Paul Newell

As I’m sure you’ve noticed from the constant stream of debates and shallow news coverage, we are again in presidential election year.  One in which a great deal hangs in the balance, and will not be easily won.

I believe President Barack Obama has earned our help, and that he will need it.  While we don’t expect New York to be a major battleground, there’s a lot we can do from here.  And the time to start is now.

So we’re rebooting Downtown East for Obama, our local branch of the campaign, tonight.  We’ll have some staff from the campaign explain strategy, and then break out into small groups to start getting things done.  I’ll be facilitating one of the groups.  We’ll also find time to catch up with old and new friends.  So please join me tonight at 6PM.  Details below.

2012 Downtown East for Obama Launch

Tonight, Thursday February 2, 2012

6:00 – 9:00 PM

Drom – 85 Avenue A

Between E. 5th and E. 6th Streets (MAP)

RSVP at https://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gppzdz or on the Facebook Event.

Looking forward to seeing you there.  Thank you.

The draft legislative districts released yesterday by LATFOR (NY Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment) are deeply disappointing.  In both process and product, the lines fail to serve the interests of New Yorkers.

Every 10 years, districts must be redrawn to comply with the decennial census.  By far the best way to do this is through independent, nonpartisan redistricting.  In the LATFOR map, we see again why.  Both the Senate and Assembly maps have been extravagantly gerrymandered to favor political parties and incumbent politicians with little or no concern for community representation.

This is undemocratic and unwise.  The Senate map is particularly egregious.  Statewide and locally, communities were spliced – weakening their representation.  Bizarre almost non-contiguous districts snake along highways, bridges and rivers to protect or weaken certain politicians and communities.  You can see some of the worst districts at http://www.politickerny.com/2012/01/27/the-20-ugliest-gerrymandered-districts-2/.

Fortunately, Governor Andrew Cuomo has already promised to veto this gerrymandered map.  He should do so as soon as it is submitted to him.

In Lower Manhattan, the East Village, Greenwich Village, Soho and Tribeca have each been split into multiple Senate districts where previously they had been whole.  In the Assembly map, the insiders split the East Village between three districts, and Battery Park City between two.  Important parts of our community, such as Village View and Independence Plaza have been carved out from their surrounding community.

This map will weaken our community’s voice as we face major issues from education to transportation, the expansion of NYU and the loss of nursing homes and hospitals.  And our experience is repeated throughout the city and state.

Please contact Governor Cuomo at (518) 474-8390 or http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact/GovernorContactForm.php and ask him to keep his promise to veto this Albany insiders’ map.

You can also contact your Assemblymember at http://assembly.state.ny.us/ and your State Senator at http://www.nysenate.gov/ and ask them to revisit this map with an eye to impartiality and community cohesion.   In our neck of the woods, the best person to call is Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver at 212-312-1420.

Thank you.

Wishing you and your family the happiest of holidays and

a joyous, healthy and prosperous new year.

Peace,

Paul

Photo by Laura Goggin.

It appears that Mayor Bloomberg and NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly are planning to forcibly evict the Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zuccotti Park in the heart of Lower Manhattan.  This is unlawful, undemocratic and risks silencing what may be an important voice.

Please call Mayor Bloomberg right away at 311 (If you are outside of NYC right now, call 212.639.9675 instead.) and tell him not to kick the protesters out of Zuccotti Park.

The reason I have been so impressed with the Occupy Wall Street movement so far is that, for the first time in my memory, Americans are talking about economic inequality.  I do not agree with all of what is said and done at OWS.  Indeed, neither do most of the protesters. But in a country where 1% of the population controls 42% of the wealth and 80% of us control only 7% of the wealth this is a conversation we need to have.

I also know that for many of our neighbors, the OWS protests are one more quality of life burden for a community that has borne too many over the last 10 years.  I have spoken with many people at Occupy Wall Street and most are genuinely committed to being good neighbors.  There remains more work to be done there – the drumming in particular is an issue.  But this is not a reason to shut down political protests.

Lower Manhattan is a special community.  Part of why we love it is its symbolic power.  Let us celebrate that, and continue to work for justice.

Please call the Mayor at 311 or 212-639-9675 tonight.  Thank you.

All the best,

Paul

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P.S. – The Downtown Independent Democrats passed a resolution last week stating our neighborhood’s unique position on the Occupy Wall Street Movement.  It reads:

Resolution from the Downtown Independent Democrats on the Occupy Wall Street Movement:

Downtown Independent Democrats is the oldest and largest progressive Democratic organization in Lower Manhattan and has represented New York City’s Financial District for 40 years.  We have been committed to social justice and equality as well as to the general improvement of the quality of life of Lower Manhattan for that entire time.

In light of these two missions, the Downtown Independent Democrats:

•  Shares the Occupy Wall Street Movement’s grievances on the growing and unsustainable economic inequality in the United States.

•  Endorses Occupy Wall Street’s call for increased regulation and accountability for the financial services sector, including reinstatement of legislation similar to the Glass-Steagall Act.  The DID recognizes that a robust, dynamic, stable and well regulated financial services sector is essential to the life of our neighborhood, our city and our country.

•  Commends the OWS organizers for their outreach to community members on quality of life and noise concerns, while calling upon them to improve on this front especially in the area of drumming as well as to continue their engagement with our neighbors.

•  Recognizes the NYPD’s difficult and important role in maintaining public safety and calls upon them to use maximum restraint when dealing with non-violent political protest.

The people – united – will never be defeated.

Testimony of Paul Newell to

NYS Public Health and Health Planning Council

Committee on Establishment and Project Review

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Thank you Chairperson and Council members for this opportunity, and your service on this board.

My name is Paul Newell.  I testify before you today as steering committee member of The Coalition for a New Village Hospital.  At the previous hearing, you heard testimony from other Coalition Steering Committee Members, attorney Yetta Kurland Dr. David Kaufman.

In addition to my work with the Coalition, I am the elected Democratic District Leader for Lower Manhattan and a lifelong health activist in New York, in Southern Africa and elsewhere.

I am here to ask you to deny Lenox Hill’s petition for a 2-bed facility.  Ms Kurland and Dr. Kaufman have already testified extensively, so I will try briefly highlighting a few concerns.

1) The Community has repeatedly, emphatically and nearly unanimously expressed its opposition to this plan as mere window dressing for unwanted residential development.  While that aspect clearly falls outside your mandate, it would not serve New York well for this body to act as a facilitator of development as opposed to a guardian of public health.

Extremely serious legal concerns remain about the process and substance of this proposal.  An existing Certificate of Operations is still valid and in place. This council should hesitate long before invalidating a certificate for a full-service 700 bed hospital – one reaffirmed just 2 years ago – and replacing it with a 2-Bed urgent care center.

2) Serious medical and public health concerns remain as well.  Already, the applicants have severely misrepresented the services and capabilities of the proposed facility.  These representations themselves could prove a community health risk as residents, tourists and area workers may come to the facility for services it cannot provide.

No answer has yet been provided to the question of transfer time from this facility to full-service hospital and if that time complies with dictates law and good policy.

3) Viable alternatives – alternatives that include full service hospitals – are available.  Alternatives proposed by the community in conjunction with established, credible service providers.  These should be thoroughly vetted before such a serious diminution of healthcare is approved.

In short, there is a site, a structure and millions of dollars of medical infrastructure at the location of St. Vincent’s. There are revenue streams available from the federal government, especially given the strategic location of the hospital.  There are other funds that can be brought in to make a viable financial package.  A hospital, properly run, will not lose money.

Big changes are coming to the United State’s health care system. Over the next decade, the population of uninsured Americans will drop by 80 percent and billions of dollars in new revenue will come on line. These changes will add more pressure to our overtaxed infrastructure – and provide new financial resources. A new village hospital will play a vital role.

There are hospitals that are well-managed in our city, as well as competent managers that can run a new hospital if the DOH allows it.  The community has stated clearly that it opposes the proposed plan.  However, in the event the Council chooses not to reject this plan, we propose two potential compromises.

The actors in this plan have asserted that it would be cost prohibitive to build a hospital.  However, they are prepared to put forward an entire building and $125 million to build the urgent care center.  According to leading experts in hospital engineering, for the same or similar cost a smaller 200 to 300 bed hospital could be built.

Plan 1

Add two to four floors on the O’Toole building. This would resolve some of the community burden of the dramatic upzoning proposed for the other side of the street.  More importantly, this would provide ample space for a 200-300 bed hospital at this site – thereby fulfilling the obligation of this Council and this Department to the existing Certificate of Need, and the the health of New Yorkers.

Plan 2

Refurbish and repurpose the Coleman building on the East side of 7^th Avenue.  Refurbishing and existing medical facility is dramatically cheaper than building entirely new infrastructure.  A smaller, 200-bed hospital can be built at the site where one stood for 160 years for similar cost basis to what is proposed in the petition before you today.  This hospital could be financially viable – indeed profitable- in and of itself as well as freeing other lots for revenue producing uses.  This plan likewise would enable this Council to fulfill its obligations.

In Summary, the petition before you today faces overwhelming community opposition, violates both New York State law and common sense, is of questionable health benefit at best and may indeed be of net detriment to the health of New Yorkers.  It is the wrong plan for the site.  The Coalition for a New Village Hospital calls upon you to deny – or at the very least defer – this petition.

Thank you.

I am thrilled to report that I have been reelected as Downtown’s District Leader with 68% of the vote, and that I will be joined by Jenifer Rajkumar, who was elected with 70% of the vote.

In the neighboring district, progressive candidate John Scott upset a longtime incumbent to complete the sweep.

There are, of course, far too many people to thank.  But four people deserve special mention.

• Councilwoman Rosie Mendez is the Lower East Side’s most fearless advocate and her support was invaluable and a great honor.
• Former District Leader Adam Silvera is one of the most genuine, organic, committed community leaders I have ever met.  His work on our behalf, his cajoling of his neighbors, his great strategic mind were decisive, and are of incalculable value to progressive Democratic movement in New York.
• Downtown Independent Democrats, led by President Jeanne Wilcke, have proven they are Lower Manhattan’s finest reform Democratic organization.
• Finally, Jenifer Rajkumar is one of the hardest working, tenacious campaigners around.  I am tremendously proud to have run alongside her.  I know she will do great things for Lower Manhattan.

Thank you all for your votes, your work and your wishes.  I am humbled and honored by these results, and look forward to serving our neighborhoods and our party over the next two years.

Now that the campaigning is done, please reach out to me at Paul@NewellNYC.org  on any community issues.

All the best,

Paul

The Winning DID Team!

FIND YOUR POLL SITE HERE: http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm

I ran for District Leader two years ago to be an independent progressive voice for Lower Manhattan.  I believe I a fulfilled that pledge.  As District Leader I have co-founded and led the Coalition for a New Village Hospital to replace St. Vincent’s with a hospital serving downtowners regardless of ability to pay. I was also a prominent voice advocating for religious tolerance when our community board meetings were being invaded by the culture wars. I have been a fierce advocate for stronger rent laws for ALL New Yorkers. I am honored to have been endorsed by Borough President Scott Stringer, State Senator Daniel Squadron and Councilwoman Rosie Mendez.

District Leader has precious little actual power.  For it to positively impact our communities, the Leader has to be willing to use the small platform the position provides energetically, independently, passionately and consistently.

I believe I have done so, and I humbly ask for your vote on Tuesday.

Each district has two Democratic District Leaders, one male, one female. They should work together as a team to represent their community. To do so well requires commitment, dedication and hard work in to organizing and speaking up for our neighborhoods.  It is important that the two leaders share a vision of their community and how to improve it.

Jenifer Rajkumar not only shares my vision of a dynamic, diverse lower Manhattan, she is already a leader, and an inspiration to me and many in New York City’s progressive, reform Democratic movement.

Born and raised in New York, Jenifer is a tireless social justice attorney, with a long history of fighting for the excluded and voiceless. She was a lead advocate for health care for families in the recent federal health care reform bill. She helped litigate some of the largest gender and race discrimination class actions ever filed, and was the lead counsel for whistleblowers in lawsuits against corporate fraud.  She has fought for domestic violence survivors in our neighborhood, has advocated to save the South Street Seaport, and is a strong voice to keep our neighborhood’s firehouses open.  She founded W-Spin, an organization to catapult more women into government leadership positions world-wide.

Jenifer Rajkumar has the dynamism, energy and understanding that is vital right now. Lower Manhattan, and the New York Democratic Party need Jenifer’s voice.

Please join me in supporting Jenifer Rajkumar for Female Democratic District Leader for the 64th Assembly District Part C on Tuesday, September 13th.

Jenifer Rajkumar and I have been endorsed by: Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, Downtown Independent Democrats, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club (LGBT Rights), 504 Democratic Club (Disability Rights), The SoHo Alliance, District Leader Jean B. Grillo, Former District Leader Adam Silvera, Former District Leader Jim Stratton, Thomas Goodkind, John Scott, Jeanne Wilcke, PJ Kim, Alex Muwu Li, Michael Kramer, Darren Marks, Robert Lavalva, Tiffany Winbush, and many more.

FIND YOUR POLL SITE HERE: http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm

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Finally, since many on this email list do not live in my district (http://newellnyc.org/where-is-the-64th-district-part-c/), here in geographic order are my endorsements in other NYC elections tomorrow:

Male District Leader, 66th District, Part B: John Scott – Tribeca, Soho, Noho, North Battery Park, South Village, parts of the East Village.

John was organizing tenants and parents in lower Manhattan when I was still at P.S. 41.  He richly deserves your vote.

In Queens/ Brooklyn, for the 9th Congressional District: David Weprin,

In the Upper East Side, the 73rd Assembly District: Dan Quart

In Flushing, the 27th Assembly: Michael Simanowitz

In Chelsea/Hell’s Kitchen, for Civil Court Judge, 3rd Municipal Court: Tony Cannataro

In Bushwick and East New York, Brooklyn, for the 54th Assembly District: Jesus Gonzalez

In all of Brooklyn, for Civil Court Judge, Kings County: Cheryl Gonzales

Thank you,

Paul

I am honored to announce that Rosie Mendez, one of the NY City Council’s most fearless advocates for working and middle class New Yorkers, NYCHA residents, immigrants, the LGBT community and more on the Lower East Side and throughout New York has endorsed Jenifer Rajkumar and myself for Democratic District Leader.

Below is her endorsement letter:

Councilmember Rosie Mendez

September 2011

Dear Neighbor,

Your vote on Tuesday, September 13^th in the Democratic Primary is a very important one.  That’s why I ask you to join me in supporting Jenifer Rajkumar and Paul Newell for Female and Male District Leaders.

It is important to my work in the City Council to have District Leaders who share my vision for our neighborhoods –including affordable housing, full funding for NYCHA, quality public schools for all our children and the guarantee of civil rights for all New Yorkers.

Jenifer Rajkumar is a social justice attorney who has fought tirelessly for the excluded and voiceless at the National Women’s Law Center and at the ACLU.  She was a lead advocate for women’s health care in the recent federal health care reform bill.  In our neighborhood, she has fought for the rights of domestic violence survivors and to keep our neighborhood’s firehouses open.  In addition to her civil rights and community work, Jenifer is the founder of W-Spin, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote women into government leadership positions world-wide.

Jenifer Rajkumar has the dynamism, energy and understanding that we need right now.  Please elect Jenifer as Female District Leader.

Paul Newell was first elected Democratic District Leader in 2009.  Born and raised in the Village and Lower East Side, Paul has quickly become one of Manhattan’s most active District Leaders.  As  a longtime health activist, Paul is on the Steering Committee of the Coalition for a New Village Hospital and is leading the fight to get a new hospital at the site of the old St. Vincent’s.  Paul was also a founding member of New York Neighbors for American Values – a coalition dedicated to preserving diversity and religious tolerance in our neighborhoods. Paul built an organization that brings HIV education to over 40,000 children in New York and Southern Africa.

One of the most independent minded District Leaders, Paul has never been afraid to stand up for our neighborhoods.  Please re-elect Paul as Male District Leader.

Jenifer and Paul have also been endorsed by former District Leader Adam Silvera, my Co-District Leader Anthony Feliciano, the Downtown Independent Democrats, 504 Democratic Club (for Disability Rights), The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club (for LGBT rights), and many more.

Please join me in electing Jenifer Rajkumar and re-electing Paul Newell on Tuesday, September 13th.

Sincerely,

Rosie Mendez

Please Don’t forget to Vote for Jenifer Rajkumar and Paul Newell

for Female and Male Democratic District Leaders!

This Tuesday, September 13th, 2011.

Find your polling site here: http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm

This weekend will be a difficult one for our neighborhood, our city and our country.  You do not need me to tell you so.

Below is some information on commemorative events, as well as the detail on the significant traffic and transit changes to expect.

All the best,

Paul

1)New York Neighbors Vigil is going ahead as planned

TONIGHT, Thursday, September 8th.  7:00pm – 9:00pm Corner of Church and Park Place, Manhattan

NY Neighbors for American Values, a group I helped start as our neighborhood became a front in the culture wars, is holding its 2nd annual candle light vigil again today as planned.

The vigil welcomes New Yorkers and visitors of all backgrounds who want to reflect on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 in a way that celebrates the diversity and vibrancy of New York. NYNAV is a coalition of organizations and individuals that works to promote the constitutional and American values of diversity, equality and freedom of religion. Candles will be provided.

Please join me and Jenifer Rajkumar there.  Event information at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=210963738960012.

2) Saturday: Hand in Hand – Remembering 9/11

Community Board 1’s Hand in Hand – Remembering 9/11 is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Saturday, September 10th, 8:46AM (Please arrive between 7:30 & 8:15AM to check-in)

Registration (required) and information for the day of the event can be found at: http://www.handinhand911.org.  Jenifer and I will be standing with the Downtown Independent Democrats.  To join us, check in at the Zone A Check-in Station at Wagner Park and Battery Place.

3) Below is an outline of the vehicle and pedestrian access information for this area from Friday September 9th through Monday, September 12th, 2011.

Use public transportation whenever possible to stations outside of the event area.

Please note:

• MTA passengers should plan for the Cortlandt Street R station to be bypassed from 7:00 AM to early afternoon and check the MTA website at www.mta.info for updates on bus routes and service.
• PATH passengers should plan for suspended service to and from the World Trade Center and restricted access to the WTC Path Station from approximately 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Please note below significant routes that will affect your vehicular travels:

• Northbound West Street between Battery Place and Murray Streets will be closed to traffic from Friday, September 9, 11:59 PM through Monday, September 12, 5:00 AM.
• Southbound West Street between Battery Place and Chambers Street will be closed to traffic from Sunday, September 11, 5:00 AM through Monday, September 12, 5:00
• Church Street/Trinity Place between Rector and Barclay Streets will be closed Sunday, September 11, 5:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.
• Broadway will remain open to vehicles.

The following streets will be closed to traffic and parking from Saturday, September 10 at 8:00 AM through Sunday, September 11, 8:00 PM. Pedestrian access will be very limited:

• Warren Street between West Street and West Broadway

• Murray Street between West and Church Streets

• Barclay Street between West and Church Streets

• Park Place between Greenwich Street and Broadway

• Greenwich Street between Warren and Vesey Streets

• West Broadway between Warren and Vesey Streets

• Vesey Street between North End Avenue and West Street

• Vesey, Fulton, Dey and Cortlandt Streets between Church Street and Broadway

• Liberty Street between South End Avenue and West Street, and between Greenwich Street and Broadway

• Albany Street between South End Avenue and Greenwich Street

• Cedar Street between Greenwich Street and Broadway

• Thames Street between Greenwich and Broadway

• Carlisle Street between West and Greenwich Streets

• South End Avenue between Liberty and Thames Street

• Washington Street between Albany and Rector Streets

• Greenwich Street between Liberty and Rector Streets

Please note, both the Vesey Street and Liberty Street pedestrian bridges will be closed on Sunday, September 11th. To cross West Street, pedestrians will be directed north to cross at Warren Street or south to cross at Rector Street.

No parking will be in effect on all closed streets, including official permit parking. All cars parked illegally will be towed. If you have further questions, please call 311 or visit http://www.nyc.gov.

The city has lifted all local evacuation orders. In lower Manhattan, Gateway Plaza (Battery Park City), Independence Plaza (Tribeca) and all the NYCHA properties in the LES are safe to return to and elevators are running.

In more good news, the MTA has announced that subways will be running from 6AM tomorrow (Monday). This is ahead of schedule and should greatly improve morning commutes. That said, be sure to expect delays on all lines. The C train will be suspended, but A trains will be making all local stops.   Buses are already running throughout the city.  Metro-North and LIRR will have longer delays.

It looks like we dodged the worst of this storm. Many people felt the preparations were extreme, but authorities all along the East Coast felt it better to play it safe.  In other areas, severe flooding is still a serious problem.

I spent last night supervising an evacuation center at I.S. 131 in Chinatown/LES.  It was a great opportunity to see how these systems work in crisis, as well as to meet a lot of my neighbors (and stranded out-of-towners too).

I look forward to meeting more of you over the next two weeks as Jenifer Rajkumar and I ask for your vote for Democratic District Leader on Tuesday, September 13th.
Thank you,

Paul