Liz Krueger Unveils New Anti-Corruption Measures
New York State Senator Liz Krueger, along with several other New York lawmakers, unveiled a new plan to address corruption in New York’s local government last Tuesday.
Krueger’s proposed state constitutional amendment would provide for the creation of an independent ethics commission to investigate and prosecute corruption among New York electeds. The commission would replace two existing ethics panels – both of which are controlled by the governor, giving him the authority to shut down investigations at any time.
Helen Rosenthal Commends Mayor De Blasio for Paid Leave Proposal
City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal (D-Central Park, Lincoln Square) was elated to hear Mayor Bill De Blasio’s newly announced initiative to mandate paid leave for working New Yorkers.
Mayor De Blasio announced yesterday that he would be submitting a new proposal to the City Council – one that, if passed, would require private companies with five or more employees to provide at least 10 days of paid leave a year. This would make New York the first city in the United States to legally require companies to offer paid vacation days.
After the announcement, Helen Rosenthal sent out a tweet voicing her enthusiastic support for the proposal.
“NYC’s new paid leave proposal will give a large segment of working NYers some peace of mind, & ability to attend to their needs & those of their families,” said Rosenthal. “It means putting people -not profits- first. This is a question of basic human dignity.”
Ydanis Rodriguez Calls for L Train Reimbursement
City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D- Washington Heights, Inwood) held a press conference yesterday regarding the recent cancellation of the city’s plans to close the L train for repairs.
Rodriguez said that even though the shutdown has been cancelled, the city deserves compensation for all of the work it did in preparation for the line’s closure.
“The city should be recognized by the contribution that we made and all the resources we have spent planning for the shutting of the L train,” said Rodriguez. “We as a city have to quantify… the dollar amount that we have spent as part of this process.”
