New York City Council Enacts New Legislation to Strengthen Voter Registration, Will Help Franchise Thousands

New York City Council Enacts New Legislation to Strengthen Voter Registration, Will Help Franchise Thousands
Voting rights coalition applauds City Council, Mayor, and Agency Leadership in expansion of City’s pro-voter law

November 25, 2014, New York, NY – New York City Council will enact new legislation today that will strengthen provisions of Local Law 29, also known as the Pro-Voter Law, which was originally passed in 2000 to expand voter registration opportunities at municipal agencies. The legislation, introduced by Council Members Ben Kallos and Jumaane Williams, will strengthen the law’s provisions, including high-traffic agencies like the New York City Housing Authority and the Department of Education, as well as replacing paper-based voter registration with an electronic system.

“New Yorkers are seeing the impact that progressive political leadership can have on people’s lives, “ said Steven Carbó, Director of Voting Rights and Democracy Initiatives at the Center for Popular Democracy, which helped to convene the Pro-Voter Coalition. “In expanding access to the vote, Mayor de Blasio. Speaker Mark-Viverito, and Council Members Kallos and Williams are blazing the trail for other cities to follow.”

The organizations say that the enforcement and expansion of the City’s Pro-Voter Law will be a national model for other cities to replicate—fulfilling the government’s important role in ensuring that eligible voters are registered. Only 4.3 million of NYC’s 8.5 million residents are registered to vote.

“We are encouraged by Council Member Kallos’s bill and the potential to increase voter registration in our City,” said Jerry Vattamala, Staff Attorney in the Democracy Program of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. “We look forward to continuing to work with the City Council to ensure all agencies are in full compliance with the law and that voter registration forms are available in multiple languages for limited English proficient voters.”

The agencies covered by the Pro-Voter Law were recently found to be in gross noncompliance with the law as uncovered by a report by the Pro-Voter Law Coalition last month. The coalition of groups led by Center for Popular Democracy, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, Citizens Union of the City of New York, and the New York Public Interest Research Group/NYPIRG, found that city agencies failed offer registration information in 84 percent of client interactions, along with non-compliance related to language access and training of agency staff.

“Across much of the country, reactionary Legislatures have been passing laws to restrict voters access to the ballot,” said Neal Rosenstein, NYPIRG’s Government Reform Coordinator. “Here in New York, instead of fearing new voters, the City Council is embracing them and we strongly applaud that effort.  This measure will help strengthen our representative democracy and the city’s diverse voice,” he added.

 “Council Member Kallos’s bill is a good first step toward ensuring that New York City’s agencies more effectively register New Yorkers to vote when they are doing business with government agencies,” said DeNora Getachew, Campaign Manager and Legislative Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice. “We look forward to continuing to work with the City Council to bring our City’s agency-based voter registration efforts into the 21st century.  Using modern technology to register voters would be a big leap forward that would benefit voters and agencies.”

“The City Council’s actions today to strengthen the city’s Pro-Voter Law will ensure that the City of New York follows through to ensure that New Yorkers have more opportunities to register to vote. We applaud the City Council and the Mayor’s office for taking these meaningful steps toward strengthening the existing law’s requirements that will hopefully result in a higher number of eligible New Yorkers registering to vote or keeping their residence information up-to-date,” said Dick Dadey, executive director of Citizens Union of the City of New York.

The Pro-Voter Coalition says that in addition to the new legislation, given sufficient home rule authority, New York City can go even further to increase voter registration by: registering high school students; pre-registering 16 and 17 year olds to vote; allowing for early voting and Same Day Registration; and, extending the vote to non-citizens and ex-offenders.

Black Friday shopping

With 66 percent of consumers planning to shop this Black Friday, more than in previous years, the leading personal finance social network WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2014’s Best & Worst Retailers for Black Friday Deals.

To help consumers maximize their savings this year, WalletHub surveyed 5,525 deals from the 2014 Black Friday ad scans of 21 of the biggest U.S. retailers. Below is a quick summary of our findings.

	Best Retailers for Black Friday
	1.	JCPenney (65%)		6.	Walgreens (47%)
	2.	Macy's (54%)		7.	Office Depot and OfficeMax (44%)
	3.	Rite Aid (53%)		8.	Ace Hardware (41%)
	4.	Meijer (51%)		9.	Kohl's (40%)
	5.	Sears (50%)		10.	Staples (39%)

Key Stats

•   JCPenney has the highest overall discount rate at 65%. Costco has the lowest at 21%.

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•   “Jewelry” is the most discounted category at 58%. “Electronics & Computers” are the least discounted at 30%.

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•   The overall average discount for Black Friday is 39%. Consumers should aim for this or a greater discount in order to avoid Black Friday traps.

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•   The “Toys” category has the biggest number of discounted items, representing 26% of all offers. The “Consumer Packaged Goods” category has the smallest, with only 1.3% of all offers.

For the full report and to see where each retailer ranks for each product category, please visit: 

http://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-retailers-for-black-friday/8385/

成大校友 12/13 辦年會

成大校友會訂於 12-13-14 星期六在勒星頓揚子江飯店，舉行年度晚宴。下午五點開始報到，六 點開席。歡迎校友攜伴參加。主辦單位為減輕校友們參加校友會活動 的財力負擔，每人只收二十五元，不足之數將由會費貼補。 按照往例，校友柯乃南學長將要熱情招待所有在學的校友，所以學生校友免餐費，歡迎大家告訴大家。報名請電郵 NCKUinBoston@gmail.com 或電話 會長柯曼雯 （617-335- 3131）。

麻州候任總檢察官 Healey 公佈交接團隊，招才網站

 

             

Dear Friends,

Thanks to your hard work – and to the people of Massachusetts, I am honored to serve as your next Attorney General.  I am excited to return to an office that I believe has been, and will continue to be, the strongest public law firm in the country.

The outpouring of congratulations and offers to help I’ve received since the election has been overwhelming. Thank you again for all you did to make this possible.

Today I announced a Transition Committee to help prepare me to take office this January, chaired by Stephen Oleskey. You can read more about my transition and the members of the Transition Committee here.

Over the last year, so many people shared their ideas and hopes for our state. During this transition and in the coming months, I’ll be traveling around Massachusetts to meet with community leaders, activists, policy experts, business owners, and concerned citizens to continue our conversations and to lay out my aggressive agenda as the People’s Lawyer.

In the meantime, please feel free to reach me through my Transition Director, Deborah Shah, at deborah@maurahealey.com.

We also will use the transition to attract talented individuals from all backgrounds to the Attorney General's Office. For those interesting in joining our team, please visit our Transition webpage and fill out an application here.

I want to close by saying that the national reputation of this office is a tribute to the current Attorney General, Martha Coakley.

Martha’s courage and tenacity in pursuit of economic and social justice is an inspiration. I am honored to have served with Martha and I know she will continue to fight for the people and causes she has championed throughout her career.

Again, I want to thank you for all you did to make this possible. I’ll be counting on you to stay engaged through the next four years.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday,

Maura Healey
Attorney General-Elect

麻州候任財政廳長宣佈交接團隊

TREASURER-ELECT GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES TRANSITION TEAM LEADERS

BOSTON, MA -- Treasurer-elect Deb Goldberg today named the following people to her transition committee, highlighting the wide-ranging experience of her leadership team.

"As we plan a robust agenda for the Treasurer's office, I am honored to have such talented, diverse, and innovative leaders help launch our transition," said Goldberg. "With their proven experience and track records, I am confident that we will have the right team in place to protect taxpayer dollars and bring new levels of transparency to state government as well as strengthen economic security, lead on wage equality, and expand financial literacy."

Chris Keohan, Executive Director: The Founder and Principal of CK Strategies, Chris Keohan served as a senior advisor for Goldberg's campaign. His previous experience includes advising for Mayor Marty Walsh’s election last year, helping to develop one of the largest grassroots operations in Boston's history. Keohan, a 2003 graduate of Boston College, has also had a broad range of experience in local, state, and presidential campaigns.

Benaree Wiley, Senior Advisor: Benaree Pratt Wiley is Principal of The Wiley Group, a firm specializing in strategy, talent management, and leadership development and retention. She previously served as President and CEO of The Partnership, Inc., an organization dedicated to increasing the representation of African-Americans in positions of leadership, influence, and decision-making in Greater Boston. A graduate of Howard University and Harvard Business School, Wiley is a Director of Howard University, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, The Efficacy Institute, and Dress for Success Boston.

Fletcher Wiley, Senior Advisor: For more than two decades, Fletcher "Flash" Wiley has worked as a practicing attorney concentrating in the areas of corporate and commercial law, small business development, entertainment law, and real estate. Wiley currently serves as of counsel at the Boston-based law firm Bingham McCutchen, LLP. He served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at PRWT Services, Inc., a Philadelphia-based products and services company, and played a key role in building PRWT into one of the nation's largest minority-owned businesses. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Law School, Wiley is extensively involved in civic and charitable activities and founded the Governor's Commission on Minority Business Development.

Ruth Ellen Fitch, Co-Chair: Ruth Ellen Fitch is a successful leader of complex organizations. She served as President/CEO at The Dimock Center in Roxbury through 2013 and an Associate/Partner at Palmer & Dodge LLP for 20 years, retiring in 2003. Before attending Harvard Law School, Fitch served as the Director of the METCO program in the Brookline Public Schools. She currently serves as a director/trustee of several organizations and foundations.  

Evelyn Murphy, Co-Chair: The Honorable Evelyn F. Murphy, former Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, is the Founder and President of The WAGE Project, Inc., a national organization dedicated to eliminating the gender wage gap. A Ph.D. economist, she is the author of Getting Even: Why Women Don’t Get Paid Like Men and What To Do About It. Murphy is also a Director of Citizens Energy Corporation and SBLI USA Life Insurance Company as well as a founding Director of the Commonwealth Institute.

Deb Goldberg served for six years on the Brookline Board of Selectmen, the last two as its chair. She is President of Adoptions With Love and on the Advisory Board at the Greater Boston Food Bank. Deb is also the Massachusetts Senate President’s appointee to the Treasurer’s Commonwealth Covenant Fund.

Deb is a graduate of Boston University, Boston College Law School, and Harvard Business School. She grew up in Brookline where she still lives with her husband, Michael Winter, and their son and daughter, Evan and Meredith.

感恩節前夕麻州下雪

感恩節前夕的昨（廿六）日，麻州下雪了，一降多達10.5吋，電線桿倒了，飛機晚點了，沿路打滑的車輛不知凡幾。

            罕普夏郡（Hampshire）米斗非爾德（Middlefield）有10.5寸的降雪記錄，屋斯特郡（Worcester）的Athol，以及法蘭克林郡的Hawley也各下了9吋。麻州東部的降雪量比較少些，波士頓一帶一到四吋左右。麻州南部有許多地方降雪量不到一吋。

            高速公路上打滑的車輛多不勝數，但到傍晚時，路上車輛數目大減，塞車情況也沒那麼嚴重了。

國家電網（National Grid）公司報告，約有 11,000 戶人家在晚上六點左右停電了。北星（NStar）公司報告約有427戶人家停電了。

國家氣象局收到十幾株樹木，電線桿倒塌的報告。

麻州警察表示，麻州公路和495號州際公路交會的從紐約邊界到11A出口一帶，車速都減到每小時40英哩。路上已不准長幾節的拖車，乙烷卡車行駛。

交通廳表示，已派出422名工作人員上路到麻州中部及西部掃雪。

國家氣象局已向麻州中部及西部發出冬季暴風雪警告，要直到週四早上七點才撤銷。

紐英崙中華公所將研議修改選舉制度

 紐英崙中華公所五名職員，左起，翁宇才，黃立輝，主席阮鴻燦，
李嘉玲，雷景林等人主持會議。（周菊子攝）

          (Boston Orange 周橘子波士頓報導) 紐英崙中華公所廿五日晚召開本年度最後一次董事大會，將近九點半才結束，大部份時間花在爭論會議記錄該怎麼記才符合法律要求等細節。會末提及修訂選舉法規，將在下次會議中討論。

中華公所律師陳朝聖出席董事大會，說明他對會議記錄應
如何寫才容易避免法律糾紛。（周菊子攝）

            紐英崙中華公所主席阮鴻燦在會中報告，明年的中華公所春宴定二月廿日在帝苑舉行，各僑團桌次，照樣由抽籤決定，華埠舞獅迎新年活動，訂三月一日舉行。                                                                                                                                     中華公所董事們在上一次會議中對公所律師陳朝聖發信陳述會議紀錄應如何摘要會議內容，並以中華公所與保險公司之間的交涉作為例子，引起部分董事質疑。

            陳朝聖廿五日晚出席中華公所會議，當著廿七名出席董事，五名職員的面說明，做為中華公所律師，他有職責提出法律意見，防止中華公所陷入法律訴訟，但中華公所董事會當然可自行決定怎麼做，並承擔可能的法律後果。

中華公所董事李奇舜（左）一，二年前就提議修改選舉制度，廿五日晚
再度贊同，各董事是代表各僑團出席中華公所會議，凡事應回報各僑團，
在公所發言，也應儘量代表各僑團說話。（周菊子攝）

            由於陳朝聖以中華公所保險公司通知中華公所不再續約為例，引用保險公司經紀或仲介敘述的拒保理由時，除了指中華公所有太多小朋友出入之外，在前後兩封信中，ㄧ封提及中華公所涉及訴訟，一封未提及。數名出席董事不斷質疑，到底是經紀（agent)，仲介（broker），還是保險公司自己做出不續保決定，中華公所應該相信誰的話等，進而引發是否律師的話就得照單全收，往年的中華公所開會，也曾出現有人推出律師當尚方寶劍等演繹爭論。

紐英崙中華公所主席阮鴻燦（左）和甫卸任黃氏公所宗親會主席
一職的黃仁宇有說有笑。（周菊子攝）

            公所董事們最後在討論重點應是中華公所會議紀錄應如何選擇紀錄內容，而不是保險公司說什麼後，大致同意了陳朝聖律師所說的會議記錄最重要的是記載董事會決定做些什麼事，或不做什麼事，而不是哪一名董事說了哪一句什麼話。

            期間董事陳仕維表示，他參與中華公所這麼多年以來，還從未見過有十幾名董事對會議記錄內容都很有大意見情況，也從未見過公所書記被列為被告。他認為當天請律師出席地目的，主要就是為了澄清，會議記錄不需要放入個人觀感等言詞。

        出席董事們並舉手投票是否通過會議記錄。在反對通過前次會議記錄者有十一人舉手後，公所職員們原本要就此記錄通過上次會議記錄，在部分董事發言質疑後，才繼續要求投贊成票者舉手，並因此發現有人投棄權票。

            會中的其他報告包括，物業小組由英文書記李嘉玲報告，德明校友會希望承租，但中華公所現無空置房間，已將該機構資料列入等候名單。婦女新運會要求簽租約二到三年，每月租金二百五十元，獲通過。至德三德公所承租也要簽約，廣東音藝社要求減租，已拒絕等。

            中文書記雷景林報告亞美聯誼會申請加入中華公所一事，因還未收到詳細的會員名單資料，將繼續與該會溝通。

            雷景林並指出，中華公所的選舉制度，歷年來引發不少爭議。有董事提出輪值，抽籤，五名行政人員全部改由從董事內產生，每個僑團派做出席中華公所代表的人數不可多於兩人等等建議。

            出席董事們同意交由選舉小組進一步研究修改章程，提出建議後，再做討論。