Politics

On the Bronx Campaign Trail: Cohen Greets Commuters in Bedford Park, Talks About Job with Espada

Early morning commuters rushing through the 4 train’s Bedford Park Boulevard station were greeted Wednesday by a man in a blue button-up shirt who approached them with an outstretched hand and a smile. “How are you? I’m Andrew Cohen, I’m a Democrat running for City Council,” said the candidate, one of three in the running for the 11th District City Council seat which represents the areas of Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Park, Norwood, Bedford Park, Wakefield, Woodlawn, and part of Kingsbridge Heights.

Thursday Night: 11th Council District Debate!

The three Democratic candidates vying to replace term-limited 11th District Councilman Oliver Koppell have all confirmed their participation in a debate on Thursday night, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sister Annunciata Bethel Senior Center (also known as the Bedford Park Senior Center), 243 E. 204th St.

District 16 City Council Candidates Come Together Tonight for Debate on Hunger and Poverty

District 16 City Council candidates Vanessa Gibson, Pedro Alvarez, Naaimat Muhammed, Daryl Johnson, Bola Omotosho, and Carlos Sierra will be at the Food Bank Forum on Hunger and Poverty. The forum will be held tonight, Wednesday, July 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Muslim Women’s Institute for Research and Development, P.S. 11 Highbridge, 1257 Ogden Ave. The forum is the second in a series of seven City Council and Borough President candidate forums as part of the Food Bank’s 2013 Candidate Forum Series on Hunger and Poverty. The series will run through late August in each of the five boroughs. For more information, please visit foodbanknyc.org. For the full forum schedule, visit foodbank.org/forum.

15th Council District Forum Tonight at Bronx Library Center

The Mary Mitchell Center, Bronx Health Reach and the League of Conservation Voters are co-sponsoring a forum for candidates of the 15th Council District tonight, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Bronx Library Center, 310 E. Kingsbridge Rd. The 15th Council District, currently represented by Joel Rivera, includes the neighborhoods of Fordham-Bedford, Fordham, West Farms, Tremont and Crotona. There’s at least a half dozen candidates vying to replace Rivera, so this will be a good opportunity to find who’s who and what they stand for.

New Budget Pleases Bronx Council Members

Bronx Council members are pleased with the finalized budget for the next fiscal year which was announced last week. The $70 billion budget includes no tax increases and will restore hundreds of millions of dollars in planned cuts to public housing, libraries, and after-school programs.

City Council Votes for More Oversight of Police Department

The City Council convened in the middle of the night three weeks ago to vote on a crowded agenda of issues, including the adoption of two bills under the Community Safety Act. While the bills passed easily, Mayor Bloomberg has vowed to veto them, saying they will undermine the police department’s ability to keep the city safe.

Candidate Building Support for Vacant 86th Assembly Seat in the Bronx

Victor Pichardo claims he does not want to be a politician. While campaigning, the 28-year-old candidate for State Assembly in the 86th District of the Bronx has been making it his mission to be seen as a public servant instead of a politician. “I see the people who live in my district as my bosses,” he explains.

Debate Tonight for the Bronx District 11 Council Seat at Lehman College

The Bronx Journal Radio and DIALOG: A Campus Forum will be hosting a live debate for the City Council Seat District 11 tonight at 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) at Lovinger Theater on the Lehman College campus (250 Bedford Park Blvd.). Michael Serrano of DIALOG will be the moderator for the debate. All of the candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant council seat will be in attendance including Cheryl Keeling, Cliff Stanton, and Andrew Cohen. The debate topics include public safety, education, environmental concerns, and the local economy. The primary elections will be held on September 3.