27 districts will participate in upcoming cycle to designate over $30 million

New York — Today, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and New York City Council Members launched New York City’s 2015-2016 Participatory Budgeting cycle — the largest and fastest-growing Participatory Budgeting process in the United States. This year, New Yorkers in 27 Council Districts will collaboratively decide how to distribute over $30 million to local capital projects through a year-long process of neighborhood assemblies, delegate meetings, project expositions, and community voting.

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Council will also vote on legislation regulating air use of air conditioning in commercial spaces

City Hall – Today the City Council will vote on a legislative package of eight bills to shed light on important issues facing New York City’s Department of Correction. The Council will also vote on legislation regulating use of air conditioning systems in commercial spaces.

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“Raising New York’s minimum wage will uplift working New Yorkers and improve our state’s economy for all. This increase to $15 dollars an hour would provide economic justice for so many in New York City and New York State who work hard but still struggle to make ends meet. When New York leads, the rest of the country follows and today New York is proud to lead on the minimum wage.

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City Hall, NY– Speaker Mark-Viverito, Council Member Rafael Espinal and the City Council Jewish Caucus today celebrated the launch of the City Council’s new $1.5 million Survivor Initiative to support the 30,000 Holocaust survivors living at or below the poverty line in New York City. In addition, Speaker Mark-Viverito and the Council also commemorated the restoration of a recently rediscovered Torah Scroll, which was hidden for over 70 years in Northern Poland.

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“Labor Day affords us all an opportunity to reflect upon and honor hard working men and women who helped build the United States of America. At the same time, we must continue to push forward for workers in New York and across the country. Raising the minimum wage, fighting for reasonable working conditions in all industries, and protecting laborers from wage theft remain major issues in 2015.

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Queens Library Also Hosts Book Bag Giveaway for City Students at Library Location

Far Rockaway – Today, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member Donovan Richards, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz joined Queens Library President Bridget Quinn-Carey to celebrate the planned rebuilding of the Far Rockaway Branch of the Queens Library System.

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$940,000 initiative to support homeless prevention, legal services, job placement, and mental health services for veterans

New York – Today, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Veterans Committee Chair Eric Ulrich, and Finance Committee Chair Julissa Ferreras-Copeland hailed funding allocated in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget for the Veterans Services Initiative. The Initiative will provide $940,000 to various community organizations to address critical needs of the City’s veterans, including homeless prevention, job placement and transition services, legal services, mental health services, and community development.

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“My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Security Officer Idrissa Camara, the victim of a tragic shooting at the Federal Building in SoHo. New York’s dedicated security officers help keep New Yorkers safe and this senseless shooting underscores the risks security officers take day in and day out in service to our City. I thank the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, NYPD, EMS and all the City’s first responders for their swift and unwavering response to this ruthless attack.”

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Legislation is part of a City-State Collaboration Between Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito
Cooling Tower Regulation Bill sponsored by Council Speaker Mark-Viverito, Council Members Vanessa Gibson, Corey Johnson, and Jumaane Williams

City Hall – Today the City Council will vote on legislation that will help prevent future cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in New York City.

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Council will also vote to clarify legislation regarding gas station signage

City Hall – Today the City Council will vote on a package of three bills that will protect tenants in rent-regulated housing units from harassment and coercion by landlords offering “buyout” deals. Additionally, the Council will vote on two bills that clarify the requirements previously set by the Council for signage at city gas stations.

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