Borough President Diaz Celebrates Garifuna-American Heritage Month 2010
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. with José Francisco Avila, from the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc, and the group of residents that received citations of merit during the celebration of the Garifuna Heritage Month.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the Garifuna Coalition USA, Inc. celebrated the proclamation of March 11 to April 12, 2010 as “Garifuna Heritage Month 2010,” in observance of the 213th anniversary of the exile of the Garifuna people from St Vincent on March 11, 1797 and their settlement in Central America on April 12, 1797.
The event, which took place at the Bronx County Courthouse, highlighted the great contributions of the Garifuna-Americans to the fabric of New York and the Bronx, and to pay tribute to the common culture and bonds of friendship that unite the United States and the Garifuna countries of origin.
“Unfortunately, most of our residents learned about the Garifunas through tragedy, but today we want to celebrate the beauty of this great community, we want to recognize its contributions to the economy, culture and prosperity of The Bronx,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
New York City is home to the largest Garifuna Community outside of Central America.
On Wednesday, March 10, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined with Seth W. Pinsky, president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation as well as representatives of the Department of Parks and Recreation to tour the ongoing demolition of the old Yankee Stadium and discuss the ongoing redevelopment of neighborhood parkland.
Borough President Diaz Announces the Creation of a Kingsbridge Armory Task Force During his First “State Of The Borough”
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced the formation of a Kingsbridge Armory Task Force during his first State of the Borough Address, which took place today at the Evander Childs High School Campus. The new task force, co-chaired by City Council Member Fernando Cabrera, will examine the armory and discuss ideas for its future use, such as manufacturing, recreation, and other innovative uses.
“The fight at the Kingsbridge Armory was not about preventing development, nor was it about focusing on the parochial concerns of a small corner of the city. What we stood for at the Kingsbridge Armory was the right of all city residents to earn an honest living when developers take large taxpayer subsidies to make their projects work,” said Borough President Diaz.
Borough President Diaz also discussed the need for new “living wage” laws in New York City, and announced that he has partnered on legislation with Bronx City Council Members Annabel Palma and G. Oliver Koppell that would require developers that receive taxpayer subsidies to make their project work to pay a “living wage.”
Read the full press release here.
Read the full speech: PDF or on the website.
Statement from Borough President Diaz
RE: Appointment of the Mayor's Charter Revision Commission
"I am happy that, after weeks of rumors and reports, Mayor Bloomberg has finally announced the appointment of a charter revision commission. I look forward to working with the commission and its members to ensure that the issues of all Bronxites are addressed through this body. To that end, this commission must hold hearings in the Bronx, in fact in all five boroughs, to guarantee that the voices of my constituents are heard," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Testimony of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. to the Board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Proposed Service Reductions
The Borough President gives his testimony to the MTA Board in front of hundreds of Bronx residents.
At a time when serious economic challenges face our city and region, the MTA has proposed service cuts that would impose daily hardships on transit users. The MTA has advised that falling revenues and a big budget gap leave no alternative to the proposed service cuts. While it is clear that the MTA has to make difficult choices to balance its budget, it is also clear that the proposed restructuring of the bus routes will result in poorer service, longer waiting time and more transfers.
Bronx residents face the prospect of big changes on eight bus routes and the discontinuation of the Barreto Point Pool shuttle. Residents of outlying neighborhoods with the most need for service would find themselves even more isolated as a result. These service cuts outweigh any economic benefit received from the proposed changes. In some of these cases, the rerouting and restructuring that would have to take place to accommodate riders whose routes have been eliminated cast doubt upon the claim that the MTA would save money through the service cuts.
Read the Borough President's testimony in full.
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