Bloomberg’s Last Tango: City’s annual “Budget Dance” ends on a good note for Bay Ridge

By on June 27, 2012  Featured story, Politics
Jun 272012
 

Image source: digitizedchaos via Flickr.

What has been referred to by a skeptical New York media as the annual “budget dance,”  a choreographed clash which begins every year with Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s threats of austerity – cutting jobs, closing firehouses, the discontinuation of after-school programs, followed by posturing from city council members and program directors, with all roads leading to an inevitable happy ending – ended this week.

As Mayor Bloomberg’s last year in office passes its halfway point, many – in both the press and in politics – are weighing the pros and cons of this yearly ritual. Continue reading »

Gentile To Hold Rally Tonight In Protest Of Mayor’s Cuts To After School Programs

By on May 11, 2012  Schools & Libraries
May 112012
 

City Councilman Vincent Gentile passionately criticized Mayor Bloomberg’s “severe cuts to  Out of School Time (OST) programs for elementary school students” last week – when he referred to the cutbacks in a press release as an “all-out war on children.”

Gentile plans to hold a rally later today, along with parents, teachers, students and community leaders whose lives and jobs will all be affected by Bloomberg’s budget.

The mayor’s current plan would result in the loss of funds for a host of different after school programs – such as OST, as well as the Beacon Program – in schools throughout Community Boards 10 and 11 – which includes the neighborhoods of Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, and Dyker Heights.

The rally and press conference are to be held at P.S. 102 the Bay View School [211 72nd Street] at 5 p.m.

Councilman Gentile is urging parents and neighbors to call 311 and write Mayor Bloomberg to let him know exactly how you feel about these cuts. He is also requesting his constituents to send him a copy of any letters written to the mayor.

According to the press release, Gentile will be keeping track of the letters and will arrange their delivery to Mayor Bloomberg, along with an online petition to keep the Beacon program at McKinley active.

Councilman Gentile On OST Cuts: “Bloomberg Is Declaring War On Children!”

By on May 3, 2012  Schools & Libraries
May 032012
 

In a recent press release, Councilman Vincent Gentile criticized Mayor Bloomberg’s “severe cuts to  Out of School Time (OST) programs for elementary school students,” referring to cutbacks to the afterschool/daycare program as an “all-out war on children.” Continue reading »