Kim Pushes Support for Ranked Choice Voting
Assemblymember Ron Kim (D-Whitestone, Flushing, College Point, Murray Hill) yesterday and Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause NY, urged the NYC Charter Commission to recommend Ranked Choice Voting (RCV).
RCV is a consensus-driven system that would allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, instead of a winner take all model. RCV voting would also allow more community-based candidates to compete, particularly candidates of color, according to advocates.
In the last three election cycles in New York City, 63 percent of multi-candidate primaries were won with less than 50% of the vote, 30% were won with less than 40%, and nearly 10% were won with less than 30%. In 2021, the incumbents will be term-limited in approximately 70% of the City Council, all five borough presidencies, as well as the offices of the controller and the mayor. That means over 200 candidates will be competing over open seats.
“Ranked Choice Voting is a fair and progressive system for ensuring that the will and preferences of voters are fully taken into account. It will give candidates with the widest range of support, even when they are not always someone’s first choice, an opportunity to prevail in races without a clear majority-winner, and allow more diverse voices a chance to be impactful and heard,” said Kim.
Pheffer Amato, Addabbo to Announce Resident Rebate Program at the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Broad Channel, Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Ozone Park, the Rockaway Peninsula) and State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth, parts of South Ozone Park, Ridgewood, Woodside and The Rockaways) on Monday will announce details of the 2019-20 New York State Budget in which funding was secured to cover the costs of the toll associated with the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge (“CBB”), for all Queens County residents.
The funding will expand the current Rockaway Resident Rebate Program to include all Queens County Residents beginning in 2020.
The lawmakers will explain how the rebate program will work at 9 a.m., April 15 on the corner of Van Brunt Road and Cross Bay Blvd across the street from All American Bagel & Barista in Broad Channel.
Constantinides to Deliver Keynote Address at Earth Day Celebration
City Council Member Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria), chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection, will discuss the Climate Mobilization Act during his keynote address for District Council 37, AFSCME’s Earth Day celebration.
The package, set to be passed by Earth Day (April 22), will be among the most sweeping environmental policy ever enacted by a city to combat climate change. Council Speaker Corey Johnson has supported the measures, which focus on carbon reductions and promoting renewable energy.
The measure, Leading the Climate Mobilization Act is Intro. 1253, will be the largest mandate to reduce carbon ever enacted by a city. Buildings 25,000 square feet or larger must reduce their carbon output 40% by 2030. Without such bold action, the tri-state region could see 100,000 climate refugees by the end of the century as coastal communities go underwater.
The address is slated for 12:15, tomorrow, April 13 at 125 Barclay Street in Manhattan.
Sanders Hosts Sexual Assault Defense Training
State Sen. James Sanders Jr. (D-Rochdale Village, Far Rockaway), In recognition of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is hosting his 4th Annual Sexual Assault Defense Training.
A self-defense expert will teach you how to fend off an attacker in a live demonstration conducted by Red Dawn Combat School.
There will be information on the different types of sexual assault that exist, how to report them, and why to report them. Resources and assistance for victims will also be available. This event is open to women and men.
This event is conducted with the support of the NYPD (102nd Precinct), One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center, Recoveries R US, Created for Greatness Leadership Group, Sheltering Arms, and the South Asian Fund for Education Scholarship and Training (SAFEST).
The event is slated for between 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Thursday, April 25 at the Richmond Hill Block Association, 110-08 Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill. You must RSVP to attend. Call Senator Sanders’ Office at 718-523-3069.
