This site will go dark today in honor of the 49 shooting victims and
to show solidarity with the government and citizens of New Zealand.
to show solidarity with the government and citizens of New Zealand.
"G-Man"
Friday, March 15, 2019
New Zealand Attack Was Meant to 'Sow Division', CAIR Says
Global News: The Council on American-Islamic Relations said Friday that the
Christchurch mosques shootings in New Zealand were done to "sow
division" and said people must stand together.
They also called on President Donald Trump to condemn the attacks as a
"white supremacist attack" and not one just based on hate speech.
CAIR called on Muslims across the U.S. to also not "abandon their
mosques" in wake of the attack, as many are attending or were set to
attend morning prayer.
Security Presence Increased Around New York Mosques and Houses of Worship After New Zealand Attack
The following statement was issued today by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
"My heart breaks for the victims of the horrific attack in New Zealand. And we grieve with the rest of the world. In the wake of this disgusting act of bigoted violence, which appears to be rooted in Islamophobia, New York stands with the Muslim community as we always have and always will.
"As a precaution, I have directed State Police to increase patrols around mosques and houses of worship across the state. At a time of great division, we will stand up to hate in all its forms and do everything in our power to protect the safety and wellbeing of all New Yorkers.
"On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest condolences to the people of New Zealand, to the families who have lost loved ones, and to all those grieving around the world."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
"As a precaution, I have directed State Police to increase patrols around mosques and houses of worship across the state. At a time of great division, we will stand up to hate in all its forms and do everything in our power to protect the safety and wellbeing of all New Yorkers.
"On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest condolences to the people of New Zealand, to the families who have lost loved ones, and to all those grieving around the world."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Jewish Council for Public Affairs Condemns the Horrific Shootings of Muslim Worshipers in New Zealand
New York, NY – The Jewish Council for
Public Affairs (JCPA) condemns the devastating and horrific shootings at
two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which killed 49 Muslim
worshipers. Our hearts go out to the families of those murdered, to
those injured, and to all of our brothers and sisters in the Muslim
community worldwide. We will continue to fight against hate,
Islamophobia, and growing white supremacy, racism, and extremism both at
home and abroad.
“This is a tragedy not just for Muslims but for all people and all communities of faith. A house of worship must be a sacred space. We must put in place a much stronger set of policies to bring a halt to the lethal combination of gun violence and white supremacy," stated Cheryl Fishbein, Chair of JCPA.
“This is a tragedy not just for Muslims but for all people and all communities of faith. A house of worship must be a sacred space. We must put in place a much stronger set of policies to bring a halt to the lethal combination of gun violence and white supremacy," stated Cheryl Fishbein, Chair of JCPA.
"Just as Muslim leaders
stood with us in the wake of the Pittsburgh shootings, we stand with our
Muslim friends," said David Bernstein, JCPA's President and CEO.
JCPA urges everyone,
especially those in media, to refrain from sharing the shooter’s
manifesto and video footage of the shooting, and we call on social media
platforms to immediately take them down. We must ensure that social
media is not used to further hateful activities, including incitement,
calls to violence, intimidation, threats, or defamation targeting people
based on their race, religion, or gender.
Source: JCPA
New Zealand Prime Minister Reacts to Christchurch 'Extreme and Unprecedented Violence'
Global News: New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern spoke Thursday following a
mass shooting at a mosque in Christchurch that left several people dead,
calling it "one of the darkest days in New Zealand's history."
Police placed all of the city's schools on lockdown amid the incident,
calling a "serious ongoing firearms incident."
New Zealand Police Comm. Mike Bush issued a statement saying there was
an active shooter situation that involved "multiple fatalities" and that
they had one person in custody, but were unsure if there were any
other people involved.
The Christchurch Shooting: Nine News Australia Coverage
This report was published on YouTube on March 14.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
New Simon Wiesenthal Center Report Examines Social Media and Spiking Anti-Semitism
Click on the images to increase their size.
The following statement was submitted by the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
The role of social media on soaring anti-Semitism worldwide, including
the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, highlights today's release of Digital Terrorism and Hate 2019, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s 21st annual report detailing online anti-Semitism, terrorism and hate.
Social media companies, the “alt-tech”, messaging apps and gaming companies are graded by the Wiesenthal Center - see report card below - regarding their commitment and responsiveness in removing hate from their platforms.
The Wiesenthal Center works with numerous social media companies, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,
urging them to remove hate and terror-related postings from their
platforms by Center researchers.
New to the report this year is the leveraging by bigots of online game
sites, including Minecraft, where online communities gather to spread
their message of hate.
The latest report will be shared with law enforcement, the FBI, and members of the media.
The latest report will be shared with law enforcement, the FBI, and members of the media.
Senate Votes to Block Trump's Emergency Declaration
CBS News: Twelve Republicans joined Democrats in voting Thursday to pass a
resolution to reverse President Trump's national emergency declaration.
The president has vowed to veto the measure. Molly Hooper from The Hill
joined CBSN with more.
How the Rich Really Play, 'Who Wants To Be An Ivy Leaguer?'
A ProPublica editor who investigated how the rich buy their children’s way into elite colleges reflects on the latest scandal—and remembers when affluent readers mistook his expose for a “how-to” guide.
Click here for details.
Looking Backward: Fox News, the Republican Party, and the Not-Loyal Opposition, 2009
By Steven Jonas
"If this nation doesn't kill racism, racism will kill this nation." (Steven Jonas, August, 2018)
Introduction
In the light of the publication of Jane
Mayer's very important article, "The Making of the Fox News White House"
in The New Yorker, I thought that it might be useful to revisit a column
that I published on the same subject in the former on-line news-magazine
BuzzFlash. (Founded by my friend Mark
Karlin in 2001, it was one of the earliest journals of its kind.) The column is focused on both the then in-formation
"Tea Party" and the role of what I then called the Fox "News" Channel in making
it a political reality. The Fox"News"
role in promoting the Far Right hasn't changed.
(Actually, with Fox' strong assistance, there is no other "Right" in the
U.S.) In fact, Jane Mayer shows us how Fox'
role has gotten more intense.
Also, Republican politics haven't changed
much. Driven by what I for years have
called the Right-Wing
Imperative, it has just continued to go further in that
direction. For the most part, Trump himself
has just gotten rid of the dog-whistles. That is important to be reminded of as
Trump is confronted and the battle against him and what
he stands for becomes evermore intense. And after all, two of the leaders of the
original "Tea Party" (see just below, now called the buffed up "Freedom Caucus")
occupy key positions (for which they are uniquely unqualified) in the Trump Administration:
Mike Pompeo at State and Mick Mulvaney, Budget Director and also Acting Chief
of Staff.
The original column, entitled "Death and Taxes," was published towards the end of April, 2009. Since some time ago BuzzFlash changed its URL system and I don't have the updated one for my column, I cannot find it on-line. But trust me, it was there. I wrote it in early 2009, as the Republican to-be-unaltering opposition to the Presidency of Barack Obama was beginning to take shape. And the Repubs. now complain about Democratic opposition to Trump. Oh my. How soon so many folks forget. And so, for a reminder, a bit edited here and there, here goes.
Oh
those "tea parties." They just go to show you how much publicity you
can get for a cause that troubles not very many people when you've got a
powerful Privatized Ministry of Propaganda behind you. And boy, was the Fox
"News" Channel there for several weeks running up to the event. They
ran both paid and unpaid ads for it incessantly. The main line? The Republican
mantra that has been tried-and-true since the time it first worked in the
battle over "Prop. 13" in California
in 1977. That was the one that slashed funding for education in California under the
guise of "cutting your taxes."
At the time, no one mentioned what the reductions in state and local revenue would do to education in the state or the fact that the bulk of the cuts would go to businesses, not individuals. But it did solve the problem that the so-called "small government" Republicans had. (Of course, the GOP is for "small government" for anything smacking of national domestic spending, not small government for matters ranging from freedom of religious belief as to when life begins to not supporting a mountainous military-industrial complex.) Barry Goldwater, the Repub. Presidential nominee in 1964 did try running against specific programs. He found that that didn't work. But when his successors discovered running "against taxes," away they went.
Click here for the full article.
Source: OpEdNews
House Approves Resolution Calling for Release of Mueller Report, 420-0
C-SPAN: The House debates and votes on a non-binding resolution calling for the Mueller report on Russian interference in the 2016 election be made available to the Congress and the general public once the probe has concluded and the special counsel has submitted the report to the attorney general.
Click here for video.
Senate Majority Leader to Vote Against Blocking National Emergency Declaration
Defending President Trump's decision to declare a national emergency to
address the situation the southern border and says he will vote against
the resolution that would terminate the declaration.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Word for Word: House Intelligence Chair on Impeachment
This video was published on YouTube on March 12.
C-SPAN: House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) says
"extraordinarily clear and compelling" evidence would be necessary for a
bipartisan impeachment process to occur. He doesn't foreclose that
possibility from the Mueller investigation nor the investigation by his
committee.
The FAA Let Boeing Get Away With Fatal Flaw Before
Once the world’s benchmark for making flying safer, the agency hasn’t been doing its job for years. This isn’t even the first time it let a dangerous plane fly.
By Clive Irving
The fact that it has taken President Trump to override his own
government’s transportation officials in order to ground the Boeing 737
MAX-8 is an indication that Boeing and the world’s largest regulator,
the Federal Aviation Administration, have become too close and too
complacent about the role of technology in airline safety.
When
Canada, with the world’s third largest fleet of MAX-8s, grounded them
the FAA was left starkly alone in refusing to act. The Canadians said
they acted because new data on the crash Sunday of Ethiopian Airways Flight 302 appeared to confirm similarities with the crash of Lion Air Flight 610 last October.
That data came from a new satellite-based flight tracking system
still in testing that was developed as an answer to the disappearance
of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Aireon delivered data on the erratic
path taken by the Ethiopian jet that the Canadians decided followed the
same pattern seen in the final minutes of the Lion Air flight.
The same data was provided to the FAA but they did not respond to it with the same urgency shown by the Canadian regulator.
A
total of 346 people died in the two crashes and both are believed to
involve a flaw in flight controls that forced the airplanes into a
nosedive.
The widely held idea that the FAA is the gold standard
of aviation regulatory agencies is another of those misplaced beliefs in
American primacy based on history rather than current reality.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Daily Beast
Brexit Vote: UK Parliament Rejects 'No-Deal' Option
This report was published on YouTube on March 13.
Governor Cuomo Calls for Tax Fairness in Westchester County
This video was published on YouTube on March 13.
Parents Wanted Their Unvaccinated Children in School, but a Judge Said No
Amid a measles outbreak in New York, a federal judge denied a request by
28 parents for an order to let their unvaccinated children return to
their private school.
Source: The New York Times
New York State Implements New Measures to Assist Immigrants and Protect Them from ICE
Two new measures have been launched to assist and protect immigrants targeted by ICE and the federal government's anti-immigrant policies in their communities. Governor Cuomo's first-in-the-nation Liberty Defense Project has selected regional providers and attorneys for a Rapid Response Program to better respond to unanticipated ICE enforcement actions, targeted raids and sweeps statewide.
Additionally, Governor Cuomo's Office for New Americans has selected 21 new Opportunity Centers across the state to deliver essential services, education and guidance to immigrants in their own neighborhoods - including the Southern Tier for the first time.
"While the federal government continues to threaten our immigrant communities, New York will not stop fighting to protect the rights of new Americans," Governor Cuomo said. "With this new program and expanded opportunity centers, we are ensuring vulnerable immigrants who are unfairly targeted by ICE have the legal assistance and services they need to achieve their full potential in New York."
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Kamala Harris Celebrates Her Role in the Mortgage Crisis Settlement. The Reality Is Quite Different.
By David Dayen
Pretty much every major Democratic official involved in
responding to the foreclosure crisis during the Obama years did an
unforgivably terrible job. That’s how we wound up with 10 million
families losing their homes, an unprecedented disaster that touched
every corner of America and triggered the populist backlash we’re living
through today.
There isn’t a particular individual to single out and blame for the
party’s failure, and that’s not what this story is doing. Kamala
Harris’s role in the affair was no more or less tragic than anyone
else’s. But now that she’s running for president, Harris is not only
eliding responsibility for her part in the failure, but claiming it as
an outright success. That claim doesn’t withstand a moment’s scrutiny.
“We went after the five biggest banks in the United States. We won $20 billion together,” Harris said in her initial campaign address in Oakland, California. She has highlighted the settlement for years as an example of her record of taking on powerful interests.
Harris is referring to the national mortgage settlement, a massive
deal made with Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup,
and Ally Bank (formerly known as GMAC) in 2012, when she served as
California attorney general. And that settlement is best understood as a
second bank bailout, protecting legally exposed mortgage fraudsters
while doing little to prevent evictions. In fact, more families lost
their homes as a result of transactions facilitated by the national
mortgage settlement than those who got a sustainable loan modification
to save them.
Equating a toothless settlement with a sufficient penalty for
criminal fraud sets a meager baseline for what constitutes punishment,
virtually ensuring subsequent crimes. If we will ever dismantle a system
that delivers one set of laws for the powerful and another for
everybody else, we must be honest about the glaring inadequacies of the
past. Harris often uses the phrase “let’s speak that truth” as a
throat-clearer in speeches. Well, let’s speak some truth about the
national mortgage settlement.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Intercept_
Brazil Elementary School Shooting Leaves 10 Dead, 17 Injured: Police
Global News: Two armed men wearing face masks entered a Brazilian elementary school
and shot and killed at least six children who were on their snack
breaks, as well as two school officials, before fatally turning their
guns on themselves, Marcelo Salles, commander of police forces in Sao
Paulo state said outside the school on Wednesday.
Another 17 people - mostly school kids - were shot and injured, and
several of them were in serious condition, said police, who were not yet
aware of a motive for the violence.
Canada Bans the Boeing MAX Series of Aircraft Following Deadly Crash
Global News: Transport Minister Marc Garneau is closing Canadian skies to the Boeing
737 Max 8 aircraft, effectively grounding the planes over safety
concerns arising from the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight that
killed everyone on board, including 18 Canadians.
Two Courts Have Ruled No Evidence of Russian Collusion: Manafort Lawyer
Global News: Paul Manafort's attorney Kevin Downing said after his client was
sentenced for financial crimes, that there was once again no evidence of
Russian collusion.
Nigeria School Collapse: Rescuers Attempt to Reach Up to 100 Children Feared Trapped
Global News: WARNING: This coverage may contain disturbing and graphic content.
Discretion advised.
Many people including children are feared trapped after a building
containing a school collapsed in Nigeria's commercial capital.
Gov. Cuomo Responds to New Federal Policy Banning Transgender People from Serving in the Military
The following statement was issued today by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo.
"The Trump administration's policy forcing military troops and recruits to serve in the gender they were assigned at birth is unconscionable and a slap in the face to countless Americans who want nothing more than to serve their country with dignity and respect. Let's be clear: this disgraceful policy is discriminatory and undermines our national security by banning honorable and courageous people from defending their country. Nothing could be more shameful.
"In New York, we stand with the transgender community. We took action in 2015 to affirm that all trans and gender nonconforming people are protected under the State's Human Rights Law, and this year we enshrined those protections in State law once and for all with the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act.
"I have no doubt the federal administration will continue to govern by hate, but in New York we will always call out bigoted policies for what they are and do everything in our power to ensure true equality for all."
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
SUNY Student Assembly Responds to Assembly and Senate One House Budgets
The following statement was submitted by SUNYSA,
SUNY students are pleased to see enhanced support for key programs and campus operations in the Assembly and Senate one house budget proposals.
The Assembly and Senate both took powerful steps through their budgets in recognizing the systemic underfunding created by the TAP Gap. While the state must work over the long term to completely close the gap, we urge the Senate and Governor to adopt the Assembly’s proposal for $12.8 million in support to offset lost campus revenue from the SUNY Tuition Credit.
The Student Assembly applauds the Assembly and Senate majorities for restoring the $5.4 million cut proposed in the executive budget to SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program, and the $7 million proposed cut to Educational Opportunity Centers. We also appreciate the additional $5.4 million increase for EOP beyond last year’s funding level proposed by the Assembly. Thousands of SUNY students depend on EOP and EOCs to thrive in our system- and their success is worth the investment. We urge the Governor to support fully funding all opportunity programs in the final enacted budget.
SUNY’s community college students deeply appreciate the Assembly’s proposal to guarantee 98% of prior year funding for each of our thirty community colleges. Without this guarantee, all of our community colleges could potentially face declining state support next year. We urge the Senate and Governor to guarantee the support our community colleges need to offer high quality and accessible academic programs to students across the state.
The Assembly’s proposal to appropriate $500 million in additional support for capital on SUNY’s state-operated campuses is also strongly welcome. It is essential that a long-term plan be instituted for campus infrastructure. SUNY must be able to offer world-class facilities and resources in order to attract the best and brightest minds from around the world.
Students also strongly support proposed expansions to eligibility for the Tuition Assistance Program in the Senate’s budget. Raising the maximum award and income thresholds will put a SUNY education within reach for more New Yorkers. We strongly urge the Assembly and Governor to support TAP expansion.
We appreciate the support given in both one houses for restoring funding for SUNY’s telecounseling network. This important program is helping fill a gap in psychiatric services for students who need them. We implore the Governor to protect this vital program in the enacted budget.
As the budget process continues, we urge Governor Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, and Leader Stewart-Cousins to prioritize support for public higher education in budget negotiations.
SUNY students are pleased to see enhanced support for key programs and campus operations in the Assembly and Senate one house budget proposals.
The Assembly and Senate both took powerful steps through their budgets in recognizing the systemic underfunding created by the TAP Gap. While the state must work over the long term to completely close the gap, we urge the Senate and Governor to adopt the Assembly’s proposal for $12.8 million in support to offset lost campus revenue from the SUNY Tuition Credit.
The Student Assembly applauds the Assembly and Senate majorities for restoring the $5.4 million cut proposed in the executive budget to SUNY’s Educational Opportunity Program, and the $7 million proposed cut to Educational Opportunity Centers. We also appreciate the additional $5.4 million increase for EOP beyond last year’s funding level proposed by the Assembly. Thousands of SUNY students depend on EOP and EOCs to thrive in our system- and their success is worth the investment. We urge the Governor to support fully funding all opportunity programs in the final enacted budget.
SUNY’s community college students deeply appreciate the Assembly’s proposal to guarantee 98% of prior year funding for each of our thirty community colleges. Without this guarantee, all of our community colleges could potentially face declining state support next year. We urge the Senate and Governor to guarantee the support our community colleges need to offer high quality and accessible academic programs to students across the state.
The Assembly’s proposal to appropriate $500 million in additional support for capital on SUNY’s state-operated campuses is also strongly welcome. It is essential that a long-term plan be instituted for campus infrastructure. SUNY must be able to offer world-class facilities and resources in order to attract the best and brightest minds from around the world.
Students also strongly support proposed expansions to eligibility for the Tuition Assistance Program in the Senate’s budget. Raising the maximum award and income thresholds will put a SUNY education within reach for more New Yorkers. We strongly urge the Assembly and Governor to support TAP expansion.
We appreciate the support given in both one houses for restoring funding for SUNY’s telecounseling network. This important program is helping fill a gap in psychiatric services for students who need them. We implore the Governor to protect this vital program in the enacted budget.
As the budget process continues, we urge Governor Cuomo, Speaker Heastie, and Leader Stewart-Cousins to prioritize support for public higher education in budget negotiations.
Girls for Gender Equity to Lobby in Albany
Click on the flier to increase its size.
The following statement was submitted by Girls for Gender Equity (GGE).
The fight for the rights and protections of cisgender girls and Trans Gender Non-Conforming folks of color is a marathon, not a sprint. From our founding in 2001, we have been calling on government to protect girls and youth of color from sexual and gender-based violence, and we’re continuing that work by heading to Albany on March 26 to talk to our New York State elected officials. Will you join us?
Unpredictable winter weather affected our travel plans in February, but we’re headed back to Albany and would love for you to stand beside us. We’ll be focusing on legislation that will provide our young people with safe and supportive schools, will prevent violence and move towards safer communities, and will invest in our communities for the long term. Learn more by reading our 2019 New York State Policy Agenda here.
If you're not able to attend, follow us and #GGELobbyDay2019 on Twitter for updates throughout the day.
Click here to RSVP.
Click here to RSVP.
In Solidarity,
GGE Action Team
Happening in Harlem: Venus Rising (A Black Herstory Month Celebration)
Join ImageNation and featured artist Dana Verde for Venus Rising: A Black Herstory Month Celebration. The program will explore the objectification and empowerment of Black
women through the ages from Sara Baartman (the Venus Hottentot) to Cardi B.
Click here for additional information.
Source: ImageNation
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Taskforce on Maternal Mortality and Disparate Racial Outcomes Submits Report to Governor Cuomo
Governor Andrew Cuomo today received the report by the New York State Taskforce on Maternal Mortality and Disparate Racial Outcomes. The report's recommendations, included in the Governor's Women's Agenda, build on the multi-pronged initiative the Governor announced last April to target maternal mortality.
The Taskforce's recommendations aim to improve maternal outcomes, address racial and economic disparities and reduce the frequency of maternal mortality and morbidity in New York. Direct engagement by community members was critical to the Maternal Mortality Taskforce recommendations, and the Governor will continue to incorporate the voices of the communities most affected as part of this process.
"Every woman deserves high quality health care before, during and after childbirth," Governor Cuomo said. "We are taking aggressive action to break down barriers that prevent women from getting the prenatal care and information they need, and the findings and recommendations from this report bolster our efforts to reduce racial disparities and combat maternal mortality."
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Head of New York City’s Private Trash Industry Regulator Is Stepping Down
Daniel Brownell, appointed to lead the Business Integrity Commission by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014, endured months of embarrassing news coverage and complaints from lawmakers that his agency was too lax.
Click here for details.
Source: ProPublica
Daniel Ellsberg Says Jailing Chelsea Manning is Part of Trump's Attack on the Free Press
This report was published on YouTube on March 11.
Democracy Now: Former U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning was jailed for refusing
to testify before a grand jury about Wikileaks. Pentagon Papers leaker
Daniel Ellsberg says it's part of the Trump administration's assault on
the free press and an attempt to pressure Manning to "provide false
testimony" against Wikileaks.
Could Netanyahu's Indictment Help His Election Campaign?
This report was published on YouTube on March 11.
Black Lawmakers to Block Legalized Marijuana in N.Y. if Their Communities Don’t Benefit
Some of legalization’s most vocal supporters said the state must guarantee people of color a share of the potentially $3 billion industry.
Source: The New York Times
NYPD Update: 32nd Precinct Community Council Meeting
Click on the flier to increase its size.
Source: A. Smith, President/NYPD Civilian Volunteer, 32nd Precinct CC
Source: A. Smith, President/NYPD Civilian Volunteer, 32nd Precinct CC
From
The G-Man is urging community residents to attend this meeting and
others. It is the only way to find out what the precinct and department
are doing to address crime in the area.
Additionally, the meetings provide information on community events and allow residents to convey concerns or pose important questions to those charged with the task of protecting and serving.
Show up, stand up and be counted.
Additionally, the meetings provide information on community events and allow residents to convey concerns or pose important questions to those charged with the task of protecting and serving.
Show up, stand up and be counted.
NYS Office of Mental Health Launches New Electronic Tracking System
Agency Aims to Reduce Wait Time for Inpatient Care
The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) today announced the launch of a
new bed tracking system that will improve the way information about
inpatient bed availability is collected and maintained statewide.
The Bed Availability System (BAS) will expect all hospitals in New
York State to report psychiatric inpatient bed availability twice daily.
OMH Field Offices, County Mental Health Directors and all general
hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and OMH State-operated hospitals will
have access to the search tool for immediate, up-to-date information.
“The Office of Mental Health is constantly examining our psychiatric
bed availability and working to improve accessibility and reduce wait
times for inpatient care,” said OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan. “The
Bed Availability System will improve data collection to highlight where
beds are available and where the need is the greatest. It’s a system
that has far-reaching benefits for the entire mental health system and
is expected to reduce the wait time for individuals who need the
intensive level of care that inpatient treatment provides.”
To help facilitate implementation of the new system, OMH was recently
awarded a $150,000 grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Association of
State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). OMH plans to use the
funding to provide in-person training and remote assistance to hospital
staff to complete and maintain the BAS. Individual assistance will be
available to each hospital statewide to assure sufficient staff are
trained and have access to the BAS application.
Previously, OMH has maintained a voluntary bed reporting system
called the “Available Beds Reporting System” (ABRS). ABRS has been used
by hospital emergency departments and OMH Field Office Staff, as well
as County Local Mental Hygiene Directors, to locate available inpatient
beds for patients in need of placement. However, reporting often proved
to be sporadic, leading to unreliable data.
The BAS launched March 1, 2019 after a successful 3-week pilot of the
system in September 2018. The system was patterned after the bed
availability tool implemented by the NYS Office of Alcoholism and
Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) in 2015. The BAS will be located on the
Health Electronic Response Data System (HERDS), a component of the
Health Commerce System managed by the NYS Department of Health (DOH).
“Accurate data on psychiatric inpatient bed availability will enhance
providers’ ability to improve the timelines of admissions and help
decrease the length of stay in less optimal settings, such as emergency
departments,” said Bea Grause, R.N., J.D., President of the Healthcare
Association of New York State. “HANYS looks forward to working with OMH
on the BAS to assist our members and patients.”
“New York’s hospital community appreciates OMH’s effort to address
our concerns about locating scare psychiatric beds for individuals
requiring inpatient care,” said Greater New York Hospital Association
President Kenneth E. Raske. “The Bed Availability System will help our
member hospitals identify these vital services in a timely manner. We
thank OMH for their leadership on this important issue.”
Source: The New York State Office of Mental Health
File Your Tax Return Even if You Can’t Pay What You Owe Now
New York State Taxpayer Rights Advocate Margaret Neri today reminded taxpayers not to delay filing their personal income tax return if they owe money but can’t immediately pay. The Tax Department can help taxpayers avoid or reduce penalties and added interest.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for taxpayers to pay what they owe,” said Taxpayer Rights Advocate Margaret Neri. “We understand that not everyone can pay what they owe right away. That’s why the Tax Department offers opportunities to set up a payment plan or make a one-time payment online after filing.”
Steps to delay payment
Taxpayers who can’t pay what they owe all at once are encouraged to follow these steps: submit your completed tax return by the April 15 deadline to avoid penalties; pay what you can afford now to reduce interest; and request an Installment Payment Agreement (IPA).
An IPA is the Tax Department’s most convenient and popular payment option for outstanding tax debt. In the last five years, 381,000 taxpayers have taken advantage of this program to pay back $1.4 billion.
Individuals who can pay in full have another payment option—Quick Pay—that allows them to pay a bill or tax debt directly from their bank accounts. The online app can be accessed from home computers, a smartphone, or other mobile device. Since the Quick Pay app went live in 2018, nearly 134,000 taxpayers have made one-time payments totaling $105 million.
In addition, taxpayers can use Tax Department Online Services accounts to make payments from their bank account or by credit card. They can also respond to notices, update their information, and handle other tax-related tasks. Visit www.tax.ny.gov to set up an account or log in to an existing account.
New York State Taxpayer Rights Advocate
As a New York State taxpayer, you have rights protecting you from any unfairness in the administration and collection of taxes, as well as a variety of options to resolve tax issues.
The Office of the Taxpayer Rights Advocate (OTRA) will help you understand your rights, and find the best way for you to resolve your tax debt or problem.
OTRA, an independent office within the Tax Department, provides: free assistance to resolve difficult or ongoing tax problems; options to consider if a tax issue is causing undue economic harm; and recommendations for administrative or legislative reforms.
Click here for additional information and/or resources.
Source: New York State Department of Taxation and Finance
Monday, March 11, 2019
Artist Selected for Sojourner Truth Monument
Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced a Yonkers sculptor has been commissioned to create a monument commemorating famed abolitionist and suffragette Sojourner Truth. The monument will be located at the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park along the Empire State Trail in Ulster County. Sculptor and artist Vinnie Bagwell's proposed design for a 7-foot bronze statue of Sojourner Truth will help more fully include and represent women and people of all races and creeds who have contributed to the history of New York State.
"Sojourner Truth's courage and determination helped blaze a trail for women and people of color across the country, and this monument will help future generations remember her legacy and inspire them to continue the fight toward a more just society," Governor Cuomo said. "I am thrilled that the State of New York is commissioning fellow New Yorker Vinnie Bagwell to create this monument and I can't wait to see her work depicting this historic figure along the Empire State Trail."
Click here for the full announcement.
Source: The Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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