Thomas K. Duane's Blog entries

On May 3, I joined New York State Senator Daniel Squadron, U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, New York City Councilmember Margaret Chin, and Independence Plaza North (IPN) residents to call on the New York State Court of Appeals to give IPN tenants permission to appeal a New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division decision that jeopardizes not only IPN residents but tens of thousands of other tenants living in buildings that receive New York City J-51 tax benefits. 

On May 1, I joined my colleagues in the Senate Democratic Conference and good government groups at a press conference urging action on the 2012 Campaign Finance Reform Act (S.3584B), which would provide a comprehensive yet balanced approach to the public financing of political campaigns in New York State.  Specifically, the bill strikes a balance that would allow challengers and incumbents to compete fairly while capping the amount of public funds that could be expended.

Megabus, the low-cost, inter-city bus service, which currently maintains a fleet of buses that park on and travel through Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea streets, has caused many quality of life concerns that I have been working with my colleagues in government, Community Board staff and members, and neighborhood activists to address.  I recently became aware of a study commissioned by Adirondack Transit Lines, with information provided by the New York State Police, that indicates Megabus’ double-decker buses may very well not be in compliance with city, state and federal weight limits for tandem axel vehicles.  As a result, I spearheaded a joint letter from your local elected officials bringing this matter to the attention of New York State Department of Transportation Com

I am extremely pleased that in concert with the St. Vincent’s redevelopment package, the New York City Department of Education has committed to enter into an agreement with New York State to purchase 75 Morton Street for use as a much needed public school.  After many years of concerted advocacy by parents, community members and elected officials, I believe this agreement is an important step towards ensuring that there is sufficient school space to provide quality public education to Greenwich Village’s children in the future.  I want to thank City Council Speaker Christine Quinn as well as Ann Kjellberg, Irene Kaufman and all the members of the Public School Parents Advocacy Committee, U.S.

On March 10, I joined New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Ray Kelly, U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler, New York City Council Member Rosie Mendez, representatives of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and Madison Square Park Conservancy, as well as the husband and 12-year-old daughter of NYPD Officer Moira Smith at a ceremony dedicating the playground at Madison Square Park in her honor. 

As a longtime supporter of reforms to our transportation infrastructure that improve safety and convenience for all users, I am pleased that the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) is moving forward with plans to establish a Bike Share network.  I am also gratified that the agency has proactively consulted communities Citywide as it identifies sites for bike stations, and has given special consideration to the needs of New Yorkers with disabilities. 

On February 11, I joined Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Community Action Alliance on NYU 2031, Greenwich Village Block Associations, and Friends of LaGuardia Place for a rally to preserve the Village and in opposition to NYU’s 2031 plan to add nearly two and a half million square feet of campus space on its two superblocks south of Washington Square Park.

After a number of Upper West Side parents expressed concern that Extell Development Company’s plans to sell two parcels of Riverside Center might delay the opening of the development’s new school, my office reached out to the company to request clarification.  Below please find a response from Extell’s Vice President, Donna Gargano.  If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Jared Chausow in my office and he will relay them.  Ms. Gargano’s response is reprinted below:“Thank you for your inquiry on the status of Riverside Center and the school that is being developed in Building 2 (the building at the southwest corner of West End Avenue and West 61st Street). 

On Saturday, January 21, I joined U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney, New York State Assembly Members Micah Kellner, Dan Quart, and Aravella Simotas, New York City Councilmember Jessica Lappin, Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union, and Fabiola Carrión of Planned Parenthood of New York City in a news conference at City Hall to call attention to alarming legislative proposals from Congressional Republicans that would severely restrict women’s access to birth control  and reproductive healthcare.  I have always strongly believed that reproductive health is a fundamental and integral part of comprehensive care.  For the past thirty-nine years, Roe v.