Keeping Our Streets Clean...of Snow!

Senator Felder's continued sponsorship of the ACE program results in keeping major avenues in his district much cleaner than they would otherwise be. And when it snows, the ACE workers are out there shovelling the sidewalks, too.

For more information on ACE's clean streets program, call 212-274-0550 or visit their website.

Felder Hosts Appreciation Event

Rabbi Yosef Gelman, dean of Masores Bais Yaakov, hands state Sen. Simcha Felder
a plaque of appreciation at the event in his school. (Hamodia Photo)

Aided by an auditorium full of attentive youngsters, state Sen. Simcha Felder on Wednesday held a #WHODYA event — or Who Do You Appreciate — thanking emergency workers and the nation’s armed forces for their services to the community.

The young girls of Masores Bais Yaakov were excited to see an array of uniformed officials in their school in Midwood, from the war veteran with a garrison cap perched on his head to the sanitation, police, fire and postal workers. Hatzolah as well put in an appearance.

Green, blue, red and navy reigned at the event which served both to thank the employees for their service and to instill safety issues in the third and fourth graders.

“Imagine,” Felder asked the approximately 100 children, “having to go out in the boiling hot weather… Imagine not taking out your garbage for three days? How would you feel if you knew that people appreciate what you’re doing but nobody ever said thank you?”

Theresa Cunningham, a sanitation worker, told the audience of the many things the department does, including garbage collection, recycling and clearing the snow.

“We’re very appreciative of you appreciating us,” she told the students.

Jackie-Michelle Martinez, a female firefighter from South Jamaica in Queens, led the children in a fire drill, laying low to be able to breathe in smoky areas and jumping up so that firefighters can see them.

“Mice and rats never die from fires because they’re low on the ground,” she noted.

Lazer Rosman, a member of Hatzolah, was then introduced as the unit who once saved Felder’s father when he thought he was having a heart attack. He discussed preventing accidents and distributed stickers with Hatzolah’s number.

But the politics of the day couldn’t help but intrude, a day after Felder engineered the postponement of the city’s impending bag fee.

“As a matter of fact,” Rosman said, gesturing to the senator, “I know he likes plastic bags so I brought him a bag of stickers.”

David Goldberg, a Vietnam war veteran and commander of the Jewish War Veterans, talked about his time serving the country and his subsequent 28-year career as a police officer.

“I don’t wish anyone to have to be in a war,” Goldberg said. “But I’m proud to be in the United States of America and to be a veteran.”

Then came the surprise.

A group of girls dressed as sanitation workers put on a presentation, dressed in garbage bag overalls and holding brooms and trash items. They read a poem of all the things sanitation workers do, ending with handing Cunningham a mini garbage pail with a copy of the poem.

Then came the mailmen, or mailwomen. Girls dressed in the blues of postal workers and holding aloft a giant envelope recited their poetry. The envelope was opened at the end to reveal a bunch of small pockets with thank you notes, which they handed to Martinez.

Next on the podium were New York’s Finest and Bravest, with children holding a huge oak tag police badge and cutouts of police officer figures, followed by the fire crew. Last came the Marines, with a poem recited in honor of Goldberg and Jewish war veterans everywhere.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” the chorus ended.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the February 9th, 2017 edition of Hamodia.

Felder Reaps Significant Political Victory in Anti-Bag Tax Bill

The passage of the bag bill in both chambers of the New York legislature — a rarity granted less than 5 percent of all bills proposed each year — is undeniably a significant political victory to its primary sponsor, Sen. Simcha Felder.

Sen. Felder has been battling the “bag tax” ever since 2008, when the then-city councilman confronted Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s budget chief at a hearing. Taking out of his pocket a prop of three plastic bags, Felder theatrically aired them out and placed them on his desk, questioning if there was a difference in the 5-cent tax charged for a small bag or a much larger one.

The bag tax failed.

Mr. Felder is now in the state Senate, but his flair for visualizing his political positions has not waned.

Withdrawing a bag of bread and a carton of a dozen eggs from under his desk last week, he quizzed a new mayor citing the environment to nickel New Yorkers for a pound of plastic. Is Mayor Bill de Blasio aware of grocery prices today that he was willing to add more expenses to residents, he asked?

“Government’s job is to protect people, not make their lives harder,” Mr. Felder declared. “Our efforts should be geared towards making it easier for New Yorkers to keep more of their hard-earned money, not nickel and diming them every time they turn around.”

The bag fee, or tax, is something which would have been felt in every pocket around the city. There was a rumble of grumbles from Seaside to SoHo, but the general mood was that you can’t fight City Hall. It’s just another tax with the well-meaning goal of changing our habits but whose sponsors had no perception of life on Main Street.

It took a senator who grew up in Boro Park to confront City Hall — and win. Felder quickly won the naming contest, ensuring that when the issue is discussed it will be called a “bag tax,” not fee or fine. He also emphasized that it was not a battle Between a clean environment and dirtying the air just to save a penny.

“Everyone agrees — we all want to protect the environment. Period,” Sen. Felder told the mayor at the Senate hearing last week. “What the mayor isn’t addressing is why the city has to always be punitive. What my colleagues and I object to is the approach. Why can’t it be positive? Why don’t you give a nickel back to New Yorkers for a change?”

Give a nickel back for a change. That, doubtless, would not be called a tax.

Also doubtless — Simcha Felder got behind an issue which resonates among residents and won.

THE END OF DE BLASIO’S BAG TAX

NY State Assembly Passes Bag Tax Moratorium by Overwhelming Majority

Senator Lanza, Senator Felder, Assemblyman Cusick, Senator Golden, and Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz hold the legislation.

NY City residents are breathing a sigh of relief. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Simcha Felder in the Senate and Michael Cusick in the Assembly, residents can finally look forward to putting Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Bag Tax to rest. An agreement between the State Senate and Assembly, sponsored by Senate Cities Committee Chairman Felder, stopped the implementation of the City’s most recent regressive tax by establishing a moratorium—a freeze until a new City Council begins their term in 2018.

This was the second time state legislative pressure and the public outcry helped defeat the Bag Tax’s implementation. Senator Felder was joined by a number of his colleagues in a long fight against the Mayor’s Bag Tax that stretches back to last year’s legislative session. When the City first enacted its legislation to create the tax, it was slated to go into effect in October. But a hearing held by Felder and other legislators, followed by approval of a bill in the Senate prohibiting such taxes and a resulting public outcry, led the City to delay implementation until February 15, 2017.

With the passage of this new moratorium, the City’s Bag Tax is defeated once and for all, removing the unnecessary burden on low- and middle-income New York City residents. The Bag Tax could only be reauthorized by a new City Council with members who begin their terms on or after Jan. 1, 2018.

“Government’s job is to protect people, not make their lives harder,” said Senator Felder. “Our efforts should be geared towards making it easier for New Yorkers to keep more of their hard-earned money, not nickel and diming them every time they turn around. So many of my neighbors and constituents are breathing a sigh of relief now that this Bag Tax is over. My colleagues and I will continue to be diligent and not allow New Yorkers to be over-fined, over-ticketed, and over-taxed.”

“I listened to the cries of the senior citizens, the needy and the poor in our district,” said an impassioned Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. “I heard from seniors who receive $500 per month and from that they have to pay rent and buy their food and medicine. They don’t have 5 cents to waste. The City could have done other things.”

Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz said, “The proposed plastic bag fee was nothing more than a regressive tax that would hurt millions of New Yorkers. In a city with an already high cost of living, it is outrageous to make it more expensive for people to feed their families.”

Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz explained that New York State has already proven that recycling plastic bags is possible. “It is up to the City to figure out how to remove and recycle bags before they reach landfills,” he said. “I’m hopeful that the moratorium I co-sponsored will allow more time to work out a solution to the plastic bag dilemma that’s environmentally sound but does not place a financial burden on already overtaxed New Yorkers. Nickel-and-diming our residents is not the answer.”

S.4158/A.4883 (The Bag Fee Moratorium) passed by an overwhelming majority of 43 to 16 in the Senate and 122 to 15 in the Assembly.

SENATE PASSES LEGISLATION TO STOP THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW YORK CITY’S BAG TAX

Senator Felder asks Mayor de Blasio if he knows the price of bread and eggs

Assembly Joins Senate in Agreement to Indefinitely Halt Bag Tax’s Feb. 15 Start Date

The New York State Senate today passed a bill to stop the implementation of New York City’s bag tax. The moratorium (S4158), an agreement between the Senate and Assembly and sponsored by Senate Cities Committee Chairman Simcha Felder (D, Brooklyn), is the latest step in the Senate’s bipartisan efforts to stop the City’s regressive tax on carry-out merchandise bags and enable consumers to keep more of their hard-earned money.

“Today, we took concrete action to stop Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Council's punitive Bag Tax,” said Senator Felder. “I want to thank my colleagues who worked so hard to protect our constituents from this tax, especially Assemblyman Michael Cusick who led the fight in the Assembly. We believe that New Yorkers are the greatest people in the world -- hard-working people who want to do the right thing given that opportunity. We will continue to be diligent and not allow New Yorkers to be over-fined, over-ticketed, and over-taxed.”

This is the second time state legislative pressure and a public outcry helped successfully defeat the bag tax’s implementation. When New York City first enacted legislation last year to create the five-cent tax, it was originally slated to go into effect in October. However, a state Senate hearing held by Senator Felder and other legislators, followed by approval of a bill in the Senate prohibiting such taxes, and a resulting public outcry led the City to delay implementation until February 15, 2017.

With the passage of today’s moratorium, the City’s law implementing the bag tax is defeated, removing an unnecessary burden on low- and middle-income New York City residents. The bag tax could only be reauthorized by a new City Council with members who begin their terms on or after Jan. 1, 2018.

Senator Marty Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) stated, “The New York State Senate acted quickly to put a stop to a tax on plastic bags that would be financially damaging to every hard-working New Yorker living in the City. During these financially challenging times, we need to find ways for New Yorkers to keep every penny to meet the growing cost of living here in the city. I hope that the New York City Council will find other ways to help the environment without imposing burdensome taxes.”

Senator Tony Avella (D, Queens) said, “This bag tax was hastily developed without thought of the impact on low- and middle-class families who are already strapped for cash in New York City. I believe that we must find alternatives to the growing impact of plastic bags on our environment, however this plan was not the way. This moratorium will give the necessary amount of time to develop an economically sound, environmentally friendly way to reduce the use of plastic bags.”

Senator Diane Savino (D, Staten Island/Brooklyn) said, “Since the passage of the bag tax by the City Council I have heard from my constituents that they are opposed to it. Many are senior citizens who just can’t afford anymore nickel and diming by the city. Last year the City Council delayed implementation to find solutions to the problems we discussed on the Senate floor, but they didn’t do anything. With the passage of today’s bill we can ensure that the City Council fully understands the impact on our communities.”

The bill will be sent to the Assembly, which is expected to act on the measure this week.

New Yorkers HATE Mayor de Blasio's Bag Tax

We Appreciate Community Service!

Senator Felder was happy to present Ashraf Abdelaal, the owner of the Associated Supermarket on 1413 Avenue J, with a Community Service Award for regularly assisting the Senator's Office and staff with their regular outreach programs. Congratulations Mr. Abdelaal!

A Call to Action: Help Stop Mayor de Blasio's Bag Tax Now!

Watch Senator Felder confornt the Mayor on the Bag Tax by clicking here.

Mayor de Blasio's Bag Tax will take effect on February 15. Join Senator Felder in fighting this regressive tax!

• Call 311 and complain to the Mayor.

• Forward this message to everyone in the City and ask them to do the same.

• Share this message on social media.

We must take action now before it's too late!

Please Mayor de Blasio: Stop Taxing New Yorkers Over and Over Again!

Senator Felder questions Mayor de Blasio on the Bag Tax

de Blasio: Taxing New Yorkers is the Only Option

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio insists that the only way to address his personal concerns about the environment is to punish New Yorkers with his Bag Tax.

Confronted by NY State Senator Simcha Felder this morning at the Joint Legislative Public Hearing on 2017-2018 Executive Budget Proposal, the Mayor stubbornly defended his Bag Tax, which is set to take effect on February 15. Asked why it was necessary to punish New Yorkers with another tax, the Mayor insisted that the Federal Government may not being doing enough to help the environment so New York City must lead the way. But Senator Felder didn’t let the mayor’s sidestep go unchallenged.

“The issue isn’t whether or not to protect the environment,” the Senator replied. “Everyone agrees—we ALL want to protect the environment. Period. What I’m talking about—what the mayor isn’t addressing—is why the City has to always be punitive. What my colleagues and I object to is the approach. Why can’t it be positive? Why don’t you give a nickel back to New Yorkers for a change?”

The Senator noted that an overwhelming number of New Yorkers opposed the Mayor’s Bag Tax, and that the City had promised to revisit the proposed Tax last year but only postponed its implementation. “Yet another commitment ignored,” Felder told the Mayor. “And now we’re just two weeks from a crisis facing average New Yorkers.” Senator Felder held up a loaf of bread and a dozen eggs. “Do you know how much a pound of bread costs today?” he asked the Mayor. “Or a dozen eggs? I was in a local shop last week where I watched a mother put back sliced cheese because she didn’t have enough money for everything when she went to pay for her groceries.

“We should implement existing recycling laws,” Senator Felder continued. “Instead, you’re taking another nickel from poor and middle class New Yorkers. You talked about a mansion tax? This is a mansion credit. This is not a tax on the 1%, it’s a tax on the 99%. The issue is why over-taxed, over-ticketed, over-fined New Yorkers are being punished again instead of being treated like adults. It’s unfair and it doesn’t make sense.”

Happy Chinese New Year 2017!

Senator Felder joined civic leaders and other elected officials at the 30th annual Sunset Park Chinese Lunar New Year Festival, which included a parade and speeches. The parade began at 11 a.m. at 5002 Eighth Ave. and ran for 10 blocks. Greeting Paul Mak, president of the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association (BCA), and Shiu Kam Leung, vice president, Senator Felder praised the BCA, which was founded in 1998 with the primary mission of providing assistance to the growing Asian-American community.

Senator Felder, Assemblymember Peter Abbate, Acting Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn Chinese-American Association President Paul Mak, Assemblymember Felix Ortiz, and former New York state Comptroller John Liu.

STOPPING DE BLASIO’S BAG TAX: NEW YORK STATE STEPS IN

Senator Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Michael Cusick are working to prevent Mayor de Blasio’s upcoming Feb. 15th implementation of the bag tax. Felder, Cusick and their colleagues from both sides of the aisle and both houses are asking New Yorkers to contact their elected officials and community leaders to ask Mayor de Blasio not to force New Yorkers to pay a nickel for every bag.

“Many families have a hard time just getting by, paying for groceries, rent and heat, and now the Mayor wants to shake them down every time they shop just for the privilege of using a plastic bag,” said Senator Felder, who has fought the plastic bag tax since his days as a NY City Councilman. “Mayor de Blasio, please do not nickel and dime New Yorkers with another tax. You always talk about taxing the 1% and now you will be burdening everyone else, the other 99%. This will hurt lower- and middle-income families who already struggle. I'm asking New Yorkers to stand up and tell the Mayor that this bag tax has to go.”

Cusick declared, “As the Assembly Member who represents and helped to close the former Fresh Kills Landfill, I am all too familiar with the harm that improperly disposed plastic bags do to our environment and to the cleanliness of our communities. However, a charge for plastic and paper bags in the City of New York will not solve this problem; instead it is a misguided attempt that will only squeeze more money from the hardworking families of our City. I am proud to Sponsor this legislation to prohibit this tax on consumers from being enacted, and I urge my colleagues in State and City government to come together to develop sensible and honest solutions that will both benefit our environment and the budgets of the families we represent.”

When Felder and Cusick made an effort to stop the bag tax last legislative session, their bill saw broad bipartisan support and passed in the Senate but was tabled in the Assembly pending promised changes by the City Council. But nothing changed except the implementation date of the tax.

“The City Counsel and Mayor wanted to irritate New Yorkers with this bag tax. They’ve succeeded,” said Felder.

TIME RUNNING OUT FOR HELP WITH HEATING COSTS

Senator Simcha Felder is advising residents not to miss out on the opportunity to get help with heating costs. This year’s Neighborhood Heating Fund—the HeartShare program—has already processed over 500 applications to provide assistance to eligible households who need help with the cost of heating their homes. If you have an open account with National Grid, you may be eligible for a $200 credit on your heating bill.

Eligible households can apply for HeartShare right at Senator Felder’s offices. The Senator’s office has already saved residents over $15,000 this year.

“This week, New Yorkers really felt the cold,” said Senator Felder. “We’re fortunate that there are programs available to help low-income families and seniors with their heating bills. HeartShare is an excellent resource for those on a fixed income and for working families struggling to make ends meet. Just call my office for an appointment to have your application filled out.”

Call 718-253-2015 (Flatbush office) or 718-484-3216 (Boro Park office).

Senators Felder and Golden Working on Plan to Revive Housing Program

This story appeared in Hamodia

BORO PARK - State Senators Simcha Felder and Martin Golden are working to re-instate a tax break for developers that they hope will open the door to expanded housing options for New Yorkers, especially in their south Brooklyn districts.

The abetment, known as 421-a, has offered generous tax breaks to developers in the city since the 1970s, originally as a means of correcting what was then a sluggish market of housing starts. As the New York real estate market regained its strength, the program’s focus has been to ensure that developers provide affordable housing and keep city neighborhoods open to different income levels.

Last year, Governor Andrew Cuomo tied 421-a to a push his administration was making to raise wages for construction workers. Negotiations with builders failed and, for the first time in decades, legislation renewing the program went unsigned, allowing it to lapse.

Following an announcement from the governor’s office last month that an agreement on wages had been reached, Senators Felder and Golden were tasked by Senate President John Flanagan to draw up plans to revive 421-a.

Sen. Felder told Hamodia that his goal is to design a plan that will translate into real housing options that could alleviate the housing crisis faced by so many in his constituency and others struggling with the city’s dearth of affordable housing.

“Everybody has their ideas of how to solve the housing crisis. I don’t think that any one plan is going to solve it, but at the same time, giving up is not something that is in our DNA and giving incentives to build is the most basic tool to work with,” he said.

Even before Governor Cuomo’s confrontation with contractors effectively canceled 421-a, the program had begun to face opposition. News reports showed that it had strayed from its stated goal and been used to cut costs of luxury condos in high-income neighborhoods. Reforming the abatement became a central message of Mayor Bill de Blasio during his 2014 campaign.

A round of negotiations between the state, city, the New York State Board of Real Estate, and other stakeholders yielded a compromise, but one that Sen. Felder said did little to help families in search of affordable housing.

“I wasn’t happy because the new proposal was okay for developers, but didn’t do a thing for most homeowners,” he said. “I’m not sure why we haven’t heard any advocacy from the mayor on this point.”

A key objection that Sen. Felder had to the changes made was a clause limiting the tax break only to buildings that were subdivided into six units or more. Previously, those split into four or more were covered. He hopes new proposals to re-instate the program will include larger living spaces designed for families.

“This is not really a new argument. We have been saying for a long time that the change from four to six makes 421-a into a program that only helps people looking for studios and small apartments, but does very little for families and certainly not for large ones,” he said.

Sen. Felder’s Boro Park constituency holds little open space available for new development, but he said the abatement could help push builders to consider options in the few areas that do exist and the scarcity is “even more reason” why 421-a could help the neighborhood.

The governor’s office did not respond to an inquiry from Hamodia on the matter. A member of Sen. Golden’s staff said that he was not available to comment.

The 421-a abatement has always had different standards in different parts of the city. However, the changes made in recent years severely limited its application to the outer boroughs, another issue that the senators hope to address.

“No one has seen the agreement that the governor struck, but some news reports say the only place it covers in Brooklyn is the waterfront. That’s not where the affordable housing issue exists,” Bob Farley, legislative adviser to Sen. Felder, told Hamodia. “This is an important program. We need to make sure that it’s re-instated and that it comes back in a way that it actually does something for families.”

SENATOR FELDER ATTACKED FOR SIDING WITH COMMUNITY OVER PARTY

As a result of his decision to once again caucus with the State Senate Republicans, NY State Senator Simcha Felder continues to be the target for some liberals angered by President-Elect Donald Trump’s victory over Hilary Clinton.

Last month, the State Democrats issued a statement attacking the Senator. “Any Democrat who joins with Donald Trump’s Republican Party enables his continuing assault on immigrants, women, people of color, people of different faiths and our shared American values,” said Mike Murphy, a spokesman for the Senate Democrats.

More recently, a group calling itself “SD17 Jews Against Trump” urged Senator Felder to change his mind and stand with the State Democrats. On Wednesday, December 21, the group showed up at the Senator’s office with a petition signed by about 65 individuals who said they live in the Senator’s district (Senate District 17). A spokesperson for the group said that her group is vehemently against the President Elect and the New York State GOP for a variety of reasons, and that the Senator should not stand with them.

A handful of the petitioners remained outside the Senator’s office on Avenue J where they held up their signs “Jews Against Trump.” This prompted others on the Avenue to admonish the protestors. “This is outrageous,” said one woman. “I’m a Jew who is for Trump, and what you’re doing is disgusting.”

“I have to do what’s best for my constituents,” explained Senator Felder. “While I appreciate that some of my constituents may feel differently, I have also found that the majority of those who have contacted me about who I caucus with are not disappointed by my decision.

“This has nothing to do with President-Elect Trump,” the Senator continued. “For the last four years, I’ve caucused with the Republicans because, irrespective of party affiliation, I never give up on trying to do what’s best for the people I represent. Parties are not a religion. I won’t be intimidated by those who feel differently.”

Diocese of Brooklyn Legislative Breakfast

Senator Felder was happy to attend the Diocese of Brooklyn Legislative Breakfast on December 16. 

The Senator is pictured (L to R) with  Brooklyn Democratic Leader Frank Seddio, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, NY State Senator Roxanne Persaud, and NY State Assembly Member Helene Weinstein.

No Right Turns on Ocean Parkway?

"It’s evident that residents in my District are confused and angry about a decision by the Department of Transportation to prohibit right turns on certain parts of Ocean Parkway," says Senator Felder. "We were unaware of these changes until very recently. Consequently, I have asked Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Matthew Driscoll, and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg to put these no-right-turn changes on hold until the local elected officials and community board chairs can meet to discuss these proposed changes, the reasons behind them, and their impact on the district."

That’s Not Protesting. That’s a Riot.

by Senator Simcha Felder

The difference between an objection and an insurrection is at least a thousand miles wide. As Americans, it’s vital that we respect the first and have zero tolerance for its dreadful antithesis.

Unfortunately, following our presidential election, what we’ve seen on the streets of America, and right here in New York City, are quite the opposite of what the framers of our Constitution and Bill of Rights had in mind when they insisted that certain freedoms be guaranteed.

The First Amendment guarantees the right of the people to assemble peaceably. But the right to assemble is not absolute. To prevent chaos, government can impose restrictions on the time, place, and manner of that peaceful assembly. More, the First Amendment does not provide the right to conduct an assembly at which there is a clear and present danger of riot, disorder, or interference with traffic on public streets, or other immediate threat to public safety or order.

The assembly we’ve seen on the streets following the recent election is far from peaceful. What we’ve witnessed is neither a Martin Luther King Jr. nor Ghandi-esque attempt to bring peaceful and respectful attention to a matter that some feel needs redress.

What we’ve seen is chaos.

Like it or not, Donald Trump was elected and uncontested by American due process—a process that we hold sacrosanct in this land. Barring a violation of the law, this man will be president of these United States for the next four years. So if you live here, he is your President.

There have been the “Kill Trump” messages—a public call to assassinate the President-Elect—and, in a new low, unthinkable until it was actualized, signs that call for attacks on the first lady.

Yes, unthinkable. And, frankly, unforgivable.

But thugs will be thugs. The behavior we’ve seen has not been limited to mere words, but has also encompassed assaults and destruction of property; burnings of flags and lootings of stores. The very people who claim to fear that Donald Trump will destroy America seem eager to do that job themselves.

These rioters who are breaking the law must be condemned in the strongest terms, not emboldened by our elected officials. Further, our police must be empowered to protect the vast majority of our citizens. Because that vast majority of law-abiding citizens, regardless of who they voted for, also have rights. We have the right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And no one that I know is happy about having the streets blocked when they’re trying to get to work. No one is particularly thrilled about seeing our streets turn into carnivals of potential—and sometimes actual—violence because a mixed-message has somehow been received by these protestors; a message that allows them to believe what they are doing when they break the law is somehow appropriate because it is tolerated.

Mid-term elections are only two years away. The older I get, the better I realize how fast two years can go by. And the next presidential election is only two years after that. There’s plenty of time for voices to be heard, for peaceful assemblies, and for the many legal ways that people in this country have to address their grievances.

In the mean time, we need to uphold and enforce the laws of this land which, regardless of who is in power, really define what America is all about.

This article first appeared in The Jewish Press on Nov. 25, 2016

Medicare Rights Seminar

Senator Felder hosted a Medicare Rights Seminar on Tuesday, November 28, for people turning 65 in 2017. A representative from Medicare Rights offered a soup-to-nuts tutorial on Medicare and explained the various choices people have when applying for Medicare. About three dozen people attended the two-hour seminar, which included an extensive question and answer session.