Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for joining us for another week in review.

We hope that everyone had a restful Presidents' Day weekend.

Our 2023 State of the Borough address is right around the corner! We are so excited to join with you all to celebrate the Bronx and all that is to come. We have made so many strides in our quest for a better Bronx and we cannot wait to share with you all our plans for the future. As we prepare for our first State of the Borough address, we encourage you to join us virtually if you have not RSVP'd. Don't miss out! We have some very special announcements planned for the big day. (Pending approval of flyer, it will be added directly below)

On Friday, February 24th from 9am -11am at Caridad Restaurant Kingsbridge, our office, in collaboration with Councilmember Pierina Sanchez and the BOEDC, will be hosting a Commercial Lease Assistance Workshop for the merchants along the Kingsbridge corridor. This workshop will have an educational component for merchants to learn more about their rights as it relates to their leases (new leases, lease extension, back rent, etc.). Merchants will have the opportunity to connect 1:1 with an attorney for a free legal consultation. Businesses with or without leases are welcome to attend. Breakfast will be provided.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) will host their next public board meeting on Wednesday, March 8th at 6:30 p.m. via Webex and in-person at the Bronx Community Board 12 Office located at 4101 White Plains Rd. This meeting will take place in The Bronx and the discussion will focus on the relationship between Bronx residents and the NYPD. To attend virtually, click here.

Lastly, Tax Season is upon us. Single-filing New Yorkers who earned $56,000 or less in 2022, or families who earned $80,000 or less, are encouraged to file their taxes for free using NYC Free Tax Prep. NYC Free Tax Prep provides free, professional tax preparation that can help New Yorkers keep their full refund, including valuable tax credits, like the newly enhanced New York City Earned Income Tax Credit (NYC EITC). The new NYC Free Tax Prep for self-employed New Yorkers will also provide income tax services to freelance workers and small businesses.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 718-590-3500 or email us at [email protected].

In partnership,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

IN THE COMMUNITY

I am humbled to have been awarded, alongside my Deputy, Janet Peguero, the Key to the City by the Mayor's Office of Santo Domingo West by Mayor José Andújar.

We are grateful to Mayor José Andújar for this incredible recognition and his hospitality. Lasting changes are made in collaboration, and I believe this friendship and partnership will bear much fruit for the Dominican community in New York as well as in the Dominican Republic.

Me siento muy honrada de haber sido galardonada, junto a mi vicepresidenta, Janet Peguero, con la Llave de la Ciudad de la Alcaldía de Santo Domingo Oeste por el Alcalde José Andújar.

Agradecemos al alcalde José Andújar este increíble reconocimiento y su hospitalidad. Los cambios duraderos se hacen en colaboración, y creo que esta amistad y asociación dará muchos frutos para la comunidad dominicana en Nueva York, así como en la República Dominicana.

Thank you to our early childcare providers for taking the time to share their experiences with me.

Most early childcare providers are women and are women of color. The pay disparities are stark with many barely making a living wage.

The greatest equalizer is a quality education and our providers are working around-the-clock to equip our children with all that they need to succeed.

It is not an ask but a demand that they are paid what they deserve.

Thank you to the Little Scholars Early Development Center, LIIF and Goldman Sachs for their partnership.

This was one for the books!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Dominican Heritage Celebration!

To our MC Elly Morillo, thank you for bringing the energy and keeping the party going strong until the very end. Lastly, I’d like to congratulate our honorees once more. Thank you for all you do.

See you next year!

ICYMI