In Public Service- December 20, 2019

Frontus secures $100,000 for Bay Ridge Center

Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus presented a ceremonial check representing $100,000 to the Bay Ridge Center, a leading senior citizen center in Brooklyn, on Dec. 19.

Frontus, a Democrat representing Coney Island and parts of Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge, secured the funding in the 2019-20 state budget.

“Senior citizens helped shape our communities into the places we call home and they deserve our utmost gratitude for their invaluable contributions. That’s why it’s important that we support organizations like the Bay Ridge Center, which offers crucial services and programs for seniors that help them remain in their homes and improve their well-being. I’ll continue fighting to ensure the Bay Ridge Center gets the funding it needs to care for our aging population,” Frontus said.

The Bay Ridge Center was established in 1976 and offers fitness and health programs and delivers meals to homebound senior citizens.

Rose votes to restore SALT deduction

U.S. Rep. Max Rose voted in favor of restoring the state and local tax deduction, also known as the SALT deduction. The measure, which temporarily repeals a cap on SALT deductions put in place by Congress in 2017, was approved by the House on Dec. 19.

Rose, an original co-sponsor of the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act of 2019, had previously called on Congress to provide relief to taxpayers. The Republican-passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 capped the SALT deduction for federal taxes at $10,000 per household.

“Today, we are one step closer to putting government back on the side of working Americans by restoring the SALT Deduction. We pay enough in property taxes and it’s time for the federal government to have our back,” said Rose, a Democrat representing Southwest Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Council approves special education bills

The City Council voted to approve a package of bills sponsored by Councilmembers Mark Treyger, Helen Rosenthal, Daniel Dromm and Ben Kallos aimed at improving the city’s special education system.

The legislation includes a bill requiring the Department of Education to expand its reporting on compliance rates for Individualized Education Programs from annually to quarterly. The bill will allow the public to learn whether or not students are getting their full services at different points in the year.

Approximately 224,160 children in the city’s school system are special education students who qualify for IEPs.

“About 20 percent of all of New York City’s students have a disability. This special education bill package will give us a better idea if there is a pattern between the failure to deliver services and certain zip codes in New York City,” said Treyger, who is chairperson of the Education Committee.

Treyger, a Democrat, represents Coney Island, Gravesend and parts of Bensonhurst.