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  • Grand Street Democrats Endorsements for 2018 Primary

    Primary Day is Thursday, September 13. Don’t forget to vote!

    Cynthia Nixon for Governor

    New York should be leading the way on progressive issues like single-payer health care and prison reform. But despite clear and repeated victories for these issues in the Assembly, the Governor and the Republicans he has propped up in the State Senate have blocked these reforms from becoming law. 

    Cynthia Nixon is a long-time advocate for public education and social justice reform. Nixon has made passing these laws a priority: 

    • Protecting reproductive rights before the Supreme Court guts Roe v Wade.
    • Ending the prosecution of children as adults.
    • Legalizing marijuana and reforming cash bail so that the most vulnerable are not victimized by our criminal justice system.
    • Enacting early voting and automatic voter registration to increase voter participation.

    Gov. Cuomo has avoided any real investigation into corruption, while top members of his own administration have been convicted in devastating pay-to-play schemes. With her promise to close the LLC campaign finance loophole, Cynthia Nixon is poised to finally bring some common-sense fairness to Albany politics. 

    And one more thing: Cynthia Nixon knows that the subway is the governor’s responsibility, and she will fully fund the system to get New Yorkers moving again!

    Jumaane Williams for Lt. Governor

    Jumaane Williams is an exciting choice this year for Lt. Governor.

    A true progressive and activist, Williams cut his teeth as a tenant organizer in Brooklyn, helping working families avoid eviction.

    As a member of the City Council, Williams has championed criminal justice reform that would end mass incarceration. 

    As Lt. Governor, he would blaze his own trail as an advocate for more progressive policies.

    Letitia James for Attorney General

    There’s a big upside for New Yorkers following Eric Schneiderman’s swift fall — we have some great Democrats running to replace him (including three who would be the state’s first female Attorney General).

    Letitia James stands out from the crowd with her fierce advocacy for working families, her experience in the A.G.’s office, and her independence. She’s promised to go after corruption in Albany … and Trump Tower!

    Robert Rosenthal for Civil Court Judge

    For 27 years, Robert Rosenthal has been representing people who have been ignored or pushed aside because of what they look like, where they are from, what they believe, who they love, or what they have – or don’t have. 

    He is the only candidate in the race awarded “Most Qualified” rating from three independent review panels.

    Rosenthal is endorsed by nearly every local elected official — Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou; Councilmembers Margaret Chin and Carlina Rivera; NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer; Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer; and Congressmembers Nydia Velazquez and Carolyn Maloney.

    He has the experience, passion, and perspective necessary to preside over a courtroom in which everyone is treated fairly.

    Christopher Marte for State Committee

    Christopher Marte is running for a seat on the NY Democratic State Committee, an internal party organization that has little public exposure but can be an important instrument for moving the Democratic party as a whole in
    a more progressive direction. 

    Marte will join a growing progressive caucus in that body standing up for internal party reforms and making sure that candidates who deserve a chance to break through are given a voice at the party convention.

    With endorsements from other local groups like Lower East Side Democrats, The Asian-American Democratic Club, and Downtown Independent Democrats, Marte has been able to build a coalition of support from across our diverse district. Plus, he’s been a member and supporter of Grand Street Dems since its inception.

  • Grand Street Democrats Endorses Robert Rosenthal for Civil Court, District 2

    For 27 years, Robert Rosenthal has been representing people who have been ignored or pushed aside because of what they look like, where they are from, what they believe, who they love, or what they have – or don’t have. He will bring a true progressive spirit to the bench.

  • DOT has no proposals yet for Grand/Clinton congestion

    Staff from the NYC Department of Transportation presented to Community Board 3’s Transportation Committee on Thursday, June 28, 2018 in regards to the traffic on Grand, Clinton, and East Broadway.

    DOT promised elected officials a traffic study of the area in 2017, but by the end of last year could say only that no conclusions could be drawn until after Essex Crossing construction is completed. Additional pressure from community leaders and elected officials this year brought DOT back to the neighborhood … but its report last week was still inconclusive.

    The DOT says that data traffic collected this spring still needs to be analyzed. Aside from minor changes to signage and light-timing, no new proposals were presented for review by the CB3 committee.

    What we did see were slides indicating a dozen or so proposals from the community that DOT has said it will be considering in the coming months, plus an estimated timeline that pushes any real proposals to the end of 2018. No date has been set for a return to CB3, and it was noted that this timeline pushes right up against considerations for L Train shutdown mitigation beginning spring 2019, which will make it even more difficult to implement.

    In the past two months, DOT has made small changes to make drivers aware of other ways to the Williamsburg Bridge:

    • signage southbound on the FDR has removed the word “alternate” from the Houston Street exit;
    • new signs have been placed on Grand to let drivers know that both lanes will get them to the bridge (using Clinton and Norfolk); and
    • a “no-honking” sign has been moved slightly east on Grand to warn drivers earlier to lay off their horn.

    Coming soon:

    • A new traffic agent will hopefully be assigned to the Clinton/East Broadway intersection to help pedestrians cross there during rush hour and keep drivers from blocking the intersection.
    • DOT is also experimenting with light timing along Grand Street to increase the flow of traffic.

    Now DOT is modelling more far-reaching proposals based on recent data:

    • Eliminate Clinton access to bridge. Create dedicated left turn from Essex to Delancey (safer than before). Can Essex and Allen Streets handle the additional capacity? Estimated analysis completion: Aug. 2018.
    • Reduce Clinton traffic by eliminating left turn from East Broadway, Henry, and Madison during rush. Can Essex and Allen Streets handle the additional capacity? Estimated analysis completion: Aug. 2018.
    • Open access on Delancey Street from FDR to bridge. DOT is not sure Delancey has the physical characteristics for this to be possible. Parking in the neighborhood would be reduced, and the NYPD and FDNY at Pitt and Delancey would need to be accomodated. Estimated analysis completion: Dec. 2018.

    CB3 will invite DOT back in the fall. In the meantime, we believe that continued pressure from elected officials and community leaders, including members of Grand Street Democrats, will be critical in forcing DOT to recognize that Clinton Street is not an appropriate approach to the Williamsburg Bridge.

    Here are the slides from DOT’s presentation on June 28:

  • The news gets worse and worse. Here’s what we can do …

    In the past few weeks the Trump administration has become even more Orwellian. The actions and language around so-called “tender care” shelters epitomizes the worst treatment of refugees and undocumented people in our country. Wednesday’s executive order should not be mistaken for real progress.

    So what now?

    1) Donate. The legal and therapeutic services on the ground have massive work to do, both to reunite children and parents currently separated, and to help aid these families manage their ongoing trauma. Donations at this link will be distributed among 10 excellent organizations, including the ACLU, La Union del Pueblo Entero, and the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.

    2) Rally. Protests will be held nation-wide on Saturday, June 30 including here in NYC. Grand Street Democrats will partner with our friends at the Manny Cantor Center to organize a crew from the LES. Sign-making will be on Friday, June 29 from 4:00 – 6:00 at MCC, 4th floor. And then we’ll meet in front of MCC again the next morning at 9:15 am to go together to the rally in Foley Square. (Email me if you want to be more involved in organizing the neighborhood for this rally.)

    3) VOTE. In every election — including the Democratic primary coming up this Tuesday, June 26. Our endorsed congressional candidate for NY-12, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, has a strong record of standing up to Trump and we know she deserves another term to defend our values. (If you’d like to help Get Out the Vote for Maloney over the next 5 days, sign up here.)

    In solidarity,
    Caroline Laskow, Democratic District Leader

    PS. An even bigger ask, but also important: can you work in your local poll site on Election Day? It’s a really long day but without our poll workers our elections wouldn’t happen. And you do get paid. Just email me if you are interested.

  • Tell Gov. Cuomo: Pass ERPO Now!

    With only days left in Albany’s legislative session, now is the time to put pressure on the State Senate and Gov. Cuomo to strengthen New York’s gun safety laws by passing the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act (ERPO) sponsored by our State Senator Brian Kavanagh.

    According to the Giffords Law Center: “ERPO empowers families and law enforcement to prevent gun tragedies by allowing them to petition a court to temporarily remove guns from individuals at an elevated risk of endangering themselves or others. An ERPO prohibits individuals in crisis from purchasing or accessing firearms and requires them to relinquish any guns they possess while the order is in effect.”

    The bill has already passed the Democratic-led State Assembly but will need Gov. Cuomo’s full support to pass the State Senate. Please take a moment on Monday to share on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media channels your support of ERPO.

  • Grand Street Democrats endorses Letitia James for Attorney General

    After the unexpected resignation of NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in May, this open seat has attracted three dynamite candidates for the Democratic nomination. After having a chance to meet all three, GSD members voted to endorse Letitia James.

    James is currently the NYC Public Advocate. Before that she represented parts of Brooklyn in City Council, and has served as Assistant Attorney General under AG Eliot Spitzer. She began her career as a public defender for the Legal Aid Society.

  • Grand Street Democrats endorses Christopher Marte for Democratic State Committee

    Christopher Marte, born and raised on the Lower East Side, has made his presence felt in downtown Manhattan as a community activist, political candidate, and volunteer. He intends to bring that spirit of public service and activism to the role of Democratic State Committeemember, an unpaid position within the Democratic Party. Marte is currently an Associate at The Arena, a political organization dedicated to encouraging new progressive voices in American politics.

  • Grand Street Democrats endorses Jenny Lam Low for Democratic State Committee

    Grand Street Democrats members voted this week to endorse Jenny Lam Low for re-election as female representative to the Democratic State Committee from the 65th Assembly District.

    A proud product of New York City’s public schools, Jenny began volunteering as a teenager in activities that encourage Asian American citizens to become registered voters and participate in the electoral process. She is the first Chinese American to be elected as a Democratic District Leader in Lower Manhattan. Jenny serves as a Vice Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee and was elected as delegate to the Democratic National Convention several times, most recently in 2016. Jenny is a Director of the Board and Vice President of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee, a political action committee that trains and supports pro-choice Democratic women running for elected offices across New York State.

    Jenny has served for over 30 years on the board of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), one of the largest Asian American non-profit multi-social service agencies in the country. CPC’s programs and services enable immigrant and low-income families to become economically self-sufficient. Jenny previously served as Board Chair, a Vice Chair, and chair of the finance committee. She is currently CPC’s Board Treasurer.

  • Grand Street Democrats endorses Cynthia Nixon for Governor

    As an advocate for better schools and more equitable education funding all across the state, affordable housing, LGBTQ equality, clean energy, legalizing marijuana, and women’s reproductive rights, Cynthia Nixon is running a grassroots campaign for governor without corporate funding. She is committed to opening up a new anti-corruption commission in Albany to clean up state politics once and for all.

    Grand Street Democrats endorsed Cynthia Nixon for Governor at its May 15 meeting. [cynthiafornewyork.com]