by subway construction and called on the city, state, and MTA to assist affected business owners and provide a plan for the next phases of construction.

A new comprehensive survey of business owners in the area released by Gotbaum today shows that construction of the Second Avenue subway line threatens the survival of a majority of businesses in the area -- forcing wage cuts, layoffs and closings.

Of 59 business owners who responded to the survey, the first of its kind, ninety percent report that their businesses have been negatively affected since construction began in 2007. Yet, virtually none have received support – financial or non-financial – from the city, the state, or the MTA. Read More.

Are you a business owner effected by 2nd avenue subway construction? Post your comments here.