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December 20, 2023

I accompanied Council Member Eric Dinowitz in a magical Chanukah celebration at Van Cortlandt Jewish Center! We lit the night with the warm glow of menorahs and embraced the spirit of unity. I am grateful for the memorable moments and all the community members who attended.

Pictured: Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (left) addressing the members of the VCJC to wish them a happy Chanukah along with Council Member Eric Dinowitz (right).

The Menorah Lighting at the Riverdale Y, sponsored by Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, was exhilarating! It was great to join my colleagues in government, clergy, and community members.

Top picture (from left to right): Office of Governor Kathy Hochul's Bronx representative Fidel Malena, Rabbi Barry Dov Katz of Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale (CSAIR), Brent Schneider representing State Senator Rivera, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Riverdale Y COO Matt Abrams Gerber, Mayor Eric Adams's Bronx Representative Alina Dowe, Riverdale Y CEO Melissa Sigmond, Riverdale Y Director of Member Experience Jessica Kessler, and Riverdale Y Rabbi Scott Kalmikoff.

I had a great time at the Riverdale Y Senior Center Chanukah Luncheon. Seeing so many people there was tremendous; celebrating this great event with my colleagues, Council Member Eric Dinowitz and Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, was excellent.

Top picture (from left to right): Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Mayor Eric Adams's Bronx Representative Alina Dowe, Riverdale Y Director of New Beginnings for Older Adults Services Sharon Asherman, Riverdale Y CEO Melissa Sigmond, Riverdale Y Rabbi Scott Kalmikoff, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson and Council Member Eric Dinowitz all posing for a picture with the menorah at the luncheon.

Middle picture: Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz asks members of the Riverdale Y about how the food is and discusses their holiday plans.

Bottom picture: Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is having a jovial moment with a Riverdale Y Senior Center member.

We explored the future of robotics and innovation at the SAR robotics demo with Council Member Eric Dinowitz and NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Our city's future is on full display—exciting times ahead as we harness the power of robotics for a brighter and safer tomorrow!

Top picture (from left to right): Council Member Eric Dinowitz, a SAR High School Academy robotics student, and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz pose for a picture.

Middle picture: Students of SAR's robotics class (most wearing either white or yellow hats) demonstrate how these robots operate and work to Council Member Eric Dinowitz (left) and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (middle left).

Bottom picture (from left to right): Students from SAR's robotic demo with their robots, NYC Mayor Eric Adams, additional SAR robotic demo students, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, and another SAR student with their robot.

I enjoyed participating in the Christmas tree lighting at the Bell Tower Monument on West 239th Street with Council Member Eric Dinowitz, friends, and neighbors. Thank you, TreeArmyCo, Laura Levine-Pinedo, Steven Padernacht, and Council Member Eric Dinowitz, for making this event happen.

Pictured (from left to right): Member of TreeArmy Co, 4BronxProject Director Laura Levine-Pinedo, Real Estate Developer Steven Padernacht, participants of the Bell Tower Monument Tree Lighting Ceremony, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, and more participants of the ceremony all posing in front of both the Christmas Tree and Bell Tower Monument.

I joined New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda and his officers on a Compliance Task Force Inspection Raid of the smoke shops selling contraband in my district.

Top picture (from left to right): NYPD Chief Philip Schaffroth holding a package of illegal cannabis next to Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, NYPD Sargent Francesca Rosa, and New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda at a smoke shop in Kingsbridge.

Middle picture (from left to right): New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda listening to Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz discussing illegal contraband and smoke shops throughout the district.

Bottom picture: NYPD Chief Philip Schaffroth (left) is working with another officer to uncover a hidden contraption in the ceiling where a bunch of illegal cigarettes were stored behind a light fixture at a smoke shop in Kingsbridge.

About Basic STAR and Enhanced STAR

The School Tax Relief (STAR) and Enhanced School Tax Relief (E-STAR) benefits offer eligible New York State homeowners property tax relief.

Who Can Apply

Homeowners not currently receiving the STAR exemption who meet the program's eligibility requirements may apply for the STAR tax credit with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. If you qualify for the credit, it will be issued to you in the form of a check. More information is available at www.tax.ny.gov/star or (518) 457-2036.

You may apply for the Basic STAR or Enhanced STAR tax exemption with the NYC Department of Finance if:

• You owned your property and received STAR in 2015-16 but later lost the benefit and would like to apply to restore it. Your income must be $250,000 or less to be eligible for Basic STAR.
• You currently receive Basic STAR and would like to apply for Enhanced STAR. You may be eligible for Enhanced STAR if you are 65 or older in the calendar year you apply. The total income of all owners, resident spouses, or registered domestic partners cannot exceed $98,700.

If you qualify for the exemption, it will be applied to your property tax bill. You will not be issued a check.

How to Apply

Suppose you meet the criteria above to apply for the Basic STAR or Enhanced STAR tax exemption with the NYC Department of Finance. You may submit your application online or download application forms at the Property Tax Benefits for Homeowners page.

You may also be eligible for other property tax exemptions.

Exemption or Credit?

If you currently receive STAR or E-STAR as a property tax exemption and earn $250,000 or less, you can register for the STAR credit to receive a check instead. You may receive a more significant benefit with the credit, as the amount of the STAR credit will increase in the future, but the value of the exemption will not. To learn more, visit www.tax.ny.gov/star or contact the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance at (518) 457-2036.

Each week, we provide new streets and their histories, all reprinted from John McNamara's "History in Asphalt," which gives in-depth origins of how current and former Bronx Streets got their name! I handpicked the two streets for this week from Kingsbridge: Irwin Avenue and Tibbett Avenue.

Irwin Avenue: Willliam E. Irwin was one of the few World War I servicemen to have an avenue named in his honor. He died in the Argonne Forest. The Irwin family lived in the neighborhood. This avenue overlays ancient Tibbett's Brook, which once flowed into Spuyten Duyvil Creek.

Tibbett Avenue: Once the extreme western rim of the island of Paparinemin, which Tibbett's Brook bounded - a name which is a corruption of George Tippett, who acquired land there in 1668 - the avenue follows, more or less, the former course of the brook, and at one time or another, carried the name of River Street. Its nickname was "Long Branch" after the fashionable New Jersey seaside resort - for the brook frequently overflowed onto the residents' front lawns so that they had swimming right at their doorsteps in much the same fashion as the vacationers at Long Branch.

Tibbett Avenue resumes existence above West 244th Street opposite Van Cortlandt Park, and once this stretch was known as Barney Avenue. Hiram Barney was a landowner of an estate called "Cedar Knolls." He was a good friend of the poet Edgar Allen Poe. Barney died in 1895 and is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery.

The Riverdale Press, December 15th, 2023 — Finally! The end of the Henry Hudson Bridge toll for Bronx residents

The Riverdale Press, December 15th, 2023 — Happy Hanukkah!

Longview News-Journal, December 16th, 2023 — Cleanup efforts are underway at a strip of businesses ravaged by a massive fire

The Post Journal, December 18th, 2023 — Dem Proposal Would Bar Trump From 2024 Ballot In New York

City Limits, December 19th, 2023 — Two Bills Targeting Illegal Rent Increases Await Their Fate

On Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court made a historic decision that significantly departed from the norm. The unprecedented ruling resulted in the removal of former President Donald Trump from the state's 2024 ballot. The court determined that Trump does not qualify as a presidential candidate due to his actions during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, falling under the 14th Amendment's "insurrectionist ban." According to the court, this Amendment prohibits officials who have taken an oath to support the Constitution from holding future office if they have participated in an insurrection. The 14th Amendment's language is vague, lacking explicit mention of the presidency, and has been applied only twice since 1919. In response to the ruling, the Trump campaign announced its intention to file an appeal promptly.

Last week, I asked, "Do you believe overturning Roe v. Wade was a good decision?"

Yes — 16%

No — 82%

Other / No opinion — 2%

» Council Member Eric Dinowitz — Clothing Drive

• Collecting new and gently used clothing donations to help migrant families. Hours of Drop-off are Monday-Friday from 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM at the Drop-off Point located at 277 West 231st Street, Bronx, NY 10463

• Donations needed: Warm Coats and jackets, Underwear, T-shirts and blouses, Pants, Hats, Closed-Toed Shoes, Gloves, Scarves, Diapers and Formula, Sweaters, Sweatshirts, Socks, Leggings, Long-sleeve shirts, ALL SIZES

• To learn more, call 718-549-7300, or email [email protected].

» NYSDMV — Eye Test Requirement, December 2023

• As of last Friday, December 1, the DMV indicates that up to 49,000 residents of New York face potential license suspension if they do not complete a satisfactory vision test. This requirement pertains explicitly to individuals whose licenses expired between March 1, 2020, and August 31, 2021, and who renewed their licenses online by self-certifying their vision during the COVID-19 pandemic.

•Lisa Koumjian from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles reassures affected individuals that they would have received multiple notifications through various channels, including mail, email, and text messages.

•For those in need of a vision test, there are three available options. One can visit a local DMV office or explore the DMV website to locate numerous vision registry providers capable of examining nearby.

» KRVC — GALLERY 505 Presents "Visual Fields," A Solo Exhibit By Janice Demarino, October 12th - December 29th

• Art Exhibit located at Gallery 505 (505 W 236th St, Bronx, NY).

• Gallery Hours are Friday from 2:00 PM-4:00 PM, viewings by appointment

• For more information, contact [email protected] or visit KRVC

» KRVC — Community Karaoke at KRVC, December 2023

• Fridays from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Gallery 505 (505 W 236th St, Bronx, NY).

• All ages and all languages are welcome. Bring your snacks and support your local food spots.

• For more information, contact [email protected] or visit KRVC

» E-ZPass NY — 24/7 E-ZPass NY Account Access!

• Preparing for a trip or already on the road? Forget to add that new license plate before your vacation? Want to check your balance? Is your account balance low? No worries! Use our Tolls NY Mobile App.

• Real-time payments and account updates are made without speaking to a representative.

• Scan the QR code or click the link below to easily download the app from the App Store or Google Play today!

Please visit our YouTube channel to learn more by clicking here.

» NYC Department of Environmental Protection - Change in Water Supply

• DEP is preparing for a multi-month shutdown of the Delaware Aqueduct later this year

• DEP has slowly started introducing water from the Croton system into the city's supply of tap water

• Residents may detect a slightly different taste in water sourced from different reservoirs due to different mineral contents

• All water used in New York's tap water system is highly tested (2,000 times per day)

• Any concerns about tap water quality should be reported to 311 so DEP can investigate

• For more information about the city's tap water and sources, visit: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/water/current-water-distribution.page

• For more information about the Delaware Aqueduct repairs, visit here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/news/21-006/600-feet-below-hudson-river-final-concrete-lining-completed-1-billion-water-tunnel#/0

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Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz

3107 Kingsbridge Avenue

Bronx, New York 10463

Phone: 718-796-5345 | E-Mail: [email protected]