1.16.18 – Questions re: Felder’s op-ed on Right to Know Act submitted for 2nd time

On 1.16.18, JVS submitted for the second time the below questions concerning a Dec. 21 op-ed Mr. Felder wrote for The Yeshiva World against the Right to Know Act, passed last year by the New York City Council. The questions were co-signed by 43 NYSD 17 for Progress members.

The questions were submitted for the first time on Dec. 26, 2017, when they were co-signed by 8 members of NYSD 17. However, as of 1.16.18, a response from Mr. Felder’s office had not been received.

The text of JVS’s email – sent to Felder staffers Bryan Best and Rodney Powis, as well as Mr. Felder’s general email inbox – is below, along with a list of signatories. (Note: some last names have been redacted for privacy.)

Dear Mr. Powis and Mr. Best,

My name is John V. Santore, and I’m a constituent at 602 39th Street.

On Dec. 26, I submitted the below public safety questions on behalf of several members of NYSD 17 for Progress. The questions were in response to Sen. Felder’s Dec. 21st op-ed in The Yeshiva World against the Right-to-Know Act.

I have followed up with your office several times since that submission, but we have yet to speak with a staffer. As such, please find below a re-submission of our questions, co-signed by 43 individuals. Can you please let us know when someone will be able to speak with us about these important matters?

Sincerely,
John
—

Dear State Sen. Felder,

We write to you as constituents who read your December op-ed in The Yeshiva World (link: http://bit.ly/2CMPqsm) against the Right to Know Act, passed in December by the New York City Council. Several elements of the piece caused us concern, and we’re hoping to learn more about your thinking regarding these key matters.

1) You wrote that, “Graffiti, petty street crimes and homelessness are only the beginning” of the city’s growing public safety problems.

We found it troubling that you seemed to list “homelessness” as a criminal matter to be addressed by the NYPD. Homelessness in NYC has indeed increased dramatically in recent years (link: http://bit.ly/1I9w4HH), but numerous homeless individuals work full-time jobs, while advocates link homelessness to a lack of affordable housing (link: http://bit.ly/1uCPVcG). A recent article in The Yeshiva World noted that you bought a homeless man a gift card to Dunkin’ Donuts on Thanksgiving (link: http://bit.ly/2EhjGIc). Did your piece really mean to portray homelessness as a crime?

2) You wrote that, “Despite some elected officials chirping about how safe NYC is, the truth is that since the outlaw of stop and frisk quality of life crimes have increased exponentially.”

a. According to NYPD crime statistics (link: http://on.nyc.gov/2CLAuKm), through Dec. 31, the precincts covering South Brooklyn saw five categories of major crime – burglary, felony assault, grand larceny, and car thefts – fall compared to the same period last year. Two categories increased slightly: there were two additional rapes (214 in 2017 vs. 212 in 2016) and two additional murders (53 vs. 51 in 2016).

b. The number of major crimes in South Brooklyn fell from 14,636 in 2016 to 13,845 in 2017, a decrease of 5.4 percent. More historically, the number of major crimes reported in South Brooklyn has fallen nearly 50 percent since 2001.

c. City-wide, through Dec. 31, major crime throughout NYC in 2017 was down 5.4 percent compared to 2016. And 2016 crime levels were 37.2 lower than in 2001.

Assuredly, crime remains an issue for New York residents, and even one crime is a crime too many. That said, based on the above statistics, we don’t see why you feel that “quality of life crimes have increased exponentially” in recent years. Can you explain why you believe this to be the case?

3) You wrote that with the Right to Know Act, the City Council aims “to obliterate any remaining authority our officers still have,” adding that the legislation is part of a “constant chipping away at the authority of the police creates an atmosphere of anxiety around proactive policing.”

Can you explain why you believe the social and practical authority of the NYPD has been reduced in recent years, and what specifically leads you to believe this? We would note that later in the article, you described the NYPD as “a world class department.”

We are eager to receive your thoughts on these important matters.

Sincerely,
NYSD 17 for Progress

Signed:
Madelyn —
Jessica Byrne
Colin —
Naomi A. Rabeeya
Leah —
Ben Theodore
Natasha —
David Goldberg
Daniel —
Meg —
Gerald Cook
Nina —
Mary —
Philippa —
Maria —
William —
John V. Santore
Victoria —
Eric —
Sam —
Lena —
David Goldberg
Ellen Bilofsky
Julio Pena
Cara —
Gilly —
Jeffrey —
Noreen —
Samuel —
Sarah —
Helen —
Robin —
Andrea —
Dorothy —
Dave —
Colleen —
Eleanor Whitney
Sheldon —
Isobel —
Vinit —
Aaron Wexler
M. —
Ann —

— Posted on 1.16.18 by JVS