Heastie shows Bronx pride at Ben Franklin Club dinner

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Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was not shy about showing love for fellow Bronxites at the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club’s annual dinner on May 7.

“There’s 62 counties in this state,” Mr. Heastie said after taking the podium at the Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale (CSAIR). “But as I’ve not been shy to tell people, the Bronx is always going to be first among equals.”

As the wine flowed, Mr. Heastie used his speech to highlight boons he has brought to the borough since becoming speaker after Assemblyman Sheldon Silver stepped down from the post amid corruption charges. 

Mr. Heastie noted that an increase in state funds for city public schools will benefit the northwest Bronx. He said the $500 million increase in budgeting was the largest since 2007.

The speaker also touted the state’s contribution of $4 million to a pedestrian bridge costing a total of $14 million which will link the eastern and western halves of Van Cortlandt Park (see Political Arena, page A8). 

Mr. Heastie said even though this year marked his first time leading state budget negotiations, he was able to secure “just about every item” on a wish list he received from northwest Bronx Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz.

“That’s what this really means for the Bronx. So, I mean, you know — wink, wink — I can’t play favorites with the Bronx but — wink, wink — the Bronx is going to do very well,” Mr. Heastie told his audience, some of whom continued to snap selfies at their individual tables.

Mr. Heastie had flown to the city from Syracuse, where he attended a fundraiser earlier in the day. Coming to the influential Ben Franklin Club’s dinner was a “no-brainer,” he said, “knowing what this club has meant to me.” All of the northwest Bronx’s elected officials are members of the club, which has dominated the neighborhood’s politics for years.

Carl Heastie, Jeff Dinowitz, Jeff Klein, Andrew Cohen, Bruce Feld, Benjam Franklin Reform Democratic Club, money, Nic Cavell
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