BRONX TIMES REPORTER, DECEMBER 28 42 -JANIARY 3, 2019 BTR
FINAL RESPECTS TO P.O. HARDY
BY GENE DEFRANCIS
We wish everyone a healthy
and happy New Year and hope
everyone was able to celebrate
Christmas with those they
love.
We here at the Allerton
International Merchants Association
had an interesting
and productive year. It may
go down as the turning point
for this organization. We won
some key battles and hit some
bumps in the road too.
We branched out and
helped more merchants in
our surrounding area that
did not have representation.
New members stepped up to
the plate and made life easier
and the projects go much
smoother.
Our Annual International
Food Festival was a great success.
The best one to date and
getting even better.
The new NCO program is
really making a difference
here in Allerton and our relationship
with our 49th Precinct
is a model of how police
and community should and
can work together.
We thank our elected offi -
cials for their open and honest
communication and their
trust in our organization. I
know it’s diffi cult for some to
hear honest and politician in
the same sentence but it’s true
that we have very good politicians
that go to bat for us day
in and day out. Allerton is not
at 100 percent yet, this is true.
Some are getting concerned
with all they hear in the local
media. Again, I remind everyone
that this is a tree shaking
moment. It may get loud and
messy but in the end Allerton
is a community you will be
proud to raise a family in.
Our Councilman Ritchie
Torres has been working hard
for us on many issues but
namely we have been assisting
as best we can on NYCHA
reform. I believe 2019 will be
the year residents of NYCHA
get treated with the respect
they deserve.
Councilman Mark Gjonaj
has also fought hard for our
community and we are by his
side in his fi ght for the Bronx
receiving a Fair Share. Because
our housing is the most
affordable in the city, we are
getting overloaded with city
programs designed to help
those in need. The problem
with this is if you become
saturated with homeless shelters
and rehab centers you
can’t provide the care that is
needed. If you are born in the
Bronx and went to school in
this county it’s our belief you
are our responsibility and we
must stand by each other. We
feel the other boroughs should
feel the same. We can have
nice things and not get priced
out of our homes. We can take
care of those in need and maintain
our quality of life if it is at
a manageable level.
Our Senator Jamal Bailey
has been a great friend to Allerton.
Fighting for education
and criminal justice reform
with a level head and open
heart. We must make sure that
our education system is not
the same as a prison system.
Where kids can go to school
feeling safe and respected.
And we should do more to
make sure that those who pay
their debt to society are giving
some tools to get out of the
negative revolving door. Some
criminals likely can not be reformed
but with a little light
and positivity many can. We
should do what is possible to
save these souls.
Our newly elected Senatorelect
Alessandra Biaggi is going
to be a welcomed addition
to our community. New and exciting
energy of someone who
is intelligent and compassionate
is just what this neighborhood
needs. In our meetings
with her this year we ran the
gauntlet of what Albany can
do better to protect small businesses.
Protecting our tenants
and our home owners. She is
also committed to joining the
fi ght on education reform.
Also newly elected Assemblywoman
Nathalia Fernandez
has been everywhere and
still available when every she
is called. The quality of life in
our community and the morale
of our community has
been held at a high standard.
She joins our belief that we
won’t settle for less and she
has kept her promise to fi ght
for this community.
We congratulate Leticia
James on becoming Attorney
General and will greet the new
Public Advocate when elected.
Declaring his candidacy already
we wish Assemblyman
Michael Blake must success in
his campaign. There are many
who declared but Michael has
been a friend to this community
for some time now. Even
though he is just outside of our
district he has always been a
phone call away, ready and
willing to help the entire borough.
He was made for this position.
We know him well and
trust him with this responsibility.
Of course listen to the other
candidates and look forward
to meeting with them and
hearing their platform. A
Public Advocate that cares
for the Bronx is best for business
in the Bronx.
Our Comptroller has been
the best the Bronx has seen.
Comptroller Scott Stringer’s
offi ce has gone above and beyond.
And I can’t remember
a past Comptroller that even
visited the Bronx, let alone
Allerton. He has not just visited
our community once or
twice, he’s a phone call away
and has been a regular on
our street. He comes because
he respects this community
and cares what we think. Not
only does he listen but on
countless occasions has put
into action and accomplished
great things for our schools,
our businesses, and our residents.
Just my personal observation
but I don’t see him as
Comptroller for much longer.
He works hard and his staff is
amazing so we are excited to
see what the future holds for
him and what he does next for
our great city.
Small Business is the spine
of a healthy community. If you
have a thriving shopping corridor
that hires locally and
maintains its store and storefront
you have something invaluable.
And all politics is
local. A strong local contingent
of diverse intelligence in
public offi ce for us will lead
to a stronger, healthier, and
more vibrant community. We
are getting there day by day.
There are set backs but the
overall progress is undeniable
and with the group of names
in offi ce I listed above, 2019
is on track to be the best year
yet.
We ask that if you move to
Allerton, plan to stay. The fi ght
continues but when you have
a revolving door of residents
it’s more diffi cult to maintain
communication. We ask that
if you move to Allerton you respect
the residents that have
lived here before. That is why
our group consists of members
who have lived in Allerton for
decades and generations. That
does not mean we do not welcome
new residents. Quite the
opposite. If you are new to Allerton
we highly encourage
you to attend our meetings.
This way you can feel a sense
of community and that you belong.
On social media this week
it was asked do we support
diversity in the community.
International is literally our
Police Benevolent Association police offi cers, members and board
offi cers offered a fi nal salute to 9/11 hero police offi cer Leslie Hardy
at Granby’s Funeral Service on Monday, December 17. Hardy served
at the 32nd Precinct and recently passed away from a 9/11-related
illness. Photo by Edwin Soto
middle name. When we named
this organization we had a
conscious goal to celebrate our
strength which was our diversity.
Allerton is the most diverse
community in the Bronx
and we treasure this fact. Because
we all come together,
not necessarily in a ‘Kumbaya’
moment, but in a real
Bronx working class mentality
that respect is giving when
received. We also know wrong
is wrong no matter what your
background is. Our homeowners
are diverse. Our store owners
are diverse. And they work
well together and won’t be disrespected.
They are a tremendous
force when they all stand
together.
We can have nice things on
Allerton. And as long as we
stick together as a community
no one from other neighborhoods
will dictate what is best
for our community. As long
as we stick together our residents
and homeowners won’t
be pushed out. Our stores will
thrive.
Remember, the fi rst Tuesday
is New Year’s Day in January
so our next executive
meeting will be January 8 at
the beautiful Sanz Banquet
Hall, 815 Allerton. Doors will
open at 7 p.m. and meeting
will begin 7:30 p.m. We will
discuss the upcoming anniversary
celebration and the
2019 holiday light design and
plan. Two things we will be
improving because I was not
satisfi ed with either for 2018.
We tried something new, but it
did not perform to its full potential.
The anniversary celebration
will not be an after
thought this year but a crown
jewel of Allerton gatherings.
And for 2019 we will restore
the lights to every block again.
We unfortunately had to take
a step back in order to move
forward bigger and brighter
for next year.
On a fi nal note, the conversation
to develop a business
improvement district is
suspended and we will not be
working with any organizations
other than SBS if we decide
to resume these conversations
in the future.
The managing organization
had one simple goal - to
educate our members on the
benefi ts of the BID and make
them comfortable with the decision.
They decided it was best to
maneuver around those who
were not comfortable with
the BID and seek the needed
votes. That is not how we do
things here. The members
who have contributed and
worked hard to help improve
Allerton won’t be ignored and
put second to those property
owners that have no compassion
for this neighborhood
other than to profi t from it.
These are property owners
and businesses that have not
even contributed a dollar to
one of our events. This organization
and its members will
not be ignored. They have
concerns. Those concerns
were not addressed properly.
Trust broken. Confi dence
lost. Therefor the discussion
is over. Allerton will not at
this time entertain the conversation
of a BID and any
further meetings regarding
a BID without our group’s approval
will be met with strong
opposition.
Community work doesn’t
rest. Even on Christmas. If
you have a Christmas wish
send it to us AllertonMerchants@
gmail.com.
Tell all our friends and
neighbors if they want to stay
in tuned to what’s going on in
the community subscribe to
the Bronx Times Reporter and
get all the updates in our articles.
You can also be kept up
to date on our Facebook page
Allerton International Merchants
Association Inc. Help
us spread the word and stay
involved.
Your community is your
business.
link
link
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