Ruben Diaz Jr.'s “State of The Bronx” Address

By Robert Press

They came from as far away as Staten Island to hear Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz's “State of the Bronx” address, and were not disappointed. 

Deputy Bronx Borough President Aurelia Greene introduced BP Diaz as a man of action, who gets things done. It is still less than two years ago that Ruben Diaz Jr. became Borough President, and already he is making an impact on the lives of not only people in the Bronx, but the people of the city of New York.

BP Diaz opened his speech with how Bronxites have come together to celebrate our efforts in every neighborhood to improve the quality of life, while working together as “One Bronx”, or “Un Solo Bronx.” Diaz went into the struggle of trying to get decent wages from those involved in business that receive taxpayer subsidiaries, and his “Living Wage” bill in the City Council.

Diaz highlighted the more than $12 million in funding that his office has given to Bronx schools, and the appointment of Ms. Monica Major, a long time parent advocate as the representative for the Bronx on the Panel For Education Policy. He stressed the fact that a major concern of his was PCB contamination of many of the older schools (over 800), that will now be addressed by the city to the tune of $700 million citywide over a 10-year period.

Diaz continued with the $37.6 million that his office provided to renovate libraries, and other redevelopment programs including working with other elected officials to upgrade Bronx parks. Diaz spoke of the preservation of existing parks and Greenways, adding how Bronxites came together to save many trees along Pelham Parkway that the city wanted to cut down.

Housing came next as Diaz said that he successfully leveraged about $16 million in capital allocations into $442 million of housing development. How over 1,800 units of of new or preserved housing projects of all kinds including senior citizen housing were developed. Diaz added that his is well aware of just how bad conditions got at the infamous Milbank and Ocelot real estate holdings, and how he joined with other city officials to launch the “Proactive Preservation Initiative.” This will identify troubled buildings and make necessary repairs before things get out of control leaving tenants in a hopeless situation.

Diaz played up the the formation of the “Business Initiative Corporation” and the “Bronx Overall Economic development Corporation,” and the millions of dollars that went to start up or expand Bronx businesses. He added that SCORE has now come to the Bronx to provide free counseling to start up entrepreneurs, and business looking to expand. Diaz spoke of a business in Mott Haven that has an exclusive contract with Major League Baseball that was able to expand their business beyond the borders of the Bronx. Also Diaz mentioned that the Bronx is home to a seafood company that purchased an all-electric fully refrigerated delivery truck, the only one in the entire city.

Next up was the Bronx Tourism Council, and how the Council has added to bringing more people to view the parks, waterways, and other natural or man made sights that the Bronx has to offer such as the Bronx Zoo, Bronx Botanical Gardens, and Orchard Beach to name only a few. Diaz however still wants more, as he says with such great attractions including Yankee Stadium that draw visitors from all over now is the opportunity to have a world class hotel, which can be built right near Yankee Stadium.

On the issue of the Hunts Point Market trying to be lured elsewhere, and to a backdrop picture of “Snookie” from the show “Jersey Shore,” Diaz said that he is working with city, state and federal officials to see that the market stays right here in the Bronx. On the subject of the Kingsbridge Armory Diaz said had the Related proposal been built that it would have been devastating to local businesses as shoppers would also have abandoned the Fordham Road shopping district. He said that the task force he created has heard from many developers, and that in October the Capstone Program will complete its list of suggestions for the task force. Diaz reiterated his call for a living wage, and that 29 city council members have signed on to supporting the bill. BP Diaz did not say why the Living Wage Bill was being held up in the council, but it is said that the mayor and City Council Speaker are opposed to it.

Diaz spoke of his efforts with DA Johnson and the police department not only to get illegal guns off the streets of the Bronx, but also of the task force created to try to deal with other forms of crime such as hate crimes. Diaz then said that his niece was forced to resign from the Navy because she was openly gay, and now that congress has repealed the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy that she will reenlist as well as many others in the LGBT community who have suffered the same fate.

Diaz closed his state of the Bronx speech by saying that we will continue the fight to make our schools better, we will fight to make sure that more Bronxites are able to support their families, and that we will not listen to those who say that poverty is an inevitable part of life in the Bronx, we will show them that those chains can be broken. “There are success stories all around us, but the best is yet to come.” “Please join me on this journey...our journey to a thriving “One Bronx.”