From the desk of the Northwest Bronx Democrats
Northwest Bronx Politics
By Anthony Rivieccio, founder of NWBx Dems
Starting on Fordham, the Bronx Women’s Business Resource Center just lost their not-for-profit tax status after three years of not filing their business taxes. This was a subchapter of the Hunts Point Economic Resource Center. Looks like good people like Marcia Cameron got out in the nick of time! She recently took the new Executive Position at Montefiore Preservation Corporation, the nonprofit arm of Montefiore Medical Center.
Speaking of Marcia and Montefiore Preservation Corporation, many good and not so good things are happening.
Montefiore Preservation Corporation has done a great job reconnecting the establishments between old organizations, like Friends of Williamsbridge Oval, with new organizations, like Friends of Mosholu Parkland. In the last several months, they have tag teamed on many events, from an Easter Egg Hunt to Summer Movies in the park. This includes a presentations of the movie Grease at Williamsbridge Oval, 8 p.m. on July 30th (that’s my birthday; everyone is free to wish me a Happy Birthday on the NWBxDems Facebook page).
On the industrial end, Montefiore Preservation Corporation has just created a new merchant association called Webster Avenue Merchants and have connected Kingsbridge Merchants and 204th Bainbridge Merchants.
This combination will make their Business Improvement District (BID) bigger! Montefiore Preservation Corporation want to also combine the Jerome Gun Hill BID with Webster and 204th Bainbridge Merchants to create a GIANT BID. While research was being created to name this new shell the “Norwood BID”, most residents are suggesting that the shell should be called “Mosholu BID”.
The bad news: 204th Bainbridge Merchants, which have expressed many of the same concerns for the last 25 years. Many of the concerns are about not being treated with proper respect and threatened with lack of resources. Due to all of this, they want to continue to stay independent, free of any other nonprofit activity, and do not want to join this new BID. In our opinion, however, resources like holiday lights will now be harder to achieve.
Hey Bronx, “Kappy” is back! But he won’t be on the west side any longer.
As the Norwood News reports, he’s gone over to “the dark side”. Robert Kappsteader, former political writer for the New York Daily News and The Bronx Times, is now working in politics for Assemblyman Luis Supevelda.
The Committee of 100 Democrats, committed to getting rid of 78th Assembly District Assemblyman Jose Rivera since 2010, is now hoping that the third time’s the charm. Chairman Ricardo Martinez is working with the political group Rising Voices in order to can get more judicial delegates in the district come September elections. The Assemblyman has vowed that there will be consequences if there is any “hanky panky” this time. There has been whispers that Ricky will be working again with Belmont native Jose Padilla.
While we wish both parties the best of luck, let me put our thoughts this way: there is a construction company on Fordham Road called “Padilla Construction” that probably has a better shot of getting their employees elected as delegates than being able to dethrone Assemblyman Rivera’s delegates.
The Delegate to Judicial Convention for the 78th Assembly District is as follows:
Ricky Martinez group:
Democratic Jose Alvarez
Democratic Juaquin Sepulveda
Democratic Maritza Martinez
Democratic John Figueroa
Jose Rivera group:
Democratic Nilda Velazquez
Democratic Kenneth G. Agosto
Democratic Ivan Figueroa
Democratic Nereida Medina
Anthony Rivieccio is a long-time northwest Bronx resident and business owner. He was President of the 204th St/Bainbridge Ave Merchant Association, Committee of 100 Democrats, former member of Community Board 7, and Founder of both the North Bronx Thinktank and the Northwest Bronx Democrats.
Anthony is a published columnist and has written for distingued newspapers like: The Norwood News, The Riverdale Press, The Bronx News, Parkchester News, The Bronx Times and this newspaper.
Follow Us