Friday, October 1, 2010

BP Diaz to Host Hearing on "Jobs for the 21st Century" [UPDATED]

Ha! It's nice to get a chuckle on a rainy Friday morning...From the inbox:
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and New York State Senate President Malcolm A. Smith will host a joint legislative hearing on “Jobs for the 21st Century,” a public meeting (today, from 10am to 12pm at 851 Grand Concourse) organized by the New York State Tri-Level Legislative Task Force to receive input from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors to better determine what local, state and federal government can do to create jobs and put New Yorkers back to work.

Bronx business’ [sic] owners and local entrepreneurs will testify in front of the task force, which will compile the information received during the hearing to better determine what can be done to attract companies and create jobs in the borough.

Here's an idea of how to "create jobs and put New Yorkers back to work" - don't kill a $310 million mall plan that would create 2,200 jobs.

Update @ 11:20am with some love from a BD Reader in the ol' inbox:
I just wanted to let you know that I love your posts on the Armory---I don't understand how anyone can justify losing all those jobs and that retail center? Regardless of the bp stance on living wage issues you can't let that project go in a down economy--his job was to make it happen and work out a deal. It was too big a project to let it fail. These other guys who defend it do not represent the community--if you took a poll of the area and asked if they would have wanted the jobs and shopping venue I bet it would have overwhelming support. What a loss. But your comments have been right on the mark--don't let a few crazies try to stop you b/c a lot more people agree with what you are saying and so few people are willing or able to speak up.
Thanks, BD Reader!

~ErLu

5 comments:

Guywithacause said...

This "hearing" is a total waste of time and nothing more than a dog and pony show. After all this time and energy, after the Armory fiasco, after the Stella D'Oro closing, the "green jobs" initiatives, blah blah blah...Diaz needs ANOTHER ***damn meeting to determine how to bring jobs to the borough? Are you ****ing kidding me? He didn't listen to anything that was told to him by the same people who were trying to bring 2,200 jobs to the Bronx, but now he will listen to them?

He was elected to bring jobs to the borough, not to learn how to do it or think about it! Less time handing out christmas gifts with your "papa" and more times collaborating with the Mayor, Community Boards, and Investors to bring CHANGE to the BRONX! We need jobs, we need quality and diverse housing, we need true leadership that will inspire residents to be better people and demand the same from elected officials.

Unfortunately, with Diaz we get the usual rhetoric and a meltdown of the borough. Thanks Rubencito!

This "meeting" is another waste of time by a Borough President who has no idea what the hell he is doing. Lifetime politician = braindead

Anonymous said...

To show that this "hearing" was all smoke & mirrors, there is yet another rally on 10/7/10 to promote more job-killing legislation.

As per the BxNN, there will be a rally on the steps of City Hall in support of a bill that would require all businesses to offer employees a certain amount of paid sick leave each year.

1. Whether the businesses can afford to or not...

2. Whether it ends up reducing the number of overall minority & women owned businesses...

3. Irregardless if the net result is that less people are hired or even more people are laid off...

4. Despite according to the Daily News report that says NYS incomes drop for the first time in 70 years and residents loss $908 billion (with a "B") in income...

5. Despite the fact that ALMOST NONE of these individuals have ever held a private sector job or ran their own business and are nothing more than career politicians...

And before all the bleeding hearts come out of the wood work with crutch in hand and sob story on their soapbox, the majority of the businesses that this legislation affects are the mom & pop stores, your local diner, the corner newstand, and your neighborhood store, not the corporations, frachises, and other large business, which the vast majority already offer sick leave BECAUSE THEY CAN AFFORD IT!!

While these political parasites think is a good idea, it is starting to sound like a greek tragedy for the rest of us...

Guywithacause said...

Anonymous how can you be against allowing people to have sick time? I understand that most companies have sick time, but what about the employees who work in places that do not have sick time? I am all for government staying out of the private sector, but when you have companies that don't allow, or rather penalize/fire employees because they get sick, we have a problem and the government is forced to step in because companies don't do the right thing.

Furthermore, this is not a job-killing idea so please don't hijack that for your warped agenda. If you have a business, your employees are human beings and get sick/their kids/parents get sick, and should receive sick time and not get fired/penalized for it.

If your business cannot handle allocating 5 sick days (or whatever it is) to their employees per year, then they either have their priorities wrong, will be going out of business shortly anyway, or too much greed at the top (or some combination of the above).

Anyone against paid sick leave, or vacation time, is no friend of mine and should not have a voice in our society. Take it to the third world...America does not need that here.

It is very telling that your interest rests solely with companies: "the majority of the businesses that this legislation affects are the mom & pop stores, your local diner, the corner newstand, and your neighborhood store". HOWEVER you ignore the fact that this legislation AFFECTS WORKERS...why was that not addressed in your rant? This is not anti-business, this is pro-worker/human being...but you ignore the employee and only complain about the effect on business.

This mentality from business owners is why government must step in...you did it to yourself. I hope your kids receive better treatment from their employers than you show your own employees.

keana jones said...

Rubencito was waiting for the right amount of graft...don't be fooled...he wasn't for the people, he was for the MONEY. When Related wouldn't play nice with the BBP, Related said bye-bye. So folks voted down the armory for the sake of a living wage??? LOL. Thats not what happens behind the scenes. LOL.

Losing the armory was a BAD business decision. Living wage aside, PEOPLE NEED JOBS. Sick days and vacation time are a no brainer...you want your business to thrive? you want the loyalty of your employees? BE GOOD TO YOUR EMPLOYEES!!! Duh!!!

Ruben is a lying scumbag just like his Papa. Ever watch him "speak" to the "people"? He tries in earnest to shuck and jive and show he is "down" convincing the poorest of the poor that he is the man for the job. Its all bullsh**!!! He is ineffective, incompetent and in it for himself only.

We could have had a TRADER JOE's...a PERMANENT FARMERS MARKET...a MOVIE THEATRE...a GYM...a few CLOTHING STORES...I would have liked to see a West Elm or Anthropology or Crate and Barrel 2 but thats wishful thinking...a couple of boutiques and shops for local artists and designers perhaps...INSTEAD WE HAVE AN EMPTY BUILDING...

I'm voting Republican this year because our local Democrats are a$$holes who are just in the game to make a six figure salary off the now non working poor.

Guywithacause said...

Keana I absolutely agree that the reason the Armory deal was killed was not really for the living wage agreement. I am sure it was because of something that BPP did not get behind the scenes. Related did not cave to whatever extortion game he played, so he put pressure with the living wage BS and Related said bye bye.

Anyone that interacts with him knows he is simply a Democratic lapdog, and he was ushered in to office precisely for that reason. There is little substance and all fluff, and as usual, it is our borough that will suffer.

The idea that he actually wants/needs to hold a meeting with businesses about jobs in the borough is so sad and pathetic. He is simply playing more games/dog and pony show, with the borough losing again and again. Wonder why we are falling further and further behind the other 4 borough? Now you know.

Thanks Rubencito!