Colton calls for update of parking signs which incorrectly instruct motorists to deposit coins in street meters on Sundays.

Assemblyman Colton toured busy shopping streets near places of worship in his district and discovered many such erroneous parking signs. Despite the city’s ban on Sunday parking meters that became effective October of 2005, thousands of incorrect signs were still standing across the entire city. This is misleading to hardworking people, permitting the city to unfairly fill its coffers on Sundays.

COLTON DELIVERS TAX RELIEF FOR
NEW YORK FAMILIES

Assemblyman Colton helped pass a budget that provided tax relief for New York’s hardworking middle class families. The various forms of tax relief range from axing the state sales tax on clothing and footwear priced under $110, to implementing a child tax credit of $330 for each child between the ages of 4 and 17 for every family in the state, to providing property tax relief by increasing the STAR property tax rebate and the personal income tax credit of $115 for single filers and $230 for joint filers, bringing total savings for New York City residents to $1.1 billion annually. “I am proud to have helped push through these tax relief initiatives. We must continue to push for further relief to put more money in the pockets of New York’s hardworking taxpayers,” asserted Colton.

Assemblyman Colton is continuing his fight against a waste transfer station, even though the NYC Council unfortunately voted to approve it. The Assemblyman, insisting that a waste transfer facility will wreak havoc on our health and quality of life, reached out to Colonel Richard J. Polo, Jr., the chief New York District Engineer of the Army Corps of Engineers. The proposed Bensonhurst waste transfer station is part of a citywide waste management plan proposed by the City of New York. Colton, however, refuses to yield an inch and now has gathered information to use in the fight against the flawed waste plan.

Assemblyman Colton and residents rally against Waste Station.

COLTON DEMANDS ANSWERS TO EFFECT ON WATER QUALITY

Colton questioned whether the Army Corps of Engineers tested the waters in Gravesend Bay, adjacent to the old incinerator site, following the demolition of the old Southwest Brooklyn incinerator. The Assemblyman believes that contaminants still exist at the old incinerator site. The Army Corps has conceded that it has not tested the water in Gravesend Bay since the dismantling of the incinerator. To carry out its flawed plan, the city plans to dredge the bottom of Gravesend Bay to allow barges to travel easily to load the waste.

COLTON WARNS OF SERIOUS THREATS FROM WASTE STATION

Assemblyman Colton has learned that before the city can dredge the bottom of Gravesend Bay, it must seek permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Since the waters have not been tested by the Army Corps, coupled with the fact that the city plans to dredge at the very same location, the Bensonhurst/Gravesend lawmaker is warning city, state, and federal officials that potentially harmful contaminants at the bottom of Gravesend Bay may get stirred up during the dredging process and float out to adjacent waters, which include Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach. This would result in serious health, wildlife, environmental, and economic consequences.

COLTON WORKS TO MOBILIZE COMMUNITY AWARENESS

Colton and his anti-waste station task force, co-chaired by experienced community leaders Jeanette Givant and Charles Ragusa, are demanding the waters be immediately tested and that the city government revise its flawed waste plan. The task force has and will continue to hold town hall meetings to inform community residents with the latest developments concerning the waste station as well as its relentless efforts to stop the approval of the city’s proposed waste facility in our community. Colton is demanding that a public hearing by the Department of Environmental Conservation be held in the neighborhood before any permit is considered by the State.

Last year the City Planning Department approved a rezoning plan for half of Bensonhurst and Gravesend, which sought to protect neighborhoods that have fallen victim to greedy developers constructing monstrosities in the middle of low-rise blocks. However, Colton is warning city officials of the danger of acting too slowly, by rezoning neighborhoods after the damage has already been done. “We need to see immediate zoning changes for neighborhoods west of Stillwell Avenue, along Bay Parkway, and the Bay Streets before their character and quality of life become permanently tarnished,” asserted Colton. New zoning changes would force developers to comply with building regulations to keep a neighborhood’s character intact.

Assemblyman Colton and Lorraine Lapetina, Quality of Life President with approved downzoning map.

AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN AGAINST OVERDEVELOPMENT

Not content with the successful rezoning plan for half the neighborhoods in Bensonhurst and Gravesend, Assemblyman Colton has initiated an aggressive community-wide anti-overdevelopment campaign to demand the New York City Planning Department follow through on its commitment to expanding sensible zoning throughout all of Bensonhurst and Gravesend.

ANTI-OVERDEVELOPMENT SIGNS AVAILABLE AT COLTON’S OFFICE

Colton has called upon City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden to complete the rezoning effort and is urging community residents to place signs in their windows boldly declaring “Overdevelopment Must End. . .This House is Not for Sale.” The signs, Colton notes, aim to highlight a troubling trend whereby developers seek out one and two family homes, demolish and replace them with high-rise developments that tear apart a neighborhood’s quality of life. The signs act as a deterrent, showing community unity to greedy developers signifying that residents support keeping their neighborhood’s character. Signs are available at Assemblyman Colton’s community office at 211 Kings Highway.

STRICTER ENFORCEMENT OF BUILDING SAFETY CODES

Aside from destroying a neighborhood’s character, the Assemblyman has asserted to officials that sewer systems, pipelines, and other vital infrastructure were not built to sustain the spurt of high-rise buildings. In addition, many developers disregard building safety codes, placing residents near the property in harm’s way. Too many instances have surfaced where neighbors of development projects discover damage done to their property. Colton and community groups are demanding strengthening enforcement by the Buildings Department by hiring additional building inspectors and stiffening penalties for developers that break the law.

COLTON SETS HIGH EXPECTATIONS
FOR LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL

Two years ago, Assemblyman Colton had the courage to sound the alarm about the deterioration of Lafayette High School.

Assemblyman Colton has high expectations for Lafayette High School.

COLTON CALLED FOR CHANGE

After a series of violent incidents, which ended with a Lafayette student being sent to a hospital as a result of an assault, Colton immediately flew into action.

Colton released statistical evidence documenting the school’s decline and demanded action to restore excellence at Lafayette.

COLTON DEMANDED BETTER SCHOOL SECURITY

After meeting with teachers, students, and community residents, Colton outlined a plan for establishing increased security in the school and implementing substantial educational changes. While others chose to ignore the problem, Colton proclaimed that we must ensure a safe and sound educational environment at Lafayette.

NEW CHANGES BRING REAL PROGRESS

Following the unrelenting efforts by Colton, education officials recognized substantial changes were needed at Lafayette.

In the spring of 2005, Lafayette was designated an impact school, providing extra police to secure the safety of children, teachers, and residents.

In the fall of 2005, a new administration was appointed and innovative changes to improve Lafayette were implemented.

PROGRESS CONTINUES

Testing in January 2006 showed strong gains in Math and English Regents scores.

In March 2006, a successful multi-cultural talent show, performed by Lafayette’s students, highlighted the school’s new sense of pride and reason for hope.

In April 2006, statistics showed violent incidents declined by 74% permitting Lafayette to be removed from the list of Impact Schools.

Assemblyman Colton stated, “I have fought to restore excellence to Lafayette High School and I will continue to monitor the school’s progress to attain this goal. I expect that all parts of the Lafayette School family will work together to achieve this goal!”