We had a chat with Lovie Pignata, resident of the Pelham Parkway area who is trying to get a storefront at Brady Court rezoned back to commercial so that she can open up Morris Perk, a cafe that offers so much more than your simple cup of joe.
The storefront in question was once a diner owned by Robert Abrams’ parents, former Bronx Borough President from 1970-1979 and from 1979 until 1993 served as the New York State Attorney General. Since the space has been empty for so long, it has gone back to its original residential zoning so now Pignata has to convince City Planning and Zoning as well as Community Board 11 members to change the zoning to allow for the cafe.
From Bob Grand, former Bronxite born and raised sent this in: The address stated by the unknown source of the photo was 2000 Holland Ave, and it is of Ben and Dotty Abrams (Robert Abrams' parents) in their candy store. There was no date given, but my guess judging by the prices on the signboard, is early to mid 1950's.
‘An artist and small business owner promoting the beauty of the Bronx.’
In her own words, Lovie Pignata tells us her story:
“I moved to Brady Court in Pelham Parkway in 2001. I was born in Staten Island, lived in Westchester and Putnam counties as well as North Carolina and Oklahoma. I moved back to New York in 1994 to attend Pratt Institute as a sculpture major. I bought my co-op apartment in the Bronx when my Fort Greene, Brooklyn landlord ran me out of my apartment so he could jack up the rent! I’m so glad I left Brooklyn when I did.
Lovie Pignata drinking having her cup of coffee out from her custom mug / Image Credit Lovie Pignata
“I have never lived anywhere as long as I have lived here in the Bronx. It feels more like home than anywhere I have ever lived and while I am not officially aligned with any particular cause or group, I participate and attend many Bronx events. The Bronx River Flotilla, sponsored by the Bronx River Alliance, walking tours with the East Bronx History forum and I have done plenty of exploring on my own.
“I have worked in many industries, the majority of them were small businesses. I have never been involved in the beginning of the process so I am acquiring a new respect for the previous small business owners I have worked for. About 10 years of my experience was in restaurants. Waitress, bartender, manager, line cook, barista, dishwasher–if someone didn’t show up, I was always the person thrown in to cover the position for a shift. My most recent work history was a project manager at a home automation company. We designed and installed high end audio video equipment and the hardware that would control the lights, shades, security, home theater, etc. It was a small exclusive company and I learned so much in 12 years but it wasn’t very rewarding.
“I left there to work at another technology firm but unbeknownst to me, they were in financial trouble and realized they couldn’t afford a new employee so I was let go after 5 months. Since being laid off in May, I have been utilizing all the available small business help the city has to offer, working on my artwork and my business plan. I’ve made so many wonderful connections that I didn’t have time to make when I was working long hours in Manhattan.
“While Morris Perk is technically in Pelham Parkway, I thought Morris Perk sounded like a better name overall and will include vendors from Morris Perk. The name is also a throwback to the sitcom Friends’ where they all lived in the village somewhere but went to a coffee shop there named ‘Central Perk’.
Lovie Pignata recently rode the Bronx Trolley on her way to the Fish Parade in Hunts Point last Saturday. Pignata can always be found running around the Bronx attending many cultural activities and all the Bronx has to offer. You can usually spot her in her zooming about in her smart car with the Morris Perk magnets attached to the the vehicle!
Morris Perk, Inc. & 754-768 Brady Owners Corporation are seeking community approval to rezone the storefront space located on the corner of Antin Place and Holland Avenue. Because this commercial space has been empty for over 30 years, the NYC Planning office reverted the space to residential status and it cannot be rented and generate income for 754-768 Brady Owners Corporation until it is rezoned. A start-up business, Morris Perk, is interested in renovating and renting the space.
Morris Perk will provide superior coffee and espresso beans from around the globe, roasted locally and brewed and sold in our store. Morris Perk also offers a selection of coffee shop favorites like bagels and pastries, homemade lemonade, as well as daily specials for breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks. We are dedicated to the Bronx’s diverse and changing customers and their needs. From the local school children, to the commuters leaving the Bronx for the day, as well as the senior citizen community, Morris Perk intends on being flexible in their offerings to accommodate our customers and the community that surrounds us. Morris Perk is dedicated to utilizing as many local Bronx vendors, employees & products as possible.
42 year old Bronx born and raised Joseph Martinez, known as Jupiter Joe, was outside around 3:10AM this morning on Bronx Park East when he and a neighbor spotted the lone coyote walking around Ben Abrams Playground. In a phone interview with Joseph, he told us he was out taking pictures for a photography book he’s putting together of constellations as seen from The Bronx.
According to Martinez, the coyote came within 10 feet of the group and then stopped about 45 feet away from them but seemed not to be afraid of them as it continued walking around the playground.
Joseph Martinez runs the popular ‘Jupiter Joe’s Sidewalk Astronomy‘ where he brings astronomy to children and families throughout the borough.
Check out these great pictures provided by Martinez
Image Courtesy of Joseph Martinez aka Jupiter JoeImage Courtesy of Joseph Martinez aka Jupiter JoeImage Courtesy of Joseph Martinez aka Jupiter JoeImage Courtesy of Joseph Martinez aka Jupiter Joe
Yesterday evening participating photographers and artists of the Bronx Artist Documentary Project met for a meet and greet at the Andrew Freedman Home. This was the first time that almost all 100 members gathered since the project began last year.
When the Bronx Artist Documentary Project launches its exhibition in September, it will be the culmination of 30 photographers documenting 78 Bronx visual artists in the midst of their individual and unique creative processes.
The BxADP is the brainchild of Daniel Hauben, a Bronx born and raised artist who’s works have captured everyday Bronx life and landscapes with his signature and distinct style that is readily recognizable.
BxADP is an official Bronx Centennial Event celebrating the 100th anniversary of the creation of Bronx County and through its exhibition will highlight the diversity of local Bronx artists and photographers.
The collective came together to bring attention to the wonderful, creative energy that exists in The Bronx yet is severely underrepresented in New York City art scene and the world at large.
Our borough has produced some of the greatest names in all aspects of the Arts as well as influenced entire movements that have spread to every corner of the globe and The Bronx Documentary Artist Project seeks to give us a taste of just a tiny fraction of all that.
The exhibition will run from September 11th – October 8th, 2014 at the Andrew Freedman Home at 1125 Grand Concourse. The exhibition will also have a wide variety of programming centered around it including a “Garden of Artists” event on Saturday, September 27th that will be held outdoors on the lawn of the Andrew Freedman Home where visitors can witness first-hand the creation of art by participating artists.
Stay tuned to Welcome2TheBronx as we get closer to the opening reception for a full detail of events.
The Bronx photographers and artists of the Bronx Artist Documentary Project pose for their first group picture.Bronx photographer, Adi Talwar was on hand to document the evening as well as take portraits of the participants of the Bronx Artist Documentary Project.
This summer The Gift to Empower is collecting supplies from June 1st to August 1st to be distributed directly to children during Boogie on the Boulevard (a summer festival that will close the main road on the Grand Concourse to vehicular traffic from 165th-167th Streets) on August 17th from 10am to 2pm. Support local Bronx students by giving them the tools to succeed in the 2014-15 school year.
Drop off locations:
The Bronx Museum of the Arts – 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY (718) 681-6000
El Fogon – 989 Home Street, Bronx, NY
Andrew Freedman Home – 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY (718) 293-8100
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About The Gift to Empower:
Flora Montes started a school supply drive six years ago, partnering with other organizations such as: Urban Voices Heard, El Grito De Poetas, LatinosNYC, The Bronx Museum of the Arts as well as John Chance Acevedo and Peggy Robles Alvarado. Through the drive over 2000 children have received school supplies and information about resources and programs geared towards families and children in the Bronx. The drive was born from a desire and need to honor her daughter Vanessa Christine, who passed away shortly after birth. According to Ms. Montes, “it is not solely about giving a pen or pencil, it is about empowering children through education giving them the knowledge and resources they need in order to have the ability to be whatever they dream to be while overcoming the adversities life at times gives them.”
Please call (203) 893-5553 for more information and if you want to donate or volunteer.
Bronx Borough President tweets about the ‘big crowd’ at last night’s ‘Taste of The Bronx’ but no where near the 100 or so invites that were sent. Also, what happened to the rooftop on Madison Avenue that John DeSio couldn’t just turn down.”
Last night The Bronx held its first ‘Taste of The Bronx’ in several years but rather than choosing a Bronx location, Borough Hall decided to take it to Manhattan — and make it “by invitation only”.
Huh?
That’s pretty much the sentiment of many Bronx residents when they learned that they were being excluded from one of our very own events that celebrate our culinary offerings.
In the past, ‘Taste of The Bronx’ wasn’t quite representative of our borough’s rich culinary diversity and pretty much focused on a handful of the usual suspects which everyone knows about.
This year’s participants were as diverse as the cultural tapestry that makes up our communities like newcomer Gun Hill Brewery, and mainstays like Havana Cafe, La Parrilla Latina, Nee-Rob, and Frankie & Johnny’s just to name a few.
Why couldn’t we do it at our beautiful Andrew Freedman Home, The New York Botanical Garden or one of our many amazing locations? Why was it an exclusive event by invitation only, excluding the very people who keep these businesses alive? The raison d’être, if you will, of these restaurants?
The reasoning that it was held in Manhattan according to John DeSio via Twitter, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr’s Director of Communications, was that, “I just couldn’t turn down a rooftop on Madison Ave…”.
To many, myself included it reeks of the tired, and horrible mantra that we keep hearing: The New Bronx. New for whom?
DeSio went on to say in an interview with DNAinfo, “We’re revitalizing the name as a different kind of thing… If we’re going to rebrand the Bronx, you have to get people to think differently about the borough.”
How do you do that without the resource that makes The Bronx, THE Bronx — its people?
“How can you introduce someone to a Bronx restaurant in Manhattan?” said Derek D. Watt an entrepreneur and Bronx resident.
Watt continued to say in the Facebook group, ‘Bronx Movers and Shakers’, “So Bronx restaurants are going to cook food in advance, bring it in warmers to a corporate office, compromising food quality? Patrons won’t even get the experience of dining in the actual restaurants. How are they going to determine if they want to go visit the space… It’s like me telling people to celebrate Brooklyn in crotona park. If you can’t convince media to come to the Bronx, you need to hire someone else to do the job.”
Some of Watt’s sentiments were echoed by many, including Michael Brady, a partner at Charlies Bar & Kitchen in Port Morris who attended the event.
Ruben Diaz Jr schmoozing with Jason Ackerman of FreshDirect – a company who’s desperately trying to move to The Bronx, against the will of the people. Also a perfect example of how the Borough President operates without engaging the community. Months before FreshDirect was announced as a “done deal” Diaz Jr was lobbied by them unbeknownst to us.
“Firstly, the Taste of the Bronx should be in the Bronx. I understand that hosting it in Manhattan encourages Manhattan-based media to attend; however, by moving Bronx eateries to Manhattan you remove one of the very pillars that makes our restaurants so unique- the influence of our Borough’s environment. ” said Brady.
“Bronx restaurateurs are pioneers: often not equipped with steady foot traffic and the ability to price guage like Manhattan or Brooklyn counterparts. The move to Manhattan while creating a dialouge with Manhattan-based media, only costs restaurant owners more. In addition to creating food for the expected 100 invitees, we now must transport and staff the event while receiving no subsidy to do so. We are unique businesses, and food writers should see the environment we work with each day–there you can find the real story, ” added Brady in an interview with Welcome2TheBronx.
Even fans of the Bronx Borough President weren’t too thrilled. Emely commented that, “… I like his progressiveness so far but this is a minus for the BP…very backwards.”
According to a guest who attended ‘Taste of The Bronx’ last night and wished to remain anonymous, the event was not even well attended.
Alex Brown, a 25 year old student of Public Policy & Administration at Hostos Community College who works in IT and sales said, “The list is impressive after digging through social media and seeing Bronx businesses that are highlighted the event truly showcases the beautiful talent our borough produces. Unfortunately individuals like my self are not able to attend. The invite only event, in my eyes highlights the boroughs (politicians) active efforts to gentrify a beautiful community. If news outlets, bloggers, chefs and businesses aren’t willing to at least come to my borough to get a taste, what’s the point. In some ways this event is a slap in the face and words of discouragement to individuals like my self who set out a goal with intense passion to be apart of Bronx progress in a way that highlights the beautifies that exist today. I proudly highlight happenings amongst friends and family, always advocate for new services and the fair treatment as a city of one. How am I supposed to be and advocate for my own borough when I am not allowed to attend. What message are we sending out brothers and sisters outside of the Bronx? We can’t have nice things or events so we have to host them in Manhattan? I know that to not be true with all the positives happening. If turnout was of an issue maybe our politicians need to work at better PR for the borough. News outlets like Gothamist frequently post happenings all over except only highlight violence in our borough. We are a fun loving, caring, affectionate, passionate, eclectic community with pride for where we call home. I am happy to call the Bronx home and proud to pursue a higher education in my borough. I’m putting my future on the Bronx and it takes a lot of love for someone to do so.”
Last night we lost out on a big event that not only could have but should have been done on our own home turf. Borough Hall could have creatively picked up folks in trolleys and charter buses and gotten folks up here in droves to truly experience a ‘Taste of The Bronx’. It’s another example of how out of touch with reality this Borough’s administration is with its constituents.
“Apparently, introducing these restaurants to people who live and work in the boro (who’d be more likely to go based on location alone) is a silly business idea,” said Derek D Watt. “Goes to show you the new Bronx isn’t about its residents, but outsiders.”
Correction: An earlier version of this post noted that Charlies Bar & Kitchen was featured in the event which was incorrect. Michael Brady, partner of the restaurant attended of the event. The post has been amended accordingly.
Although The Bronx has inspired fashion around the globe, particularly in urban design, gave the world some of the most recognized labels such Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, it is often overlooked as place to hold a major fashion event.
All that is changing this year as the first ever Bronx Fashion Week will be held at the Andrew Freedman Home from Sept 5th to the 7th featuring a wide range of designers focusing on high end fashion.
(Full disclosure: As of this Monday, June 16th, I am on the advisory board of Bronx Fashion Week and Welcome2TheBronx will be assisting in the organization of this event along with other great individuals committed to making this an event to remember.)
Bronx Fashion Week is the brainchild of Flora Montes, a Bronx born and raised woman who wears many hats. Mother, friend, spoken word artist and poet, activist, chef — you name it.
A month before I was approached by her to join the advisory board I had the pleasure of engaging Flora in an interview and below is a candid look into who Flora is, why Bronx Fashion Week, and so much more.
Andrew Freedman Home
How did Bronx Fashion Week come to be? Who else is part of this event?
I was invited to Latin Fashion Week in 2013 by a friend. I asked to meet with him to see if this event could be bought to the Bronx. I personally felt it would be a great idea to give this back to the Bronx. The vision was to showcase high fashion highlighting businesses with activities geared towards families and Bronx Fashion Week was born.
Will this be a yearly event or will it coincide with fashion week in Manhattan several times a year?
Bronx Fashion Week will be held September 5th through the 7th at Andrew Freeman Mansion for the first time this year. The vision is to have it become a yearly 5 day showcase event coinciding with NY Fashion week and actually we are already in discussions for next year.
Do you still liveI in The Bronx?
I still live in The Bronx in Fordham Hill to be exact and I do have a home in Connecticut where I raised my two children and my mom lives out there so I spend time in between both NYC and Connecticut.
You recently were selected one of 25 most influential women of the year and also serve on the Advisory Counsel at the Bronx Museum. What drives you to continue giving back to the community? Why is it so important?
I was selected as one of the 25 most influential women in the Bronx nominated by the NY Botanical Garden because of my school supply drive and my work with children and families in need by Elizabeth Figueroa who I am eternally indebted to for even thinking of me.
I am also a Counsel Advisory Member at the Bronx Museum of the Arts and have been for 2 years active. I am very passionate about passing it forward because of the blessings that I have been given like the ones I just mentioned.
My life was less than stellar ending in the passing of my baby after carrying her to full term 12 years ago. I needed to make sense of a senseless tragedy. I needed to honor this angel that touched my life for whatever short time I had with her. The Bronx was a no brainer for me because I was born and raised here and in the process of losing her I learned that everything in life happens for a reason and it was up to me to find the good in it and turn it around and while I lost one child and lost so much I gained a lot spiritually. I also knew in my heart I had to do so in order to give my children a legacy they could be proud of because unfortunately I was not so proud of mine and I wanted different for my 2 older children.
Where in the Bronx did you grow up? Which schools did you attend?
I grew up in The South Bronx, Millbrook Housing Projects. I attended PS 43, Clark Junior High and graduated from Walton High School.
When did you leave the Bronx?
I left the Bronx in 1989 in order to save my troubled marriage which was already showing signs of alcohol abuse. I was also worried about my son and as I said my life was far from stellar, I grew up way to fast, saw way too much and went through some things that no child should have to go through and If I was able to give my son the opportunities I never had then I was going to do what was necessary to accomplish that. So when my mom approached me about leaving to Connecticut and with my heavy heart I left.
What do you hope comes out of Bronx Fashion Week?
I want Bronx Fashion Week to become an annual event. One that will take the Bronx to another level, one that is positive economically for the Bronx bringing in people from all over NYC and the world. I want to eventually use Bronx Fashion Week to empower the community by giving back and so much more.
Tell us more about the event and what we can expect.
Bronx Fashion Week will be held September 5th through the 7th. We will showcase food, entertainment and a fashion showcase comparable to New York Fashion Week. Bronx Fashion Week will be a culmination of high fashion, art and businesses.
Bronx Fashion Week will be held at The Andrew Freeman Mansion on The Grand Concourse. We will have vendors from small businesses to corporations, we will have high fashion, we will have art, we will have entertainers from all over the world. It is going to be the event of the year and for years to come.
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If you are interested in becoming involved with Bronx Fashion Week, do not hesitate in contacting us, whether it’s to volunteer, or for sponsorship opportunities for your business or organization.
You can reach out to us at bronxfashionweek@hotmail.com
Stay tuned for more information as the weeks go by as well as the official press release for the event. Information
Everything must go so that BOOM!Health can begin transforming the building into their new headquarters
From our friends at BOOM!Health:
Take Advantage of Outrageous Bargains to Furnish Your Home or Office while Benefiting BOOM!Health’s Lifesaving Programs
WHEN?
Thursday, June 26, 2014
10:30am Preview
Auction starts at 12 Noon and ends when everything is auctioned
WHERE?
Brook House Furniture
Future home of the BOOM!Health Wellness Center
3144 3rd Avenue
Bronx, NY 10451
www.bhfurn.com
(718) 585-7900
Info:10% of auction proceeds will be donated to BOOM!Health, an innovative nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives through health and wellness in the Bronx.
No Reserve Auction: Winning bids can be as low as a dollar!Save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars at this one-time auction event!
Bedroom sets, sofas, children’s furniture, mattresses, office furniture, computers, TVs and much, much more.
Everything must go so that BOOM!Health can start renovation of the building in July 2014!
Nothing says summer like outdoor movies in NYC and The Bronx is no exception! Starting next Tuesday, June 24th, Rooftop Films at Bronx Terminal Market are back for its 3rd season with the screening of the hit, ‘When Harry Met Sally’.
The schedule for the screenings are as follows:
June 24th – When Harry Met Sally
Does sex make it impossible for men and women to be true friends? This romantic comedy chronicles this dilemma through the eleven year relationship between Harry and Sally who meet in college, then pursue their own lives until they reconnect ten years later.
July 8th – Frozen
Fearless optimist Anna sets off on an epic journey-teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven-to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.
July 25th – The Odd Life of Timothy Green
A childless couple bury a box in their backyard, containing all of their wishes for an infant. Soon, a child is born, though Timothy Green is not all that he appears.
July 29th- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
Inventor Flint Lockwood thought he saved the world when he destroyed his most infamous invention — a machine that turned water into food causing cheeseburger rain and spaghetti tornadoes. But Flint soon learns that his invention survived and is now creating food-animals – “foodimals!” Flint and his friends embark on a dangerously delicious mission to battle hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees, hippotatomuses, cheespiders and other foodimals to save the world – again!
All pre-screening activities (including live music) begin promptly at 7:PM so make sure you bring your chairs or blankets and settle down on the 6th level of the parking garage. Screenings of the movies begin at 8:30PM.
The Bronx Terminal Market is located at:
Bronx Terminal Market
610 Exterior Street
Bronx, NY 10451
718-513-7725
Hope to see you all there! For more information, don’t forget to visit Rooftop Films at Bronx Terminal Market on Facebookor at their website.
One of the reasons why so many New Yorkers voted for Mayor Bill de Blasio was that he was seen as the “anti-Bloomberg.” Among other things, people were sick and tired of Bloomberg’s endless bans and attempts to have government regulate almost every aspect of their lives. Yet, the new City Council seems to be moving in the same direction.
Earlier this year, Councilman Brad Lander (Dem. Brooklyn) and Councilwoman Margaret Chin (Dem. Downtown Manhattan) introduced a bill in the City Council that would force people to pay 10 cents for each bag (plastic or paper) which they received in any store i.e. supermarkets, department stores, clothing stores, bodegas and even street vendors. The merchants would keep the profits from the bag sales and those on public assistance would continue to receive unlimited bags for free.
The goal of this measure is to force people to buy and carry re-usable bags and in this way reduce the number of plastic bags that are thrown away and take forever to disintegrate in landfills. While the objective is good, the means of achieving it are highly problematic and would create much misery:
First, how many times could one use such a bag before it became soiled, smelly and somewhat dangerous to use for food. These bags would have to be replaced frequently.
Second, figuring out how many re-usable bags to bring to a store would be a nightmare. Most people go to supermarkets, for example, without any lists and decide on the spot what to buy. Their purchases are often augmented by items on sale. In some cases, the reverse might be true and people would wind up carrying far more bags than they need. Isn’t life tough enough for most of New Yorkers already, to have this nuisance foisted on their shoulders?
Third, just about every New Yorker uses the store plastic bag s for household trash. This keeps their garbage pails clean of food remains and also, keeps building trash compactors or trash cans cleaner than they otherwise would be. If people threw their table scraps directly into these receptacles, there would be an explosion of roaches, mice and rats in addition to a marked increase in pungent odors.
Fourth, making ends meet is a herculean task for many working people and imposing even more costs is putting vinegar on a wound.
Who Would Suffer the Most
There is one group of people that is rarely mentioned in the debates over this proposal and who would be affected tremendously: the cashiers at the Check-outs in all of these stores. The lot of the cashiers, an overwhelming majority of whom are women, with many young girls working their way through college, is miserable enough already. They are on the front-line of the stores and on the receiving end of many of the disputes with customers: over sale item prices, over change, etc. They must also watch the cash register since if they are short at the end of their shift, they either have to pay the missing money out of their own pockets or be fired.
Under the above proposal, store managers would have every incentive to push the cashiers to impose as many bags as possible on customers to raise the profit margin. Customers, on the other hand, would want as few bags as possible. This would cause endless fights making the job of cashier far more stressful than it is today.
During busy times, many stores, particularly supermarkets, employ packers to keep things moving. While the packer is loading up the groceries, the cashier is already ringing-up the next customer. With this proposal, the cashier wouldn’t be able to ring up the sale until everything was packed and the number of bags known. The result would be longer and slowly moving lines, a very well-known source of customer flare-ups. One has to wonder whether proponents of the bill ever go to supermarkets or have their housekeepers do that chore for them.
The Right Thing to Do
Proponents of the Plastic Bag measure do have a point that too many bags are used, that they overload our landfills and desecrate our trees when they get caught on them during the winter. The best answer is to reduce the number of bags gradually and this can be done by the following:
Many people would gladly recycle their extra plastic bags if they had an opportunity to do so as is seen in the following example:
A couple of years ago, bins to recycle bags began to appear in a few stores including major drug stores. In one of these drug stores, in a poor neighborhood, the response was so tremendous that the bin was emptied three times a day. Until rumors surfaced that this store was dumping the plastic bags meant for recycle into their regular trash. The people were absolutely outraged and the bin quickly disappeared. Whether this alleged practice was limited to one store or took place in others is unknown.
The City Council should mandate that at least every larger store, supermarkets in particular, have bins in prominent locations for the plastic bags and really send them out for recycling.
Second, bringing your own bags into a store is unknown in some neighborhoods and even elicits frowns or ridicule from some store owners. A public campaign encouraging this practice would go a long way to making it acceptable and normal.
The result would be a gradual but definite reduction in the amount of plastic bags without imposing more burdens on citizens and on the hard working cashiers.
What Can We Do?
As I argued in my articles on saving the subway station agents and on congestion pricing, an informed public that knows what’s coming can take action and stop an unwanted measure before its proponents are ready to ram it down our throats. Here is what can be done:
Since this affects just about everyone, the City Council should hold hearings on this proposal in a couple of locations in each borough rather than one overcrowded super-long hearing in Manhattan.
The people should bring this proposal to the attention of their local community boards and urge them to vote “No.”
Already there are 21 council-people leaning favorably to this proposal. 26 votes are needed to pass it if the Mayor signs it and 34 votes are needed to override a mayor’s veto. The people should bombard their council-people as well as Mayor de Blasio to stop this proposal.
With so many outstanding issues to address in education, the economy, mass transit, etc., the City Council must give over-regulated New Yorkers a break.
About John Rozankowski, PhD
Although born in Brooklyn, John Rozankowski, PhD spent most of his life in the Bronx and received his Ph.D. in history from Fordham University at Rose Hill.
After selling his rental property, John became a community activist fighting against the new Yankee Stadium, the term limit extension, the Kingsbridge Armory Shops-in-the-Armory proposal and for Bronx Borough President Reuben Diaz’s living wage campaign. Last year, he was a volunteer in the Letitia James for Public Advocate campaign and continues to campaign in Queens for the reactivation of the Rockaway line.
John has a very strong interest in mass transit issues especially relating to the subways and buses. The outer boroughs have always been shafted and it’s high time that Bronxites did something about it.
In addition, he is a writer and blogger on New York City issues.”
Dr Rozankowski has lived in the Bronx for 58 years and currently resides in the Bedford Park neighborhood of the Bronx.
Disclaimer:
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