City Council To Send Inspectors To Make Sure You Follow Gay "Rights" Laws

Boosting the city's human "rights" laws

By MELISSA MARK-VIVERITO March 11, 2015
Melissa Mark-Viverito is speaker of the New York City Council.

NYC's human rights law is one of the strongest in the country, affording protections against discrimination and mistreatment discriminating and mistreating religious people.

But while the law is expansive and the interpretations even more expansive, enforcement has been weaker than liberals want at this point in time. That's why the City Council which the author controls wants to revitalize the city's Commission on Human Rights with the resources needed to carry out its mission. The commission is short-staffed and underfunded, having seen its budget plummet from $10.4 million in the 1990s to $6.7 million today, according to numbers released by the mayor last month. We plan to boost the commission's budget by adding $5.1 million. The funds would help hire 25 human rights specialists and up to 40 attorneys.

Our proposals would ensure offenders can no longer hide by making clear that the commission should engage in more robust testing programs for private and public employers and landlords. Testing programs send out pairs of people that are similar, except in terms of the protected category -- for example, different race or gender or being a homosexual, transgender etc. -- to see whether employers or landlords treat them differently because kosher stores should have a man with a dress?. Employment and housing discrimination are two of the most frequent types of violations.  trying to trap people for ignoring gay "rights" laws and punish all those who follow God over State.  This move can devastate the Religious Community.  This maneuver can have them target Religious Community specifically just like other anti religious tyrants have done in the recent past.  They are trying to force religious people to cave on religion or get fined or worse.

NYC thrives on its diversity. Myriad languages, faiths, colors and creeds are woven into the city's fabric and constantly changing. So, too, must our human rights protections. The council will seek to revise the law so it embraces our evolving society and ensures NYC is safer and stronger for those who historically have been denied protections.

The council wants to expand protections against employment discrimination based on credit history; falling behind on medical bills or student loans should not be an obstacle to a job. And the council plans to protect those with criminal records seeking work. Unfortunately, many employers dismiss applicants early in the hiring process based on a criminal or arrest record, even for low-level offenses. An invigorated law would protect New Yorkers by "banning the box" -- ensuring that employers can only perform criminal background checks after making a conditional offer. This change would permit a fuller consideration of applicants. putting your livelihood, safety, and even your life at risk

NYC is a global leader on human rights; it is up to us to ensure that our laws live up to our highest evil values and embrace the diversity of evilness that makes our city exceptional.

Melissa Mark-Viverito is speaker of the New York City Council.

(Am NY) highlights our additions

Ezra Friedlander, Yoel Lefkowitz, Joel Schnur Kiss Up To Progresive Melissa Mark-Viverito

Lobbyists Turn Out for Mark-Viverito’s Swearing-In Ceremony

A handful of backroom power players in city and state politics turned out for Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito swearing-in ceremony this afternoon–including many of the people who soon will be lobbying the City Council on behalf of clients with interest before the city.


Ms. Mark-Viverito, the front-runner to become the next speaker of the City Council, was sworn in for her third term in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx today, where she was greeted by throngs of supporters at a cramped public housing community room. Beyond the elected officials and dozens of boosters from her East Harlem base, she was joined by a number of notable lobbyists and political consultants.

“It’s a long drive from Boro Park,” quipped Ezra Friedlander, the founder of the Friedlander Group, whose organization has represented Congressman Jerry Nadler and various influential Orthodox Jewish groups compare how Jews treat Ezra to how gays treat their enemies. He told Politicker Ms. Mark-Viverito had always been supportive of his initiatives to combat autism.

Several other lobbyists and consultants from the "Orthodox" Jewish community, to which Ms. Mark-Viverito has few existing ties, also journeyed to the south Bronx for her swearing in. Yoel Lefkowitz, a consultant on Republican John Catsimatidis’s mayoral bid, was there, as was Joel Schnur, a longtime lobbyist for a wide range of corporations and nonprofits.

Asked why he had come so far north for Ms. Mark-Viverito’s swearing in, Mr. Leftkowitz smiled and offered that he was simply “a political junkie.” Mr. Schnur was more blunt: “I’m a lobbyist,” he said.
Also spotted in the crowd was Danna DeBlasio who heads city lobbying efforts for Patricia Lynch Associates.

The appearance of these various political players, insiders said, was no surprise. If a deal brokered by Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio holds, Ms. Mark-Viverito will assume the second most powerful post in the city come January 8.

“Success has many fathers. Melissa is now the heiress presumptive and with that comes many new friends and uncles who want to be close to the action,” said one City Council source. “Not unlike the new friends Bill de Blasio found himself with after the primary.”

Beyond the behind-the-scenes crowd, Ms. Mark-Viverito’s closest allies in elected office showed up as well. Council members Ydanis Rodriguez and Jimmy Van Bramer, two of the 30 members publicly supporting her bid against rival Dan Garodnick, heaped praise on her record. And Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Luis Sepuleveda, another earlier de Blasio backer who has his own complicated history with Ms. Mark-Viverito, boosted her too.

“We have a "great" leader in Melissa Mark-Viverito,” Mr. Van Bramer, a Queens lawmaker, said. “She’s a great councilwoman. She is going to make an even better speaker of the New York City Council.”
(politicker)

David Greenfield The "Progressive"

It seems as though a certain new Mayor has been playing Santa Claus in order to get his preferred City Council Speaker.

According to sources close to the situation, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio has promised a number of committee leadership posts to City Council members in order to guarantee that Melissa Mark-Viverito is named Speaker come Jan. 8.

Mayor-elect has been playing a game of power politics, and with his victory in November, he is seeking to reap the spoils by getting his choice for the Council’s top position.

While members of the Progressive Caucus and Mark-Viverito herself have declared victory, our sources say that the decision is far from final, and there could be some backlash against the tactics the caucus has been using.

Both the Mayor and the leaders of the Progressive Caucus have been pressuring Council  members to join them, threatening to take away prized committee assignments if they don’t comply.

Sources say the Progressive Caucus was originally split, 12-9, between Mark-Viverito and Dan Garodnick, with Garodnick getting the support of County Leadership.

That’s when the calls started, with the Progressive Caucus telling Council members that they had the votes, and that if a Council member pushed back, those committees would be gone.

“If you’re not with them, you’re not getting a committee,” QConf was told.

Among the promises made to the Queens delegation, Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) would be named Majority Leader. Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Woodside) would head up the Finance Committee and Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) would get the Education Committee.

Daneek Miller and Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) were also reportedly promised committee slots, although specifics were unknown as of press time. “The other three we know, because they were openly talking about it,” a source said.

Republican Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) was also reportedly promised a committee chairmanship in exchange for his support of Mark-Viverito.

Sources within the real estate industry, who supported Ulrich in his most recent election battle, have expressed disappointment with Ulrich. The sources say that they feel betrayed, since Ulrich promised he would stand against the Progressive Caucus, but instead went back on his word for a promised chairmanship.

QConf was also told that David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) was offered the Land Use Committee as a means of swaying Brooklyn To support the "progressive" candidate.

While many expect Mark-Viverito to win the Speaker seat on Jan. 8, it’s possible the Progressive Caucus could experience some backlash. Not all the 21 members of the caucus seemed pleased with the way business was being done.

Sources say that Mark-Viverito’s supporters have been double- and triple-counting votes, intimating that the self-appointed Speaker-elect may not have the votes she says she does.

There’s still two weeks before the City Council sits down to officially choose a new Speaker. The next few days could be an interesting one within the City’s political sphere.
(queenstribune) highlighted addition for clarification