“We are excited to learn that President Obama has picked Sonia Sotomayor to serve as his new Supreme Court Justice pick. A local South Bronx native and a Circuit Court Judge, Sotomayor is a highly qualified and inspiring example of public service. In such as prestigious position, we are confident that she will effectively represent our city, state, and country.”

Statement by Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito:

“In Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama is fulfilling his commitment to nominate someone who not only has the intellectual capacity but a practical sense of how the world works.

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“Today is a very sad day for California and the entire country. Upholding Proposition 8 undermines one of the basic core principles of freedom – equality for all Americans. This is not a day of justice, but one that will be remembered as a day when civil rights were stripped from future generations of Californians. I stand with elected leaders in California like Mayor Newsom and LGBT advocates to pledge and help them in any way possible in their continuing fight for equality.

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Today the Department of Education reached a lease agreement with Greenwich House, which will provide classroom space at 27 Barrow Street for pre-kindergarten students in Greenwich Village next year. This agreement is the result of work by parent activists, local elected leaders, and the DOE over the past two weeks to rapidly identify and secure a site in the neighborhood to accommodate parents who had been placed on waiting lists.

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Bill will give tenants the chance to dispute wrongful screening reports

City Hall, May 20, 2009 – At today’s Stated Council meeting, Speaker Christine C. Quinn, together with Council Member Daniel R. Garodnick and Consumer Affairs Committee Chair Leroy Comrie, introduced the Tenant Fair Chance Act, legislation designed to assist renters in ensuring their tenant history is accurately reflected in reports that landlords use to determine whether or not an applicant is accepted.

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“Today, after meeting with Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and members of the State Senate, I am very optimistic that we will see equal rights come to the State of New York very soon. Our state has long been a moving force in fights for equal rights, and this crucial bill keeps us at the forefront of this movement.

“During these meetings, I told each of them that I was in Albany to express my unequivocal support for Gov Patterson’s program bill to legalize same sex civil marriage.

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CITY HALL – City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, State Assembly Member Mark Weprin and State Senator Thomas Duane, today announced the introduction of legislation in Albany that will allow New York City to move forward with a $3 million biotech tax credit. The tax credit, announced in Speaker Quinn’s State of the City Address in February, will encourage small biotech companies to bring their jobs, innovation and new technology to New York City.

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“Today’s New York State Assembly vote in favor of allowing same-sex marriage is the next step in making full equality the law for same sex couples in New York State. But more importantly, it sends a message that marriage equality for same sex couples has the overwhelming support of the people of our state.

“I thank Speaker Shelly Silver, Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell and the other LGBT Assemblymembers Deborah Glick, Matthew Titone, and Micah Kellner–

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Legislative package will enhance work-site safety and strengthen oversight at Construction, Demolition, and Abatement sites throughput the City

City Hall – City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Deputy Mayor for Operations Edward Skyler today announced a comprehensive legislative package designed to improve safety protocols, increase City oversight, and enhance inter-agency communication at construction, demolition, and abatement sites in New York City.

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Speaker Quinn, MOUSE and Fordham University Release Report on MOUSE Squad Student Performance

May 8, 2009, New York, NY – Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Education Committee Chair Robert Jackson and Technology Committee Chair Gale Brewer today joined with MOUSE to release a report on the performance of the citywide technology in education program “MOUSE Squad.” The study was conducted over the course of three years by Fordham University and evaluates the impact of the technology education program in New York City schools.

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Anti-“Scratchiti” Legislation will Require Etching Acid Vendors to Maintain Purchasing Information

City Hall, May 6, 2009 – At today’s Stated Council meeting, the members of the City Council will vote on legislation to track the sales of etching acid by requiring sellers to keep records of purchasers for one year. These records would be made available to the police to help enforce anti-graffiti legislation.

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