A good year for Riverdale

2014 was a good year for Riverdale. Sound and fury filled Albany and Washington, but, it didn’t signify much for this neighborhood. Liberals here might be dissatisfied at the lack of progress on hot-button state and national issues, but looking back at the year’s headlines shows Riverdale remains a place of privilege.

Start with the jaw-dropping amounts of money that came this way. It benefits to have one of the four people who essentially control the state represent your hometown. State Sen. Jeff Klein, who is poised to continue co-ruling the Senate with state Sen. Dean Skelos next year, allocated about $14 million to his district, which includes Riverdale.

The recipients form a list of “2014 winners:” Riverdale Neighborhood House received $250,000; Riverdale Mental Health, the same; Riverdale Senior Services, $100,000; the Spuyten Duvyil School (P.S. 24), $118,000; Van Cortlandt Park, about $1.5 million (including funds Councilman Andrew Cohen allocated); and Wave Hill, $150,000. Mr. Klein announced the allocation to P.S. 24 after the election, saying he waited until he could confirm everything in the state’s arcane budget was in place, and he is likely to make more such announcements next year. 

The senator is poised to remain a prominent defender of the neighborhood in the coming session. Primary challenger Oliver Koppell lambasted him for the alliance between his Independent Democratic Conference and Senate Republicans, but that very arrangement gives the senator enormous power to advocate for Riverdale and the rest of his district. 

Among other issues, 2015 will likely bring heated debate on where to locate the 200,000 units of affordable housing Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to create or preserve. Considering the mayor has called Mr. Klein his “number-one ally in Albany,” the senator could play a key role in advocating for Riverdalians who will be concerned about preserving the character of their neighborhood.