THE FORUM NEWSGROUP | MAY 23, 2024

THANK BLUE

AreaPolsFêteCityFinestduring National Police Week

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Councilmembers Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) and Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) thank Gotham cops for their daily service to the City.

Photo Courtesy of Councilman Bob Holden

Queens Celebrates its Cops for National Police Week

By Michael V. Cusenza

Borough communities last week expressed their gratitude for the daily service and sacrifice of the members of their local City Police Department’s precinct for National Police Week.

Councilmembers Joann Ariola (ROzone Park) and Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) visited the 104th Precinct muster room to deliver food and some words of encouragement to the officers eager to head out on patrol.

“We wanted to remind them that the community stands with them and to prioritize their mental health,” Holden said.

“We want the City and the world to know that we backtheblue,” Ariola said. “Our officers are facing mistreatment and disrespect

everyday and we want you to know that there are more of us who support you than not. Thank you for your selfless dedication to our city.”

On Thursday, Ariola visited the 100th Precinct on Rockaway Beach Boulevard.

“Your courage, bravery and selfless dedication to our city does not go unnoticed,” the councilwoman said.

On Saturday, dozens of family, friends, and former colleagues gathered at Arnold Avenue and 54th Place in Maspeth to honor the memory of Police Officer Robert Walsh, who was shot and killed on Jan. 12, 1981, attempting to stop a robbery while off-duty. The corner of Arnold Avenue and 54th Place has been co-named in his honor.

“We will never forget him,” Holden said.

Bill to set up Central Registry of Freight Operators, Rail Cars, Lines Approved by NY Senate

By Forum Staff

Legislation that would establish a central registry containing reports, audits, plans, and public inspections of freight rail operators, rail cars, and freight lines was approved earlier this month by the State Senate, according to Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Woodhaven), a co-sponsor of the proposed ledger.

“Last year, my bill requiring trash transported by rail to be covered and secured more effectively was enacted into law. This new Senate bill builds on our commitment

to ensure residents in rail communities are provided the transparency they deserve regarding freight rail safety,” said Addabbo.

Freight train derailments throughout the United States, including in East Palestine, OH, drew attention to the reality that communities could benefit from having access to a central database containing reports, audits, and public inspections for freight rail operators.

More specifically, this bill will help ensure valuable information is accessible to rail communities by requiring the State Department of Transportation to establish a central regis-

try of reports, audits, plans, and public inspections regarding freight rail operators, rail cars, and freight lines or routes and rights of way.

“Expanding our existing rail safety laws is vital to keeping our communities safe, including quality of life standards and oversight of all freight rail infrastructure components. The central registry will provide residents access to important safety records of freight railroads operating in their neighborhood,” added Addabbo.

The proposed legislation is now under review by the Assembly Transportation Committee.

Photo Courtesy of Councilman Holden

Honoring Officer Walsh on Saturday in Maspeth.

Photo Courtesy of Councilwoman Ariola

On Thursday, Councilwoman Ariola visited the 100th Precinct on Rockaway Beach Boulevard.

Photo Courtesy of Councilman Holden Ariola and Holden receive declarations of appreciation from the NYPD and POPPA, a peer-support organization for cops.

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This bill aims to make valuable information accessible to rail communities.

File Photo “Expanding

Decide how the City Spends its Money

By Michael V. Cusenza

It’s that time of year.

According to the Cityline Ozone Park Civilian Patrol, now through June 12, New Yorkers age 11 and up, regardless of immigration status, can decide how to spend $3.5 million of City funds on projects in their community.

Last year, in the first People’s Money process, New Yorkers voted to fund 46 expense projects for a total of $5 million. The projects address a wide range of community needs, including mental health, food safety, youth programming, skills building and arts, COPCP officials noted.

Visit https://vote.participate.nyc.gov/the-peoples-money-2024 for more information on how to vote.

So what is The People’s Money?

The People's Money is New York City's annual citywide Participatory Budgeting (PB) initiative where community members decide how to spend part of the city's budget. This democratic process is open to all New Yorkers, ages 11 and up, regardless of immigration status. The second cycle kicked off on October 10th, 2023 with 104 contracted partners supporting outreach and engagement efforts across the five boroughs.

According to the City Civic Engagement Commission, there are two Participatory Budgeting (PB) processes in New York City. PB was originally brought to NYC in 2011 by four City Council Members in a process called PBNYC that invited residents to decide how to spend their public funds. This year, 29 out of 51 City Council members are participating in PBNYC.

In November 2018, close to one million New Yorkers voted in a citywide referendum proposed

by the 2018 Charter Revision Commission for a ballot initiative creating the CEC and mandating it to implement a yearly participatory budgeting program utilizing mayoral expense funding, which was branded as “The People’s Money.” This mandate can be found in Chapter 76 of the NYC Charter.

In September of 2022, the mayor and the CEC launched the first citywide cycle of The People’s Money in collaboration with 82 contracted community partners. Thousands of residents submitted ideas, developed ballots, and ultimately voted on projects. The 46 projects with the most votes were funded a total $5 million to address community needs as identified by residents, with an overwhelming focus on youth and mental health services. These programs are now in the process of being implemented by contracted partners.

The CEC pledged to work closely with contracted partners selected to implement winning projects over the course of the year to ensure they are supported, projects are effectively monitored, and are completed successfully. Any opportunities to be involved in the projects will be posted here.

All projects must be completed by June of 2025. The CEC will report back the results of the projects upon completion, including metrics such as the number of residents served, outcomes, highlights, successes and challenges.

The City CEC was created by a citywide referendum in November 2018, after one million New Yorkers voted, resulting in the approval of three ballot initiatives proposed by the 2018 Charter Revision Commission, including a mandate for the CEC to implement citywide Participatory Budgeting.

Photo Courtesy of Google Smalls allegedly swiped two gold chains worth approximately $9,000 from Prime Jewelers in Woodhaven.

All Eight Members of Dayton Beach Park Cooperative Board of Directors Voted Out

By Michael V. Cusenza

The long, local nightmare is finally over. All eight long-standing members of the Dayton Beach Park Cooperative Board of Directors recently lost their seats, paving the way for new voices that have pledged to work together for the residents of the 1,156-unit housing community on the shores of Rockaway Beach.

“A HUGE congratulations to the newly elected members of the Dayton Beach Park Board of Directors,” said Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park). “This was a hard fought battle, but I was proud to be there with these men and women, fighting it out since the moment I came into office. We constantly stayed on top of [the City Department of Housing Preservation and Development] to make sure that there was a free and fair election, and this was the much anticipated end result of that work. This is a huge win for everyone in Dayton Beach Park, congratulations once again to all of the new members.”

The new board members: Edwin Perez, Alex Verbitsky, Robert Gallagher, Grace Miller Kevin Flaherty, Patricia McCabe, Caren Washington Dawkins, Irene Finley, Bianca Malcaus, Jeff Gross, Karen McKeon, Cathleen Norton, Joanne Larcheveque, Minzalia Platanova, and Gleb Fromin.

“This

“A big thank you to Councilwoman Ariola and her office,” Flaherty said. “Her support was instrumental in making this day finally happen.”

“Councilwoman Ariola kept the pressure up on HPD since day one, and that really got us where we needed to be,” added Joanne Smith, a shareholder at Dayton Beach Park. “Thank you to the councilwoman for her support, and congratulations to everyone who won in this election. It’s time for long overdue change to finally arrive!”

In January, following many years of listening to litigators lock horns, HPD settled

their case with the board members at Dayton Beach Park, and established that elections would be held on or before May 1, 2024—unless HPD agreed to an extension. Current board members were eligible for re-election, in order to avoid a prolonged legal battle, and HPD was the final arbiter of a Dayton resident’s eligibility to vote in the upcoming board election.

According to the findings of an independent audit, several irregularities were found, including:

• Prior boards allowed several individuals to vote in Board of Elections and serve on the board without becoming a

shareholder proper, as violation of the corporation’s by-laws. The immediate past prior board president was NOT a shareholder of the corporation.

• Several other former members of prior boards were not shareholders but were given stock certificates as though they paid equity and were approved by HPD. These individuals cast pivotal votes in corporation business including the $47 million refinancing of the corporation’s underlying mortgage leading to nearly 30 percent in maintenance increases to Dayton Beach shareholders.

• Although no equity was paid and no prior HPD approval was obtained, prior boards issued stock certificates to individuals in Dayton Beach Park No. 1 Corporation in violation of the corporation by-laws, HPD rules and regulations, and State law.

• Past board members received preferential treatment in securing larger apartment units without meeting the required occupancy standards or gaining prior HPD approval. Preference was shown for amenities such as parking spaces, and granted to other residents in exchange for their support during cooperative-wide elections.

• Individuals who remained in apartments without paying equity or securing succession rights from HPD are some of the largest debts owed to Dayton Beach Park in maintenance arrears.

Photo Courtesy of Google

is a huge win for everyone in Dayton Beach Park, congratulations once again to all of the new members,” Councilwoman Ariola said.

Mayor Touts Charter Revision Commission

By Michael V. Cusenza

Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced the appointment of a Charter Revision Commission, under chairman Carlo Scissura, president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, that will be tasked with reviewing the charter and determining how to make the Big Apple’s municipal government more responsive and transparent to its residents.

The City Charter is Gotham’s constitution: the official, authoritative document that defines all aspects of its government— functions, obligations, bureaucracy, etc.

The CRC will review the entire city charter to ensure that the City’s municipal government works efficiently and remains responsive to all New Yorkers. More specifically, Adams has asked the CRC to focus on how the charter can contribute to public safety and provide opportunities for greater community input and transparency when legislation is proposed that would impact public safety. Additionally, Adams has asked the CRC to focus on how the charter can better promote fiscal responsibility and support working-class New Yorkers. The CRC will have the ability to evaluate processes for determining the financial impact of proposed legislation on current and future fiscal years, whether the financial impact is funded, and making that information more transparent to the public.

“I extend my deepest gratitude to Carlo and this group of esteemed city leaders who will volunteer their time and expertise to serve on this commission,” Adams said. “Together, this group will look for ways to ensure that this city is working as efficiently as possible for all of our residents and delivering a city government that reflects the needs and aspirations of the millions of working-class New Yorkers who call the five boroughs home. Through careful examination and thoughtful reform, we will strengthen this city’s commitment to protecting public

The Pharmacist’s Corner

Presented by Frank Pantina, R.Ph

safety, rebuilding our economy, and creating a more livable city for everyday New Yorkers.”

The CRC will be led by Scissura, who has participated in two Charter Revision Commissions in the past. Scissura currently serves as president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, a position he has held since January 2017. Previously, he was president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. Prior to joining the Brooklyn Chamber, Scissura served as both chief of staff and general counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz for nearly five years.

“I am honored and grateful to be named chair of the New York City Charter Revision Commission by Mayor Eric Adams,” Scissura said. “As a lifelong New Yorker, it is truly remarkable to get to continue to serve the city I love. Having served on two previous charter commissions, I am excited to work with my fellow commissioners and to listen to the voices of New Yorkers across the five boroughs.”

The 2018 CRC crafted three proposals:

• Campaign Finance: Reduce contribution limits for all candidates for city elected offices, and increase public matching funds for candidates who participate in the public financing program.

• Civic Engagement: Establish a Civic Engagement Commission whose mission includes expanding language access at polling sites, developing a citywide participatory budgeting program and supporting and partnering with community organizations in their civic-engagement efforts.

• Community Boards: The commission proposed term limits for community board members, who currently serve for two-year terms without limit, to create opportunities for new voices and leaders on all community boards.

Adams indicated that he will announce the additional members of the CRC in the coming days.

More than 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, and many of our patients are among them.. We’ve done some research that leads us to share some advice we feel will be very helpful, beyond what medication andtherapy can do.

One of the most important steps you can take to curing migraines is to educate yourself on their causes and triggers and learn to control them.

There are things you can do around your home to help ease the suffering.

Top neurologists in America say migraine sufferers can cut down “considerably on the number of headaches they get by controlling some very simple factors like lighting and smells around their homes”.

People with migraines are often extra sensitive to sensory input. Bright lighting can certainly cause problems for migraine sufferers. Fluorescent lights have a flickering quality that can induce pain, and while there is no “perfect” light bulb option, getting rid of halogens and fluorescent bulbs and replacing them with dim incandescent can definitely help because of the steady, muted light they emit.

Install dimmers so you can turn down the lights when you feel a headache coming on you can lower the lights.

And make sure you have shades and blinds to protect you from any streaming light.

Next up is getting rid of those hidden allergens, of which there are at least sixin every home. Dander, dust mites and mold are all irritants which can trigger pain-trig-

gering chemicals.

There are easy fixes for these situations. Invest in a quality vacuum and an air purifier with HEPA filters. HEPA filters can remove up to 99% of airborne allergens like cat dander.

Regularly run a dehumidifier to keep the humidity levels between 30% and 50%. That's the dry zone where dust mites and mold are less likely to thrive.

Launder your bedding every week in hot water, and slip microfiber allergenblocking encasements over your pillows, mattress, and box spring.

You may not believe this but air quality in our homes is oft times worse than outside and the culprit here is poor ventilation. Intense aromas of any kind irritate the trigeminal nerve, which runs from your nose to your brain and is responsible for most headaches. Do not use scented candles or air fresheners to mask the odors because they contain many of the agents we are looking to get rid of, they just have a pleasant odor. Crack your windows and get the fresh air moving through the house and stick to unscented, non-toxic cleansers.

Finally, the myriad of gadgetry that crowds our everyday lives, i.e computers, iPads, cell phones have damaging glare. Turn down the brightness and remember that while using them your posture tends to slack . Sit straight so that you do not cause undue tension to your neck and back which can dramatically reduce the likelihood of getting a migraine attack.

Until next week...

Smoke Stopped—Again

For the third time in seven months, City authorities have shuttered the problematic Howard Puff smoke shop in Old Howard Beach, Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) announced last week.

The 102nd Street establishment has a history of selling untaxed cigarettes and unlicensed cannabis products.

“We won’t stop until you are closed down for good. Illegal smoke shops DO NOT BELONG in our communities,” Ariola wrote on X. “Thank you to the NYPD for your diligence and consistency and for continuing to work with our office on the closure of these locations.

Photo Courtesy of Councilwoman Ariola

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In 2018, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation establishing a Charter Revision Commission.

Council Calls for Budget Restorations and Investments that Address Residents’ Daunting Challenges

By Forum Staff

The City Council on Wednesday continued to call for the restoration of cuts and investments into vital services for New Yorkers. These include cultural institutions and libraries that have faced repeated cuts over the current and next fiscal year, early childhood education and student support programs, programs that improve safety and reduce recidivism, and more.

On Tuesday, the council released its May 2024 Economic and Tax Revenue Forecast with consistent revenue projections that continue to outpace those of the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget by $1.1 billion for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. The updated forecast provides clarity that the City can restore cuts to protect essential services and invest in the needs of New Yorkers, according to Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Finance Committee Chairman Justin Brannan.

The Council’s funding priorities that were outlined in its Preliminary Budget Response, but left out of the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget include, in part: Education

Ahead of the City Council’s Executive Budget hearing by the Committee on Education, with the Committee on Finance, the Council called for funding restorations and deeper investments into the early childhood education and student support programs, many of which were previously supported by expiring federal COVID-19 stimulus funds.

The education budget priorities were outlined by the Council in its Preliminary Budget Response released in April, but several remained completely or partially unfunded in the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget, including:

Early Childhood Education

The council has called for:

• Restoration of $170 million for 3-K and Pre-K seats; the Mayor’s Executive Budget separately maintained $92 million in expiring federal stimulus funds for 3-K operating costs

• Commitment of $60 million to expand full-day/full-year seats to better meet families’ needs

• $10 million in new funding for 3-K marketing and outreach ($3.5 million of which was included in the Mayor’s Executive Budget)

• $96 million to replace expiring federal stimulus funds for preschool special education ($81 million was included in the Mayor’s Executive Budget).

• $25 million in baselined funding to support expanding the reach of Promise NYC, which provides childcare vouchers for undocumented children and families that are ineligible for other programs.

District 75 Programs

The Council has called for the restoration and baselining of the $3 million

cut to District 75 programs that provide highly specialized instructional support to students with special needs. Given increasing Carter Case expenditures and the increase in other due process cases related to special needs services and education, there is a greater need for schools to provide quality special education services. The lower-than-expected spending used to justify this cut was due

problem-solving courts.

Alternatives to Incarceration, Supervised Release and Re-entry Programming

• For years, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice has managed Alternatives to Incarceration, supervised release, and re-entry programming to reduce incarceration and recidivism. As part of the Mayor’s Program to Eliminate the Gap, these programs took a nearly $28 million

to vacancies in District 75 teaching positions and other special education-related positions. To fulfill the exigent need for the provision of special education services, the Administration should be hiring for these positions rather than cutting spending based on anticipated future vacancies.

Public Safety

The council has also called for making public safety more of a priority. The panel has urged the mayor to restore and invest into programs that would help the City reduce recidivism, respond to mental health challenges, and provide stability to New Yorkers, including:

Mental Health Courts and Diversion Programs

• Mental health courts and their associated programs help facilitate appropriate mental health responses and reduce the likelihood of rearrest by diverting people into treatment with increased coordination of care to address underlying issues. These programs have lacked the capacity to fulfill the level of need, are too often unavailable, and can have average wait times of months for appropriate placement because of insufficient investments to operate at scale. The Council called upon the Administration to provide an additional $8.9 million for baseline funding for mental health courts that connect people to appropriate interventions: $4.7 million in additional resources for the Manhattan Mental Health Court and the Judicial Diversion Court’s Mental Health Track, and $4.2 million for alternative-to-incarceration programs (ATIs) and

cut and were only partially restored in the Executive Budget.

Trauma Recovery Centers

• Over the past two fiscal years, the Council has allocated nearly $5 million to establish New York State’s first trauma recovery centers (TRCs) in Brooklyn (2) and the Bronx (1). TRCs are designed to reach survivors of violent crime who lack access to traditional victim services and are less likely to engage in mainstream mental health or social services. They provide wraparound services and coordinated care, including mental health, physical health, and legal services, by utilizing multi-disciplinary staff that can include psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and outreach workers focused on providing survivor-centered healing and removing barriers to care. The Council called for $7.2 million in baselined funding to permanently sustain the existing TRCs and create one new center in both Queens and Staten Island in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

Community Justice Centers

• Community Justice Centers have bridged the gap between the courts and communities to improve public safety and public trust in justice. By helping community members access stable housing, neighborhood safety, re-entry services, and youth programming, these Centers reduce recidivism and help prevent crime while solving neighborhood problems. The Council called on the Administration to provide the necessary capital funds to construct facilities to

house Community Justice Centers in the Bronx and Staten Island, the only boroughs without centers.

Cultural Institutions

The cultural and creative economy generates $110 billion in economic activity for our city. Yet, cultural institutions have been forced to absorb significant cuts over fiscal years 2024 and 2025 by the mayor’s administration. The Council identified the need to restore $75.6 million in its Preliminary Budget Response, but the Mayor’s Executive Budget only included $15 million. To ensure our city remains the world’s cultural capital and continues to thrive, the city budget must fully restore funding to these organizations and programs.

Similarly, libraries across the city have been severely impacted by the mayor’s budget cuts and face a shortfall of $58.3 million as a result. Libraries provide vitally important programs to New Yorkers of all ages in every neighborhood, like adult education classes, homework help for students, literacy and reading programs for young children, technology classes, and workforce development services. New Yorkers across the city have felt the impact of reduced services at all three library systems, including the loss of Sunday service, due to the mayor’s November cuts.

The council’s Preliminary Budget Response released in April outlined their funding needs. They include:

Supporting New York City’s Arts and Cultural Organizations

The Council has called for the restoration of $75.6 million to cultural institutions, including baselining the $40 million allocated in Fiscal Year 2024 for Cultural Institution Groups (CIGs), across-theboard grant increases for all Cultural Development Fund (CDF) recipients, and support many of the City’s artists, as well as the $20.1 million Fiscal 2024 cut and the $15.5 million Fiscal 2025 cut. In the Executive Budget, the Administration made partial restorations to its November and January cuts to arts and cultural organizations of $15 million.

Restoring 7-Day Service for the Queens, Brooklyn, and New York Public Libraries

The council has called on the administration to allocate an additional $58.3 million to the City’s three library systems to restore its series of funding cuts, avoid reduced hours and programming, and reinstate Sunday library service. This funding would restore the baseline cut of $22.1 million to libraries’ budgets, reinstate the one-shot funding of $20.5 million from Fiscal 2024, and cover the $15.7 million subsidy provided through City Council discretionary funding at budget adoption last June. These commitments would make the Fiscal 2025 budget for libraries commensurate with the adopted Fiscal 2024 funding level.

Photo Courtesy of Gerardo Romo/NYC Council Media Unit

Councilmembers rally with advocates to call for arts and culture funding.

Supreme Court Ruling Allows CFPB to Cap Credit Card Late Fees

By Forum Staff

Senator Chuck Schumer on Sunday said that the credit card late fee cap of $8 is alive and can still be done—and that he wants it enacted as soon as possible. Schumer said that credit card companies keep raising the late fees and that it was piling on debt for average families month after month.

Schumer said that a Texas court, led by a Trump hardright judge, was cherry-picked to side with giant companies over consumers and that this court cannot hold out for long because of the recent Supreme Court ruling. Schumer will say now that the Supreme Court said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a right and duty to do its job, that the Texas court must stop the games and allow the cap to be enacted. Schumer detailed why a cap on credit late fees is needed and said what should happen next with all junk fees that are meant to burden consumers.

According to the Associated Press, on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that the way the CFPB is funded does not violate the Constitution, reversing a lower court decision and drawing praises from consumers. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion, splitting with his frequent allies, Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, who dissented.

The AP also reiterated in their reporting that the CFPB was created after the 2008 financial crisis to regulate mortgages, car loans and other consumer finance. The case was brought by payday lenders who object to a bureau rule that limits their ability to withdraw funds directly from borrowers’ bank accounts. It’s among several major challenges

to federal regulatory agencies on the docket this term for a court that has for more than a decade been open to limits on their operations.

“The goal of a $8 late fee cap is not only alive, but it is likely, and I want it enacted ASAP. The average New York late fee is $21, but it can pile up and compound based on balance. A cap would be a cushion for many people who don’t skirt their bills, but have found that the fees just kill them,” said Schumer.

According to Chase Bank, late fees are determined based on a variety of factors. Sometimes the credit card’s balance is used to determine the late fee. The payment history may be a factor in determining if and how much of a late fee is charged. The amount of the fee may also depend on how much is owed, the issuer’s limits, and the fee may also be higher if payments are repeatedly late. The CFPB reported in 2022 that the average late fee in New York State was $21. According to Forbes, U.S. credit cardholders collectively spent $15 billion on late fees in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels again.

The CFPB published a report in March 2022 on credit card late fees and detailed the impact on consumers. In 2019, a consumer with a major issuer’s credit card was charged a $26 late fee on average for each late payment— except for each subsequent late fee within six billing cycles of an earlier late payment. For those, the average fee rose to over $34. Credit card late fees disproportionately burden consumers in low-income and majority-Black neighborhoods. Penalty fees can represent a surcharge of 24 percent annualized on top of assessed interest on unpaid balances—one of multiple financial consequences of a missed payment.

Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia/MB-One

According to Forbes, U.S. credit cardholders collectively spent $15 billion on late fees in 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels again.

Council Economic Forecast Projects $1.1B More in Revenue than Mayor’s Office

By Forum Staff

On Tuesday, the City Council released its May 2024 Economic and Tax Revenue Forecast with consistent revenue projections that continue to outpace those of the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget by $1.1 billion for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. This difference remains even after OMB adjusted its revenues by $2.3 billion for FY24 and FY25 in April’s Executive Budget. The $1.1 billion more in expected revenue is in addition to any other available funds for the City budget, like the $2.25 billion in potential under-spending over the current and next fiscal year that the council identified in its Preliminary Budget Response. The updated forecast is overall virtually unchanged from the council’s previous version and provides clarity that the City can restore cuts to protect essential services and invest in the needs of New Yorkers.

Similar to the beginning of the year, the national economy remains resilient despite headwinds from above-target inflation and elevated interest rates, which are exerting pressure on economic growth. Business activity, consumer sentiment, and labor markets all remain strong, but are showing signs of deceleration. Despite recent stubborn inflation, the council projects that the Consumer Price Index will still gradually return

to a declining path, allowing the Federal Reserve to begin lowering policy rates by the end of the year. The recently released April CPI report supports this forecast, reflecting a slight moderation from Q1 inflation readings.

The City’s economy is following a similar pattern, remaining robust with signs of cooling down due to softening of total employment growth. Strong job growth in certain sectors but weakness in others has resulted in an uneven recovery and slowing average

wage growth, with year-over-year job creation as of March concentrated in the health care and social services sectors. Job growth in other sectors is expected to return in 2025 as inflation expectations and interest rates are anticipated to be lowered.

The City’s real estate market continues to face challenges, with slightly higher office vacancies compared to the council’s February estimate. Also, home sales are expected to be slightly stronger than the previous forecast but remain below pre-COVID levels.

The council’s average projected annual tax revenue growth rate through the plan years is 3.4 percent, which remains above OMB’s projections. However, it still represents a slowdown in collections compared to the 5.5 percent growth experienced by the City from FY10 through FY19.

The three main changes in the council tax forecast, compared to its February projections, are revisions in personal income tax, business taxes and transfer taxes. The council revised its personal income tax projections to account for uncertainty around collections. The City saw greater-than-anticipated refunds in April, which is explained partly by the State’s faster processing of refunds. Additionally, irregular collection patterns for the City’s relatively new pass-through entity tax have made it more difficult to account for non-wage income collected. While the forecast accounts for this uncertainty, it also means there is a positive risk that collections can come in stronger than projected. Meanwhile, business tax revenues have outperformed expectations, though they are still expected to grow at a slower pace than the long run average throughout the forecast. Despite an anticipated drop in transfer taxes due to high mortgage rates, recent upward revisions in quarterly home sales indicate that the market is still weathering current conditions better than the council expected.

CUNY to Expand Inclusive Economy Initiative

By Forum Staff

Mayor Eric Adams and City University of New York Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez on Monday announced a nearly $12 million expansion towards the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative, which leverages CUNY campus resources to create collegeto-career pipelines for CUNY students.

To date, the initiative — which first launched in 2022 — has served over 3,100 students and worked with more than 2,000 industry partners, advancing the city’s goal to connect 80 percent of CUNY graduates with careers following graduation by 2030. The $11.8 million expansion — comprised of a $4.8 million investment in the Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget and $7 million from private partners, including Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Bank of New York Mellon Foundation, Centerbridge, Bloomberg LP, and Goldman Sachs — will bring industry engagement, career advising, internship, and full-time opportunities to an additional 1,200 students annually across over 20 new academic departments.

The CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative is designed to bolster student career outcomes by creating connections with employers, and providing students with hybrid academic and career advisors to ensure they have the support needed to achieve their academic goals and professional aspirations. The initiative currently serves 17 departments across nine campuses on sectors rang-

ing from tech to health care and to the green economy. Today’s new investment will expand departments and offerings, growing the capacity of colleges to prepare students for these in-demand fields and others. The CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative will also support CUNY students in entrepreneurial and innovation skill-building by folding in the Blackstone LaunchPad program and its over 100 paid internship opportunities.

As part of this expansion, the initiative will begin offering students career opportunities in the financial industry for the first time by incorporating CUNY Futures in Fi-

nance. Launched in 2021 in collaboration with Centerbridge Partners, Bloomberg LP, and Goldman Sachs, Futures in Finance has exposed over 3,000 students at Brooklyn College, City College, and Lehman College to opportunities in the financial sector. As part of CUNY Inclusive Economy, Futures in Finance will continue to provide talented CUNY students with training, mentorship, and access to the financial services industry.

Additional enhancements to the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative include:

• Expanding CUNY's groundbreaking Degree-to-Career Mapping program to create employee connections that best

match student interests and integrate career milestones directly into academic degree maps.

• Offering stronger academic advising with career coaching that aligns classroom learning with career readiness exercises and employer-vetted skills, ensuring students are better prepared to enter the workforce.

• Engaging more faculty by embedding industry specialists into an academic department faculty that will receive current and real-time industry insights via the industry specialist, which ensures they can best prepare students.

• Simplifying navigation by making it easier for industry partners to connect both to the industry specialists on campuses and the Industry Support Hub.

“Our city’s future depends on being able to help our young people to grow, fulfill their potential, and thrive in an ever-changing economy — and that means investing in the future of CUNY students,” Adams said. “In our first year, we launched the CUNY Inclusive Economy Initiative to prepare young people for the economy of tomorrow by investing in them today. Now, we are building on that success with a near-$12 million expansion that will serve 1,200 additional students. Today’s investment and what we have done over the last two years by building equitable career pathways is about sending a clear message to our young people: New York City is still the place where anything is possible.”

Photo Courtesy of Gerardo Romo/NYC Council Media Unit

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Finance Committee Chairman Justin Brannan

Photo Courtesy of Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office

“Our city’s future depends on being able to help our young people to grow, fulfill their potential, and thrive in an ever-changing economy,” Mayor Adams said.

Feds Nab Man in Connection with Lucrative Dark Web Drug Marketplace

By Forum Staff

A Taiwan resident was arrested Saturday at John F. Kennedy International Airport and has been charged in connection with his operation and ownership of “Incognito Market,” an online dark web narcotics marketplace that enabled its users to buy and sell illegal narcotics anonymously around the world, federal prosecutors announced on Monday.

According to the complaint and indictment unsealed on Monday, Rui-Siang Lin, a.k.a. “Ruisiang Lin,” a.k.a., “林睿庠,” a.k.a. “Pharoah,” a.k.a. “faro,” 23, ran Incognito Market, an online narcotics bazaar that existed on the dark web. Incognito Market formed in October 2020. Since that time, and through its closing in March 2024, Incognito Market sold more than $100 million of narcotics — including hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamines. Incognito Market was available globally to anyone with internet access and could be accessed using the Tor web browser on the “dark web” or “darknet.” LIN operated the Incognito market under the online pseudonym “Pharoah” or “faro.” As “Pharoah” — the leader of Incognito market — LIN supervised all of its operations, including its employees, vendors, and customers, and had ultimate decision-making authority over every aspect of the multimillion-dollar operation.

Incognito Market was designed to foster

seamless narcotics transactions across the internet and across the world and incorporated many features of legitimate e-commerce sites such as branding, advertising, and customer service.

After logging in with a unique username and password, users were able to search thousands of listings for narcotics of their choice. Incognito Market sold illegal narcotics and misbranded prescription medication, including, heroin, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, oxycodone, methamphetamines, ketamine, and alprazolam.

Listings included offerings of prescription medication that was advertised as being authentic but was not. For example, in November 2023, an undercover law enforcement agent received several tablets that purported to be oxycodone, which were purchased on Incognito Market. Testing on those tablets revealed that they were not authentic oxycodone at all and were, in fact, fentanyl pills.

Each listing on Incognito Market was sold by a particular vendor. To become an Incognito Market vendor, each vendor was

required to register with the site and pay an admission fee. In exchange for listing and selling narcotics as a vendor on Incognito Market, each vendor paid 5% of the purchase price of every narcotic sold to Incognito Market. That revenue funded Incognito Market’s operations, including paying “employee” salaries and for computer servers. LIN collected millions of dollars of profits from Incognito. To facilitate these financial transactions, Incognito Market had its own “bank,” which allowed its users to deposit cryptocurrency on the site into their own “bank accounts.” After a narcotics transaction was completed, cryptocurrency from the buyer’s “bank account” was transferred to the seller’s “bank account,” less the 5-percent fee that Incognito collected. The bank enabled buyers and sellers to stay anonymous from each other. Lin is charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; one count of money laundering, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to sell adulterated and misbranded medication, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 5 years in prison.

City Extols $60M Investment to Preserve 35K Rental Units

By Forum Staff

Mayor Eric Adams, City Comptroller

Brad Lander, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and trustees of the City Employees’ Retirement System on Monday announced an investment of up to $60 million to preserve rent-stabilized housing units impacted by the sudden collapse of Signature Bank last spring.

The investment was made in Community Stabilization Partners — a joint venture led by Community Preservation Corporation with Related Fund Management and Neighborhood Restore Housing Development Fund Corporation — leading affordable housing providers across the five boroughs. The investment represents the largest single investment by NYCERS in preserving the City’s rent stabilization stock and will both advance the stabilization of much-needed affordable housing and deliver competitive returns for retirees.

According to the administration, when Signature Bank collapsed in March 2023, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was appointed receiver for its portfolio of real estate loans, which included a substantial concentration of rent-stabilized housing in New York City. In December 2023, as part of an RFP process managed by the FDIC, Community Preservation Corporation, Related Fund Management, and Neighborhood Restore partnered to create a new venture, Community Stabilization Partners,

which purchased a 5 percent equity interest in Signature Bank’s rent-stabilized loan portfolio, with the remaining 95 percent held by the FDIC. The portfolio totals approximately 1,140 buildings and 35,000 units with over 80 percent rent regulated and representing approximately 3 percent of New York City’s entire rent regulated housing stock. Through the $60 million investment — which NYCERS voted on in March 2024 — NYCERS has become a 25 percent partner in Community Stabilization Partners. NYCERS is partnering with Related Fund Man-

agement, Community Preservation Corporation, and Neighborhood Restore due to their extensive expertise and deep roots in preserving and expanding affordable housing. Community Preservation Corporation has been a decades-long partner of NYCERS in their efforts to secure strong returns for pension members and beneficiaries, while investing in expanding the city’s affordable housing supply.

This investment is part of the Economically Targeted Investment program of the five New York City Retirement Systems, managed

by the City Comptroller’s Office’s Bureau of Asset Management, and is aimed at achieving strong returns for members and beneficiaries while helping to preserve some of the city’s stock of rent regulated housing. Including Monday’s investment, NYCERS has invested nearly $700 million in rental apartments in the city, with 19 real estate fund managers. Trustees of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System are:

• Mayor’s Office of Pension and Investments Director Bryan Berge (Adams’ appointee);

• Comptroller Lander;

• Public Advocate Williams;

• Borough Presidents: Vanessa L. Gibson (Bronx), Antonio Reynoso (Brooklyn), Mark Levine (Manhattan), Donovan Richards Jr. (Queens), and Vito Fossella (Staten Island);

• Henry Garrido, executive director, District Council 37, AFSCME;

• Richard Davis, president, Transport Workers Union Local 100; and

• Gregory Floyd, president, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237

“Our city is in the midst of a housing crisis, which is why it’s critical we work together to preserve, protect, and expand affordable housing,” Richards said. “I’m grateful to all our fellow trustees for uniting and making this investment to preserve thousands of rent-stabilized housing units to help keep a roof over our people’s heads. Our families deserve to live with dignity.”

Courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of NY

An example of listings on Incognito Market.

Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office

Mayor Adams called this investment “critical to making our city more affordable and livable for working-class New Yorkers.”

Legal Notices

Notice of Formation of LUNAR LOTUS WELLNESS LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 3/8/24. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Lillian Luu-Valdez, 11132 126th st. PD, South Ozone Park, NY, 11420, USA. Purpose: any lawful activity.

MARIC 191 LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 3/15/24. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 1953 46th St Astoria NY 11105. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

LEROY REALTY HOLDINGS LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 4/19/24. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Michael Kessler, 42-09 235th St., Douglaston, NY 11363, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

GLADE PROPERTIES LLC, Art. Of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 06/06/2018. Office in QUEENSCo. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 1244 Clintonville St, 1C#38, Whitestone,NY11357 Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

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Notice of Qualification of 168-35 ROCKAWAY PROPERTY OWNER, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/25/24. Office location: Queens County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 04/04/24. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of the State of DE, Div. of Corps., PO Box 898, Dover, DE 19903. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of PAPER PLATE ASTORIA, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/22/24. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Andrew Kaplan, Esq., Epstein Becker Green, P.C., 875 Third Ave., NY, NY 10022. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Operation of a fast served casual restaurant.

P’TITE MAISON LLC filed Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/24/2024. Office: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC 13443 CRESCENT ST. APT 2N, ASTORIA, NY, 11106, USA. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

Notice of Qualification of 168-35 ROCKAWAY PROPERTY OWNER, LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/25/24. Office location: Queens County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 04/04/24. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co. (CSC), 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. DE addr. of LLC: CSC, 251 Little Falls Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State of the State of DE, Div. of Corps., PO Box 898, Dover, DE 19903. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of SPEECH AND SWALLOW WELLNESS PLLC. Arts of Org filed withSecy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/30/2024. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against PLLC to 5750 79th Street FL3, Middle Village, NY 11379. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of EVOCATIONSTUDIO LLC Arts of Org filed withSecy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/24/2024. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process to: ZENBUSINESS INC., 41 STATE STREET, SUITE 112, ALBANY, NY, 12207, USA. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

BALDALLAC LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/23/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC, 8407 89th street, #2, Woodhaven, NY, 11421, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of JJY887 LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 11/20/23. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail/email process to the registered agent of LLC: Bili Zhang, 7431 44 Ave, Elmhurst, NY 11373, shuchenyu1@ aol.com. Purpose: any lawful activity.

2034 STANHOPE STREET LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/10/2024. Office: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 5 Oreilly Ct, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520. Purpose: any lawful act.

Bridgeport Enterprise LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/16/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 33-38 156th St, Flushing, NY 11354. General Purpose

Allison Zheng LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 5/17/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Registered Agent Solutions, Inc., 99 Washington Ave, Ste 700, Albany, NY 12260. General Purpose