Neighborhood Chatter

LOWER EAST SIDE SILVER PROPOSES GUN BUY-BACKSAT RUTGERS HOUSE In response to increased gun violencein the Lower East Side over recentmonths, Assembly Speaker SheldonSilver wrote a letter to Manhattan DistrictAttorney Cyrus Vance and Police CommissionerRay Kelly recently, asking fortheir support in a plan to reduce gunviolence. Silver's plan is to rally the DA's office andNYPD to sponsor a gun buy-back program on the Lower East Side. "Gun buy-backshave proven to be a very effective way toremove guns from our streets," he said.Silver has also suggested a locationfor the program, offering the communityroom at Rutgers Houses on Pike Street,which he said would be a perfect location, notingthat the tenants have alreadyagreed to host the venue, should the DA'soffice and the NYPD agree to the program. CITYWIDE CITY OFFICIALS RENAME MADISONSQUARE PARK IN HONOR OF FALLEN9/11 RESPONDER Earlier this month, City CouncilSpeaker Christine Quinn, New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and NewYork City Parks Manhattan Borough CommissionerWilliam Castro gathered atMadison Square Park, which spans from 23rd to 26th Street, to celebrate the lifeand courage of NYPD officer Moira Smithby renaming the park in her honor. Smith, who is survived by her husbandand daughter, is credited with saving hundredsof lives on Sept. 11, 2001. "Peoplewho survived the World Trade Centerattacks will tell you they remember Moira,a beacon of calm in the chaos, leading theinjured to care," said Kelly. SQUADRON OUTRAGED OVERREDISTRICTING In the wake of a state Senate vote infavor of controversial redistricting linesand a constitutional amendment thatwould form a 10-member commission(with eight of the members chosen by theLegislature) responsible for redistricting,State Sen. Daniel Squadron spoke March15 about his opposition to the vote, whichhe called a "doubly broken promise." "The only way to change this poisonousprocess once and for all is to get the Legislature out of the business of drawingits own districts. One more year basedon this process, much less a decade of itsgerrymandered and political results, isunacceptable," he said. As a next step, Squadron has proposedthat the governor veto the proposed amendment; however, his opinion is indirect odds with other city politicians, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ina statement after the vote, said, "Thisagreement will permanently reform theredistricting process in New York to onceand for all end self-interested and partisangerrymandering." CHIN SEEKS TRANSPARENCY FORMETHADONE CLINICS Last week, City Council Member MargaretChin introduced a law that wouldmandate community board notificationof proposed methadone clinics. Currently,the New York State Office of Alcoholand Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)is only required to notify the New YorkCity Department of Health and MentalHygiene (DOHMH) of plans to establish amethadone clinic, satisfying its obligationto inform the community. Chin's plan, however, would obligateDOHMH to notify the local communityboard and the City Council when they arefirst contacted by OASAS. This measure of transparency, Chinbelieves, will aid in informing the generalpublic of the potential presence of methadoneclinics. "Given the strong feelingsthat many communities have regardingclinics that dispense methadone withintheir neighborhoods, there is little incentivefor applicants to inform the publicthat they are intending to open a clinic,"said Chin. "Local governments know theircommunity best and they should have anopportunity to comment on whether theproposed siting is appropriate or needed." A PROPOSED END TO FINGERS FORFOOD THROUGHOUT NYC With the support of Gov. AndrewCuomo and Council Speaker Christine Quinn, State Sen. Daniel Squadron hasintroduced a bill that would effectively banthe fingerprinting of individuals eligiblefor food stamps, believed to be directlyresponsible for nearly 6,000 food stampdenials between 2009-2010, according toan analysis by the Empire Justice Center. Advocates claim that fingerprinting detersfamilies from applying because of embarrassmentand places an unnecessaryfinancial burden on the state. "Finger imaging is so ineffective, sucha waste of money and such an impedimentto food stamp access that even GovernorRick Perry eliminated it in Texas,and now only Arizona and New York Citystill cling to this discredited process," saidJoel Berg, executive director of the NewYork City Coalition Against Hunger.