BP Diaz Backs Naomi

 

(Photo by Robert Press)

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

BRONX, NEW YORK, August 7- Our headline refers to the majority of the people in the Bronx who have been redistricted into one, two, or even three different districts than last year. 

 

We saw this in the congressional race where Congressman Eliot Engel gave up a portion of the West Bronx only to pick up a portion of the East Bronx. In the State Senate the musical chairs continued as Senator Espaillat gave up his Bronx area to Senator Klein. Senator Gustavo Rivera picked up an area to the south while giving up the northern part of his district. 

We saw this also happen in the State Assembly as some areas of assembly districts were cut out while parts of other districts were picked up. So the result was, as we told you in previous columns, there were some people who will have a new Assembly district, new State Senate district, or new Congressional district. Others will have two new districts, and then there are those who will have three new districts. By the way hearings for the redistricting of the City Council districts begins on Monday August 13th in Brooklyn, with the only Bronx hearing on Thursday August 23rd from 5 – 9 p.m. in the Lehman College East Dining Room (of the Music building). Lehman College is located at 150 Bedford Park Blvd., the Bedford Park Blvd stop on the #4 train, or by various bus routes.

We stopped by the Bronx County Building for the endorsement by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. of 80th A.D. Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera this past Monday. Those rumors about Diaz Jr. seeking citywide office in 2013 may be true as he first spoke of the shootings of 6 people in a SIKH Temple in Southern Wisconsin mentioning his sorrow of knowing of the tragedy, and of the large Sikh population in Queens. Diaz then went into why he was endorsing Assemblywoman Rivera stating that she is the driving force behind raising the state minimum wage. 

Diaz Jr. along with Councilman G. Oliver Koppell were the forces in getting the city council to finally pass a Living Wage Bill (even though it was severely watered down by the Speaker of the Council). Diaz added that it was Assemblywoman Rivera who got barriers put up on the Bronx River Parkway by the fatal accident scene recently. 

After Diaz's endorsement Assemblywoman Rivera said “It is an honor to receive the endorsement of my dear friend and colleague.” She then continued about her work in Albany, and said that she wanted to run on her record. She took a few questions, and I asked since she wanted to run on her record “Would you participate in debates this year.” Assemblywoman Rivera tried skirting my question, where as I repeated “would you participate in debates this year.” After again trying not to answer if she would or not debate her opponents she went on to another question.

While the court challenges are still going on as to the September Primary candidates for local office we hope to have the results by next weeks column of just who is on the ballot and for what office. You can check my blog at www.100percentbronx.blogspot.com for the latest updates on the candidates, and other items that may have come in after our deadline.

 

Lastly The Committee of 100 Democrats will be hosting their 8th Annual Free Community Barbecue on August 25th from 12 – 6 p.m. We will have the exact details in next weeks column.

If you have any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on my blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com. Or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.